Happy weekend, dear readers.
I hope you are all well. I have been waking up really early in the morning and watching more zombie films to review for the blog. It is part of my summer of splatter season that has gone awry and lasted longer than expected but with less content. Never mind. I wrote about the latest Third Window Films release, Ruined Heart, on Monday and then I posted my review of Zombie Self Defence Force which was a lot of fun. More zombie films to be reviewed.
What’s released in Japan this weekend?
Ajin: Demi-Human – Compel
亜人「Ajin」
Release Date: November 27th, 2015
Running Time: 106 mins.
Chief Director: Hiroyuki Seshita, Director: Hiroaki Ando
Writer: Hiroshi Sekio (Screenplay), Gamon Sakurai (Original Manga),
Starring: Mamoru Miyano (Kei Nagai), Yoshimasa Hosoya (Kaito), Takahiro Sakurai (Tosaki), Aya Suzaki (Eriko Nagai),
I read the manga for about two volumes a year ago and it didn’t appeal that much to me but it’s getting a major push this year with English-language releases and films by the guys behind the adaptation of Knights of Sidonia. The same use of CG and it looks okay.
Synopsis from Anime News Network: 17 years ago, immortals first appeared on the battlefields of Africa. Later, rare, unknown new immortal lifeforms began appearing among humans, and they became known as “Ajin” (demi-humans). Just before summer vacation, a Japanese high school student is instantly killed in a traffic accident on his way home from school. However, he is revived, and a price is placed on his head. Thus begins a boy’s life on the run from all of humankind.
Tamayura: Sotsugyou Shashin Dai-3-bu -Akogare
たまゆら 卒業写真 第3部 憧 あこがれ「Tamayura: Sotsugyou Shashin Dai-3-bu -Akogare」
Release Date: November 28th, 2015
Running Time: N/A
Director: Junichi Sato
Writer: Reiko Yoshida, Yuka Yamada, Sayaka Harada (Screenplay), Junichi Sato (Original Creator),
Starring: Kana Asumi (Kaoru Hanawa), Mayu Iizuka (Suzune Maekawa), Yuko Gibu (Maon Sakurada), Yuka Iguchi (Norie Okazaki),
Synopsis: This is the third of four Tamayura films planned for release this year and they all revolve around the daily lives of high school girls Fuu, Kaoru, Norie, and Maon and recently graduated Kanae who are all in the photography club. Their lively daily lives are clam yet the four third-year students are slowly thinking about their own future dreams and paths as they face graduation in about a year.
Bittare!!!
びったれ！！！「Bittare!!!」
Release Date: November 28th, 2015
Running Time: 99 mins.
Director: Satoshi Kaneda
Writer: Kiyoto Takeuchi (Screenplay), Takashi Tajima (Screenplay/Original Manga)
Starring: Kei Tanaka, Kanna Mori, Miku Iwasaki, Daisuke Kuroda, Jyu Hyuga,
Kei Tanaka has appeared in Rent-a-Cat, See You Tomorrow, Everyone and Tajomaru and the only one I can recommend from that list is Rent-a-Cat so go watch it.
Synopsis: Tsutomu (Kei Tanaka) is an ex-gangster who left the criminal underworld to raise his niece Karin (Miku Iwasaki) after his older sister passed away. The two live normal lives but events surrounding them take a dramatic turn. He spends his days peacefully. Then, Tsutomu’s friend goes through an unfair dismissal and the family of Tsutomu’s helper, Eiko (Kanna Mori), are forced to move out from their house due to an unfair deal. Karin becomes hostage.
Crossroads
クロスロード「Kurosurodo」
Release Date: November 28th, 2015
Running Time: 103 mins.
