Happy weekend, everyone!
I hope everyone is doing well.
I am currently in Osaka working at the Osaka Asian Film Festival. I’ve written quite a few reviews already as I try and make more condensed and concise coverage that is effective. I have been able to do this because I wake up at around 02:00 or 03:00 in the morning and have difficulty getting back to sleep which leaves me falling asleep at 18:00. I hope I can get a handle on it because I’ve got interviews lined up with directors!
The festival opened yesterday with RANDEN: The Comings and Goings on a Kyoto Tram and my reviews have been getting published over on V Cinema, one a day! So far:
Preview Hana Wild Tour Sisterhood The Eternity Between Seconds Demolition Girl
In order to get my Osaka coverage going, I finished up my reviews of Koji Fukada’s films Harmonium (2016) and also posted a preview of the Osaka Asian Film Festival 2019. Expect reviews for the festivals films to start next Monday.
Before then… What is released this weekend?
The Kamagasaki Cauldron War 
月夜釜合戦 「Tsukiyo kama gassen」
Running Time: 115 mins.
Release Date: March 09th, 2019
Director: Leo Sato
Writer: Leo Sato (Screenplay),
Starring: Naomichi Ota, Yota Kawase, Kiyohiko Shibukawa, Kazu, Makoto Nishiyama, Shoji Omiya,
Synopsis from IMDB: Kamagasaki is an “invisible” slum of Osaka that attracts day laborers and prostitutes since WW2. When the local gang has its treasured cauldron stolen, a war to find it begins involving the thugs, a 12 year-old kid, a prostitute and a pickpocket, including the giant cauldron used to feed the destitute: The symbol of Kamagasaki.
Nipponia Nippon Fukushima kyoshikyoku Rapusodei 
ニッポニアニッポン フクシマ狂詩曲（ラプソディ） 「Nipponia Nippon Fukushima kyoshikyoku Rapusodei」
Running Time: 113 mins.
Release Date: March 09th, 2019
Director: Ryo Saitani
Writer: Ryo Saitani (Screenplay/Original Work),
Starring: Daisuke Ryu, Minori Terada, Akira Takarada, Nana Yanagisawa, Non,
Synopsis: WOne look at this and double-checking the director’s name and I knew this was from the guy that did Cesium and a Tokyo Girl (2014). The story takes in the afflicted areas in Fukushima Prefecture that continues even after 8 years on from the nuclear accident. It is done so with operetta and various animations, wrapped in a “cheerful fuss”.
Black Crow 1 
クロガラス1 「Kurogarasu 1」
Running Time: 90 mins.
Release Date: March 08th, 2019
Director: Toshiya Kominami
Writer: Toshiya Kominami (Screenplay),
Starring: Tsubasa Sakiyama, Keisuke Ueda, Moga Mogami, Shunsuke Nishikawa, Arisa Deguchi, Shun Sugata, Keisuke Mineami,
Synopsis: Kazuki works at a host club and one of his regular customers, Mai, but disappears with 6 million yen left on her tab. Kazuki is sent to track her down within a week or he will have to pay back her debt. Kazuki turns to problem-solving office Kurogarasu. There, Kuroto, Yuya and Hina are hired by Kazuki to find Mai and he offers them 3 million yen. But …
Kibaiyanse! Watashi 
きばいやんせ！私 「Kibaiyanse! Watashi」
Running Time: 116 mins.
Release Date: March 09th, 2019
Director: Masaharu Take
Writer: Shin Adachi (Screenplay),
Starring: Kaho, Taiga, Mire Aika, Takaaki Enoki, Amane Okayama, Shohei Uno,
Synopsis: Is this the live-action version of the Ghibli film Only Yesterday? The story is about how a TV personality named Takako Kojima (Kaho) is disillusioned with Tokyo life and when she finds herself assigned to cover a festival in Minamiosumi, Kagoshima Prefecture, she finds herself changed by the people there and opening up.
Geki × cine “Seven people of the skull castle” Season flowers
ゲキ×シネ「髑髏城の七人」Season花 「GekixShine どくろじょうのしちにん～シーズンはな」
Running Time: 172 mins.
Release Date: March 09th, 2019
Director: Hidenori Inoue
Writer: Kazuki Nakashima (Screenplay),
Starring: Shun Oguri, Koji Yamamoto, Sonha, Ryo, Munetaka Aoki, Nana Seino, Yoshiko Muraki,
Synopsis from the website: Time is 1590(Tensho 18 in the Japanese era), 8 years after the demise of warlord Nobunaga ODA.
Japan was about to be unified by the hands of Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI, except for one region, which is Kanto.
There was a wicked man in a mask who named himself TenmaOh and leads the KANTO DOKURO-TO, an armed group hiding in the DOKURO-JO (skull castle).
In the Kanto Plain, which was under their rule, people were congregating as if they were manipulated by magical fate.
