Well with my new position in work I am in the gallery longer than is legal (I think) which explains why this post is late but I still have time to watch anime and dorama! Alright, not as much as I like but at least I’m going to get paid. This week I watched Gatchaman Crowds (which is awesome and made me happy), Dog and Scissors, It’s Not My Fault I’m Not Popular (tragically funny) and two episodes of Penance (intriguing and a reminder that Eiko Koike is a fox!). Four totally different shows and all pretty good. I also tried watching Free! but lost interest because I’m not a girl. I wrote up my first impression for Dog and Scissors and announced the arrival of my Tumblr blog. I hope to continue my first impressions going next week.
A lot of films released this week and few of them are all that spectacular. The Berlin File is also released… So yeah, a bit slow.
The Fighting Men’s Chronicle Elephant Kashimashi Movie Version 
Japanese Title: The Fighting Men’s Chronicle エレファント カシマシ Gekijouban
Romaji: The Fighting Men’s Chronicle Erefanto Kashimashi Gekijouban
Release Date: July 12th, 2013
Running Time: N/A
Director: Nobuhiro Yamashita
Writer: Kosuke Sakoda, Rama Nishikura (Screenplay)
Starring: Kouji Miyamoto, Toshiyuki Ishimori, Yoshiyuki Tominaga, Ken Yokoyama
Nobuhiro Yamashita, director of the Drudgery Train is back with a rock documentary about Elephant Kashimashi. This documentary that plumbs everything from their debut to recent work in 2012. Expect interviews with the band and collaborators and behind the scenes footage.
Dilemma of Sacrifice 
Japanese Title: 生贄のジレンマ
Romaji: Ikenie no Jirenma
Release Date: July 13th, 2013
Running Time: 82 mins.
Director: Shusuke Kaneko
Writer: Shinjiro Dobashi (Original Novel), Hirotoshi Kobayashi (Screenplay)
Starring: Kenta Suga, Seika Taketomi, Minhiro Kinomoto, Hikaru Yamamoto, Rio Kanno, Nana Seino, Toshi Takeuchi
The day of graduating from high school should be a happy one for Junichi Shinohara (Suga) and his friends but when a voice over the school’s intercom announces that everyone will die in an hour it is understandable that people are pretty terrified. Terror turns into desperation as the prospect of survival is handed to students as they are given a way out by sacrificing one of their number.
Danganronpa, anyone?
New S&M Theatre Version 
Japanese Title: 新 ＳとＭ 劇場版
Romaji: Shin S to M Gekijouban
Release Date: July 13th, 2013
Running Time: 99 mins.
Director: SHUN
Writer: Mio Murao (Original Manga), SHUN, Makoto Tachibana (Screenplay)
Starring: Tomomi Miyauchi, Ida Kunihiko, Asumi Miwa, Rike Kawamura, Tsutomu Niwa,
Type Mio Murao into Google and you can see the clean bits of the mind of an S&M obsessed manga-ka. I haven’t read her but there’s a lot of girls in peril and tied up and it all sure as hell comes under the S&M. She must be popular because this is the second live-action film adaptation of her S&M erotic suspense manga where a chap named Toda (Miyauchi) has managed to save his company and his marriage from the ruin of an affair with Saya Amami (Kawamura) but Amami isn’t finished with him yet and she’s going to use someone close to Toda to take him down! Warning foxy Japanese women in steamy positions ahead.
Festival of our Shadow 
Japanese Title: 影たち の 祭り
Romaji: Kagetachi no Matsuri
Release Date: July 13th, 2013
Running Time: 88 mins.
Director: Taku Oshima
Writer: N/A
Starring: Shuichi Iida, Aika Ichinose, Kayo Kikumoto, Kei Goto, Seiki Ishii,
This documentary takes a look at the Kakashi-za shadow theatre company who are celebrating their 60th anniversary. The group use their hands to create a range of animals for their plays and we get to see some of their performances during their Hand Shadows Animare tour.
