The year is winding down now so theatrical releases are getting thin on the ground. Give it a month and we’ll be back to 10+ a week and I’ll be crying over how little time I have and how I wish I was working with someone again.
As far as my movie/anime viewing goes, I went to see Wong Kar-Wai’s latest film, The Grandmaster, and was wowed by Parasyte yet again. Gugure!! Kokkuri-san is shaping up to be one of the best anime of the year ad I expected cheap laughs. I also reviewed Cold in July.
What’s released in Tokyo cinemas this weekend?
Ao Haru Ride 
Japanese Title: アオ ハラ ライド
Romaji: Ao Hara Raido
Release Date: December 13th, 2014
Running Time: 122 mins.
Director: Takahiro Miki
Writer: Tomoko Yoshida (Screenplay), Io Sakisaka (Original Manga)
Starring: Tsubasa Honda, Masahiro Higashide, Yua Shinkawa, Ryo Yoshizawa, Izumi Fujimoto, Mitsuki Takahahta, Airi Tazume, Yudai Chiba, Yu Koyanagi,
That poster tagline:
The scent of air. After the rain…
I heard your pulse. I saw the light.
Sigh The lead actors Masahiro Higashide (The Kirishima Thing) and and Tsubasa Honda (Rakugo Eiga, Enoshima Prism) who are perfectly cast for this adaptation of a shoujo manga which has already had an anime adaptation which I didn’t watch because I am not shoujo. I am seinen. Expect lots of confessions of love and tears and misunderstandings before best couple get together in a drama directed by Takahiro Miki, a guy with nothing but shoujo/novel adaptations to his name like Hot Road and We Were There! and Girl in the Sunny Place.
Middle school students Futaba Yoshioka and Kou Tanaka had crushes on each other. She liked him because he was unlike the other boys and quite gentle. Then Kou Tanaka then moved away and changed schools and they lost contact.
Four years later…
Futaba Yoshioka is a sophmore at her high school and she meets Kou Tanaka again. Kou Tanaka’s name has changed to Kou Mabuchi and his personality seems different from his middle school days, colder and unfriendly… Just what happened? Futaba finds out…
Aikatsu! 
Japanese Title: 劇場版アイカツ！
Romaji: Gekijouban Aikatsu!
Release Date: December 13th, 2014
Running Time: 89 mins.
Director: Yuichiro Yano
Writer: Yoichi Kato (Screenplay)
Starring: Sumire Morohoshi (Ichigo Hoshimiya), Shino Shimoji (Akari Ozora), Azusa Tadokoro (Aoi Kiriya), Ayaka Ohashi (Ran Shibuki), Aya Suzuki (Mikuru Natsuki), Minako Kotobuki (Mizuki Kanzaki),
This is based on a TV anime which is popular with elementary schoolgirls so I’ll quickly write a synopsis about this and go back to writing pretentious stuff about ‘mature’ anime like Ping Pong and crying over various scenes for an end of year post at Anime UK News…
Ichigo, the main protag, was just a normal middle school student until she got to enter the world of idols and fins herself taking part in the greatest “Super Live” convert to be held in Japan, the Dai Star Miya Ichigo Matsuri. She now has to take part in press coferences and extra lessons to be the greatest idol in town…
Apparently, there are 50 episodes in the first season!!!
Yume Haruka 
Japanese Title: ゆめはるか
Romaji: Yume Haruka
Release Date: December 13th, 2014
Running Time: 108 mins.
Director: Toshihiro Goto
Writer: Toshihiro Goto (Screenplay), Io Sakisaka (Original Manga)
Starring: Miyu Yoshimoto, Michi Yamamura, Jun Toba, Nanase Iwai, Minami Takahashi, Koichi Yamadera, Fuyuna Asakura,
A year since his last film, Yume no Kayoji, Toshihiro Goto is back with another tale…
Haruka Honda (Yoshimoto) is on track to become a star sprinter when she collapses after a dizzy spell. Medical tests follow and she is diagnosed as having a brain tumor. Her family, friends, and doctor rally around her to offer support as she risks losing her dream of being a super athlete.
