Happy weekend, everyone.
I hope you are all well.
Proofing for that otome game script I was working on has now been completed. I did it in the space of twelve days or so. I’m going through it again to tighten things up. I have a month and a bit left before the deadline.
Not much done in terms of movie-watching but I did get a review done for a big title from last year.
I posted reviews for two Shinsuke Sato films, the first being I Am a Hero (2016) and the second Inuyashiki (2018). I really enjoyed these two films and highly recommend them. Please watch them if you get the chance because they are fun and have thrilling fights, super special effects and awesome acting.
I need to be a hero soon so I’ll be studying Japanese intensely.
What films are released this weekend?
Chiwawa 
チワワちゃん 「Chiwawa-chan」
Running Time: 104 mins.
Release Date: January 18th, 2019
Director: Ken Ninomiya
Writer: Ken Ninomiya (Screenplay), Kyoko Okazaki (Original Manga)
Starring: Mugi Kadowaki, Ryo Narita, Kanichiro, Tina Tamashiro, Shiori Yoshida, Nijiro Murakami, Chiaki Kuriyama, Tadanobu Asano, Honoka Matsumoto, Songha,
Synopsis: Chiwawa (Shiori Yoshida) was thought to be a popular young woman but when her dead body is found in Tokyo Bay people begin to have doubts, not least her friends who realize they do not know anything about her like her real identity or her background.
His Lost Name 
夜明け 「Yoake」
Running Time: 113 mins.
Release Date: January 18th, 2019
Director: Nanako Hirose
Writer: Nanako Hirose (Screenplay),
Starring: Kaoru Kobayashi, Yuya Yagira, Young Dais, Tsunekichi Suzuki, Keiko Horiuchi,
Lost Name is the first feature film made by female director Nanako Hirose. She is part of Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Bun-buku group and has worked on the films Like Father, Like Son and Our Little Sister.
Synopsis: Tetsuro (Kaoru Kobayashi) is a widower who runs a woodworking shop. One day, while walking along the riverside, he finds a young man lying collapsed on the ground. Despite knowing nothing of the man, Tetsuro takes him to his home and takes care of him. When the young man awakens he tells Tetsuro that his name is Shinichi (Yuya Yagira). Tetsuro allows Shinichi to stay with him and teaches him skills but when a certain incident happens, the local community become suspicious. It turns out that Shinichi isn’t his real name and he has a secret. Tetsuro also has a secret, too.
Masquerade Hotel 
マスカレード・ホテル 「Masukare-do Hoteru」
Running Time: 132 mins.
Release Date: January 18th, 2019
Director: Masayuki Suzuki
Writer: Michitaka Okada (Screenplay), Keigo Higashino (Original Novel)
Starring: Takuya Kimura, Masami Nagasawa, Fumiyo Kohinata, Ryo Ishibashi, Gaku Hamada, Atsuko Maeda, Nanao, Atsuro Watabe, Takako Matsu,
Synopsis: Tokyo is shocked by three murder cases where the killer leaves numbers at the murder scenes, possibly hinting at where the next murder will take place. Detective Kosuke Nitta (Takuya Kimura) is on the case and he believes the next murder will take place at Hotel Koruteshia Tokyo so he goes undercover and begins working at the front desk of the hotel. To blend in he is trained by Naomi Yamagishi (Masami Nagasawa) but the two clash as Kosuke focusses on catching the killer at the expense of everything else. However, the two begin to build a relationship and maybe it will be just in time to catch the murderer.
Mentai Piriri 
めんたいぴりり 「Mentai Piriri」
Running Time: 115 mins.
Release Date: January 18th, 2019
Director: Kan Eguchi
Writer: Kenji Higashi (Screenplay),
Starring: Hanamaru Hakata, Yasuko Tomita, Soma Santoki, Haruka Masunaga. Denden, Tokio Emoto, Miyu Yoshimoto,
Synopsis: Toshiyuki (Hanamaru Hakata) and his wife Chiyoko (Yasuko Tomita) run a small grocery store in the Nakasu district of Fukuoka in 1950s Japan. Life is hard but things as big as family and as small as the food mentaiko bring joy. Through this he helps Eiko (Hana Toyoshima), a classmate of his son Kenichi (Soma Santoki), get over the death of her parents and her tough situation.
