Nippon Connection 2024 is just around the corner and an early selection of films has been made available.
The festival takes place in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, from May 28 to June 2 and for six days festivalgoers will be able to sample the delights of around 100 short and feature-length films at eight venues, many of which will be German, European and international premieres. Alongside the films, there will be around 50 filmmakers from Japan attending the festival and also lots of workshops and more on offer.
The theme of this year’s festival is “Crossing Borders” and the programme is packed with films that explore the relationship and influences between Japanese cinema and the films from the rest of the world. In particular, there will be a retrospective showcase of seven classic Japanese film noirs that show the influence of American crime dramas and German film expressionism.
Beyond this delicious morsel of a tease of the classics, we have a little more meat to sink our teeth into when it comes to some of the some of the contemporary titles that audiences can expect to enjoy. Here are some of them:
Kubi 
首 「Kubi」
Release Date: November 23rd, 2023
Duration: 131 mins.
Director: Takeshi Kitano, Shuta Takahata
Writer: Takeshi Kitano, Takehiko Minato (Screenplay), Takeshi Kitano (Original Book)
Starring: Ken Watanabe, Beat Takeshi, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Ryo Kase, Nao Omori, Shido Nakamura II, Tadanobu Asano, Kenichi Endo, Susumu Terajima, Kenta Kiritani, Jun Soejima, Ittoku Kishibe, Yoshiyoshi Arakawa, Kanji Tsuda,
Seven years since his last directorial effort, Kitano is back with a historical film.
This is the 19th film by Takeshi Kitano and it is based on a novel he wrote. For this production, he also wrote the script and edited the footage.
Looking at various notes, it seems that this was conceived 30 years ago, around the same time as Sonatine (1993), his breakthrough hit internationally. It even attracted the attention of Akira Kurosawa who had shown an interest in the work.
Takeshi Natsuno, president and representative director of Kadokawa studio has said, “It is a rare film, on a scale similar to Akira Kurosawa’s The Seven Samurai and Kagemusha, with a tragicomic quality that feels Shakespearean.” The scale of the story certainly sounds impressive based on the convoluted synopsis based on the real-life incident at Honno-ji of 1582 as the film retells the assassination of Oda Nobunaga in a temple in Kyoto.
The cast is incredible as it features familiar Kitano collaborators and the cream of the crop of acting talent to emerge in the 80s and 90s. It stars Ken Watanabe, Tadanobu Asano (Bright Future), Hidetoshi Nishijima (License to Live, Drive My Car), Susumu Terajima (Hole in the Sky), and Ryo Kase (Outrage).
Synopsis: As Oda Nobunaga (Ryo Kase) wages his campaign to unify Japan, a general named Murashige Araki (Kenichi Endo) rebels and disappears. Nobunaga summons his generals, Mitsuhide Akechi (Hidetoshi Nishijima) and Hideyoshi Hashiba (Beat Takeshi), and orders them to search for and capture Murashige. Plotting between generals and a former ninja escalates as they are unable to kill Murashige and this frustrates Nobunaga’s plans. He soon comes to believe that Tokugawa Ieyasu (Kobayashi Kaoru) is the mastermind behind everything and orders the assassination of Ieyasu. MEANWHILE, peasants take to the battlefields to improve their station in life. All of these characters and storylines converge on Honno-ji.
Fly Me to Saitama II -FROM BIWA LAKE WITH LOVE- 
翔んで埼玉 ～琵琶湖より愛をこめて～ 「Tonde Saitama: Biwako Yori Ai wo Komete」
Release Date: November 23rd, 2023
Duration: 107 mins.
Director: Hideki Takeuchi
Writer: Yuichi Tokunaga (Screenplay), Mineo Maya (Original Manga),
Starring: Gackt, Fumi Nikaido, Anne Watanabe, Norika Fujiwara, Mayu Hotta, Maryjun Takahashi, Ainosuke Kataoka, Tomiko Claire, Higheel Momoko, Mayo Kawasaki,
Synopsis: The people of Saitama Prefecture overcame their persecution at the hands of the people of Tokyo and head to the Kansai region as part of a plan to build an ocean in Koshigaya. All they need is sand from Shirahama beach. What greets them is the sight of more prejudice orchestrated by the ruthless governor of Osaka who rules over the Kansai region with an iron fist and with an eye on knocking the East of Japan onto its behind. Because we all know the West of Japan is best.
Let’s Go Karaoke! 
カラオケ行こ！ 「Karaoke Iko!」
Release Date: January 12th, 2024
Duration: 107 mins.
