“Dragons of Wonderhatch” is a new live-action/animation hybrid TV series, directed by Kentaro Hagiwara and Takashi Otsuka, starring Sena Nakajima, Daiken Okudaira, Rena Tanaka, Masaki Miura, Riko Narumi, Sumire, Go Morita and Mackenyu, streaming December 20, 2023 on Hulu and Disney+:
‘…born with the ability of ‘sound-color synesthesia’, that allows her to see colors when she hears certain sounds, ‘Nagi’ has spent her entire life feeling like she doesn’t belong.
“Dreaming of one day being able to fly, Nagi will soon come face to face with ‘Thaim’, another ‘misfit’ from a different world. Born in ‘Upananta’, Thaim has long been treated like an outcast for his inability to hear the voices of the dragons that inhabit his land. With the floating islands of Upananta slowly beginning to fall from the sky, the two will set off on an epic adventure spanning both live-action and animated worlds…”
Click the images to enlarge…...
‘…born with the ability of ‘sound-color synesthesia’, that allows her to see colors when she hears certain sounds, ‘Nagi’ has spent her entire life feeling like she doesn’t belong.
“Dreaming of one day being able to fly, Nagi will soon come face to face with ‘Thaim’, another ‘misfit’ from a different world. Born in ‘Upananta’, Thaim has long been treated like an outcast for his inability to hear the voices of the dragons that inhabit his land. With the floating islands of Upananta slowly beginning to fall from the sky, the two will set off on an epic adventure spanning both live-action and animated worlds…”
Click the images to enlarge…...
- 12/19/2023
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
While not the strongest film – even within director Jun Ichikawa's oeuvre – 2001's “Tokyo Marigold” is interesting within the context of Japan's ‘lost decades' and the changing face of the metropolis. At the turn of the millennium, the grime and gloom of 90s cinema was replaced by a cleaner, fresher look, as style replaced substance. Clearly a student of Ozu, Ichikawa's Tokyo story shows a Japan of the gloss and sheen of Haruki Murakami novels and Muji furnished apartments; of upwardly mobile young office workers in doomed, short-term love affairs.
Eriko (Rena Tanaka) is a young woman somewhat lost in adult life, working as a clerk for a car dealership, drifting through her days. Around her, colleagues and friends appear surer of themselves, going places with their lives, offering her friendly advice, job opportunities and chances at love: More exciting work comes when she bumps into an old school...
Eriko (Rena Tanaka) is a young woman somewhat lost in adult life, working as a clerk for a car dealership, drifting through her days. Around her, colleagues and friends appear surer of themselves, going places with their lives, offering her friendly advice, job opportunities and chances at love: More exciting work comes when she bumps into an old school...
- 4/30/2023
- by Andrew Thayne
- AsianMoviePulse
Village Inc has also announced that it is making its entire slate available for VOD and online distribution.
Japan’s Village Inc is launching sales at the Efm on the latest Geki Cine production, Siren In The Shadows, featuring Yuki Amami as a roving geisha and deadly sharp shooter.
Village Inc has also announced that it is making its entire slate available for VOD and online distribution, marking the first time the company has made such a move.
Siren In The Shadows, a filmed version of the hit stage play of the same name, premiered in competition at Sitges International...
Japan’s Village Inc is launching sales at the Efm on the latest Geki Cine production, Siren In The Shadows, featuring Yuki Amami as a roving geisha and deadly sharp shooter.
Village Inc has also announced that it is making its entire slate available for VOD and online distribution, marking the first time the company has made such a move.
Siren In The Shadows, a filmed version of the hit stage play of the same name, premiered in competition at Sitges International...
- 2/20/2020
- by 89¦Liz Shackleton¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
One thing is for certain: Japanese directors are in the top of the family drama genre, which they have been perfecting since the beginning of the country’s cinema. And although “Dear Etranger” (the French word for stranger in case you were wondering) is not a masterpiece, it certainly proves the fact. The film won the Special Grand Prix of the Jury Award at the 2017 Montreal World Film Festival.
“Dear Etranger” screened at Japan Cuts 2018
The script is based on Kiyoshi Shigematsu’s 1996 novel “Osanago Warera ni Umare”. Makoto is an assistant manager to a big company and a career man who separates himself from his colleagues by being dedicated to his family, meaning he does not go for drinks with them after work, but instead prefers on returning to his house and spending time with his family. His family situation, however, is quite complicated, since he currently lives with his second wife,...