Touken Ranbu: The Movie 
映画刀剣乱舞 「Eiga Touken Ranbu」
Running Time: 101 mins.
Release Date: January 18th, 2019
Director: Saiji Yakumo
Writer: Yasuko Kobayashi (Screenplay),
Starring: Hiroki Suzuki, Yoshihiko Aramaki, Ryo Kitamura, Masanari Wada, Tomoki Hirose, Hiroaki Iwanaga, Fuma Sadamoto, Taizo Shiina,
Synopsis: This one is based on a video game about eight swords that have been turned into eight ikemen who try to save history by going back in time to assassinate Nobunaga Oda at Honno-ji.
Divine Justice 
ラブホテルに於ける情事とプランの涯て 「Rabu Hoteru ni okeru jouji to Puran no hate」
Running Time: 105 mins.
Release Date: January 18th, 2019
Director: Takayuki Takuma
Writer: Takayuki Takuma (Screenplay),
Starring: Hiroshi Mikami, Kazuki Namioka, Rie Shibata, Tsuyoshi Abe, Wakana Sakai, Moe Miura, Takashi Ito,
Synopsis: A detective named Mamiya (Hiroshi Mikami) installs a video camera in the room of a motel where he meets his lover Reika (Moe Miura) but he ends up recording an accident involving a sex worker, and the cover up involving a female police officer and a ‘cleaner’. However, the things are not what they seem.
Made in Abyss Movie 2: Wandering Twilight 
劇場版総集編 後編 メイドインアビス 放浪する黄昏 「Gekijouban soushuuhen zenpen meido in abisu Hourou suru Tasogare」
Release Date: January 18th, 2019
Running Time: 108 mins.
Director: Masayuki Kojima
Writer: Hideyuki Kurata (Screenplay), Akihito Tsukushi (Original Creator),
Starring: Mariya Ise (Reg), Miyu Tomita (Riko), Shiori Igawa (Nanachi), Sayaka Ohara (Ozen), Aki Toyosaki (Marulk), Mutsumi Tamura (Nat),
Animation Production: Kinema Citrus
Synopsis from Anime News Network: In the story, an enormous pit and cave system called the “Abyss” is the only unexplored place in the world. Strange and wonderful creatures reside in its depths, and it is full of precious relics that current humans are unable to make. The mysteries of the Abyss fascinate humans, and they head down to explore. The adventurers who venture into pit are known as “Cave Raiders.” A little orphan girl named Rico lives in the town of Ōsu on the edge of the Abyss. Her dream is to become a Cave Raider like her mother and solve the mysteries of the cave system. One day, Rico starts exploring the caves and discovers a robot who resembles a human boy.
Yuri!!! on ICE TV Series Kyo gekijō jōei 
ユーリ!!! on ICE TVシリーズ一挙劇場上映 「Yuri!!! on ICE TV Series Kyo gekijō jōei」
Release Date: January 18th, 2019
Running Time: 108 mins.
Director: Sayo Yamamoto
Writer: Sayo Yamamoto (Screenplay), Taku Matsushiba, Taro Umebayashi (Original Creator),
Starring: Toshiyuki Toyonaga (Yuri Katsuki), Kouki Uchiyama (Yuri Plisetsky), Junichi Suwabe (Victor Nikiforov), Jun Fukuyama (Takeshi Nishigori)
Animation Production: MAPPA
The TV anime will be broadcast at select theatres across Japan ahead of the big film this year, Ice Adolescence.
Synopsis from Anime News Network: Yūri Katsuki carried all of Japan’s hopes on his shoulders to win at the Gran Prix Finale ice skating competition, but suffered a crushing defeat. He returns home to Kyushu and half feels like he wants to retire, and half feels like he wants to continue ice skating. Suddenly the five-time consecutive world championship ice skater Victor Nikiforov appears before him with Yuri Plisetsky, a young Russian figure skater who is already defeating his seniors. Victor and both Yuris take up the challenge on an unprecedented Gran Prix series.
