The summer is here and I’m feeling a little drained of energy. I’m trying to remember how I coped with all of these previews last year… Wow, this time last year there was that awesome weekend with great films. This weekend? Not so much greatness at first glance apart from the Lupin the III.
It was a movie-rich week because I watched the J-horrors Fuan no Tane, POV: A Cursed Movie and the UK vampire flick Byzantium. I also watched Oculus which was a fun horror movie starring Karen Gillan who I almost met at the Doctor Who premiere four years ago. Expect reviews for the Japanese films.
As far as the blog goes, I reviewed Be My Baby and Museum Hours. Apologies for the brevity of the trailer posts (although I bet some are breathing a sigh of relief).
Fukushima (Town of Love and Hope) 
Japanese Title:あいときぼうのまち
Romaji: Ai to Kibou no Machi
Running Time: 126 mins
Release Date: June 21st, 2014 (Japan)
Director: Hiroshi Kanno
Writer: Junichi Inoue (Screenplay),
Starring: Yoko Natsuki, Hiroshi Katsuno, Kohei Kuroda, Yoko Oike, Miku Chiba, Nao Seta, Yusuke Sugiyama
In 1945, a student named Hideo has been mobilized by the government to work at a uranium mine in Ishikawa, Fukushima Prefecture during World War II.
In 1966, Hideo lives in Futaba in Fukushima Prefecture and opposes the building of a nuclear power plant. His position alienated him from everybody else including his daughter Aiko who was in love with Kenji, a supporter of the nuclear power plant.
In 2011, Kenji and his son both work for the Tokyo Electronic company, but his son dies of cancer. Kenji meets Aiko again.
On March 11, 2011 the Great East Japan Earthquake occurs.
Saint Seiya Legend of Sanctuary 
Japanese Title:聖闘士星矢 LEGEND of SANCTUARY
Romaji: Seitoushi Seiya Legend of Sanctuary
Running Time: 93 mins
Release Date: June 21st, 2014 (Japan)
Director: Keiichi Satou
Writer: Tomohiro Suzuki (Screenplay), Masami Kuramada (Original Creator)
Starring: Ayaka Sasaki (Saori Kido/Athena), Kaito Ishikawa (Pegasus Seiya), Daisuke Namikawa (Aquarius Camus), Kenji Akabane Dragon Shiryu), Kensho Ono (Cygnus Hyoga),
This film adapts the popular Saint Seiya manga which was published in the 80’s. It focusses on Sanctuary arc from Masami Kuramada’s manga and is directed by Keiichi Satou (Tiger & Bunny TV anime, Ashura). The story starts with Saori, a girl with a mysterious power who finds out that she’s the reincarnation of the goddess Athena and she gets saved from an assassin by Pegasus Seiya who tells her all of the details about her destiny which involves heading to Sanctuary and waging a war against its Pope. To do this, she needs Seiya and his fellow Bronze Saints to battle twelve Gold Saints.
Lupin the IIIrd: Daisuke Jigen’s Gravestone 
Japanese Title: LUPIN THE IIIRD 次元大介の墓標
Romaji: Lupin the Third: Jigen Daisuke no Bohyou
Running Time: 51 mins
Release Date: June 21st, 2014 (Japan)
Director: Takeshi Koike
Writer: Yuuya Takahashi (Screenplay), Monkey Punch (Original Creator),
Starring: Daisuke Jigen (Kiyoshi Kobayashi), Arsene Lupin III (Kanichi Kurit), Miyuki Sawashiro (Fujiko Mine), Kouichi Yamadera (Koichi Zenigata)
Lupin fans get ready for more cat-burglary shenanigans as he’s back in a spinoff from the 2012 TV anime Lupin III: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine. Instead of focussing on Fujiko, this tells the story of Jigen and how he became friends with Lupin. The film is directed by Takeshi Koike (Redline).
Lupin and Jigen infiltrate East Doroa to steal a secret treasure called Little Comet. Queen Malta, a singer from East Doroa, was just assassinated in neighbouring West Doroa, resulting in a tense situation at the border. Despite the chaos the duo successfully steal the Little Comet, but a sniper tries to shoot Jigen during their getaway. The sniper is Yael Okuzaki, an assassin who prepares graves for his targets before executing his kills. It is said that no one has survived after Yael Okuzaki makes a grave for that target.
Super High Speed! Alternate Attendance 
International Title: Mission Impossible Samurai
Japanese Title:超高速！参勤交代
Romaji: Chokosoku ! Sankin kotai
Running Time: 119 mins
Release Date: June 21st, 2014 (Japan)
Director: Katsuhide Motoki
Writer: Akihiro Dobashi (Screenplay),
Starring: Kuranosuke Sasaki, Kyoko Fukada, Tsuyoshi Ihara, Masahiko Nishimura, Takanori Jinnai, Yasufumi Terawaki, Seiji Rokkaku,
The Yunagaya Domain in the Tohoku region is small but it has a goldmine that some in the Shogun’s government want. Masaatsu Naito is ordered to perform Sankin-kotai which means that the daimyo visits the shogun in Edo. Unfortunately the cost is high and the time limit of 8 days is short. Could this be a plot to steal the gold mine? Masaatsu has to get the Sankin-kotai done!
