Hello dear readers! I hope you are having a good weekend!
I had a decent week. The start was a bit wobbly after watching Chappie (US/SA, 2015), a film I didn’t particularly enjoy much – I should have known better because I didn’t think much of the director’s previous film, Elysium (2013). Once I was back in work on Wednesday, the week was better and I did manage to watch a couple of really good films – Mahler (UK, 1974) and Lucky Jim (UK, 1957). That’s three more for my movies watched this year list!
There are a lot of films of the list – thirty-seven so far, the majority of them western. I’m also enjoying finishing Ghost Hound, the latest episodes of Tokyo Ghoul Season 2, Parasyte, The Walking Dead and I Survived a Zombie Apocalypse.
What did I post this week? I posted a review of Patema Inverted (2013) and the trailer for Miss Hokusai (2015).
What’s released in Japan this weekend?
Kaze ni Tatsu Lion (Lion Standing Against the Wind)
Japanese: 風に立つライオン
Romaji: Kaze ni Tatsu Raion
Release Date: March 14th, 2015
Running Time: 139 mins.
Director: Takashi Miike
Writer: Hiroshi Saito (Screenplay), Masashi Sada (Original Novel),
Starring: Takao Osawa, Satomi Ishihara, Yoko Maki, Ryohei Suzuki, Masato Hagiwara, Renji Ishibashi, Ayako Fujitani, Hajime Yamazaki,
Takashi Miike fans in the west will know him for his horror and gangster films like Audition and Dead or Alive and even musicals like The Happiness of the Katakuri’s and For Love’s Sake. This is a bit of a departure, a serious drama about a doctor in Kenya and it’s based on the real story of Doctor Koichiro Shibata. His story was turned into a song and novel. Must be epic stuff to get that treatment!
Doctor Koichiro Shimada (Osawa) takes up the opportunity to work in a research facility in Kenya. His experiences in the country, seeing patients hurt by battles and child soldiers, persuades him that he should use his skills to work in the country and help the children he treats.
Strobe Edge
Japanese: ストロボエイッジ
Romaji: Sutorobo Eijji
Release Date: March 14th, 2015
Running Time: 116 mins.
Director: Ryuichi Hiroki
Writer: Sayaka Kawamura (Screenplay), Io Sakisaka (Original Manga),
Starring: Sota Fukushi, Kasumi Arimura, Yuki Yamada, Arisa Sato, Jingi Irie, Yuina Kuroshima,
Strobe Edge is the third film released by Ryuichi Hiroki this year following Sayonara Kabukicho and Otoko no Isshou. It is based on a manga by Io Sakisaka which, to my surprise, hasn’t been turned into an anime. And no, I haven’t read this.
Ninako Kinoshita (Arimura) is a high school student in a quandary. She knows that her classmate, a nice boy by the name of Takumi Ando (Yamada), has feelings or her but despite feeling something for him she feels more with Ren Ichinose (Fukushi), a bit of a hit with the ladies at their school. She’s too honest to commit to Takumi when she has feelings for Ren. What will happen?
Eiga Precure All Stars: Haru no Carnival
Japanese: 映画プリキュアオールスターズ 春のカーニバル♪
Romaji: Eiga Purikyua Ao-ru Suta-zu Natsu no Ka-nibaru
Release Date: March 14th, 2015
Running Time: N/A
Director: Junji Shimizu
Writer: Mio Inoue (Screenplay)
Starring: Yu Shimamura (Haruka Haruno/Cure Flora), Rina Kitagawa (Yuko Omori/Cure Honey), Haruka Tomatsu (Iona Hikawa/Cure Fortune), Hibiku Yamamura (Kirara Amanogawa/Cure Twinkle), Megumi Han (Hime Shirayuki/Cure Princess), Ai Maeda (Karen Minatsuki/Cure Aqua), Ai Nagano (Komachi Akimoto/Cure Mint),
Here’s another franchise I know little about mostly because I’m not a Japanese girl and partly because, despite all of my reporting on PreCure films, I haven’t paid attention to this franchise which looks like it is massive.
Synopsis and more info on Anime News Network:
A spring carnival held in the country of dance and song, Harmonia, is beginning. Haruka Haruno and her friends also join the festival to learn dance and song from their senior Precure warriors. However, the fairies go missing, and the carnival is thrown into confusion. Even worse, the announcers Odoren and Utaen seem extremely suspicious, and the guardian dragon of Harmonia has started a rampage, angry at the chaos at the carnival. In order to protect the peace of Harmonia, the 40 Precure warriors work together to create a miracle through dance and song filled with hope.
Shimajiro to Okina ki
Japanese: しまじろうとおおきなき
Romaji: Shimajirou to Ookinaki
Release Date: March 14th, 2015
Running Time: 60 mins.
Director: Isamu Hirabayashi
Writer: Takashi Yamada (Screenplay)
Starring: Omi Minami (Shimajirou Shimano), Miki Takahashi, Takumi Yamazaki, Saori Sugimoto,
This is the third Shimajiro film released. These are aimed at young children. Shimajiro, his sister and their friends visit a giant tree and the people who live in it.
Maku ga Agaru, Sono Mae ni. Kanojotachi no Hitonatsu no Chosen
Japanese: 幕が上がる、その前に。彼女たちのひと夏の挑戦
Romaji: Maku ga agaru, Sono mae ni. Kanojotachi no Hito Natsu no Chousen
Release Date: March 11th, 2015
Running Time: 95 mins.
Director: Atsunori Sasaki
Writer: N/A
Starring: Momoiro Clover Z: Kanako Momota, Shiori Tamai, Ayaka Sasaki, Momoka Ariyasu, Reni Takagi,
I’m no fan of idol music although I do listen to the odd AKB8/Dempa Gumi song, but Momoiro Clover Z look like fun because they take part in the types of films I like (White Eyes) and they look like they have a dark sense of humour on top of the bubblegum pop. In this documentary they take part in a work overseen by the playwright and director Oriza Hirata to get them ready for their film acting debut. We see them prep for a performance through workshops and get over their anxieties to take part in a film released two weeks ago, The Curtain Rises.
Front and Back
Japanese: 表と裏
Romaji: Hyo to Ura
Release Date: March 14th, 2015
Running Time: 119 mins.
Director: Kenichi Fujiwara
Writer: Mayuko Yoshiyuki (Screenplay)
Starring: Kaname Endo, Shunsuke Daito, Chihiro Otsuk, Saori Takizawa, Mikio Osawa, manabu Hamada
This looks intriguing. It’s about a young and idealistic lawmaker named Kyoichi and a yakuza named Shoji who were childhood friends at the same orphanage. Both want to change a corrupt world but while Kyoichi does so through politics and charisma, Shoji uses violence and the two reunite…
Kyoukai no Kanata – I’ll Be Here – Kako-hen
Japanese Title: 劇場版 境界の彼方 I’LL BE HERE過去篇
Romaji: Kyoukai no Kanata – I’ll Be Here – Kako-hen
Release Date: March 14th, 2015 (Japan)
Running Time: N/A
Director: Taichi Ishidate
Writer: Jukki Hanada (Screenplay), Nagomu Torii (Original Light Novel),
Starring: Risa Taneda (Mirai Kuriyama), Kenn (Akihito Kanbara), Minori Chihara (Mitsuki Nase), Tatsuhisa Suzki (Hiroomi Nase), Yuri Yamaoka (Ai Shindo),
Right, there are two Kyoukai no Kanata movies getting a release. The first is Kyoukai no Kanata – I’ll Be Here Kako-hen and it will recount the events of the television series. The second film, which is released on April 25th, has the title Gekijouban Kyoukai no Kanata -I’ll Be Here- Mirai-hen and that one will be the film which takes the story forward. A whole year forward. It is set one year after the television series.
Audiences will need this catch-up film because the television anime aired back in 2013. I watched it and enjoyed it for the most part (especially the ED theme). It is a beautiful anime (standard for Kyoto Animation) but the story was a bit of a mess in the TV anime (although I did shed more than a few tears at the end) so what about the film released today? The director of the movie is Taichi Ishidate, director of the TV anime so he’ll get the feel right. He was also director on episodes of Hyouka which is brilliant, just thought I’d mention it. The screenplay comes from writer Jukki Hanada (Steins;Gate, Nichijou). He is solid. His work on Steins;Gate was stellar but there are a few titles I’m not fond of… Anyway, enough rambling.
The story of the movie is a retelling of the TV anime which is about two students with supernatural powers. The first we encounter is Akihito Kanbara (KENN) who is half demon (yomu) and invulnerable to wounds. When he sees Mirai Kuriyama (Risa Taneda) on the school roof and about to attempt what looks like suicide he intervenes. The two get to know each other and Akihito discovers that Mirai is from a cursed line of warriors who are able to manipulate blood. Despite her distaste for him (fuyukai desu), the two grow closer and as this happens, dark forces move in to try and take advantage of Akihito.
Gekijouban Urutora Man Ginga S Kessen! Urutora 10 Yuushi!!
Japanese: 劇場版 ウルトラマンギンガS 決戦！ウルトラ10勇士!!
Romaji: Gekijouban Urutora Man Ginga S Kessen! Urutora 10 Yuushi!!
Release Date: March 14th, 2015
Running Time: 63 mins.
Director: Kouichi Sakamoto
Writer: Yuuji Kobayashi, Takao Nakano (Screenplay)
Starring: Takuya Negishi, Kiyotaka Uji, Arisa Komiya, Taiyou Sugiura, Yukari Taki, Takahiro Katou,
This is another franchise I have no clue about. Another Ultraman film where different heroes must unite to defeat some space bad guy.
New Directions in Japanese Cinema (NDJC) 2014
When I first wrote about New Directions in Japanese Cinema, a workshop that nurtures the newest talent in Japanese cinema, I had no idea that these little independent films might actually make their way to the UK but they did last year so it’s worth paying attention to them. Here is the current crop of stories. Here’s the website and some info on the films.
End Rollers 
Japanese: エンドローラズ
Romaji: Endo Ro-razu
Release Date: March 14th, 2015
Running Time: 28 mins.
Director: Yoshino Kohei
Writer: Yoshino Kohei (Screenplay),
Starring: Takahiro Miura, Denden, Keiko Katsukara, Masahiro Hisano, Ariei Umefune,
Denden and Miura both work for a morticians making videos that celebrate the life of the deceased.
Good-bye 
Japanese: Good-bye
Romaji: Good-bye
Release Date: March 14th, 2015
Running Time: 29 mins.
Director: Toshihiro Hanyu
Writer: Toshihiro Hanyu (Screenplay),
Starring: Tamae Ando, Suzuno Takenaka, Yasushi Masaoka, Mutsuo Yoshioka,
This one is about a young mother (Ando) and her daughters who are struggling with employment and debt and finding a place to live…
Chikinzu Dainamaito 
Japanese: チキンズダイナマイト
Romaji: Chikinzu Dainamaito
Release Date: March 14th, 2015
Running Time: 30 mins.
Director: Toshimitsu Iizuka
Writer: Toshimitsu Iizuka (Screenplay),
Starring: Amane Okayama, Yuri Tsunematsu, Masahiro Usui, Rena Takeda,
Is the title Chicken Dynamite? A quick search for the director showed that he had a film at the Pia Film Festival with an interesting looking movie about bullying in high school and the feelings which develop between victims and the changes in themselves that allow them to become stronger people. This short is all about a junior high school boy who is bullied and finds relief with a fellow student who offers support and begins to change.
Hon no Ugami 
Japanese: 本のうがみ
Romaji: Hon no Ugami
Release Date: March 14th, 2015
Running Time: 29 mins.
Director: Isao Kusakari
Writer: Isao Kusakari (Screenplay),
Starring: Kazuhiko Kanayama, Norikatsu Kodama, Shiori Ono, Hiroshi Izawa, reiko Matsuo,
This one is set in a library where the staff see a woman give birth to a baby but despite the joy, these co-workers have some darkness in their lives.
Rice Cake Rhapsody 
Japanese: もちつきラプソディ
Romaji: Mochitsuki Rapundi
Release Date: March 14th, 2015
Running Time: 29 mins.
Director: Satoshi Kase
Writer: Satoshi Kase (Screenplay),
Starring: Mari Hoshino, Seika Kuze, Hiroo Otaka, Hana Toyoshima, Yui Masayuki,
This one is all about a divorcee who travels with her daughter to her hometown.
I want to have this one as my video of the week!
