Happy weekend, people!
I hope you are well!
This trailer post is a rush job because I have been working this weekend at an anime film festival. The 2018 Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival seemed to go well. Everyone was happy. Everyone had fun. I spoke to the two Japanese animators, Tsuneo Goda and Hirokazu Minegishi, almost entirely in Japanese. We all watched great films. In truth, the work went on for most of the year. I posted info about two film festivals this week, Japannual in Austria and the London East Asian Film Festival.
What are the films on display this weekend?
Samurai’s Promise 
散り椿 「Chiri Tsubaki」
Running Time: 112 mins.
Release Date: September 28th, 2018
Director: Daisaku Kimura
Writer: Takashi Koizumi (Screenplay), Rin Hamuro (Original Novel)
Starring: Junichi Okada, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Haru Kuroki, Sosuke Ikematsu, Kumiko Aso, Naoto Ogata, Kyoko Yoshine, Hirofumi Arai, Yuya Yagira,
Synopsis: Shinbei Uryu (Junichi Okada) is expelled from his hometown after bringing up his boss’s corruption. His sick wife Shino (Kumiko Aso) makes him promise to go back and help his old friend Uneme Sakakibara (Hidetoshi Nishijima), the man he beat to wed Shino. This is something hard for Shinbei to do because Uneme Sakakibara is also related to Shinbei Uryu’s exile but a promise is a promise, especially when it’s to your wife.
Gekijouban Linked Horizon Live Tour “Shingeki no Kiseki” Souin Shuuketsu Gaisen Kouen 
劇場版 Linked Horizon Live Tour 「進撃の軌跡」総員集結 凱旋公演 「Gekijouban Linked Horizon Live Tour “Shingeki no Kiseki” Souin Shuuketsu Gaisen Kouen」
Running Time: 75 mins.
Release Date: September 28th, 2018
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
Starring: REVO
Synopsis: You may know Linked Horizon Live Tour from their work on the Attack on Titan opening theme. Well they are 5 years old and to celebrate reaching that milestone, they held a tour. It took place last year and encompassed 34 performances inside and outside Japan. The “SHINGEKI NO KISEKI” Souin Shuuketsu Gaisen Kouen tour film features footage from places like the Yokohama Arena, where they performed a concert featuring people from past and present who made Linked Horizon what it is today.
DTC Yukemuri Junjo Hen from HiGH & LOW 
DTC 湯けむり純情篇 from HiGH&LOW 「DTC yukemuri junjō-hen furomu HiGH& LOW」
Running Time: 102 mins.
Release Date: September 28th, 2018
Director: Daisaku Kimura
Writer: Takashi Koizumi (Screenplay), Rin Hamuro (Original Novel)
Starring: Taiki Sato, Kenjiro Yamashita, Kanta Sato, Yuko Fueki, Masayasu Yagi, Tomoki Hirose,
Synopsis: Dan, Tettsu, and Chiharu (DTC) are facing leaving their youthful adventures behind and having to grow up. But not just yet. They take one last roadtrip by motorcycle to look for fun and girls. Alas, that costs money and they have to stop midway and get jobs at a hot spring resort where they meet and mother and daughter who run the place and help them make money…
Fooly Cooly Progressive 
フリクリ プログレ 「Furikuri Purogure」
Release Date: September 28th, 2018
Running Time: 136 mins.
Chief Director: Katsuyuki Motohiro, Director: Hiroshi Ikehata, Kei Suezawa, Kazuhito Arai, Yuki Ogawa, Yoshihide Ibata, Toshihisa Kaiya,
Writer: Hideto Iwai (Screenplay),
Starring: Inori Minase (Hidomi), Megumi Hayashibara (Haruhara), Jun Fukuyama (Ide), Kikuko Inoue (Hinae), Reiko Suzuki (Tami Hanae), Miyuki Sawashiro (Jinyu),
Animation Production: Production I.G, NUT, Revoroot,
Synopsis: This is the second of two FLCL OVAs which tell the story of 14-year-old Hidomi, her classmate Ide, and two otherworldly beings, “Jinyu” and “Haruha Raharu,” who will unlock their hidden potential whilst dodging an all-powerful force known as “ATOMSK” by way of a gorgeous vintage car and a certain Vespa Scooter.
Girls Und Panzer 63rd National High School Sensha-dō Tournament Compilation 
ガールズ＆パンツァー 第63回戦車道全国高校生大会 総集編 「Ga-ruzu & Pansha- Dai 63 Kai Sensha-dō Zenkoku Kōkōsei Taikai Sōshūhen」
Release Date: September 29th, 2018
Running Time: 122 mins.
Director: Tsutomu Mizushima
Writer: Reiko Yoshida (Screenplay/Series Composition),
Starring: Ai Kayano (Saori Takebe), Mai Fuchigami (Miho Nishizumi), Mami Ozaki (Hana Isuzu), Kana Ueda (Momo Kawashima), Yuka Iguchi (Mako Reizei),
Animation Production: Actas
Synopsis: Imagine a bunch of Yamato nadeshiko high school girls going to school and training in the venerable art of tank warfare and you have Girls und Panzer, a long-running franchise which is back next year for another TV series. This film is a compilation which summarises the TV anime and the OVA This is a Real Anzio War!
