Inuyashiki, Until the Day You Gain Freedom, Yassadaru Man, Liz to Aoitori. Ninagawa Yukio Theatre 2 `jajauma narashi'(aya no kuni Sheikusupia shirīzu) Japanese Film Trailers

Happy weekend, people!

This week I posted a review for the release of The Whispering Star (2016) as well as info on its UK release thanks to Third Window Films, updated my post about Japanese films at the Cannes Film Festival with info on the Mamoru Hosoda anima, Mirai no Mirai which is the first anime to open in the Directors’ Fortnight section, and also about the Spring Explorers free film screenings.

Inuyashiki   

いぬやしき 「Inuyashiki」

Running Time: 127 mins.

Release Date: April 20th, 2018

Director: Shinsuke Sato

Writer: Hiroshi Hashimoto (Screenplay), Hiroya Oku (Original Manga)

Starring: Noritake Kinashi, Takeru Satoh, Kanata Hongo, Fumi Nikaido, Yuki Saito, Yusuke Iseya, Mari Hamada, Ayaka Miyoshi, Nayuta Fukuzaki,

Website IMDB

This is based on a manga series by Hiroya Oku, the guy who created the super-disturbing horror sci-fi Gantz. Inuyashiki was turned into an anime that turned out to be pretty good. The live-action version looks like it should be fun. Takeru Satoh (Rurouni Kenshin and Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno) stars as the bad guy.

Synopsis: Ichiro Inuyashiki (Noritake Kinashi) is a salary-man on his way out. Unappreciated at work and at home and freshly diagnosed with cancer, his life looks miserable but things take a drastic turn when he is involved in an explosion. When he regains consciousness, he discovers that he has been transformed into a cyborg. Far from freaking out, he has a new lease of life and decides to use his powers to help those in need. Meanwhile, Hiro Shishigami (Takeru Satoh), a high school student, was also involved in the very same explosion and has gained the very same the powers. He just wants to see the world burn. Two super-powered people do battle in Japan!

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Third Window Films Release “Whispering Star / The Sion Sono” on April 16th on DUAL FORMAT Blu-ray/DVD

Regular readers of this blog will know that Sion Sono is a favourite director of mine so it is with some joy that I can report that Third Window Films are helping film fans get closer to one of the best directors in Japanese cinema with a release of his sci-fi arthouse film The Whispering Star which will be paired with the feature-length documentary The Sion Sono. The two will be released as a DUAL FORMAT blu-ray/dvd on April 16th.

Check out the webpage over at the Third Window Film site for more details. Scroll down for trailers and details!

The Night I Swam, A Seaside Weekly Tabloid, Seinaru Mono, Stray Dogz 8, Walking with My Grandma, Seven Colours★Rocket, Ninagawa Yukio Theatre 2 “midokumaru fainaru”, Tenshi Ja nai!, Sore sore ga yattekitara…, Detective Conan: Zero the Enforcer, Eiga Crayon Shin-chan Bakumori! Kung-Fu Boys ~Ramen Tairan~ Japanese Film Trailers

Happy Weekend, People!

I’m at the end of day six of a twelve day work week and I’m feeling okay but there is a lot of content I need to publish as well as working on things for my regular job. This week saw me post about introducing some films at a festival, the rather excellent line-up of films at the Udine Far East Film Festival, and the rather superb Japanese twosome in competition at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. I’m going to keep the pace up with a post tomorrow and break with my regular schedule of Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, to keep posting content I have waiting to be released. That’s not including a festival I’m helping put together later this year. Heck, I updated the trailers for last year’s Osaka Asian Film Festival earlier today… I like being busy.

What is released this weekend in Japan?

Japanese Films at the Udine Far East Film Festival 2018

The Udine Far East Film Festival plays from April 20th to the 28th and it is the 20th year it has been in operation. There are over 80 films programmed with a strong contingent from Japan. Also at the festival are many films from across the rest of Asia, some of which got there world premieres at the Osaka Asian Film Festival last month – No. 1 Chung Ying Street. More interestingly, there’s a celebration of Brigitte Lin so that means screenings of Chungking Express and Dragon Inn!!!!

This is a film blog dedicated to Japanese cinema so I’m covering the Japanese films now but I will endeavour to get reviews for as many of these titles as possible!

What are the Japanese films programmed for the festival?

Yamato California, Minatomachi, Chronicle of the After-School Wars, Liverleaf, The Bastard and the Beautiful World, Call Boy, Too Unbelievable of a Woman: Defendant Yoshie, father kanbojia he shiawase o todoketa goccahn shinpu no monogatari, The Werewolf Game: Inferno, I Will Never Forgive, Ninagawa Yukio Theatre 2 “Ninagawa MacBeth”, Gekijouban Servamp: Alice in the Garden Japanese Film Trailers

Hello, dear readers.

A bit of a subdued opening to this week’s trailer post because of the death of Isao Takahata at the age of 82. This is a sad moment because he was a true creative genius. Anyone familiar with his films and TV shows will know that, as well as founding Ghibli and supporting artists, he was a groundbreaking artist himself and pushed boundaries. Look at the difference in style and story from his directorial debut The Little Norse Prince to the heartbreaking Grave of the Fireflies and his last film, Princess Kaguya. My personal favourite is Only Yesterday which, despite my best resistance, got me crying floods of tears at the end. Pom Poko was another that broke through my defences but the most potent was Grave. I cannot watch that film again. It broke me the first time. I sincerely hope Takahata has found peace and his family find comfort in this trying time.

