Welcome to the second and last trailer post of the week
You can find the first post here.
This week, so far, I have watched Tremors 2: Aftershocks (1996), Nemesis (1992), Children of the Stones (1977), and Made in Japan (2019). I posted about the SAKKA streaming site hosting two films by Yusaku Matsumoto – Made in Japan (2019) and Winny (2023), and I have continued my festival work.
What are the last of this week’s Japanese films?
Komaneko no Kaigai Ryoko 
こまねこのかいがいりょこう 「Komaneko no Kaigai Ryoko 」
Release Date: August 03rd, 2024
Duration: 8 mins
Director: Tsuneo Goda
Writer: Tsuneo Goda (Screenplay/Original Creator),
Starring: N/A
Animation Production: dwarf studio
Website Twitter: @komanekofficial ANN
Dwarf Studio are known for stop-motion animation such as NHK character mascot “Domo-kun” and the Netflix series “Rilakkuma and Kaoru-san.” “Komaneko” is one of the company’s original works.
I fell in love with the Komaneko animation after seeing it at a film festival. Komaneko is a really charming character and the stop-motion animation exudes a care and consideration that makes the charm all the more effective.
Synopsis: Koma-chan is a cat girl who lives in a house on top of a mountain. When her grandfather tells her of his plans for an overseas trip, Koma-chan is thrilled but when told that she cannot take her friends Momoiro-chan and Haiiro-kun with her, she becomes worried…
Perfect Propose Dream Edition 
パーフェクトプロポーズ Dream Edition 「Pa-fekuto puropo-zu Dream Edition」
Release Date: October 25th, 2024
Duration: 127 mins.
Director: Tadaaki Horai
Writer: Takeshi Miyamoto (Screenplay), Mayo Tsurukame (Original Story),
Starring: Shunya Kaneko, Kota Nomura, Ayane Kinoshita, Jingi Irie, Rio Takahashi, Ryo Iwase,
Website Twitter: @propose_drama JFDB IMDB
This is a compilation film of the six-episode live-action adaptation of Mayo Tsurukame’s Perfect Propose boys-love manga.
Synopsis: Hiro is under a great deal of stress from his job at a company and his overbearing boss. That stress, coupled with a lack of sleep, make him faint while out walking. When he wakes up, he sees the face of a beautiful young man, his childhood friend Kai. Kai says he has nowhere to live and moves into Hiro’s house on the condition that he cooks for him every day. Hiro accepts and finds comfort in Kai’s presence as the young man displays love. However, the two must make a decision as to what their relationship is.
Eri wa minna to ikiteiku 
江里はみんなと生きていく 「Eri wa minna to ikiteiku」
Release Date: October 26th, 2024
Duration: 91 mins.
Director: Yasunori Terada
Writer: N/A
Starring: N/A
Website Twitter: @eri_movie_
Synopsis: This documentary covers 12 years in the life of a young and severely disabled woman named Eri Nishida who lives in Chiba Prefecture and dreams of being a painter. She is taken care of by her mother Yoshie and care staff. all of whom provide her assistance at all hours of the day and have grown in experience over the course of their jobs as they started out as relative newbies.
Gaza kara no hokoku 
ガザからの報告 「Gaza kara no hokoku」
Release Date: October 26th, 2024
Duration: 205 mins.
Director: Toshikuni Doi
Writer: N/A
Starring: N/A
You’ll have to watch the trailer on YouTube.
Synopsis: Director Toshikuni Doi has been covering Israel and Palestine for over 30 years and has made this two-part documentary. The first part follows a family living in Jabalia, the largest refugee camp in Gaza, to humanise Palestinians. The second part focuses on interviews with Hamas leaders, staff, fighters, and Gaza residents to show the changing relationship between Hamas and the Palestinian people. The film will also look at the Israeli genocide of Palestinians following the horrendous October 7 attacks of 2023.
Hell of SE 
地獄のSE 「Jigoku no SE」
Release Date: October 26th, 2024
Duration: 72 mins.
Director: Sawa Kawakami
Writer: Sawa Kawakami (Screenplay),
Starring: Himari Hitomi, Miu Kainuma, Rukapi, Yura Tsuduri,
Website Twitter: @HELL_OF_SE IMDB
This film appeared at the Slamdance Festival in America earlier this year. Director Kawakami made her first feature at the age of 19. The production incorporates intertitles, subtitles, and animation that grotesquely depicts the characters’ mental images, creating an alien theatrical space.
Synopsis: In this unusual romance, high school girl “Momo Amano” falls in love with fellow classmate boy “Hayasaka”, but he loves someone else. He is also a menstruophile, and, one day, he takes all of the used pads in the school and runs away…