“Dear Etranger” screened at Japan Cuts 2018
The script is based on Kiyoshi Shigematsu’s 1996 novel “Osanago Warera ni Umare”. Makoto is an assistant manager to a big company and a career man who separates himself from his colleagues by being dedicated to his family, meaning he does not go for drinks with them after work, but instead prefers on returning to his house and spending time with his family. His family situation, however, is quite complicated, since he currently lives with his second wife,...
- 6/26/2019
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Directed by Takanobu Kanazawa, the project also stars Osamu Mukai (Hanamizuki) and Rena Tanaka (Omotenashi).
Japan’s Village Inc is launching sales at Efm on the latest Geki Cine production, Fortress Of Skulls, which features one of Japan’s biggest stars, Kenichi Matsuyama, in a lead role. Geki Cine produces filmed versions of its acclaimed stage plays in a single take and using multiple cameras, surround sound and high-end post-production.
Directed by Takanobu Kanazawa, the filmed version of Fortress Of Skulls also stars Osamu Mukai (Hanamizuki) and Rena Tanaka (Omotenashi). Matsuyama is best known internationally for the Death Note film...
Japan’s Village Inc is launching sales at Efm on the latest Geki Cine production, Fortress Of Skulls, which features one of Japan’s biggest stars, Kenichi Matsuyama, in a lead role. Geki Cine produces filmed versions of its acclaimed stage plays in a single take and using multiple cameras, surround sound and high-end post-production.
Directed by Takanobu Kanazawa, the filmed version of Fortress Of Skulls also stars Osamu Mukai (Hanamizuki) and Rena Tanaka (Omotenashi). Matsuyama is best known internationally for the Death Note film...
- 2/8/2019
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
“Papa no Obento wa Sekai-Ichi” is based on a Twitter feed that went viral about a year ago (in 2016), and Fukatsu said in an email interview that he came upon it accidentally while scrolling. Tokikazu Ohtsu, a single salaryman father, had been making bento for his teenage daughter Midori, and she had posted a photo of his last bento on the day of her high school graduation. The feed included photos of this final bento, and Midori’s own sweet letter of thanks to her dad for looking after her so well (source: Japan Times) The tweet was retweeted more than 80,000 times and garnered over 260,000 ‘likes’.
Dad’s Lunch Box is part of the 2018 Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme
Fukatsu bases his script on this event, telling the story of a salaryman father, who, after a divorce, finds himself having to make bento for his daughter Midori, every day she attends school.
Dad’s Lunch Box is part of the 2018 Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme
Fukatsu bases his script on this event, telling the story of a salaryman father, who, after a divorce, finds himself having to make bento for his daughter Midori, every day she attends school.
- 1/6/2019
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
One thing is for certain: Japanese directors are in the top of the family drama genre, which they have been perfecting since the beginning of the country’s cinema. And although “Dear Etranger” (the French word for stranger in case you were wondering) is not a masterpiece, it certainly proves the fact. The film won the Special Grand Prix of the Jury Award at the 2017 Montreal World Film Festival.
Dear Etranger is screening at Japan Cuts 2018
The script is based on Kiyoshi Shigematsu’s 1996 novel “Osanago Warera ni Umare”. Makoto is an assistant manager to a big company and a career man who separates himself from his colleagues by being dedicated to his family, meaning he does not go for drinks with them after work, but instead prefers on returning to his house and spending time with his family. His family situation, however, is quite complicated, since he currently lives with his second wife,...
Dear Etranger is screening at Japan Cuts 2018
The script is based on Kiyoshi Shigematsu’s 1996 novel “Osanago Warera ni Umare”. Makoto is an assistant manager to a big company and a career man who separates himself from his colleagues by being dedicated to his family, meaning he does not go for drinks with them after work, but instead prefers on returning to his house and spending time with his family. His family situation, however, is quite complicated, since he currently lives with his second wife,...
- 7/30/2018
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Sales also set for suspense drama The Crimes That Bind.
Japan’s TBS has announced recent deals on anime Love, Chunibyo And Other Delusions! – Take On Me and suspense drama The Crimes That Bind.