This week saw me post about the Japan Film Festival Ireland and Mari Okada visiting the UK.

What’s released this weekend?

Pumpkin Girl, honey, Psychic Agents, Neteru toki dake aishiteru., Deaf Person’s South America Report, Kalafina 10th Anniversary Film Yume ga Tsunagu Kagayaki no Harmony, ANIMA o ute!, Tokyo Outskearts Japanese Film Trailers

Happy weekend, people!

I had a fantastic week visiting temples and shrines, museums, and restaurants with friends and, performing hanami with wonderful people. It was a fantastic experience that will stay with me. Now I’m back in the trenches writing reviews and transcribing interviews using my free time before I go back to my regular job next week. I posted two reviews this week: Girl Returned and CYCLE-CYCLE, both screened at the Osaka Asian Film Festival.

What’s released this weekend?

Eriko Pretended, Laughing Under the Clouds, Girl’s Play, The Final Parting, Saimon and Tada Takashi, Goku Tomo, From Taiwan with Love, From Taiwan with Love, Spit & Honey Japanese Film Trailers

Happy weekend, people!

I’m just about ready to get back into normal service again after spending much of last week working and much of this week travelling. The sun has been shining, I had dinner with a really cool person I admire and I visited good places. I am happy.

I have more OAFF 2018 reviews stacked up, the only reason I didn’t post them this week was because I was rushing around doing things or relaxing and exploring places and, I must admit, I need to do rewrites on some. That period is almost over as I am about to resume my normal life but the festival process is starting with Kotatsu and I am working on new projects in my day-job.

What is released this weekend in Japan (we’re on time this week, people!!!)?

Chihayafuru: Musubi, Dynamite Graffiti, Eiga Precure Super Stars!, Magic Town, Niwatori Star, Kamisama no wadachi check point of the life, Youth Discovery Film, Tomoyasu Murata Stop-Motion, Ai-chan: the Teen Detective from Yoshimoto Shinkigeki, across the border Cu-Bop Japanese Film Trailers

Happy mid-week, everyone!(?!?!?)

This post is late because I was doing a lot of press work at the Osaka Asian Film Festival and working late into the night on the final two days. I maintained by cool better than last year but a few mistakes slipped in because I tend to rush to complete work. Still, the team pulled through. There was that dull pressure that comes after exhaustion sets in on the final night but I found the experience gratifying. It’s almost all over now and I’m travelling. I’m currently staying with a cool friend for the night before moving on to a new location tomorrow. My reviews for films I have seen at the Osaka Asian Film Festival are starting to be published such as Here and Here and Nagisa on this blog and I’ve got interviews to transcribe and get checked before publishing. So, plenty of work to do!

I hope everyone is having fun.

What was released last weekend?

Sennan Asbestos Disaster, Eiga Shimajirō: Mahō no Shima no Daibōken, Karanukan, Kids on the Slope, Sakamichi no Apollon, Sakura Guardian of the North, Last Winter We Parted, Gekijôban Urutoraman Jîdo Tsunagu ze! Negai!! Japanese Film Trailers

Happy Weekend, People!

By the time you read this, things are already underway at the 2018 run of the Osaka Asian Film Festival where there are over 50 films from across the world getting screened around the city. I hope to bring you reviews of as many of these films as possible. What will happen is that they will get posted at V-Cinema and then I’ll post them here as they go up. There are some great titles that are sure to get screened around the world so there’s plenty to look forward to.

This week, I posted a review for “Before We Vanish” (2017) which was published on V-Cinema just over a month ago. I also posted a review of the Junichi Kanai film “Transferring” (2012).

What is released in Japan this weekend?

Ice Cream and the Sound of Raindrops, Ikiru Machi, Bungo Stray Dogs: Dead Apple, Eiga Doraemon Nobita no Takarajima, Kamen Rider EX-AID: Another Ending Part III – Kamen Rider Genm vs. Lazer, Omotenashi, Anata wa watashijanai, Principal – Koi Suru Watashi wa Heroine Desu Ka?, Anata wa watashijanai, Life Goes On, Ghost Squad, Basuketto to Boku!, Ramen Kuitee, Living the Game Japanese Film Trailers

Happy Weekend, People!

This is my first trailer post from Japan. The last time I was in the country, I didn’t have the time or energy to do them because of constant activity but good experiences and good people motivated me to get back into the game and it has been fun putting this one together. After this is posted, I will head out to explore some cities. And write. I made the mistake of catching a train at rush hour last night and got stuck in a corner, desperately writing review notes with my pen and pad while I travelled back to my room.

I have had a busy week since getting here but spent the weekend prepping reviews for the upcoming Osaka Asian Film Festival. I posted an article about the Japanese films that will be playing and I’m looking forward to seeing what is on offer. My second post was a review of “Love and Other Cults” (2017) which is released on DVD/Blu-ray in the UK on March 26^th by Third Window Films.

What is released this weekend in Japan?