Happy weekend, everyone!
I hope that you are all doing well.
This week I covered a couple of Osaka Asian Film Festival posts with my interview with Oudai Kojima going live as well as my review of the Satoko Yokohama film Ito. For now, I’ll be watching some Shohei Imamura films.
What is scheduled for Japanese cinemas this weekend?
Kontora 
コントラ「Kontora」
Release Date: March 20th, 2021
Duration: 145 mins.
Director: Anshul Chauhan
Writer: Anshul Chauhan (Script)
Starring: Seira Kojima, Wan Marui, Hidemasa Mase, Takuzo Shimizu, Taichi Yamada,
This is a distinct and impressive sophomore feature from Anshul Chauhan after his debut, Bad Poetry Tokyo (2017) with its gorgeous monochrome sheen and absorbing dramatic acting and mysterious story. It won the Grand Prix at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival and it is one I am looking forward to seeing at the Osaka Asian Film Festival n March.
Here’s my review and an interview with the director Anshul Chauhan.
Synopsis: When Sora’s (Wan Marui) grandfather passes away she loses the last person she feels she can communicate with. Her relationship with her father is very uneasy and so, when Sora discovers her grandfather’s wartime diary which hints at hidden treasure, she hides it in the hopes it can provide some outlet for herself. At this time a mysterious mute vagrant who only walks backwards appears in town and his presence provides a catalyst for change between father and daughter.
Caution, Hazardous Wife: The Movie 
奥様は、取り扱い注意「Okusama wa, Tori Atsukai Chui」
Release Date: March 19th, 2021
Duration: 119 mins.
Director: Toya Sato
Writer: Yukiko Manabe (Script),
Starring: Haruka Ayase, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Kosuke Suzuki, Kenshi Okada, Atsuko Maeda, Rei Dan, Fumiyo Kohinata, Shingo Tsurumi,
Synopsis: The drama series Caution, Hazardous Wife ended with Yuki Isayama (Hidetoshi Nishijima) pointing a pistol at his wife Nami Isayama (Haruka Ayase) after she arrived home. It turns out he has rumbled Nami’s past as a secret agent while Yuki kept his job as an agent for the public security department a secret, too. It seems that marriages are built on honesty unless you are in the spying game…
You’re Not Normal, Either 
まともじゃないのは君も一緒 「Matomo Janai no wa Kimi mo Issho」
Release Date: March 19th, 2021
Duration: 98 mins.
Director: Koji Maeda
Writer: Ryo Takada (Script),
Starring: Ryo Narita, Kaya Kiyohara, Kotaro Koizumi, Yuki Kura, Rika Izumi, Mai Ohtani, Kasumi Yamaya,
Synopsis: Yasuomi Ono (Ryo Narita) is a math teacher who finds it easier to get lost in equations than to get involved with other people. As he grows older, however, he begins to worry about growing into an old bachelor and so he seems to luck out when his student Kasumi Akimoto (Kaya Kiyohara) explains that he’s not normal starts coaching him in how to become normal and start dating. Little does he suspect that she is trying to get him to date the partner of her romantic ideal. What’s more, it seems like he is a hit with the lady…
Left of Chopin 
にしきたショパン「Nishikita Shopan」
Release Date: March 20th, 2021
Duration: 90 mins.
Director: Yoshino Takemoto
Writer: Yoshino Takemoto, Sayoko Kitamura (Script),
Starring: Shione Mizuta, Kenji Nakamura, Takahiro Izumi, Arisa Nonomura, Tomoko Kusube,
Synopsis: Kentaro and Rinko are both very talented pianists and have been close friends since childhood. While he is a Rachmaninoff man and naturally a genius composer, she is a Chopin girl and a hard worker. They are divided by class, however, since Kentaro’s family is poor and his only hope of attending university is winning a piano competition. Then, the Kobe earthquake strikes and puts an end to his plans. Meanwhile, Rinko earns a place at a foreign university. When she returns home, she finds that Kentaro has changed…
Yoake mae no Uta Kesareta Okinawa no Shogaimono 
夜明け前のうた 消された沖縄の障害者 「Yoake mae no Uta Kesareta Okinawa no Shogaimono」
Release Date: March 21st, 2021
Duration: 97 mins.
Director: Yoshikazu Hara
Writer: N/A
Starring: N/A
Synopsis: A documentary that reveals the reality of the “private home detention” system that once existed in Japan to isolate mentally handicapped people in huts. This was based on the Mental Illness Custody Law enacted in 1900 and while this law was repealed in mainland Japan in 1950, it continued in Okinawa until 1972 when it was returned by US forces. There was no official investigation as to what happened by the indignity suffered by the people put in detention was recorded by Takeshi Okaba, a psychiatrist dispatched from Tokyo to Okinawa in 1964, who took photographs and made notes at that time. These sources of information for the basis of the documentary.