Under the Nagasaki Sky 
Japanese Title: 爆心 長崎の空
Romaji: Bakushin: Nagasaki no Sora
Release Date: July 13th, 2013
Running Time: 98 mins.
Director: Taro Hyugaji
Writer: Yuichi Seirai, Hirofumi Harada (Screenplay)
Starring: Kie Kitano, Izumi Inamori, Yuya Yagira, Minayo Watanabe, Tetta Sugimoto, Junko Miyashita, Renji Ishibashi, Chizuru Ikewaki
University student Shimizu Kadota (Kitano) lives with her parents and is dating a medical school student named Kota (Hojo). She is happy but when she has an argument with her mother and her mother dies from a heart attack Shimizu feels intense guilt.
Saori Takamori (Inamori) lost her daughter over a year ago but still feels deep sorrow. She comes from a family of Catholics and her parents Ryoichi (Ishibashi) and Takie (Miyashita) are trying to overcome the sense of loss of their grandchild by seeing it as God’s will. When Saori realises that she is pregnant she feels a mixture of emotions because she wants another child but she’s afraid she will lose it. Saori’s husband Hiroyoshi (Sugimoto) tries to support her but she is suffering.
Saori and Shimizu meet in a Catholic Church. Will they help each other overcome their emotional demons and move on?
Jinjin 
Japanese Title: じんじん
Romaji: Jinjin
Release Date: July 13th, 2013
Running Time: 82 mins.
Director: Daiki Yamada
Writer: Durian Sukegawa (Original Novel), Katsue Sakaue (Screenplay)
Starring: Yasuo Daichi, Misaki Komatsu, Kie Nakai, Masahiro Inoue, Mayumi Wakamura, B-saku Sato
Ginzaburo Tateishi (Daichi) is a street performer who has a daughter. When she was six-years-old, Ginzaburo divorced from his wife and lost contact with her. Some time in the future, Ginzaburo visits a farm run by his childhood friend who is also hosting four female high school students undergoing agricultural training. The girls like him except for Ayaka who has a secret…
Garden of Sinners/Recalled Out Summer 3D 
Japanese Title: 空 の 境界： 未来 福音
Romaji: Bakushin: Kara no Kyoukai: Mirai Fukuin
Release Date: July 13th, 2013
Running Time: N/A
Director: Ei Aoki
Writer: Misaki Hiramatsu (Screenplay)
Starring: Maaya Sakamoto, Kenichi Suzumura, Honda Takako, Ayumi Fujimura, Rie Tanaka
Garden of Sinners…. I have read and watched some of it and I haven’t gelled with the franchise. I like the trailer for this. Spooky chanting and lullaby music, slow build up with lots of still-images – blood, cute crying characters, and a strong-voiced woman. The whole thing feels mystical. If I started with this instead of the manga then I’d be more of a fan. I reported about this film around this time last year on Anime UK News. Going under the title Gospel in the Future, it adapts a novel and three short manga and is animated in 3D. It stars the seiyuu Maaya Sakamoto as Shiki Ryougi and Kenichi Suzumura as Mikiya Kokutou
Möbius Ring – Seo Shizune and Kuramitsu Meruka are both psychics who can foresee the future. This has led to the two having different feeling about their powers. Shizune is sick of her predictable boring life while Meruka has taken advantage of his ability to become a professional bomber. When Shizune met Mikiya and when Meruka met Shiki, their immutable futures start to change.
Möbius Link – This takes place ten years after the events of Kara no Kyoukai, Mana Ryougi, Shiki’s daughter, spends the day with Kamekura Mitsuru.
Feline – Shiki takes care of a cat for Mikiya.
Daylight – Fujino Asagami helps a friend of one of Kirie Fujou’s victims get over her death.
Say Grace – Shiki asks Mikiya out on New Years.
Fate/Zero Café 
Japanese Title: Fate/ゼロカフェ
Romaji: Fate/Zero Kafe
Release Date: July 13th, 2013
Running Time: N/A
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
Starring: N/A
The Fate/Zero franchise has been reimagined as a café comedy where chibi characters do funny things. The café is run by Saber. This will be shown alongside the Garden of Sinners film.
