This week was all about trying to get my anime first impressions underway… even though I have a dozen or more film reviews to do. I’ve pretty much started hacking away at the numbers and I’ll spend the rest of the year posting them so no more seasons like a Hideo Nakata one that I had promised. My first First Impression was for Samurai Flamenco. It was the last show I checked from my Autumn Anime 2013 List and it became my favourite. I posted news of a Ringu screening and talk and I followed that up with week two of the Republic of Thieves Read-along. In terms of Japanese stuff watched, I’m on top of all my anime and I’ve started the drama Galileo which is amusing.
This week’s movie trailer post is split into two because something like 20+ Japanese films were released. I needed the macho hetero fabulous music of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure to power me through writing this stuff. There’s just too many for one post so the next part is tomorrow. I hope I don’t bore you.
Judge 
Japanese: ジャッジ
Romaji: Jajji
Running Time: 76 mins.
Release Date: November 08th, 2013
Director: Yo Kohatsu
Writer: Yo Kohatsu (Screenplay), Yoshiki Tonogai (Original Manga)
Starring: Koji Seto, Kasumi Arimura, Jiro Sato, Yuko Nishimaru, Sotaro Tanaka, Fukino Kawate, Kazuyoshi Taira
This week’s death game movie is Judge based on Yoshiki Tonogai’s manga and starring Koji Seto (Sadako 3D, Ju-On Girl in Black), Kasumi Arimura (Little Maestro), Sotaro Tanaka (The Land of Hope).
The seven deadly sins are lust, pride, gluttony, greed, sloth, envy, and wrath. Seven people who committed them are locked in a room by someone and must play a death game while wearing animal masks.
The Kiyosu Conference 
Japanese: 清須 会議
Romaji: Kiyosu Kaigi
Running Time: 138 mins.
Release Date: November 09th, 2013
Director: Koki Mitani
Writer: Koki Mitani (Screenplay)
Starring: Koji Yakusho, Miki Nakatani, Koichi Sato, Eisuke Sasai, Kyoka Suzuki, Fumiyo Kohinata, Ayame Gouriki, Tadanobu Asano, Yuki Amami, Denden, Kenichi Matsuyama, Shota Sometani, Kankura Nakamura, Yusuke Iseya, Satoshi Tsumabuki
According to the Japan Times film review Koki Mitani’s films are supposed to be very funny (Hello Mr McDonald and Magic Hour do look funny) but underappreciated in the west, and his latest title based on his novel is supposed to be good but may fail to catch foreign interest due to its extensive reliance on historical figures. It certainly is star-packed (Koji Yakusho!, Miki Nakatani!, Tadanobu Asano!, Denden!) so that shouldn’t be a barrier if the characters are fun.
Oda Nobunaga is dead! Betrayed by the troops of Akechi Mitsuhide, the head of the Oda clan commits seppuku! Now another battle rages at the Kiyosu Conference where various factions meet to discuss which of Nobunaga’s sons should become the new leader! The fiery Shibata Katsuie (Yakusho) is in favour of Oda’s third son Nobutaka while wily Hashiba Hideyoshi (Oizumi) backs Oda’s second son (Tsumabuki). Personalities as family, generals and various clan functionaries negotiate and the audience are sure to laugh!
Bad Boys J The Movie 
Japanese: 劇場版 BAD BOYS J 最後に守るもの
Romaji: Gekijouban Baddo Boizu J Saigo ni Mamorumono
Running Time: 97 mins.
Release Date: November 09th, 2013
Director: Rikiya Imaizumi
Writer: Rikiya Imaizumi
Starring: Sexy Zone, Kis-My-Ft2, ABC-Z, Nogizaka 46, AKB48
A movie adaptation of a TV show where bishounen battle, stare wistfully, and have emotional confessions with and at each other and have emotional confessions. It’s a hugely popular genre where idols from groups like Sexy Zone, Kis-My-Ft2, and ABC-Z play members of three gangs battling each other in Hiroshima while some of the girls from Nogizaka 46 and AKB48 (they invaded London recently) bring much needed oestrogen.
Fu-Zoku Changed My Life 
Japanese: 風俗 行ったら 人生 変わった WWW
Romaji: Fuuzoku Ittara Jinsei Kawatta WWW
Running Time: 99 mins.
Release Date: November 09th, 2013
Director: Ken Iizuka
Writer: Ken Iizuka (Screenplay), @Ryotari (Original Novel)
Starring: Shinnosuke Mitsushima, Nozomi Sasaki, Tori Matsuzaka, Honoka, Mitsuki Tanimura, Satoshi Kaneda, Jiro Sato
A film based on reality where a 2-channel member published his experiences at a brothel.
Ryotaro (Mitsushima) is twenty-nine and a virgin. He doesn’t want to be. A virgin that is, so he heads to a brothel for the first time in his life but instead of having heavenly delights he hyperventilates. A prostitute named Kay (Sasaki) takes pity on the poor guy and looks after him. Ryotaro falls for her hard and discovers she hates working their so with the help of some internet pals he tries to rescue Kay from the place.
Ken and Mary: The Asian Truck Express 
Japanese: ケン と メリー 雨上がり の 夜空に
Romaji: Ken to Meri Ameagari no Yozorani
Running Time: 87 mins.