The Round Table 
Japanese Title: 円卓 こっこ、ひと夏のイマジン
Romaji: Entaku
Running Time: 113 mins
Release Date: June 21st, 2014 (Japan)
Director: Isao Yukisada
Writer: Chihiro Ito (Screenplay), Kanako Nishi (Novel),
Starring: Mana Ashida, Ryuhei Maruyama, Misato Aoyama, Jingi Irie, Norito Yashima, Ayumi Ishida, Mikijiro Hira
Kokko (Ashida) has a loving family yet is dissatisfied with life and admires loneliness…
Aibiki 
Japanese Title:逢いびき
Romaji: Aibiki
Running Time: 83 mins
Release Date: June 21st, 2014 (Japan)
Director: Yukinari Hanawa
Writer: N/A (Screenplay),
Starring: Junko Maru, Shinsuki Akagi, Akane Yurika,
Yokohama is the location of a love affair between freelance photographer named Tadashi (Akagi) and Yuko (Maru), a part-timer at a design company. Their boredom with family life propels them into each other’s arms but will their passion bring disaster?
Uwakoi 2 
Japanese Title:うわこい 2
Romaji: Uwakoi 2
Running Time: 106 mins
Release Date: June 21st, 2014 (Japan)
Director: Hitoshi Ishikawa
Writer: Hitoshi Ishikawa, Chihiro Nakamura, Norihisa Yoshimura (Screenplay), Masahiro Itosugi (Original Manga)
Starring: Yurina Yanagi, Tomoyuki Ishida, Nami Motoyama
This is the second part of a trilogy which adapts an ecchi manga.
In the first film, Yukiteru (Ishida) burns his house down and he has to move into the house of his friend Yuno (Yanagi). As they have grew up they became known as a couple but a transfer student in Yuno’s class, Rena (Motoyama), became interested in Yukiteru and the two become intimate… And yet Yukiteru goes back to Yuno but cannot forget Rena and when the three are in the same room during a birthday party, sparks fly…
Chichi no Kokoro 
Japanese Title:父のこころ
Romaji: Chichi no Kokoro
Running Time: 89 mins
Release Date: June 21st, 2014 (Japan)
Director: Masaaki Taniguchi
Writer: Masaaki Taniguchi, Toshiharu Hamamoto (Screenplay),
Starring: Masaji Otsuka, Airi Kaminishi, Takako Hinago, Miki Meiki,
Masaaki Taniguchi director of Signal and The Girl Who Leapt through Time casts the folk singer Masaji Otsuka in his first film at the age of 63. Otsuka portrays a man who flew the coop and left his family after getting fired from his job. She had to support her two children alone. The son, Kenichi, discovers his father and wants to bring him back because his sister Emi is getting married. It will be a surprise. Mother is not pleased.
China / Japan My Country 
Japanese Title:中国・日本 わたしの国
Romaji: Chuugoku / Nihon Watashi no Kuni
Running Time: 108 mins
Release Date: June 21st, 2014 (Japan)
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
Starring: Shizuka Yamada
The documentary looks at kids of Japanese fathers and Chinese mothers who were left behind during the post-war period through the story of Shizuka Yamada who was raised in China and moved to Japan.
Nothing Parts 71 
Japanese Title: Nothing Parts 71
Romaji: Nothing Parts 71
Running Time: 123 mins
Release Date: June 21st, 2014 (Japan)
Director: Sento Takenori
Writer: Sento Takenori, Yuki Yamada (Screenplay),
Starring: Shinichi Tsuha, Shoichi Yamada, Akira Nakao, Joe Torreson, Tomoji Yamashiro
Sento Takenori, producer of Eureka, makes his directorial debut with this film set in Okinawa. A teacher named Tomokazu gets sent to prison after a confrontation with an American soldier results in death. When he gets out, he is plagued by trauma and takes a job recovering war dead. He soon makes friends with a man named Shinji who also joins him in the job (after almost running Tomokazu over).
A Voyage of Bun-you: Vietnam and Okinawa 
Japanese Title:石川文洋を旅する
Romaji: Ishikawa Bun’yo wo Tabi suru
Running Time: 109 mins
Release Date: June 21st, 2014 (Japan)
Director: Koichi Omiya
Writer: N/A
Starring: Ishikawa Bunyo
Ishikawa Bunyo is a famous reporter who was stations in Saigon during the Vietnam war and stayed there in the aftermath, photographing battles and the transition to modern Vietnam. He has also documented the presence of US bases in Okinawa. This documentary looks at his work.
