Happy weekend, people!
I hope you are all well!
I’m pushed for time. I have to write. I have to practice Japanese. I have to work every day. I’m happy. I need to improve in all areas and so I’m going back to Japanese language classes in September. I’m going to study before then. Also, I’ve got a lot of films to watch as part of Donation Theater since the site went live with the films for people who donated. Friends and the families of friends in western Japan are safe but for those who had to be evacuated or lost their old lives, Donation Theater is providing assistance. Why not donate something and help out?
There are a lot of films I’m watching outside of Donation Theater but that is a long-term thing. I posted reviews for Dynamite Graffiti and The Blood of Wolves this week.
What is released in Japan this weekend?
The next two films were at the Fantasia International Film Festival.
Penguin Highway 
打ち上げ花火、下から見るか？横から見るか？ 「Uchiage Hanabi, Shita kara Miru ka? Yoko kara Miru ka?」
Release Date: August 17th, 2017
Running Time: 119 mins.
Director: Hiroyasu Ishida
Writer: Makoto Ueda (Screenplay), Tomihiko Morimi (Original Script)
Starring: Kana Kita (Aoyama), Yuu Aoi (Mysterious Lady), Hidetoshi Nishijima (Aoyama’s Father), Megumi Han (Hamamoto), Naoto Takenaka (Hamamoto’s Father),
Animation Production: Studio Colorido
Synopsis: Aoyama is an elementary school student who makes notes in his diary every day. His town is quiet but his heart races every so often because he has a crush on a mysterious older woman who works as a dental assistant. One day, a group of penguins appears in his quiet suburban neighbourhood and Aoyama and the older lady want to discover the reason for their appearance.
Aragne: Sign of Vermillion 
アラーニェの虫籠 「Aragne no Mushikago」
Release Date: August 18th, 2018
Running Time: 75 mins.
Director: Saku Sakamoto
Writer: Saku Sakamoto (Screenplay),
Starring: Kana Hanazawa (Rin), Ayana Shiramoto (Nasuha), Yosuke Ito (Tokiyo), Fukujuurou Katayama (Saion), Shuogo Batari (Mikaya)
Animation Production: zelicofilm
Saku Sakamoto has taken on direction, writing, composing the music, CG and more roles to get this film made. It’s an epic undertaking that looks different from the usual anime so make Saku Sakamoto feel welcome and ask questions when you see this because he is hosting the screenings!
Synopsis: Rin (Kana Hanazawa) is an 18-year-old university student who is shy and anxious and a new arrival at her apartment complex. It’s a rundown and unfriendly place where crimes are occurring. There’s something darker stirring in the place, something supernatural and sinister and Rin begins to investigate instead of moving the heck out.
Gintama 2 
銀魂2 掟は破るためにこそある 「Gintama 2: Okite wa Yaburu Tame ni soko Aru」
Running Time: 134 mins.
Release Date: August 17th, 2018
Director: Yuichi Fukuda
Writer: Yuichi Fukuda (Screenplay), Hideaki Sorachi (Original Manga)
Starring: Shun Oguri, Masaki Suda, Kanna Hashimoto, Masami Nagasawa, Masaki Okada, Jiro Sato, Yuya Yagira,
Synopsis:Gintoki Sakata (Shun Oguri), Shinpachi Shimura (Masaki Suda) and Kagura (Kanna Hashimoto) are forced to do part-time work when they go broke and they meet Shogun-sama. They aren’t the only ones with problems because, the Shinsengumi is split between different factions and it may be because of Shogun-sama.
The director of the next three films has a new one released next week so a cinema is playing three of his shorts in preparation.
Angel in the Closet 
押し入れ女の幸福 「Oshiire on’na no kofuku」
Running Time: 29 mins.
Release Date: August 18th, 2018
Director: Takayuki Ohashi
Writer: Takayuki Ohashi (Screenplay),
Starring: Yuichiro Iwasa, Takayuki Kanaya, Shinya Naito, Iuho Ota, Azumao Sugaya,
This short won Takayuki Ohashi the grand prize in the domestic short films at the 2014 SKIP City International D Cinema Film Festival.