Director: Nobuhiro Yamashita
Writer: Akiko Nogi (Screenplay), Yama Wayama (Original Manga),
Starring: Go Ayano, Jun Saito, Kazuki Kitamura, Maki Sakai, Jun Hashimoto, Chance Oshiro, Kyoko Yoshine,
Website Twitter: @moviekaraokeiko JFDB IMDB
Nobuhiro Yamashita (Hard-Core, The Drudgery Train) and Akiko Nogi (I Am a Hero, Library Wars) have both adapted manga for the screen. This looks like it has a mix of drama and comedy. The set-up and tone makes me think of the Korean film My Boss My Hero.
Synopsis: Kyoji Narita (Go Ayano) is a high ranking yakuza member and his gang have a karaoke competition. This leads him to recruit a junior high school student named Satomi Oka (Jun Saito), a sincere and blunt boy who once had the voice of an angel who led the school’s chorus club but has since found it difficult because puberty has made his vocals change. Kyoji arranges singing lessons and the song he wants to sing is “Kurenai” by X Japan. The two gradually get to know each other.
KYRIE 
キリエのうた 「Kirie no Uta 」
Release Date: October 13th, 2023
Duration: 178 mins.
Director: Shunji Iwai
Writer: Shunji Iwai (Screenplay),
Starring: Aina the End, Hokuto Matsumura, Haru Kuroki, Suzu Hirose, Nijiro Murakami, Megumi Okina, Miyoko Asada, Yuya Matsuura, Yosuke Egichi,
This work is based on a novel by Shunji Iwai (The Bride of Rip Van Winkle) and features real singer/musician AINA THE END, who was a part of BiSH.
Synopsis: One evening, at the south exit of Shinjuku Station, a young singer-songwriter named Kyrie begins singing and playing her guitar. Her singing attracts the attention of pedestrians and she earns a lot of money. One such pedestrian is an old friend from high school. The two share a history linked to their time at school in Sendai, the crossed emotions they share with each other and the people around them, and also the Great East Japan Earthquake. A tapestry involving all of these people emerges from Kyrie’s song.
Works From Emerging Directors
ABYSS 
ABYSS アビス 「Abisu」
Release Date: September 15th, 2023
Duration: 105 mins.
Director: Ren Sudo
Writer: Ren Sudo, Aya Watanabe (Screenplay),
Starring: Ren Sudo, Arisa Sasaki, Yoshiki Urayama, Natsuko, Kazunori Mimura, Kenta Ninomiya,
Aya Watanabe is a screenwriter on a multitude of indie projects and she has teamed up with the actor Ren Sudo, one of the leads of the stellar short film Last Judgement, who makes his first steps into directing with this project.
Synopsis: Ren Sudo plays Kei, a young man working part-time in a bar in Shibuya and as a model. When his brother, Yuta, commits suicide, Kei returns to his hometown to attend the funeral. That is where he meets Rumi, his brother’s former lover. There is a difficult history between the three and even with Yuta’s passing, it remains so as Kei pursues Rumi once more.
Push Pause 
ココでのはなし 「Koko de no Hanashi」
Release Date: N/A
Duration: 85 mins.
Director: Ryoma Kosasa
Writer: Rei Tsuruga, Ryoma Kosasa (Screenplay),
Starring: Kuu Izima, Yuji Komatsu, Yugo Mikawa, Naoyuki Miyahara, Nairu Yamamoto, Chiharu Ogoshi, Akari Sasaoka,
Twitter: @coco_film_2023 IMDB
Nairu Yamamoto is having something of a moment considering she is in quite a few films this year, including On a Boat and Inch Forward (which releases in June). She may be the lead in the latter film but here she is part of an ensemble drama that takes place during the Covid-19 pandemic/Olympics.
Synopsis: It is the time of the Olympics and the people staying at the Coco guesthouse build personal connections with each other while addressing issues in their loves. cultivates new relationships, providing a platform for confronting personal pasts and futures.
Qualia 
クオリア 「Kuoria」
Release Date: November 18th, 2023
Duration: 96 mins.