Gekijonan DARWIN Ga Kita! Africa Shindensetsu 
劇場版 ダーウィンが来た！アフリカ新伝説 「Gekijoban Da-win ga kita! Afurika Shindensetsu」
Running Time: 90 mins.
Release Date: January 18th, 2019
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
Starring: Wakana Aoi (Narration)
Synopsis: NHK been broadcasting Darwin ga kita! for a while and they hae chosen some stories from its Africa archives. This one has a male lion exiled from its and the life of a lioness who has lost its family and a gorilla that keeps on going despite losing an arm.
Kazokuwari 
かぞくわり 「Kazokuwari」
Running Time: 129 mins.
Release Date: January 19th, 2019
Director: Shohei Shiozaki
Writer: Shohei Shiozaki (Screenplay),
Starring: Hana Hizuki, Minami Tsukui, Yutaka Ishi, Ayane Kinoshita, Takeshi Matsumura, Mai Imaide,
Synopsis: This one is set in Nara and the story is about a young woman named Kana Doshita (Hana Mizuki) who aspires to be an artist. She lives with her parents at the age of 38 and their relationship is tumultuous so she ends up leaving home and encountering a young man who introduces her to a community of artists. Through this she can explore her talent and this is when she unlocks the soul of a princess who was also an artist reputed to have woven a mandala overnight. It turns out the young woman is a reincarnation of that princess…
Documentary Film Taro Okamoto’s Okinawa – What He Found 
ドキュメンタリー映画 岡本太郎の沖縄 「Dokyumentari- Eiga Okamoto Taro no Okinawa」
Running Time: 121 mins.
Release Date: January 19th, 2019
Director: Yoshihisa Katsuyama
Writer: N/A
Starring: Taro Okamaoto, Arata Iura (Narration)
Synopsis: Taro Okamoto (1911 – 1996) was a leading artist and one of his projects was to document various areas in Japan to discover the elements that best define the country. He travelled to Okinawa while it was still under US military occupation and was profoundly moved by what he experienced. This documentary uses lots of material from his trip.
A Step Forward 
牧師といのちの崖 「Bokushi to inochi no gake」
Running Time: 100 mins.
Release Date: January 19th, 2019
Director: Takeshi Kaezawa
Writer: N/A
Starring: Yoichi Fujiyabu,
Synopsis: Yoichi Fujiyabu is a pastor at Shirahama Baptist church in Shirahama Kaigan, Wakayama Prefecture and he works with his church to prevent suicides at a cliff which is a beauty spot. He saves lives and gets people back into society through offering a community to support them. He talks about his experiences and the reasons why people commit suicide such as relationship breakdowns, pressures felt by young people, and a myriad of other things. Through this, he questions the meaning of life.
The Fox Dancing in the Dusk 
闇の歯車 「Yami no haguruma」
Running Time: 92 mins.
Release Date: January 19th, 2019
Director: Tomohiko Yamashita
Writer: Narito Kaneko (Screenplay), Shuhei Fujisawa (Original Work)
Starring: Eita, Naoto Okada, Yasuo Daichi, Aoi Nakamura, Misako Renbu, Kazuya Takahashi, Shizuka Ishibashi,
Synopsis: A suspense period drama based on the work of Shuhei Fujisawa, a prolific author who had 50 of his books published in his lifetime. Many were turned into films including Twilight Samurai (2002). Eita takes the lead as a man living on the fringes of society with his only hope being a nice woman. He gets involved in a tricky deal despite misgivings.
SAVE THE DAY SILENT POETS SPECIAL DUB BAND LIVE SHOW the MOVIE 
Running Time: 118 mins.
Release Date: January 19th, 2019
Director: Michiharu Shimoda Kajin Numata,
Writer: N/A
Starring: 5lack, NIPPS, Kazufumi Kodama, Kaori Takeda, asuka ando, YOSSY,
Synopsis: Silent Poets have been going since 1992 and for their 25th anniversary they held a live show in Shibuya with many different musicians, and DJs and artists coming together to celebrate.