ExtremeSpeed Genesect: Mewtwo Awakens 
Japanese Title: 劇場版ポケットモンスター ベストウイッシュ 神速（しんそく）のゲノセクト ミュウツー覚醒
Romaji: Gekijō-ban pokettomonsutā besutōisshu shinsoku (shin soku) no genosekuto myuutsū kakusei
Release Date: July 13th, 2013
Running Time: N/A
Director: Yuyama Kunihiko
Writer: Hideki Sonoda (Screenplay)
Starring: Emiri Kato, Masaharu Satou, Takehito, Reiko Takashima, Chinami Nishimura, Koyasu, Yuuki Kaji, Ikue Otani, Yuki Midori, Atsuko Maeda
This is the 16th Pokemon anime film and it covers the story of Metwo who is looking for a place to live and Team Plasma who are causing havoc in a city modelled on/actually New York. There are new character, Basil, voiced by Yuuki Kaji, Anna, voiced by Emiri Kato and Dunc, voiced by Takehito Koyasu.
Father’s Mistress 
Japanese Title: 父の愛人
Romaji: Chichi no Aijin
Release Date: July 13th, 2013
Running Time: 38 mins.
Director: Kosuke Sakoda
Writer: Kosuke Sakoda, Rama Nishikura (Screenplay)
Starring: Tomomi Kono, Izumi Miwako, Shusaku Uchida, Megumi Asaoka
This short film is a family drama that follows Sachiko, a girl who grew up in an unhappy house due to her father having a mistress. When her father is taken to hospital, Sachiko meets the mistress for the first time. Her name is Atsumi and she invites Sachiko over to her house…
Shin Kaidan Mimibukuro Nagurikomi! Gekijōban Makai-hen Zenpen
Japanese Title: 怪談新耳袋殴り込み！劇場版 魔界編 前編
Romaji: Shin Kaidan Mimibukuro Nagurikomi! Gekijōban Makai-hen Zenpen
Release Date: July 13th, 2013
Running Time: 88 mins.
Director: Rikio Ichikawa, Aoki Katsunori
Writer: N/A
Starring: Ginti Kobayashi, Go Goto, Aoki Katsunori, Rikio Ichikawa, Yukihiko Yamaguchi, Ichiro Nakayama
The guys behind the Kaidan Shin Mimibukuro Nagurikomi! Series are back with the 5th movie edition of their ghost hunting exploits. Their popular show sees them explore the most haunted places across Japan. In this one, they are exploring hotels, ruins and other places Okinawa looking for ghosts from the Pacific War.
Apple of Life 
Japanese Title: いのち の 林檎
Romaji: Inochi no Ringo
Release Date: July 13th, 2013
Running Time: 115 mins.
Director: Isao Fujisawa
Writer: N/A
Starring: N/A
Apple of Life is a documentary that explores the issue of chemicals used in everyday life. Chemicals in food, farming and construction. A Two women search for a place devoid of chemicals.
Ada Zetsubou Hen 
Japanese Title: 讐 ADA 絶望篇
Romaji: Ada Zetsubou Hen
Release Date: July 13th, 2013
Running Time: 88 mins.
Director: Koji Shiraishi
Writer: N/A
Starring: Minami Sengoku, Ayano Sato, Itsuki Sagara, Haruna Murakami, Aya Maikawa, Maki Itoh, Akari Saho
Last week saw an action and comedy from some Hello! Project Idols, this week sees a horror suspense film directed by Koji Shiraishi, (Noroi the Curse) and it is a two-parter showing the same story from two different perspectives. It stars the idols from a group called Up Up Girls, LinQ, Lyrical School and Caramel ☆ Ribbon.
Miho has committed a murder! What happened??? Told from the vantage points of two characters. SOMEONE SAVE THE IDOL GIRLS! THEY ARE THE ONLY HUMANS WORTH SAVING!