Director: Ryo Ushimaru
Writer: Kenzo Kaga (Screenplay), Ryoichi Oshitomo (Original Story),
Starring: Kokone Sasaki, Ruka Ishikawa, Kenta Kiguchi, Maya Kudamatsu, Chikara To,
Synopsis: Yuko has married into the Tanaka family. They run a chicken farm and she has a tough time fitting in with various members. Things get even more twisted when her husband’s mistress applies to be a live-in worker and joins the dysfunctional band…
Animated Films
Blue Giant 
Release Date: February 17th, 2023
Duration: 120 mins
Director: Yuzuru Tachikawa
Writer: NUMBER 8 (Screenplay), Shinichi Ishizuka (Original Creator)
Starring: Yuki Yamada (Dai Miyamoto), Amane Okayama (Shunji Tamada), Shotaro Mamiya (Yukinori Sawabe),
Animation Production: NUT
Synopsis: Dai Miyamoto is a junior high school student in Sendai whose dreams switch from basketball to jazz after a friend takes him to a live music performance and he is touched by the experience. He chooses the saxophone to play and practices it by himself. No guidance, no ability to read sheet music, just the passion to become the best saxophonist in the world. His dream takes him to Tokyo where he moves in with a former classmate and forms a band. Dai hits the clubs with the band and begins to learn about the Japanese jazz scene.
The Concierge 
北極百貨店のコンシェルジュさん 「Hokkyoku Hyakkaten no Concierge-san」
Release Date: October 20th, 2023
Duration: 70 mins
Director: Yoshimi Itazu
Writer: Satomi Ooshima (Screenplay), Tsuchika Nishimura (Original Creator),
Starring: Natsumi Kawaida (Akino), Ayumu Murase (Barbary Lion), Danshun Tatekawa (Laughing Owl (Husband)), Eiji Yoshitomi (Maruki), Kana hanazawa (female Japanese wolf), Megumi Han (Mori), Jun Fukuyama (Head Waiter),
Animation Production: Production I.G
Synopsis: Akino is a new concierge at the saleswoman at the Hokkyoku Department Store, a place where the staff are all humans and the customers are all animals. The V.I.As (Very Important Animals) are the extinct species, including sea minks, laughing owls, Japanese wolves, even an enormous mammoth. Each has their own personality and Akino works hard to understand them and fulfil their requests, all while her cost-cutting boss keeps a close eye on her.
Phoenix: Reminiscence of Flower 
火の鳥 エデンの花 「Hi no Tori Eden no Hana」
Release Date: November 03rd, 2023
Duration: 95 mins
Director: Shojiro Nishimi
Writer: Saku Konohana, Katsunari Mano (Screenplay), Osamu Tezuka (Original Creator),
Starring: Rie Miyazawa (Romi), Yosuke Kubozuka (George), Issey Ogata (Sudarban), Honoka Yoshida (Kom), Shintarou Asanuma (Makimura),
Animation Production: Studio 4C
The classic Osamu Tezuka manga gets another animated film adaptation.
Synopsis: Romi and his lover George flee from Earth and travel to the remote planet Eden 17. However, the planet has a harsh environment and George is killed in an accident. At his loss, Romi goes into suspended animation, but the machine malfunctions and he is stuck in sleep for 1,300 years. When she emerges, she is crowned the queen of Eden 17, a huge town built by new arrivals. Despite this adulation, Romi longs to return to Earth and a kind-hearted boy named Kom decides to travel with her through the vastness of space.
Crossing Borders
18×2 Beyond Youthful Days 
青春18×2 日本慢車流浪記 「Seishun 18×2 Kimi e to Tsuzuku Michi 」
Release Date: May 03rd, 2024
Duration: 123 mins.
Director: Michihito Fujii
Writer: Michihito Fujii (Screenplay), Jimmy Lai (Original Travel Essay)
Starring: Greg Han Hsu, Kaya Kiyohara, Hsiao-chuan Chang, Hitomi Kuroki, Haru Kuroki, Shunsuke Michieda
Website Twitter: @seishun18x2 IMDB
This film is a Japan-Taiwan co-production that was adapted for the screen by Michito Fujii (The Journalist). It is a love story based on a travel essay and its setting is in Taiwan 18 years ago and Japan today. Chang Chen of Happy Together, Mr. Long, and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon fame is credited as the executive producer.
Synopsis: Jimmy is a high school senior living in Taiwan and working at a convenience store. It is there that he meets a Japanese backpacker named Ami. She is four years older than him but she seems innocent and cool and he develops a crush. However, as they grow close, a secret lies between the two and Jimmy has to work through feelings. This is when she departs for Japan but not before the two make a promise.
18 years later and Jimmy is 36 and struggling in life. Upon returning to his parent’s home, he rediscovers a postcard that Ami sent to him and heads to Japan to try and reconnect with the first woman he fell in love with. As he travels from Tokyo to Kamakura, Nagano, Niigata, to Ami’s hometown in Fukushima, he reminisces about their days together while listening to songs that remind him of Ami.
Johatsu – Into Thin Air 
Release Date: N/A
Duration: 86 mins.