Ikiro Shimada Akira Senchuu Saigo no Okinawa Kenchiji 
生きろ 島田叡 戦中最後の沖縄県知事 「Ikiro Shimada Akira Senchuu Saigo no Okinawa Kenchiji」
Release Date: March 21st, 2021
Duration: 118 mins.
Director: Tadahiko Sako
Writer: N/A
Starring: Hidefumi Machida (Narration)
Synopsis: A documentary about the unknown history of Okinawa during the war, focusing on the governor of Okinawa, Akira Shimada, who was. moved from his position as the director of the internal affairs department of Osaka Prefecture to become the new governor of Okinawa Prefecture in 1944. Shimada, who left his family in Osaka, enacted various measures to promote large-scale evacuation and solve food shortages. Even after the US military landed on the main island of Okinawa and the battle raged on the island, he continued to work and had to make tough choices because of unreasonable demands from the Japanese military and protecting civilians. The film features interviews with people who survived the Battle of Okinawa as well as newly discovered materials.
Me and the Cult Leader 
AGANAI 地下鉄サリン事件と私 「AGANAI Chikatetsu Sarin Jiken to Watashi」
Release Date: March 21st, 2021
Duration: 114 mins.
Director: Atsushi Sakahara
Writer: N/A
Starring: Atsushi Sakahara, Hiroshi Araki, Shoko Asahara, Takako Sakahara, Takeshi Sakahara,
Synopsis: In 1995, the Aum Shinrikyo cult launched a deadly sarin gas attack in Tokyo’s subway system. Since then, the cult’s leader was executed and it was renamed Aleph. One victim of th attack, the director of this film Atsushi Sakahara, travels with a member of the Aleph cult, Hiroshi Araki, and they spend time visiting each other’s hometowns and the university they both attended with Sakahara learning more about Araki. And so a relationship between two very different people on different sides of a deadly incident is born.
The next two films will be shown together in cinemas.
Eiga Healin’ Good 
Precure Yume no Machi de Kyun! tto GoGo! 
映画ヒーリングっど・プリキュア ゆめのまちでキュン！っとGoGo！大変身!!「Eiga Hi-rin Guddo Purikyua Yume no Machi de Kyun!tto GoGo! Dai Henshin!!」
Release Date: March 21st, 2021
Duration: N/A
Director: Ryota Nakamura
Writer: Ryunosuke Kingetsu (Screenplay), Izumi Todo (Original Creator)
Starring: Ai Maeda (Karen Minatsuki/Cure Aqua), Ai Nagano (Komachi Akimoto/Cure Mint), Mariya Ise (Urara Kasugano/Cure Lemonade), Aoi Yuki (Cure Grace/Nodoka Hanadera),
Animation Production: Toei Animation
Synopsis from Anime News Network: The movie’s story revolves around “Yume Aaru” (Dream Are), a virtual area where the dreams in people’s hearts can be made real, with the power of the “Yume Pendant” (Dream Pendant) item. Kaguya is the popular “Yume Aaru Princess,” and Sarena is the brilliant scientist who invented the Yume Pendant.
Tropical-Rouge! Precure Petit Tobikome! Collabo▽Dance Party!
映画トロピカル～ジュ！プリキュア プチ とびこめ！コラボ・ダンスパーティ！「Eiga Toropikaru-ju! Purikyua Puchi Tobikome! Korabo Dansu Pa-tei!」
Release Date: March 21st, 2021
Duration: N/A
Director: Takashi Otsuka
Writer: Ryunosuke Kingetsu (Screenplay),
Starring: Ai Fairouz (Manatsu Natsumi), Yumiri Hanamori (Sango Suzumura), Yui Ishikawa (Minori Ichinose), Rina Hidaka (Laura), Asami Seto (Asuka Takizawa),
Animation Production: Toei Animation
Synopsis from My Anime List: The anime series centres on Manatsu, who moves from her small island birthplace to a city and starts middle school. On the day she moves she meets a mermaid girl named Laura who is looking for the “legendary warriors,” the Precures. Laura’s hometown, the mermaid country of Grand Ocean, has been attacked by the “procrastination witch,” who has stolen the country’s “motivation power.” In the short, which is based on the series, Precure characters Manatsu (Cure Summer), Sango (Cure Coral), Minori (Cure Papaya), Asuka (Cure Flamingo), and the mermaid girl Laura — are heading to the Dancing Island for a dance party when they have an unexpected encounter.