Hello dear audience!
I posted a lot of news items like the Blu-ray release of Dolls and the screening of the Yoji Yamada movie Final Take and there was the news item for the director talk involving Aya Hanabusa (Tale of a Butcher Shop) which takes place later this month. Expect more news items in the coming weeks.
What’s released this weekend?
What a Wonderful Family!
家族はつらいよ「Kazoku wa tsuraiyo」
Running Time: 108 mins.
Release Date: March 12th, 2016
Director: Yoji Yamada
Writer: Yoji Yamada, Emiko Hiramatsu (Screenplay) halyosy (Original Novel)
Starring: Isao Hashizume, Kazuko Yoshiyuki, Masahiko Nishimura, Yui Natsukawa, Shozo Hayashiya, Tomoko Nakajima, Satoshi Tsumabuki, Yu Aoi, Jun Fubuki,
It’s great to see Yoji Yamada is still cranking out films and he’s using his familiar players to create a comedy about a family falling apart.
Synopsis: A family is thrown into chaos when the matriarch Tomiko (Kazuko Yoshiyuki) announces to her husband Shuzo (Isao Hashizume) that she wants a divorce. Their children are shocked about the news of the separation and things spiral out of control as each member of the family opens up about their grievances.
Everest: The Summit of the Gods
エヴェレスト 神々の山嶺「Eberesuto Kamigami no Itadaki」
Release Date: March 12th, 2016
Running Time: 112 mins.
Director: Hideyuki Hirayama
Writer: Masato Kato (Screenplay), Baku Yumemakura (Orginal Novel)
Starring: Junichi Okada, Hiroshi Abe, Machiko Ono, Kuranosuke Sasaki, Pierre Taki,
Great cast and it follows hot on the heels of the Hollywood film Everest (2015). As interesting as this looks I think I would be more interested in finding out about some of the real life Japanese women who have been scaling Everest (the first woman to scale the mountain was from Japan). There’s also the chap who lost nine fingers to frostbite who was scaling the mountain last year.
Synopsis: Makoto Fukamachi (Junichi Okada) is a cameraman on holiday in Tibet. He finds an old camera on a backstreet of Nepal and it has footage that might solve the mystery of whether George Mallory became the first person to successfully climb Mount Everest on June 8, 1924 or not. To find out more about the camera and the myth, Makoto seeks out the legendary climber Joji Habu (Hiroshi Abe) who has isolated himself because of his reckless personality and the dangers it could bring.
Devotion to Cinema
キネマ純情「Kinema Junjo」
Running Time: 82 mins.
Release Date: March 12th, 2016
Director: Noboru Iguchi
Writer: Noboru Iguchi (Screenplay)
Starring: Yuni Hon, Minori Arakawa, Anna Yanagi, Sumire Ueno, Asaka Nakamura, Airi Yamamoto, Ayaka Ohbu, Miko Haruno,
Synopsis: Yoshie (Yuni Hon) was inspired by her older sister Keiko (Sumire Ueno) to become a member of the theatre club in high school. things progress as Yoshie begins acting in an indie film with her friend Akari (Minori Arakawa) and Aki (Anna Yanagi). It all sounds like fun but their sadistic director Naomi (Asaka Nakamura) pushes them psychologically…
Kiori
キオリ「Kiori」
Running Time: 94 mins.
Release Date: March 12th, 2016
Director: Kyoichi Furumoto
Writer: Kyoichi Furumoto (Screenplay) Seiji Toda (Original Manga)
Starring: Asuka Shinguu, Kimihiko Hasegawa, Miyuki Kojima, Tatsuo Heideru
Synopsis: Kiori is based on the Seiji Toda manga Persuasion Game and involves a group of scientists trying to manipulate the brain of a young woman who goes under the pseudonym Kiori.
Ultraman X The Movie: Here Comes! Our Ultraman
劇場版 ウルトラマンX きたぞ！われらのウルトラマン「Gekijouban Ultraman X: Kitazo! Warera no Ultraman」
Running Time: 73 mins.
Release Date: March 12th, 2016
Director: Kiyotaka Taguchi
Writer: Takao Nakano, Hirotoshi Kobayashi, Yuji Kobayashi (Screenplay)
Starring: Kensuke Takahashi, Akane Sakanoue, Yoshikiko Hosoda, Hayato Harada, Takuya Negishi, Mamoru Miyano, Takami Yoshimoto, Michael Tomioka, Yuuka Nakayama,
Synopsis: A greedy archaelogist named Carlos Kurosaki is searching for treasure but he unleashes Devil Beast Zaigorg and with him, the threat that this world will turn into Hell. Zaigorg is so powerful Ultraman X’s Light vanishes. Xio Members look for an archaelogist named Tsukasa Tamaki in order to find the Mysterious Power which can be used to seal Zaigorg. Tsukasa’s song Yuuto is along on the journey and his strong feelings towards his mother Tsukasa creates a miracle: Ultraman & Ultraman Tiga appears! All Ultra Heroes who have gathered & Xio members unite to defeat Zaigorg & his monster army.
RADWIMPS HESONOO
RADWIMPSのHESONOO Documentary Film「RADWIMPS no HESONOO Documentary Film」
Running Time: 70 mins.
Release Date: March 05th, 2016
Director: Kayoko Asakura
Writer: N/A
Starring: Radwimps: Akira Kuwahara, Yojiro Noda, Yusuke Takeda, Satoshi Yamaguchi,
Synopsis: RADWIMPS are world famous (partly because of anime theme tunes) and so they tour the world! The documentary captures the action at six venues during their Asia-Europe tour – France, Britain, Germany, South Korea, Taiwan and Japan!
