Happy weekend, people!
I had a fantastic week visiting temples and shrines, museums, and restaurants with friends and, performing hanami with wonderful people. It was a fantastic experience that will stay with me. Now I’m back in the trenches writing reviews and transcribing interviews using my free time before I go back to my regular job next week. I posted two reviews this week: Girl Returned and CYCLE-CYCLE, both screened at the Osaka Asian Film Festival.
What’s released this weekend?
Pumpkin Girl 
三十路女はロマンチックな夢を見るか？ 「Misozi Onna wa Romanchikku na Yume wo Miru ka?」
Running Time: 91 mins.
Release Date: March 31st, 2018
Director: Kentaro Yamagishi
Writer: Kentaro Yamagishi, Miyuki Uehara (Screenplay)
Starring: Rina Takeda, Yuki Kubota, Akiyoshi Orie, Yoshimasa Kondo, Miki Sakai, Yuki Saso, Michi Yamamura, Sho Tomita,
Synopsis: Nina (Rina Takeda) is single, stuck in a boring job, and on the cusp of turning 30 with no fun on the horizon. Things take an unexpected turn when she finds three bank robbers in her home and decides to join their gang…
honey 
ハニー 「Hani-」
Running Time: 105 mins.
Release Date: March 31st, 2018
Director: Koji Shintoku
Writer: Junpei Yamaoka (Screenplay), Amu Meguro (Original Manga)
Starring: Sho Hirano, Yuna Taira, Ryusei Yokohama, Kaho Mizutani, Nana Asakawa, Gaku Sano, Asami Usuda, Shinobu Nakayama, Yu Takahashi, Tadashi Sakata,
Synopsis: School badboy Taiga Onise (Sho Hirano) has a bad reputation but cute schoolgirl Nao Kogure (Yuna Taira) sees another side to him when he asks her out and shows his considerate nature.
Psychic Agents 
増山超能力師事務所 激情版は恋の味 「Masuyama Chonoryokushi Jimusho: Bakijohan wa Koi no Aji」
Running Time: 89 mins.
Release Date: March 31st, 2018
Director: Shinji Kuma
Writer: Tsuyoshi Sakurai (Screenplay), Tetsuya Honda (Original Novel)
Starring: Naoki Tanaka, Kodai Asaka, Yuri Nakamura, Tokio Emoto, Root, Atsuko Hirata,Chisun, Masao Yoshii, Azusa Mine, Jiro Dan,
Synopsis: The psychics team at Masuyama Psychic Office run into their toughest case yet when one of their number, Atsushi Takahara (Kodai Asaka) falls in love with Aoba (Azusa Mine), a young woman with psychic powers and a dark pas and she gets involved with a kidnapping case they are investigating whilst also becoming the prime suspect for a murder. Can Masuyama’s leader, Keitaro Masuyama (Naoki Tanaka) help his employees out?t.
Neteru toki dake, aishiteru. 
寝てるときだけ、あいしてる。「Neteru toki dake, aishiteru.」
Running Time: 110 mins.
Release Date: March 31st, 2018
Director: Yasuomi Kawahara
Writer: Yasuomi Kawahara (Screenplay),
Starring: Tami Maeda, Takanori Sekiguchi, Tomo Kasajima, Shinya Yokoyama,
Synopsis: A film shot in a similar style to some works by Harmony Korine and Terrence Malik about a man torn between his wife and her sister.
Deaf Person’s South America Report 
聾者のボクの南米見聞録「Rosha no Boku no Nanbei Kenmonroku」
Running Time: 90 mins.
Release Date: March 31st, 2018
Director: YASU
Writer: N/A
Starring: Norihiko Matsumoto,
Synopsis: Norikhiko Matsumoto was born deaf and also has dichromatic iris. Despite these differences in appearance and ability, he travelled as a backpacker through South America and this documentary captures his extraordinary journey.
Kalafina 10th Anniversary Film Yume ga Tsunagu Kagayaki no Harmony 
Kalafina 10th Anniversary Film 夢が紡ぐ輝きのハーモニー 「Kalafina 10th Anniversary Film Yume ga Tsunagu Kagayaki no Harmony」
Running Time: 110 mins.
Release Date: March 31st, 2018
Director: Shigeru Kato
Writer: N/A
Starring: Wakana Ootaki, Keiko Kubota, Hikaru Masai,
Synopsis: Kalafina are famous for performing the theme songs to many an anime from Aldnoah.Zero and Black Butler to Time of Eve. Just as the composer and a member of the group announced their departure, this documentary has been released and features clips from concerts.
ANIMA o ute! 
ANIMAを撃て！ 「ANIMA o ute!」
Running Time: 77 mins.
Release Date: July 15th, 2017
Director: Takahiro Horie
Writer: Takahiro Horie (Screenplay),
Starring: Saika Hattori, Yuu Koyanagi, Haruka Kurosawa, Eriko Nakamura, Umi Todo, Gitan Otsuru,
Synopsis: Saika Hattori plays Miho, a young woman who wants to study classical dance/ballet abroad. She’s waiting for her opportunity when she encounters a drummer who frees her spirit and lets her dance freely.
Tokyo Outskearts 
川越街道「Kawagoe Kaido」
Running Time: 110 mins.
Release Date: March 31st, 2018
Director: Daichi Oka
Writer: Daichi Oka (Screenplay),
Starring: Takenori Kaneko, Rei Konishi, Yuuhi Suenobu, Yukio Kaneda, Yuki Koga, Saho, Nozomi Kawashima,
Yes, I know that’s not how you spell the word “outskirts”.
Synopsis: Takenori Kaneko plays Satoshi, a 40-something man who has lived as a shut-in for most of his life in Kawagoe, Saitama. When his mother runs away from home, he decides to leave the house and search for her. The trail leads him to Ikebukuro in Tokyo.