Director: Andreas Hartmann, Arata Mori,
Writer: Andreas Hartmann (Screenplay),
Starring: Greg Han Hsu, Kaya Kiyohara, Hsiao-chuan Chang, Hitomi Kuroki, Haru Kuroki, Shunsuke Michieda
Synopsis: People who disappear in Japan are known as the Johatsu, or “the evaporated.” Some do it to escape a debt or a bad relationship or worse happens. They may get aid from companies and they may start life elsewhere while those left behind remain in the dark and have to pick up the pieces. This documentary covers this topic. A podcast on this topic that I listened to last year that was fascinating was “Evaporated: Gone with the Gods.”
Die Tochter des Samurai (The Daughter of the Samurai) 
新しき土 「Atarashiki Tsuchi」
Release Date: February 04th, 1937 (Japan)
Duration: 86 mins.
Director: Arnold Fanck, Mansaku Itami,
Writer: Arnold Fanck (Screenplay),
Starring: Setsuko Hara, Ruth Eweler, Sessue Hayakawa, Isamu Kosugi, Yuriko Hanabusa,
This film was the first of two co-productions between Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany and it got two separate versions for release in their respective countries and it did poorly in Japan because of orientalism. (source) To go into detail about this film, Nippon Connection has got Dr. Iris Haukamp to give a lecture on this controversial film.
Synopsis: Teruo Yamato causes controversy in his family on his return to Japan from Germany when he refuses to marry Mitsuko (Setsuko Hara) due to ideas of Western individualism and supremacy. Instead, he tries to marry a German journalist named Gerda Storm but she, being a good Aryan woman, refuses to enter into a mixed-race relationship and so he has to save his relationship with Mitsuko.
We also know that the Guest of Honour/recipient of Nippon Rising Star Award is Kotone Furukawa.
She is a name I first saw as part of Kamata Prelude and then in indies like Rikiya Imiazumi’s Over the Town and a grip of titles that have been in trailer posts (in an omnibus film here and Amefuritte, the End here). She is probably best known for being in Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s award-winning drama Wheel Of Fortune And Fantasy.
Kotone will receive the Nippon Rising Star Award for exceptional emerging talent at the festival on June 2, 2024 and a selection of her films, including the new horror film Best Wishes To All by (Dir: Yuta Shimotsu), which will celebrate its German premiere in the presence of the director and the world premiere of the romantic-drama Secret: A Hidden Score by Hayato Kawai.
Here’s the trailer for…
Best Wishes to All 
みなに幸あれ 「Mina Ni Sachi Are」
Release Date: January 19th, 2024
Duration: 89 mins.
Director: Yuta Shimotsu
Writer: Rumi Kakuta (Screenplay), Yuta Shimotsu (Original Story)
Starring: Kotone Furukawa, Koya Matsudai, Yoshiko Inuyama, Masafumi Nishida, Shiho Yoshimura,
Website Twitter: @Minasachi_movie IMDB
This was at Japan Cuts 2023. It has a good pedigree.
The film is based on a short film of the same title, also made by director Yuta Shimotsu. Said short won the Grand Prize at the 1st Japan Horror Film Awards. It was produced by Takashi Shimizu of Ju-on fame. It stars Kotone Furukawa, a rising star.
Synopsis: A young woman visits her grandparents’ home in a quaint village and feels a disturbing aura and senses something off about her grandparents and neighbours. She soon discovers what brought them happiness—a revelation that will lead her to question her choices, sanity, her trust in humans and her conception of reality itself in a disturbing ending. The film is based on the theme of “someone’s happiness is built on someone else’s misfortune.”
Accompanying these cinematic delights will be lots of cultural events ranging from workshops, concerts, and lectures to cover Japan’s musical, culinary, artistic diversity. Expect food, bands, and lots of stalls offering a wide array of goods at Japanese markets at some of the venues.
Among the highlights that have been trailed are singer Ai Higuchi (YouTube channel) and the band Samurai Apartment (YouTube channel) hitting the stage while there will be the usual manga drawing and handicraft workshops and the paper theatre of kamishibai and even aikido (just avoid turning into Steven Segal). There are cookery classes as well as whisky tasting, courtesy of Beam Suntory and sake and matcha tasting. There will be plenty of other things on offer so keep checking the site.
Tickets
The complete program and tickets will be available on the festival website as of May 4th, 2024.
Event Locations
Festival Centers: Künstler*innenhaus Mousonturm and Produktionshaus NAXOS
Additional venues in Frankfurt am Main: Eldorado Arthouse Kino, cinema of the DFF – Deutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum, Mal Seh’n Kino, Internationales Theater Frankfurt, Saalbau Bornheim, NaxosAtelier