Kimi to, tsuredure 
君と、徒然 「Kimi to, tsuredzure」
Running Time: 42 mins.
Release Date: March 08th, 2019
Director: Keisuke Hasegawa
Writer: Takahiro Horie(Screenplay),
Starring: Sawako Hata, Hiromi Igarashi, Ibuki Kido, Nene Totsuka, Mei Fukuda, Shinomi Ma,
Synopsis: This is an omnibus film put together by a professional photographer and his theme is friendship between beautiful females. The cast are made up of actors, singers, and models.
Ramen Shop 
家族のレシピ 「Kazoku no reshipi」
Running Time: 89 mins.
Release Date: March 29th, 2018
Director: Erik Khoo
Writer: Erik Khoo (Screenplay),
Starring: Takumi Saitoh, Seiko Matsuda, Mark Lee, Tsuyuoshi Iharam Jeanette Aw, Tetsuya Bessho, Beatrice Chien,
Synopsis: Masato is a young ramen chef in the city of Takasaki in Japan who has just lost his emotionally distant father. His Singaporean mother died when he was ten and he has no idea about his family history so he is completely adrift. After he discovers a red notebook – filled with musings and old photos – left behind by his mother, he decides to head to Singapore and uses it to track down his missing background. With the help of Miki, a Japanese food blogger and single mother, he discovers a whole side of his family including his grandmother Madam Lee who is still alive know more about the story of his parents. Through the power of cooking, Masato gets in touch with his Singaporean family and his own history.
Psycho-Pass: Sinners of the System – Case.3 On the Other Side of Love and Hate 
PSYCHO-PASS サイコパス Sinners of the System Case.3 「恩讐の彼方に＿＿」「PSYCHO-PASS Saikopasu Sinners of the System Case.3 Onshuu no Kanata ni」
Release Date: March 08th, 2019
Running Time: 68 mins.
Director: Naoyoshi Shiotani
Writer: Makoto Fukami (Screenplay), Gen Urobuchi (Original Concept)
Starring: Tomokazu Seki (Shinya Kogami), Sumire Morohoshi (Tenzin),
Animation Production: Production I.G
Synopsis: This is the final story of the new Psycho-Pass run and it switches to Shinya Kogami who is travelling across Asia. We see him in a small South Asian nation where he rescues a bus of refugees under attack by armed guerrilla forces. One the refugees is a young lady named of Tenzin and she begs Kogami to teach her how to fight back but can he do it?
Ultraman R/B The Movie: Select! The Crystal of Bond 
劇場版ウルトラマンR/B セレクト！絆のクリスタル 「Gekijōban Urutoraman Rūbu Serekuto! Kizuna no Kurisutaru」
Running Time: 72 mins.
Release Date: March 08th, 2019
Director: Masayoshi Takesue
Writer: Takao Nakano (Screenplay),
Starring: Yuya Hirata, Ryosuke Koike, Arisa Sonohara, Kaori Manabe, Ginnojo Yamazaki, Tatsuomi Hamada,
Synopsis from Ultra fandom: The Minato family has been living peacefully in Ayaka City, without any monsters appearing for a year. Isami and Asahi have found their dreams and are striving to reach it, but as for Katsumi, he is still wondering what he wants to do in the future. Katsumi decides to meet his friend Toi, who is striving to become a game creator. However, he had quit his gaming company and was living in his house withdrawing from social life. Katsumi was shocked to see what happened to Toi. An evil voice had approached Toi’s isolated heart; the voice called himself Tregear. Tregear had also approached Katsumi’s heart and flew him off into outer space far from the earth where monsters live.
Meanwhile in the earth, monster Snake Darkness had appeared, and Isami transformed into Ultraman Blu, fighting along with Riku Asakura=Ultraman Geed, who had come from a different world. Will Katsumi be able to come back to his family? What are the evil Tregear’s purpose and true self? The power of the bond will work miracles…!
Rise Dharuriser – The Movie New Edition 
ライズ ダルライザー THE MOVIE New Edition 「ライズ ダルライザー THE MOVIE NEW EDITION」
Running Time: 119 mins.
Release Date: March 09th, 2018
Director: Katsunori Sato
Writer: Katsunori Sato (Screenplay) Takeaki Wachi (Original Story)
Starring: Takeaki Wachi, Momona, Yusuke Miura, Satoshi Tamura, Takashi Miyao,
This is a re-edited version of the film which was released a year and a month ago.
Synopsis: Shirakawa City, Fukushima Prefecture has a new local hero. Akihiro wanted to become an actor but had to give up his dream as a result of his wife ‘s pregnancy. He returned to his family’ s home in Shirakawa city and returned to real life until he took part in a local character contest promoted by the city. He makes a hero character “Dharuriser” (I think that’s the correct spelling) which is based on his city’s traditional crafts. Little does he realise that the mysterious group “Dice” have plans to take over the place and he will have to fight for real.