Director: Junichi Suzuki
Writer: Junichi Suzuki, Masahiro Fukuma (Screenplay),
Starring: Keiji, Dai Watanabe, Tao, Rumi Sakakibara, Masaya Kato, Alodia,
Synopsis: Tatsuru Sawada (Keiji) is an assistant cameraman with no direction in life until he joins the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers but his time at the training camp is stormy especially with fellow volunteer Kazunari Hamura (Dai Watanabe). This continues even when the two are sent to the Philippines. Tatsuru’s attitude changes when he takes a picture of a boy named Noel and his older sister Angela and sees their struggle.
8 years later, Tatsuru and Kazunari meet again in the Tohoku region where the great earthquake and tsunami struck.
Ai wo Katareba Hentai Desu ka / Ai wo Kataru to Hentai Desu ka
愛を語れば変態ですか「Ai wo Katareba Hentai Desu ka 」
Release Date: November 28th, 2015
Running Time: 73 mins.
Director: Mitsunori Takahashi
Writer: Mitsunori Takahashi (Screenplay),
Starring: Mei Kurokawa, Toshiyuki Nagashima, Hiroki Konno, Toru Nomaguchi, Chan Kawai, Rakuto Tochihara,
Synopsis: Asako (Mei Kurokawa) and her partner are set to open a curry restaurant but a group of men she deceived by offering the salvation of love come looking for her…
If Mei Kurokawa offered her love I think I’d give up on common sense and give in to her demands as well…
Daichi no hana saki Toya Sasaki famu “yorokobi” de subete wo tsunagu
大地の花咲き 洞爺・佐々木ファーム“喜び”ですべてを繋ぐ「Daichi no hana saki Toya Sasaki famu “yorokobi” de subete wo tsunagu 」
Release Date: November 28th, 2015
Running Time: 95 mins.
Director: Yasuko Iwasaki
Writer: N/A
Starring: N/A
Synopsis: If you want a documentary about organic farming then this is it. There’s the Sasaki farm in Hokkaido which uses natural cultivation and it’s run by a group of families. They were at loggerheads over the running of the farm at one point but the death of a child united them again.
Free Kitchen
フリーキッチン「Furi- Kicchin 」
Release Date: November 28th, 2015
Running Time: 80 mins.
Director: Kentaro Nakamira
Writer: Kentaro Nakamura (Screenplay),
Starring: Taneko, Kiyomi Ensou, Toya Morita, Mayo Onuki, Ikko Suzuki,
I like the look of this one. It seems to be a dark comedy in a similar vein to something like Greatful Dead which I liked a lot. It’s different from the usual dramas at least.
Synopsis from IMDB: The story is of a quirky mother and son who live in a modern Japanese, urban setting. The mother Kyoko has been long feeding human meat to her introverted teenage son, Mitsuo, who can now tell the sex and nationality of the meat he is eating. One day at the supermarket, Kyoko finds herself picking up the wallet of another housewife, Kanno. Kanno urges Kyoko to accept a token of gratitude but Kyoko declines. Kanno finds the stubborn refusal disturbing.
Robo to miri
ロボとミリ「Robo to Miri 」
Release Date: November 28th, 2015
Running Time: 77 mins.
Director: muttnik / Michio Koshikawa
Writer: Kentaro Nakamura (Screenplay),
Starring: Tasuku Emoto, Ai Tamura, Masato Hyugaji, Koume, Jiro Matsumoto, Nao Okabe, Tatsushi Ohmori, Shohei Uno,
Synopsis: This indie film was originally shot in 2011 after The Great East Japan Earthquake and is influenced by the disaster. The story takes place in Shibuya after Japan has been struck by an earthquake and it involves a guy who finds a discarded robot and repairs it and the two fall in love…
Japanese Movie Box Office Results for this Week:
Raintree no Kuni (2015/11/21)
Girlz und Panzer der Film (2015/11/21)
Little Prince (2015/11/21)
Gekijouban Mozu (2015/11/07)
Grasshopper (2015/11/07)
Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015/11/14)
Ghost Theatre (2015/11/21)
Ore Monogatari!! (2015/10/31)
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay (2015/11/20)
Everest 3D (2015/11/06)