Shimajirou and the Country of the Picture Book
しまじろうと えほんのくに「Shimajirou to Ehon no Kuni」
Release Date: March 11th, 2016
Running Time: 61 mins.
Chief Director: Isamu Hirabayashi, Director: Hiroshi Kawamata
Writer: Shinnosuke Yakuwa (Screenplay),
Animation Production: TOHO Animation
Starring: Omi Minami (Shimajirou), Bin Shimada (Dotto), Miki Takahashi (Mimirin),
This is the fourth film in the Shimajirou franchise and it includes a live-action first half which is an interactive part to keep children’s attention. There will be songs, dancing, and a quiz for children to get involved with – they get to use a megaphone that will be distributed to theater-goers. The first Shimajirou movie came out in 2013.
Synopsis from Anime News Network: The film’s story begins when Shimajirou and his friends go to the sea and find a picture book that Shimajirou had treasured in his childhood. When they hear a voice beckoning them from the book, they are drawn into the world of the book. There, they meet Puni-tan, and find a town of sweets in the middle of a forest. Shimajirou must find a way to return to his world.
PriPara Mi~nna no Akogare Let’s Go PriPari
プリパラ み～んなのあこがれ♪レッツゴー☆プリパリ「Puripara Mi-nna no ogare rettsu go- puripari」
Release Date: March 12th, 2016
Running Time: 60 mins.
Director: Makoto Moriwaki
Writer: Kazuyuki Fudeyasu (Screenplay),
Animation Production: Tatsunoko Production
Starring: Chiatsu Akasaki (Falulu Bokerdole), Himika Akaneya (Laala Manaka), Miyu Kubota (Sophy Hojo), Yuu Serizawa (Mirei Minami),
This is the third film in the Pripara franchise.
Synopsis from Anime News Network: Falulu is far away in the heart of the PriPara world in Puransu. The sparkle is disappearing from the idol sacred ground PriPara, and Falulu sends an SOS message to Laala and her friends. If the sparkle doesn’t return, the PriPara world itself will disappear. Laala and her friends try to help Falulu, and they work together to save the PriPara world.
Digimon Adventure tri. 2: Ketsui
デジモンアドベンチャーtri.（トライ）第２章「決意」「Dejimon adobenchā tri. (torai) Dai 2-sho `ketsui’」
Release Date: March 12th, 2016
Running Time: 75 mins.
Director: Keitaro Motonaga
Writer: Yuuko Kakihara (Series Composition), Akiyoshi Hongo (Original Creator),
Animation Production: Toei Animation
Voice Actors for the Human Characters:Natsuki Hanae (Taichi Yagami), Yoshimasa Hosoya (Yamato Ishida), Suzuko Mimori (Sora Takenouchi), Junya Ikeda (Jo Kido), Junya Enoki (Takeru Takaishi), MAO (Hikari Yagami), Mutsumi Tamura (Koshiro Izumi), Hitomi Yoshida (Mimi Tachikawa),
Voice Actors for the Digimon: Kinoko Yamada (Palmon), Chika Sakamoto (Agumon), Miwa Matsumoto (Patamon), Mayumi Yamaguchi (Gabumon), Junko Takeuchi (Gomamon),
Synopsis from the official website:
Time has passed since Alphamon appeared, and restoration work has moved ahead little by little in the town of Odaiba.
“I had decided once I got back to Japan, I’d be sure to take a dip in a big bath!” shouts Mimi. Because of that and a desire to make their new members Meiko Mochizuki and Meicoomon feel welcome, the DigiDestined go to a nearby hot springs theme park. Everyone has a good time, but Joe doesn’t show up.
Joe feels caught between the imminent reality of college entrance exams, and his responsibilities as a DigiDestined.
“Why do we have to do this again?”
Just then, another infected Digimon appears in Odaiba. It’s that proud virus type, Ogremon… As a TV station helicopter relays a broadcast of his rampage, Mimi and Palmon spring into action.
“We’ll show people that there are good Digimon, too!”
Mimi and Palmon ignore Koushirou’s attempts to hold them back, however, and their battle brings about unforeseen consequences…
Joe and Mimi each have their own troubles. Then on the day of Tsukishima General High School’s festival, that man appears before them…
The adventure now evolves once again…
Little Performer: The Pulse of Winds
リトルパフォーマー 風の鼓動「Ritoru pafo-ma- Fu no kodou」
Running Time: 98 mins.
Release Date: March 15th, 2016
Director: Shunji Muguruma
Writer: Shunji Muguruma, Jun Yoshida (Originl Novel), Yoshimasa Akamatsu, Atsushi Muroka (Original Screenplay,
Starring: Chihiro Hayama, Satsuki Hayama, Nagisa Takano, Taka Ookubo, Shiro Tsubuyaki, Kunihiko Ida,
Synopsis: A group of elementary school girls find that their school will be shut down at the end of the summer. The girls try to hold a dance concert at the school in celebration of their school days but troubles surface between them…
Japanese Movie Box Office Results for this Week:
Doraemon the Movie: Nobita and the Birth of Japan 2016 (2016/03/05)
I’m Not Just Going to Do What Kurosaki-kun Says (2016/02/27)
The Martian (2016/02/05)
The Big Short (2016/03/04)
Nobunaga Concerto (2016/01/23)
Star Wars The Force Unleashed (2015/12/18)
Point Break (2016/02/20)
The Finest Hours (2016/02/27)
Saraba Abunai Deka: Long Goodbye (2016/01/30)
Born in the EXILE Sandaime J Soul Brothers no Kiseki (2016/02/12)