The former sold to Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei (Purple Plan) while the latter sold to Hong Kong (Golden Scene) and Taiwan (Movie Cloud).
Directed by Tatsuya Ishihara, Love, Chunibyo And Other Delusions! – Take On Me is the latest in the Love, Chunibyo And Other Delusions! animation series about high-school romance and drama.
Directed by Katsuo Fukuzawa (I’d Rather Be A Shellfish), police drama The...
Japan’s TBS has announced recent deals on anime Love, Chunibyo And Other Delusions! – Take On Me and suspense drama The Crimes That Bind.
The former sold to Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei (Purple Plan) while the latter sold to Hong Kong (Golden Scene) and Taiwan (Movie Cloud).
Directed by Tatsuya Ishihara, Love, Chunibyo And Other Delusions! – Take On Me is the latest in the Love, Chunibyo And Other Delusions! animation series about high-school romance and drama.
Directed by Katsuo Fukuzawa (I’d Rather Be A Shellfish), police drama The...
- 3/20/2018
- by Jean Noh
- ScreenDaily
Sales also set for suspense drama The Crimes That Bind.
Japan’s TBS has announced recent deals on anime Love, Chunibyo And Other Delusions! – Take On Me and suspense drama The Crimes That Bind.
The former sold to Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei (Purple Plan) while the latter sold to Hong Kong (Golden Scene) and Taiwan (Movie Cloud).
Directed by Tatsuya Ishihara, Love, Chunibyo And Other Delusions! – Take On Me is the latest in the Love, Chunibyo And Other Delusions! animation series about high-school romance and drama.
Directed by Katsuo Fukuzawa (I’d Rather Be A Shellfish), police drama The...
Japan’s TBS has announced recent deals on anime Love, Chunibyo And Other Delusions! – Take On Me and suspense drama The Crimes That Bind.
The former sold to Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei (Purple Plan) while the latter sold to Hong Kong (Golden Scene) and Taiwan (Movie Cloud).
Directed by Tatsuya Ishihara, Love, Chunibyo And Other Delusions! – Take On Me is the latest in the Love, Chunibyo And Other Delusions! animation series about high-school romance and drama.
Directed by Katsuo Fukuzawa (I’d Rather Be A Shellfish), police drama The...
- 3/20/2018
- by Jean Noh
- ScreenDaily
Dreams For Sale (Yume uru futari )
Directed by Miwa Nishikawa
Written by Miwa Nishikawa
Starring Yûsuke Iseya, Teruyuki Kagawa, Takako Matsu, Rena Tanaka
The financial downturn continues to provide fresh ingredients, more food for though in this bittersweet Japanese comedy drama, in which a stuggiling couple have just suffered an economic tragedy as an accidental fire has gutted their modest Shibuya situated izakaya restaurant. Kanya (Yûsuke Iseya) and Satoko’s (Teruyuki Kagawa) marriage was already under financial and emotional strain, and a night of lonely drinking leads to Satoko to sleep with a drunk woman he meets on the subway, the next morning she convinces him to take a stack of yen and put it too good use, as it was guiltily donated to her by her mortally sick lover unbeknownst to his wife and children. Initially furious Kanya suddenly has an eureka moment, and wonders if lightning can strike...
Directed by Miwa Nishikawa
Written by Miwa Nishikawa
Starring Yûsuke Iseya, Teruyuki Kagawa, Takako Matsu, Rena Tanaka
The financial downturn continues to provide fresh ingredients, more food for though in this bittersweet Japanese comedy drama, in which a stuggiling couple have just suffered an economic tragedy as an accidental fire has gutted their modest Shibuya situated izakaya restaurant. Kanya (Yûsuke Iseya) and Satoko’s (Teruyuki Kagawa) marriage was already under financial and emotional strain, and a night of lonely drinking leads to Satoko to sleep with a drunk woman he meets on the subway, the next morning she convinces him to take a stack of yen and put it too good use, as it was guiltily donated to her by her mortally sick lover unbeknownst to his wife and children. Initially furious Kanya suddenly has an eureka moment, and wonders if lightning can strike...