Natsume Yujin-cho the Movie: Ephemeral Bond 
劇場版 夏目友人帳 ～うつせみに結ぶ～ 「Natsume Yūjin-Chō: Utsusemi ni Musubu」
Release Date: September 29th, 2018
Running Time: 104 mins.
Chief Director: Takahiro Omori, Director: Hideki Ito
Writer: Sadayuki Murai (Screenplay), Yuki Midorikawa (Original Work)
Starring: Hiroshi Kamiya (Takashi Natsume), Akemi Okamura (Hinoe), Akira Ishida (Shuichi Natori), Kazuhiko Inoue (Nyanko-sensei), Kyoko Chikiri (Kappa), Rina Satou (Toru Taki), Kengo Kora (Rio Tsumura)
Animation Production: Shuka
Synopsis from ANN: Natsume has been able to see yokai since he was little. This makes him a bit of an outsider when it comes to people and he doesn’t particularly get along with yokai. Things change when he inherits a Yūjin-Chō (“Book of Friends”) from his grandmother and finds that book is actually full of contracts that his grandmother made to trap yōkai. As one yōkai after another shows up, Natsume tries to release or help them — even while many of them seek vengeance on him. In this story, he meets a woman and her son who have links to his past.
Please Be My Slave Chapter 2 Please Call Me Master. 
私の奴隷になりなさい第2章 ご主人様と呼ばせてください 「Watashi no dorei ni nari nasai dai 2-shō goshujinsama to yoba sete kudasai」
Running Time: 103 mins.
Release Date: September 29th, 2018
Director: Hideo Jojo
Writer: Hitoshi Ishikawa, Hideo Jojo (Screenplay), Shu Satami (Original Work)
Starring: Katsuya Maigumi, Aika Yukihira, Sayuri, Masaki Miura
Synopsis: This is the sequel to the sensual movie “Become My Slave” where a man named Meguro meets a married woman named Akeno and is roped into “training” her when her husband threatens Meguro’s social standing.
At the Children’s Restaurant 
こども食堂にて 「Kodomo shokudō nite」
Running Time: 115 mins.
Release Date: September 29th, 2018
Director: Sho’on Sano
Writer: Sho’on Sano (Screenplay), Shu Satami (Original Work)
Starring: Hano Honshita, Sawako Kitahara, Tomoko Hirata, Mariko Takahashi, Nobunaka Daichi,
Synopsis: The “Children’s Restaurant” is where Sunshine, a movie production team which specialises in works on children’s social care themes, gathers various children. Chieko who started volunteering at “Children ‘s Restaurant” is driven to join because she suffered from abuse at the hands of her parents. There are more stories than just abuse as children from poor families attend the place for food, there are children who live alone, and also single mothers who attend. A small community has formed and Chiaki gets involved in their stories…
Tarinae 
タリナイ 「Tarinae」
Running Time: 93 mins.
Release Date: September 29th, 2018
Director: Shiori Ookawa
Writer: N/A
Starring: N/A
Synopsis: The Marshall Islands was one of the battlefields of WWII and the man at the centre of it travels to see where his father died of starvation due to supplies being cut off. He has diaries and wills written by his father and his comrades before his death. The son was 74 when he travelled to the islands in 2016 to see where it all happened.
Tower of the Sun 
太陽の塔 「Taiyo no To」
Running Time: 112 mins.
Release Date: September 29th, 2018
Director: Kosai Sekine
Writer: N/A
Starring: Norio Akasaka, Reiji Ando, Shigesato Itoi, Shingo Ueda, Koji Osugi, Hideo Kasami,
Synopsis: The last time I was in Osaka, they were hoping to hold the World Expo (either Osaka or Kansai), and this documentary looks at the work of Taro Okamoto and his “Tower of the Sun” which was made for the 1970 Osaka World Expo, so 48 years ago. The theme was “Progress and Harmony of Mankind” and was made at a time when the Japanese economy was in overdrive. What was the message that this alien-like structure was meant to convey? Find out in the documentary.
Ai to, sakaba to, ongaku to (Love and a Bar and Music) 
愛と、酒場と、音楽と 「Ai to, sakaba to, ongaku to」
Running Time: 95 mins.
Release Date: September 29th, 2018
Director: Kai Inowaki, Masato Oki, Kenichi Ebisawa, Sara Ogawa,
Writer: Kai Inowaki, Masato Oki, Sara Ogawa,
Starring: Kai Inowaki, Masato Oki, Sara Ogawa, Yoshio Saiga, Gen Kuwayama, Yuji Miyazaki, SHIHO, Toshihiro Fumoto, Yuu Sakuma,
Synopsis: This anthology film comes from four young directors who provide three different stories:
LOVE WITHOUT WORDS
BOURBON TALK
BEATOPIA
Seven Girls 
セブンガールズ 「Sebun Ga-ruzu」
Running Time: 144mins.
Release Date: September 29th, 2018
Director: David Miyahara
Writer: David Miyahara
Starring: Ai Sakazaki, Hotena Horikawa, Sachiko Kawahara, Naoko Fujiim Kazuki Saito, Mai Higuchi,
Synopsis: This film is about the Pan Pan girls who sold themselves to US servicemen to survive in the rubble of Tokyo. Despite their hardship, these girls refuse to give in and try to live their lives to the fullest. It’s based on a stage-play that was first brought to life in 2004 and it has the original cast.