Happy Weekend
I hope you are well
The Cannes Film Festival 2022 is currently underway and one of the Korean films, Hunt by Lee Jung-jae, is about to get its screening as I type this!
This is a list of all of the films released today. There’s another five films released tomorrow, so check back here to complete this weekend’s Japanese film releases.
What are the first batch of trailers released?
Taiga e no Michi 
大河への道 「Taiga e no Michi」
Release Date: May 20th, 2022
Duration: 112 mins.
Director: Kenji Nakanishi
Writer: Yoshiko Morishita (Script), Shinosuke Tatekawa (Original Rakugo Story),
Starring: Kiichi Nakai, Kenichi Matsuyama, Keiko Kitagawa, Yukino Kishii, Masato Wada,
Rakugo storyteller Shinosuke Tatekawa has his story about famous mapmaker Ino Tadataka brought to the big screen. It stars Kiichi Nakai, Kenichi Matsuyama (Norwegian Wood), and Keiko Kitagawa and has the cast members play two roles in the film, one set in the present and the other in the past.
Synopsis: In Katori City, Chiba Prefecture, the local government is putting together details for a taiga drama about one of its famous sons, Tadataka Ino. He’s a big deal because he who is known for being the first person to make a map of Japan. However, when researching, the team discover that he died before it was published in 1821!
Flashback to the Edo period and we see how the people around him carry out a secret operation to complete the first map of Japanese.
Haken Anime! 
ハケンアニメ！ 「Haken Anime!」
Release Date: May 20th, 2022
Duration: 112 mins.
Director: Kohei Yoshino
Writer: Yousuke Masaike (Script), Mizuki Tsujimura (Original Story),
Starring: Riho Yoshioka, Tomoya Nakamura, Tasuku Emoto, Machiko Ono, Asuka Kudo, Karin Ono, Kanji Furutachi, Tomoya Maeno,
A film set in the Japanese animation world. It features animation created by industry vets, including directors Azuma Tani (Thermae Romae) and Takashi Otsuka (One Piece Stampede.) Professional voice actors like Yuki Kaji, also put in an appearance. Alternatively, watch Shirobako.
Synopsis: Inspired by the works of megalomaniac director Chiharu Ouji, Hitomi Saito has left the civil service and jumped into the overworked and underpaid world of anime to direct her first film and win the title of Haken, an award only given out to the most popular anime. It won’t be easy because Chiharu has been brought out of retirement by ambitious producer Kayako Arishina who is driving him to also win the title. With the films of Hitomi and Chiharu set for release on the same date, who will get the title of haken? Both directors will push their teams hard!
That means hijinks and lots of unpaid overtime, I guess.
The Quintessential Quintuplets the Movie 
映画 五等分の花嫁 「 Eiga Gotoubun no Hanayome」
Release Date: May 20th, 2022
Duration: 136 mins
Director: Masato Jinbo
Writer: Keiichiro Ochi (Screenplay), Negi Haruba (Original Creator)
Starring: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka (Futaro Uesugi), Ayana Taketatsu (Nino Nakano), Ayane Sakura (Yotsuba Nakano), Inori Minase (Itsuki Nakano), Kana Hanazawa (Ichika Nakano), Miku Ito (Miku Nakano),
Animation Production: Bibury Animation Studio
Synopsis: Apparently, this is the final part of a story where a poor high school student named Futaro Uesugi tutors five of his classmates, the Nakano sisters, each of whom is a gorgeous girl who hates studying. So far, after lots of chaos and fun, he’s gotten them to hit the books and improve their grades and a love match is on the horizon with one of them.
Knowing the anime industry, side stories, prequels and sequels that tell us what happens to everyone in college and beyond will probably get made.
Toku Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru ~Setsugetsuka~ 
映画 五等分の花嫁 「 Toku Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru ~Setsugetsuka~」
Release Date: May 20th, 2022
Duration: 73 mins
Director: Sumie Noro
Writer: Yuki Nekoto (Screenplay),
Starring: Mitsuhiro Ichiki (Yamatonokami Yasusada), Toshiki Masuda (Kiyomitsu Kashu), Kousuke Toriumi (Mikazuki Munechika), Takuya Satou (Shokudaikiri Mitsutada),
Animation Production: Doga Koba
Synopsis: This is the first of a trilogy of animated feature films based on the popular sword training simulation game “Touken Ranbu ONLINE” and it comes after a string of theatrical screenings of the stageplays.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Revenge Scar (Hagane no Renkinjutsushi: Kanketsuhen Fukushusha Scar) 
鋼の錬金術師 完結編 復讐者スカー 「Hagane no Renkinjutsushi: Kanketsu-hen – Fukushusha Suka-」
Release Date: May 20th, 2022
Duration: 125 mins.
Director: Fumihiko Sori
Writer: Fumihiko Sori, Takeshi Miyamoto (Script), Hiromu Arakawa (Original Manga),
Starring: Ryosuke Yamada, Atom Mizuishi, Tsubasa Honda, Jun Fubuki, Yuina Kuroshima, Mackenyu, Chiaki Kuriyama,
This is the first part of a two-part sequel and conclusion to the 2017 Fullmetal Alchemist live-action film that adapts the same-name manga by Hiromu Arakawa.
Synopsis: Edward Elric (Ryosuke Yamada) and younger brother Alphonse’s mother passed away from the plague when they were little children. The two attempted to bring her back from the dead by performing a human transmutation which is taboo in alchemy. Their attempt fails disastrously. Edward loses part of his body and Alphonse loses his whole body. Edward sacrifices another part of his body to bind Alphonse’s soul to a suit of armour and then goes on to become an Alchemist. He sets out on a journey to find the “Philosopher’s stone,” which has the power to get back their lost bodies. In this film, the pair chase down a murderer known as “Scar,” a killer who targets State Alchemists.
Sayonara Goodbye 
さよなら グッド・バイ 「Sayonara Guddo Bai」
Release Date: May 20th, 2022
Duration: 57 mins.
Director: Kenji Tani
Writer: Midori Sato (Script), Osamu Dazai (Original Story),
Starring: Yuuki Tamaki, Miho Kanazawa, Shota Takasaki, Mika Akizuki, Haru Tachibana,
Osamu Dazai’s final, unfinished novel Goodbye gets another adaptation after tame misfire Farewell: Comedy of Life Begins with a Lie.
Synopsis: Shuji Tajima is a literary magazine editor and a married man who has many lovers, all of whom he wants to leave after his wife finds out about his promiscuous ways. Being a pushover as well as a philanderer, he asks a colleague named Kazuo Nagai for help in breaking up with all ten women. This is where Kazuo’s sister, Kinuko, acts as a stand-in for Shuji’s wife…
President Tanuki 
タヌキ社長 「Tanuki Shacho」
Release Date: May 20th, 2022
Duration: 73 mins.
Director: Minoru Kawasaki
Writer: Minoru Kawasaki (Script),
Starring: Akari Machi, Tomokazu Seki, Hiroyuki Taniguchi, Jumbo Takao, Naoto Ikeda,
Executive Koala fans will be pleased to see that director Minoru Kawasaki has the balls to make another workplace drama with a human-sized bipedal animal in the lead role.
Synopsis: Yagio Shiragaki is a 55-year-old tanuki who is the president of a brewery. After working hard to make his company a success, he is facing competition from a rival to get a big order for a department store. Adding more complications is the fact that Fusako, one of Yagio’s employees, is in love with him and he has taken a vow to never marry again after losing his wife. But wait! There’s more as the president of the rival brewery is in love with Fusako!