Two Homelands, One Love – Lee Joong-Seop’s Wife – 
Japanese Title: ふたつの祖国、ひとつの愛 イ・ジュンソプの妻
Romaji: Futatsu no Sokoku, Hitotsu no Ai i Junsopu no Tsuma
Release Date: December 13th, 2014
Running Time: 8o mins.
Director: Atsuko Sakai
Writer: N/A
Starring: Masako Yamamoto, Yasunari Yamamoto,
A year since his last film, Yume no Kayoji, Toshihiro Goto is back with another tale…
Lee Jung-Seob died at the age of 40 in 1956 but his life was packed with incident. He studied art in Japan at a time when Korea was occupied, he married a Japanese girl named Masako Yamamoto despite the problems of the two nations. When Korea achieved independence, he took his family to the country but he was separated from his family by the Korean war when his wife took their sons and fled the war for their safety. Tragedy awaited him just as he was on the cusp of fame. Fast forward to 2013 an Masako follows his trail from where she last saw him on Jeju Island to Seoul and meets people he came into contact with.
And the Mud Ship Sails Away 
Japanese Title: そして泥船はゆく
Romaji: soshite doro-sen wa yuku
Running Time: 88 mins.
Director: Hirobumi Watanabe
Writer: Hirobumi Watanabe (Screenplay)
Starring: Kiyohiko Shibukawa, Kaori Iida, Ayasuna Takahashi, Mina Takeda, Hitoshi Suzuki,
I saw this indie gem at the Raindance Film Festival and own it on DVD after backing the New Directors from Japan Kickstarter. I met the director and producer and they were cool cats. This film is also a cool experience that goes from Jim Jarmusch style dry humour into an entirely loopy space. You won’t see what’s coming!
Takashi is 36 years old, unemployed and completely aimless. He lives with his grandmother, repeating the same routine – game centre, bowling center, watching TV – day after day. This suddenly changes when Yuka shows up, claiming to be his half-sister. Confronted with a new situation, Takashi decides to change his life…
Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Drive & Gaim: Movie War Full Throttle 
Japanese Title: 仮面ライダー×仮面ライダー ドライブ＆鎧武（ガイム） MOVIE大戦フルスロットル
Romaji: Kamen Raida × Kamen Raida Doraibu& Yoroi Take (Gaimu) Mubi Taisen Furu Surottoru
Release Date: December 13th, 2014
Running Time: 93 mins.
Director: Takayuki Shibasaki
Writer: Jin Haganeya, Riku Sanjo (Screenplay), Shotaro Ishinomori (Original Concept)
Starring: Gaku Sano, Yutaka Kobayashi, Mahiro Takasugi, Yuumi Shida, Yuki Kubota, Ryoma Takeuchi, Rio Uchida, Taiko Katoono, Shota Matsushima,
Thank God there are other sites that cover the Kamen Rider franchise because I never know what’s going on and my terrible translation skills leave me even more lost. Must practice Japanese more. Here’s info dug up from scifijapan.com!
Gaim, in his last screen appearance! Drive, in his greatest case!
Fighting with the strength of all the different Riders from each generation, this “Movie War” will inherit their spirit of justice. Now, a new page will be carved in history…
Kamen Rider Gaim will face a shocking climax head-on. At the end of the last stage is a magnificent debut to anticipate.
The new warrior, Kamen Rider Drive, investigates the appearance of a law-breaking “car.” As the Detective Rider, he will face this strange and difficult case!
And when two people manifest on the joint front, a phantasmagorical nonstop Fruit-Car Battle explodes!
Is this the destiny of one who becomes a Kamen Rider?
For freedom, for peace, the door to the next era will be opened!
What the heck did I copy and paste from scifijapan? Is that the synopsis?
That’s enough trauma for you this weekend. Here’s a random music video:
