Hello, I hope you are well!
I finally posted my Top Twelve Films of 2015 (four months late) earlier this week. I delayed it because I was trying to write reviews for the films in the list that weren’t covered. There are still two titles without a write-up but I’ll rectify that with at least one review for a film before the month is out. What’s holding me up? Extra hours at work, putting extra hours into studying Japanese, and watching more films for fun rather than reviewing them. I watched some great ones this week such as What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, and Bagdad Café. Finding time to study Japanese is getting increasingly difficult so I’m taking away from blogging time to do it. I’m also near the end of the video game Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together, which has been an awesome experience.
Enough about me what’s released in Japan this weekend?
Shinsengumi of the Dead
Japanese: 新選組オブ・ザ・デッド
Romaji: Shinesengumi Obu Za Deddo
Release Date: April 11th, 2015
Running Time: 72 mins.
Director: Kazushi Watanabe
Writer: Kazushi Watanabe (Screenplay),
Starring: Yuki Himura, Chihiro Yamamoto, Kazushi Watanabe, Goro Takeishi, Tama Mizuki, Shogen, Daijiro Kawaoka,
As far as I am concerned, Japan seems to have a hard time making decent zombie films/television shows. Versus was overly long and indulgent, the dry comedy of Tokyo Zombie falls flat, Sailor Zombie is just awful… really… bad… High School of the Dead wasn’t much better. I have seen more but I won’t bore you with them. This one looks amusing.
Comedian Yuki Himura takes the lead role of a Shinsengumi officer who thinks he has it all made. He can be lazy and chat up girls and swagger around town like a boss while investigating foreign arms merchants. Then he gets bitten by a zombie. Still, zombie virus or not, he decides to continue his job and he has the help of a lady dressing up like a guy to be samurai, Jun Kato (Yamamoto).
Solomon’s Perjury 2
Japanese: ソロモンの偽書 後編
Romaji: Solomon no Gisho Kohen
Release Date: April 11th, 2015
Running Time: 146 mins.
Director: Izuru Narushima
Writer: Katsuhiko Manabe (Screenplay), Miyuki Miyabe (Original Novel),
Starring: Ryoko Fujino, Mizuki Itagaki, Anna Ishii, Hiroya Shimizu, Miu Tomita, Koki Maeda, Reika Nishihata, Ayumu Mochizuki, Yui Natsukawa, Hiromu Nagasaku, Jiei Wakabayashi, Haru Kuroki, Tamae Ando, Miwako Ichikawa, Machiko Ono, Yutaka Matsushige, Houka Kinoshita, Mikio Kato
This is the second part of Solomon’s Perjury and I daren’t look up the synopsis in case I see spoilers! Here’s an overview of the story and first film which sets up the second:
Miyuki Miyabe is a famous best-selling author and directed by big-budget director Izuru Narushima (Admiral Yamamoto). Now, big-budget may be a turn-off but Narushima-kantoku has directed the brilliant heard-rending drama, Rebirth (2011). Here he works with a whole cast of new actors including Hiroya Shimizu, the tragic character in love with the devilish Kanako Fujishima in The World of Kanako (2014)! There are also other actors, some veterans, like Haru Kuroki (The Great Passage), Yutaka Matsushige (The Guard from Underground) and Machiko Ono (Like Father Like Son).
When a 14-year-old boy falls from the top of his school building, the authorities declare it is a suicide but an anonymous note given to the police claims that the sender witnessed the boy’s death and that he was killed by three troubled students at the school. The police try to hide the note but a reporter sees it and investigates. The students find themselves in an unstable situation with rumours swirling around and another classmate dying. To put an end to this situation the students hold a trial to uncover the truth…
Miyako Island Triathlon
Japanese: 宮古島トライアスロン
Romaji: Miyakojima Toraiasuron
Release Date: April 11th, 2015
Running Time: 90 mins.
General Director: Junichi Suzuki, Director: Yuuki Takano
Writer: Yuuki Takano (Screenplay),
Starring: Naoko Tsunoda, Asami Ishii, Tomoki Ishikawa, Atsuko Ishikawa, Emi Sakai, Akie Abe,
Triathletes are hard core. Running, swimming, cycling. I can only do one of those on a given day. Two? Three? I’d throw my hands up in defeat and watch a film (I’m really good at doing that!). Well now we can marvel at the determination and skill of triathletes by watching this feature-length documentary about the Miyako stretch of the All Japan Triathlon. It was their 30th annual race recently and we get to see it and some of the competitors. You know who has triathletes beaten? Heptathletes. Now they are super human!
Geki x Cine Ashura-jo no Hitomi 2003
Japanese: ゲキ×シネ「阿修羅城の瞳2003」
Romaji: Geki x Cine Ashura-jo no Hitomi 2003
Release Date: April 11th, 2015
Running Time: 175 mins.
Director: Hidenori Inoue
Writer: Kazuki Nakashima (Screenplay),
Starring: Somegoro Ichikawa, Yuki Amami, Mari Natsuki, Shoko Takada, Jun Hashioto, Mantaro Koichi, Yoshimasa Kondo,
I like the fact that these stage plays are getting broadcast because they look so awesome. I also like the fact that there’s now an English language site describing all of the productions which is where I got the synopsis from!
Once in Love, one turns into a demon.
Back in the period of Edo, in the capital.
Behind the scenes of what looked like a peaceful time, an everlasting rancor between the human and the demons existed,
A special team of samurai’s were gathered to battle the demons, known as the “Onimikado”. The captain called Izumo Wakuraba (Somegoro Ichikawa) who was both talented with his sword and voodoo tricks lead the team. But 5 years prior after an incident with the demons, Izumo suddenly disappeared without a trace until he was spotted in a small theatre house called Nanboku. His life makes a turn when a mysterious woman called “Tsubaki” turns up at the theatre house where the two meet.
Thousand years of rancour opens a new door with the awakening of the Queen Demon “Ashura”. How will the battle end…
Strobe Light
Japanese: ストロボ ライト
Romaji: Sutorobo Raito
Release Date: April 11th, 2015
Running Time: 120 mins.
Director: Ryo Katamoto
Writer: Ryo Katamoto (Screenplay),
Starring: Maiko Miyao, Takamitsu Fukuchi, Kinohiro Kishita, Soichiro Matsumoto,
I’m constantly updating my post about posters for films released in 2015 and this one has made it as one of my favourites this year. It’s for a film which has played across international festivals like the Japan Film Fest in Hamburg but I must admit that a lot of the staff and cast are new to me.
entered on the bizarre murder that occurred in residential area, lost memory criminal and suspense drama that drew while crossing the love of lovers to support him. In term quiet residential area, murder bodies cut off the wrist has been discovered. Investigation in to show the impasse, investigation one Division of Criminal Kobayashi notice to a common point between the incident itself was involved in the past. But in the wake of that is being attacked by someone was seriously injured, his memory going is piecemeal lost. Actually in Kobayashi, there was a past that was killed the parents at an early age. Self-produced work that was involved this work rookie supervision and Ryo Katamoto to be a feature-length debut is, with the cooperation of the people of Itami, Hyogo Prefecture.
Senritsu kaiki fairu kowa sugi! Sai Shuushou
Japanese: 戦慄怪奇ファイル コワすぎ！最終章
Romaji: Senritsu kaiki fairu kowa sugi! Sai Shuushou
Release Date: April 11th, 2015
Running Time: 89 mins.
Director: Koji Shiraishi
Writer: Koji Shiraishi (Screenplay),
Starring: Shigeo Osako, Shohei Uno, Koji Shiraishi, Chika Kuboyoama
Koji Shiraishi (Noroi: The Curse, The Slit-Mouthed Woman), is a genius at creating low-budget horror. He takes a digital video camera and creates found-footage stories. I’ve seen five and while I wouldn’t describe them as scary. They are fun and inventive and everybody looks like they are having fun which is rather infectious.
This is the final version of what started off as a straight-to-video series. It takes place in Shinjuku where strange things are happening and characters and events from previous films like Murder Workshop and Occult come back to haunt the director. This means that familiar collaborators such as Shohei Uno are back on screen. Seeing him take the lead as the character of the psycho from Murder Workshop looks funny!
Wa-shoku ~Beyond Sushi~
Japanese: 和食ドリーム
Romaji: Washoku Dori-mu
Release Date: April 11th, 2015
Running Time: 107 mins.
Director: Junichi Suzuki,
Writer: Junichi Suzuki (Screenplay),
Starring: Isao Hatano, Tyson Cole, Tomomi Inadam Atsuko Kohata, Nobu Matsuhisa, Yasuo Kumoda, Katsuya Uechi, Keizo Shimamoto,
Taken from the film’s IMDB page:
Japanese and American collaboration documentary film “WA-SHOKU ~Beyond Sushi~” produced by United Television Broadcasting Systems/ Film Voice and directed by Junichi Suzuki -an award winning director-. Japanese food starting from Sushi is familiar all over the world today. When you enter Japanese restaurants, you can see people, regardless of their ethnicity, enjoying this food culture. There is a passionate story of the men and women who dedicated their lives to spreading Japan’s traditional cultural cuisine making Wa-shoku (“Japanese Food” in Japanese) recognized throughout the world today. Featuring Mr. Noritoshi Kanai a CEO of Mutual Trading Co. Nobu Matsuhisa a chef/owner of Nobu restaurants, Katsuya Uechi a chef/owner of Katsu-ya group, Tyson Cole a chef of Uchi restaurant, Joel Robuchon a French chef, Yoshihiro Murata a chef/owner of Kyoto Kikunoi, and Shige Nakamura a Ramen master and more. This feature documentary film shows the past and the future of Wa-Shoku that these men and women created and how they maintained the essential traditional qualities of Japanese food.
Random music video:
I’m on the verge of cracking Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together. It’s a brilliant game. I’ve put in 70 hours (I wake up at 5:00 AM and put in 30 – 60 minutes or watch a film) and can put in another 70 more but it’s time to draw things to a close so I can get on with my life. Here’s a selection of music from the soundtrack. Now imagine leading an army made up of a Kunoichi wielding two superior ninja swords and tearing through the flank of the enemy, maiming archers and clerics, two knights tanking the frontlines, two archers one-shotting the enemy from a distance, two gryphons and a Vartan terrorising people everywhere, and two priests healing and a fusil causing all sorts of mayhem while this music plays. I’m over-levelled as heck and hyper at the prospect of sweeping the enemy aside during my lunch-break at work (when I should be studying Japanese):