Synopsis: An angel who watches over humans lives in a closet of a house owned by a normal family. A man delivers meals to her but is forbidden from speaking to her, however, one day, he talks to her…
Kare no nichijō 
彼の日常 「Kare no nichijō」
Running Time: 11 mins.
Release Date: August 18th, 2018
Director: Takayuki Ohashi
Writer: Takayuki Ohashi (Screenplay),
Starring: Junko Kawabe, Shinya Naito,
Synopsis:A couple who are about to break up take a long walk together and an unexpected outcome is reached.
The Shape of Happiness 
しあわせのかたち 「Shiawase no katachi」
Running Time: 30 mins.
Release Date: August 18th, 2018
Director: Takayuki Ohashi
Writer: Takayuki Ohashi (Screenplay),
Starring: Ayane Tsukiyono, Ayumi Katsurada, Hideto Nishimura, Ibuki Kaneda, Reiko Muto, Takehiko Fujita, Anri Makino,
Synopsis: A teenage girl named Eri likes to write novels. She has her work read by friends and an older friend at the neighbourhood bakery, Pansy, and an encounter with a woman gets her to see her future and novel writing in a new way.
The Seven Deadly Sins the Movie: Prisoners of the Sky 
劇場版 七つの大罪 天空の囚われ人 「Nanatsu no Taizai: Tenkū no Torawarebito」
Release Date: August 18th, 2018
Running Time: 99 mins.
Chief Director: Higashi Hiroaki, Director: Yasuto Nishikata
Writer: Makoto Uezu (Screenplay), Nakaba Suzuki (Original Creator)
Starring: Yuuki Kaji (Meliodas), Aoi Yuki (Diane), Haruka Tomatsu (Ellatte), Jun Fukuyama (King), Maaya Sakamoto (Merlin),
Animation Production: A-1 Pictures
Synopsis: While searching for the legendary “sky fish”, The Seven Deadly Sins head to a far-off land where there is a Sky Palace that exists above the clouds. The inhabitants all have wings which is great but they are threatened by a ferocious beast that has been unleashed by a group of villains called Six Black Knights. Our heroes could just skip the city but then they wouldn’t be heroes. That and Meliodas is mistaken for a boy who committed a crime and is thrown in prison…
Miraculous Chat Lady 
チャットレディのキセキ 「Chatto Redei no Kiseki」
Running Time: 79 mins.
Release Date: August 18th, 2018
Director: Hirofumi Kawaguchi
Writer: Yukiko Inoue, Nanako Otake (Screenplay), Yasutoshi Murakawa (Screenplay Supervision)
Starring: Yuu Kikkawa, Hiroki Suzuki, Erika Tsunashima, Yuki Mizuki, Shuntaro Mizuno, Nana Komaki, Ryuji Tsukada,
Synopsis: A student named Yuki makes money acting as a chat lady. She is drawn to a person who calls her using the handle “Kanon” and a piece of piano music draws the two to a piano competition while they are exchanging messages through chat.
Chotto no ame nara ga man
ちょっとの雨ならがまん 「Chotto no ame nara ga man」
Running Time: N/A
Release Date: August 18th, 2018
Director: Junji Yasuda
Writer: N/A
Starring: GAUZE, G.I.S.M., THE EXECUTE, THE COMES, THE TRASH, CLAY, GASTUNK, Misami, Sayoko,
Synopsis: A documentary about the Japanese hardcore punk scene of the 1980s and the Tokyo Rockers who were in operation since the 1970s. It was originally released in 1984.
Far East Babies
ファー・イースト・ベイビーズ 「Fa- E-suto Beibi-zu」
Running Time: 107 mins.
Release Date: August 18th, 2018
Director: Junji Yasuda
Writer: Junji Yasuda, Rie Tonoharu,
Starring: Narutoshi Ishikawa, Nattsu Tanahashi, Hitoshi Ueno, Shusuke Sano, Masato Wakata, Yuki Shibasaki,
Synopsis: A film featuring punk rockers and novelists. They portray various people who are linked together including one person person who studies living things on the island on the Seto Inand Sea and a band that roams around Tokyo.