Welcome to the second trailer post of the week.
You can find the first trailer post here.
The 2024 summer festival season is almost upon us with Japan Cuts and New York Asian Film Festival launching next week. I hope to cover both events. In between now and then I finish up my coverage of Nippon Connection with reviews of Alien’s Daydream and Ripples and a couple more next week.
What are the other films released this weekend?
I Am A Comedian 
アイアム・ア・コメディアン 「Ai Amu A Komedeian」
Release Date: July 06th, 2024
Duration: 108 mins.
Director: Fumiari Hyuga
Writer: N/A
Starring: Daisuke Muramoto, Paradise Nakagawa,
Website Twitter: @IAM_A_COMEDIAN IMDB
Fumiari Hyuga made the short film Tokyo Kurds (2018), which won the Excellence Award in TokyoDocs Short Documentary showcase, and he made it into the feature length film Tokyo Kurds (2021).
Synopsis: After manzai comedian Daisuke Muramoto began talking about politically awkward social issues, he and his partner found their TV opportunities began to dry up. He had crossed a line for comedians about not making political comments. As a solo stand-up he tackles this silencing while also continuing his politically-charged comedy routines. This is a documentary, shot over three years by Fumiari Hyuga, that follows Muramoto and sees him through various challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Nihon de ichiban kowakunai madori 
日本で一番恐くない間取り 「Nihon de ichiban kowakunai madori」
Release Date: July 05th, 2024
Duration: 82 mins.
Director: Kiyoto Naruse
Writer: Kiyoto Naruse (Screenplay),
Starring: Kenta Osaka, Kotoha Hiroyama, Yusuke Yamada, Manzo Shinra, Tadashi Sakata,
Synopsis: In the near future, the number of stigmatised properties has skyrocketed due to tough times and there is only one “normal” property left which is fought over. Yamada, a freelancer living there, faces a rich man named Furano and Nezu, a woman who works for the property management company, and they hire psychics and even a hitman to get the job done.
UTAU LIVE IN TOKYO 2010 A PROJECT OF TAEKO ONUKI & RYUICHI SAKAMOTO 
Release Date: July 05th, 2024
Duration: 136 mins.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
Starring: Taeko Onuki, Ryuichi Sakamoto,
Synopsis: Taeko Onuki and Ryuichi Sakamoto went on a tour named “UTAU” and now their performances are available in cinemas.
Peten Kyoso Kyoku 
ペテン狂騒曲 「Peten Kyoso Kyoku」
Release Date: July 05th, 2024
Duration: 67 mins.
Director: Ryo Matsumoto
Writer: Ryo Matsumoto (Screenplay),
Starring: Mitsuaki Hayashi, Yusuke Takemoto, Masaki Matsuda, Yuuki Yamagata, Saori Otaki,
Website Twitter: @peten_revely
Synopsis: Makoto Sakaki was once a successful solicitor but bad business decisions left him on the run from debt collectors. In desperation, he joins a scam and finds himself in the sights of an ace prosecutor he once faced in court.
Hakobune ni notte iesu no hakobune 45-nen-me no shinjitsu 
方舟にのって イエスの方舟45年目の真実 「Hakobune ni notte iesu no hakobune 45-nen-me no shinjitsu」
Release Date: July 06th, 2024
Duration: 69 mins.
Director: Daiki Sai
Writer: N/A
Starring: Masako Sengoku, Megumi Sengoku, Misaki Sengoku, Yasuko Inoue, Naomi Tsuchida, Takeyoshi Sengoku,
Website Twitter: @TBS_DOCS IMDB
Director Daiki Sai is a member of the Drama Production Department of TBS and made Hinomaru: Terayama Shuji’s 40th Year Provocation.
Synopsis: A documentary about “Jesus’ Ark,” a group founded by Takeyoshi Sengoku that labelled as a cult by the media in the 1980s due to his followers, mostly young women, severing ties with family and travelling Japan. Police investigated but no charges were pressed and the group settled in Fukuoka Prefecture. Through film shot at the time and new interviews, the film shows the true lives of the group that runs counter to the image created by the media.
Shape of My Heart 
愛のぬくもり 「Ai no nukumori」
Release Date: July 06th, 2024
Duration: 91 mins.
Director: Shinji Imaoka
Writer: Shinji Imaoka (Screenplay),
Starring: Keisuke Koide, Kei Fubuki, Manami Shindo, Futaba Araki, Yota Kawase,
Website Twitter: @imaoka_film2023
Synopsis: Takashi, a 39-year-old novelist, and Satomi, a 24-year-old hairdresser, switch bodies after falling down a flight of stairs together and have to pretend to They begin to pretend to be each other that means Satomi dealing with Takashi’s unhappy life and Satomi’s lesbian lover leaving her for a man. The two get help from the people around them.
Yume o Kurau THE WRESTLER 
夢を喰（くら）う THE WRESTLER 「Yume o Kurau THE WRESTLER」
Release Date: July 06th, 2024
Duration: 75 mins.
Director: Keitaro Fujimori
Writer: Hideaki Tomiyama (Original Story),
Starring: Hideaki Tomiyama
Website Twitter: @yumewokurau
Synopsis: This documentary, shot over eight years, is a portrait of Hideaki Tomiyama, a wrestler who won back-to-back World Championships in 1978 and 1979 and became a gold medallist at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and, after retiring, a wrestling coach who helped Japan win Olympic medals and a president of the Japan Wrestling Association and a writer.