Happy Weekend, People!
By the time you read this, things are already underway at the 2018 run of the Osaka Asian Film Festival where there are over 50 films from across the world getting screened around the city. I hope to bring you reviews of as many of these films as possible. What will happen is that they will get posted at V-Cinema and then I’ll post them here as they go up. There are some great titles that are sure to get screened around the world so there’s plenty to look forward to.
This week, I posted a review for “Before We Vanish” (2017) which was published on V-Cinema just over a month ago. I also posted a review of the Junichi Kanai film “Transferring” (2012).
What is released in Japan this weekend?
Sennan Asbestos Disaster 
ニッポン国VS泉南石綿村 「Nippon Kuni VS Sennan Ishiwatamura」
Running Time: 215 mins.
Release Date: March, 2018
Director: Kazuo Hara
Writer: N/A
Starring: N/A
Kazuo Hara is an award-winning documentarian famous for The Emperor’s Naked Army Marches On (1987). This one was at the Yamagata Documentary Festival and Busan as well as Tokyo FILMeX last year.
Synopsis: Kazuo Hara spent ten years documenting the legal struggles of people who formed a workforce exposed to asbestos as they worked in factories in the Sennan area of Osaka. The victims and their families were mostly ill-educated or Koreans conscripted during the colonial period and were unaware of the lethal nature of asbestos. The government was aware but failed to protect the 1000s of workers. We see Kazuo Hara keep track of the dwindling number of victims as a lawsuit is filed against the government in this documentary.
Eiga Shimajirō: Mahō no Shima no Daibōken 
映画しまじろう まほうのしまの だいぼうけん 「Eiga Shimajirō: Mahō no Shima no Daibōken」
Running Time: 60 mins.
Release Date: March 09th, 2018
Director: Hiroshi Kawamata, Hiro Takashima,
Writer: Yuka Aoki (Screenplay), Benesse Corporation (Original Creator)
Starring: Omi Minami (Shimajirou), Miki Takahashi (Mimirin), Bin Shimada (Dotto), Nobuo Tobita (Karakusa), Saori Suzuki (Remurin),
Animation Production: The Answer Studio
Synopsis: The Shimajirou franchise gets its first feature-length film and it will have numerous things to attract the attention of kids such as sections which encourage singing, dancing, and cheering as well as a break midway through proceedings and children will be given a magic wand at screenings which will be incorporated into scenes where magic occurs.
Karanukan 
カーラヌカン 「Ka-ranukan」
Running Time: 90 mins.
Release Date: March 10th, 2018
Director: Yasuhiro Hamano
Writer: Yasuhiro Hamano, Yuko Iwashita, Yoshikazu Sugiyama (Screenplay)
Starring: Gackt, Suzuka Kimura, Kumiko Akiyoshi, Tokiko Kato, Masayuki Yui, Shinnosuke Kazama, Marene Pena Lim, Maki Issou,
Synopsis: Tokyo is not all it’s cracked up to be despite its glitter and gold for famous photographer Hikaru Ooyama (Gackt) and so he takes himself down to the tropical paradise that is Okinawa where he meets a beautiful girl named Mami Ishigaki (Suzuka Kimura) who he takes to a waterfall for a photo-shoot in Yaeyama Island. When he’s about to take a picture, Mami disappears in a flash of strong sunlight which makes everything looks white.
Kids on the Slope / Sakamichi no Apollon 
坂道のアポロン 「Sakamichi no Aporon」
Running Time: 120 mins.
Release Date: March 10th, 2018
Director: Takahiro Miki
Writer: Yuki Kodama (Screenplay), Izumi Takahashi (Original Screenplay)
Starring: Nana Komatsu, Yuri Chinen,Taishi Nakagawa, Erina Mano, Toru Nomaguchi, Baijaku Nakamura, Yorie Yamashita, Dean Fujioka,
Synopsis: Transfer student Kaoru Nishimi (Yuri Chinen) has moved out to Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture because of his father’s work. He is in the first grade of high school and while academic, he’s introverted. He meets classmates Sentaro Kawabuchi (Taishi Nakagawa), a kind-hearted rebellious boy, and Ritsuko Mukae (Nana Komatsu), a beautiful girl. The three form a friendship due to jazz music which Ritsuko loves.
Sakura Guardian of the North 
北の桜守 「Kita no Sakuramori」
Running Time: 126 mins.
Release Date: March 10th, 2018
Director: Yojiro Takita
Writer: Machiko Nasu (Screenplay),
Starring: Sayuri Yoshinaga, Masato Sakai, Ryoko Shinohara, Koichi Sato, Hiroshi Abe, Reiko Takashima, Masatoshi Nakamura, Tsurube Shofukutei, Ittoku Kishibe,
Synopsis: Tetsu Ezure (Sayuri Yoshinaga) escaped the Soviet Union’s invaded of the Sakhalin Islands with her two sons and headed to Abashiri City, Hokkaido Prefecture where she raised them in the tough conditions of the post-war period. Tetsu’s second son Shujiro (Masato Sakai) becomes a success in America and returns to Abashiri for the first time in 15 years to see his mother Tetsu who lives alone…
Last Winter, We Parted 
去年の冬、きみと別れ 「Kyonen no Fuyu, Kimi to Wakare」
Running Time: 118 mins.
Release Date: March 10th, 2018
Director: Tomoyuki Takimoto
Writer: Tetsuya Oishi (Screenplay), Fuminori Nakamura
Starring: Takanori Iwata, Mizuki Yamamoto, Kazuki Kitamura, Takumi Saito, Reina Asami,
Synopsis: Do you know when you don’t go investigating a murder? It’s just before you’re about to marry the beautiful person you love. Nobody told Kyosuke Yakumo (Takanori Iwata) who works as a writer and will soon marry his fiance is Yuriko Matsuda (Mizuki Yamamoto). He decides to research the circumstances around a beautiful blind woman who was burnt to death. The suspect is a photographer named Zakayudai Kihara (Takumi Saito). Expect a lot of drama.
Gekijôban Urutoraman Jîdo Tsunagu ze! Negai!! 
劇場版 ウルトラマンジード つなぐぜ！願い!! 「Gekijôban Urutoraman Jîdo Tsunagu ze! Negai!!」
Running Time: 70 mins.
Release Date: March 10th, 2018
Director: Koichi Sakamoto
Writer: Takao Nakano (Screenplay),
Starring: Tatsuomi Hamada, Chihiro Yamamoto, Mayu Hasegawa, Yuta Ozawa, Yuika Motokariya, Takaya Aoyagi, Hideo Ishiguro, Hiroshi Kamiya, Mamoru Miyano, Megumi Han, Suzuko Mimori,
Synopsis from the Ultra Wikia: The Giant Artificial Brain Gilbaris is trying to eliminate all intellectual life forms throughout the universe. Ultraman Geed confronts the harsh fate against a mighty enemy who withstands the power of Ultra Warriors’ light. Ultraman Orb, Jugglus Juggler, and Ultraman Zero rush to the crisis! And the heated feelings inside Riku awakens Geed’s Ultimate form – Ultimate Final!
And that’s all for this weekend! Bonus video!