Release Date: November 09th, 2013
Director: Kenta Fukasaku
Writer: Ichiro Kusuno
Starring: Naoto Takenaka, Kei Kitano, HuBing
Kenta Fukasaku (X-Cross) directs a film involving people from three Asian countries – Japan, China and Malaysia.
Ken Katakura (Takenaka) is a salaryman on his way to Kuala Lumpur to stop his daughter Midori’s (Kitano) wedding! Unfortunately his plane makes an emergency landing in a jungle far from the city and he now relies on a Chinese truck driver named Mary (HuBing) to get him to his destination!
I am Ichihashi – Journal of a Murderer 
Japanese: I am Ichihashi -逮捕されるまで
Romaji: Taiho sareru made
Running Time: 83 mins.
Release Date: November 09th, 2013
Director: Dean Fujioka
Writer: Tatsuya Ichihashi (Original Book)
Starring: Dean Fujioka, Jyo Hyuga
I remember the murder case this is based upon. I had just started university and was browsing Japan Probe and it was a major headline about a Japanese man who murdered a British woman who was his English teacher and evaded the Japanese police who, quite frankly, seemed rather useless in catching him. The whole sorry tale can be read here. The movie is based on the murderer’s book.
2007, Chiba, Japan, Tatsuya Ichihashi (Fujioka) has murdered the English teacher Lindsay Ann Hawker and is now on the run from the police. He heads to plastic surgeon to alter his appearance.
Mourning Recipe 
Japanese: 四十九日 の レシピ
Romaji: Shi juu ku niche no Reshipi
Running Time: 129 mins.
Release Date: November 09th, 2013
Director: Yuki Tanada
Writer: Hisako Kurosawa (Screenplay), Yuki Ibuki (Original Novel)
Starring: Hiromi Nagasaku, Renji Ishibashi, Masaki Okada, Fumi Nikaido, Taizo Harada
Female director Yuki Tanada is building an impressive filmography with titles like Fugainai, One Million Yen and the Nigamushi Woman and now this drama scripted by Hisako Kurosawa (Yellow Elephant). It stars Renji Ishibashi (One Missed Call), Hiromi Nagasaku (Rebirth), Masaki Okada (Confessions) and the incredible Fumi Nikaido (Why Don’t You Play in Hell?, Himizu).
When Ryohei’s (Ishibashi) wife passes away he is left devastated. Worse news comes when he finds out that his daughter Yuriko’s (Nagasaku) marriage is about to end. When a woman visits Ryohei and gives him a recipe for living happily created by Ryohei’s wife, the family begin to move on.
Roommate
Japanese: ルーム メイト
Romaji: Ru-mu Meito
Running Time: 110 mins.
Release Date: November 09th, 2013
Director: Takeshi Furusawa
Writer: Takeshi Furusawa (Screenplay), Aya Imamura (Original Novel)
Starring: Keiko Kitagawa, Kyoko Fukada, Kengo Kora, Hiroyuki Onoe, Mariko Tsutsui, Taguchi Tomorowo, Chihiro Otsuka
Takeshi Furusawa, we meet again. I know you as assistant director on the rather good J-horror film Pulse, writer of Doppelganger and the director of the awful Ghost Train. You’ve certainly come up in the world with this flashy looking title which stars sexy thesps. Let’s see…
Keiko Kitagawa (After-Dinner Mysteries), Kyoko Fukada (Ring 2), Tomorowo Taguchi (Strange Circus, Tetsuo: The Iron Man) and Kengo Kora (The Story of Yonosuke, The Drudgery Train). What about the trailer? Beautiful women, murder and mayhem? LOOKS FUN!
When Harumi (Kitagawa) has a car accident she is hospitalised. While recovering she meets a nurse named Reiko (Fukada) and the two become such close friends that they decide to become roommates when Harumi is discharged. Weird things start happening around Reiko including a murder. Just as Harumi begins to fear Reiko, she meets a woman named Mari who looks just like her… Doppelganger?
TAP Perfect Education
Japanese: TAP 完全 なる 飼育
Romaji: TAP Kanzen naru Shiiku
Running Time: 106 mins.
Release Date: November 09th, 2013
Director: Ikki Katashima
Writer: Hitoshi Raion? (Screenplay) Michiko Matsuda (Original Novel)
Starring: Reisa Maekawa, Narimi Arimori, Jinta Nishizawa, Naoto Takenaka, Seiji Chihara
A yakuza in Okinawa falls in love with the daughter of his boss’s mistress, kidnaps her and locks her up. As you do. It’s yandere love. You just don’t understand.
Bikini Ramen
Japanese: ビキニ ラメン
Romaji: Bikini Ramen
Running Time: 70 mins.
Release Date: November 09th, 2013
Director: Tsuyoshi Koizumi
Writer: Tsuyoshi Koizumi (Screenplay)
Starring: Rei Ayana, Asami, Ryuhei Sakata, Hiroko Naruse, Kana Nagamura,
This is described as an action comedy set in the future where a gang terrorise people and ramen is an important food-staple and a sexy woman seems to promise liberation or something.