- 10/9/2012
- by John
- SoundOnSight
Director: Katsuhide Motoki. Review: Adam Wing. If you go down to the woods today, there’s a very good chance you’ll find me there too. It’s time to head back to Gegege Forest for the second feature length adaptation of Mizuki Shigeru's popular manga series. Kitaro and friends hopped aboard the magic carpet in 2007 with a blockbuster live-action movie that made over 2.3 billion yen (Us$25 million) at the box office. Kitaro and the Millennium Curse, once again directed by Motoki Katsuhide, followed close behind in 2008. Eiji Wentz reprises his role as half-human, half-yokai hero Kitaro, and the rest of the cast return too. Which means Catgirl (Rena Tanaka) is back to light up the screen with her feline ferocity, and we have to put up with even more of Ratman, but maybe he’s learnt a little something about restraint this time around. Then again maybe not, farting is still funny though,...
- 1/15/2010
- 24framespersecond.net
A megahit on its home turf and a certain lure for stateside fans of Asian cinema, this spinoff of Japan's blockbuster "Bayside Shakedown" franchise doesn't require familiarity with the preceding films or the Fuji TV series that spawned them. But the well-crafted cop drama, which had its North American premiere at AFI Fest, loses a certain cultural impact in translation. The often unwieldy plot isn't compelling enough, and the acting is sometimes too broad to ignite serious crossover interest, but the film is nonetheless slickly entertaining and offers more than a few potent scenes to savor.
Writer-director Ryoichi Kimizuka sees his central character, chief inspector Shinji Muroi (Toshiro Yanagiba), as a latter-day samurai -- a stoic, taciturn defender of honor in the midst of corruption, hypocrisy and deceit. A federal cop on loan to Tokyo's Metropolitan Police Department, he gets caught in the political crossfire between the two organizations when he reopens a high-profile murder case. The feds would have preferred to let things rest, with the killing pinned on an MPD officer, in turn killing the political aspirations of the Metro chief. But soon Muroi is being undermined by Metro bureaucrats too.
After the prime-suspect policeman flees an interrogation and dies in a traffic accident, his mother sues the police, and Muroi is arrested for obstruction of justice. Defending him is an inexperienced but gutsy young attorney, Kumiko Obara (Rena Tanaka), who happens to hate cops for reasons that are revealed gradually. Her opposition is Haijima (Tomohito Yashima), a diminutive hotshot who travels with an entourage and acts like an impertinent brat while wielding the law as a weapon. As the suits plot their self-protective maneuvers, the city's undercover beat cops keep the case alive, conducting impromptu briefings that recall the police procedural scenes of Kurosawa's "High and Low".
The story's frequent rewinds to fill in backstory sap it of energy, but the protagonist's quiet present-day exchanges are affecting, and there's a poignant dynamic between the weathered cop and his green attorney. Striking widescreen compositions and evocative use of wind heighten the atmospherics.
Writer-director Ryoichi Kimizuka sees his central character, chief inspector Shinji Muroi (Toshiro Yanagiba), as a latter-day samurai -- a stoic, taciturn defender of honor in the midst of corruption, hypocrisy and deceit. A federal cop on loan to Tokyo's Metropolitan Police Department, he gets caught in the political crossfire between the two organizations when he reopens a high-profile murder case. The feds would have preferred to let things rest, with the killing pinned on an MPD officer, in turn killing the political aspirations of the Metro chief. But soon Muroi is being undermined by Metro bureaucrats too.
After the prime-suspect policeman flees an interrogation and dies in a traffic accident, his mother sues the police, and Muroi is arrested for obstruction of justice. Defending him is an inexperienced but gutsy young attorney, Kumiko Obara (Rena Tanaka), who happens to hate cops for reasons that are revealed gradually. Her opposition is Haijima (Tomohito Yashima), a diminutive hotshot who travels with an entourage and acts like an impertinent brat while wielding the law as a weapon. As the suits plot their self-protective maneuvers, the city's undercover beat cops keep the case alive, conducting impromptu briefings that recall the police procedural scenes of Kurosawa's "High and Low".
The story's frequent rewinds to fill in backstory sap it of energy, but the protagonist's quiet present-day exchanges are affecting, and there's a poignant dynamic between the weathered cop and his green attorney. Striking widescreen compositions and evocative use of wind heighten the atmospherics.
- 11/8/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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