News

After announcing his retirement from feature filmmaking in 2020, visionary Japanese animator and director Masaaki Yuasa is making a highly anticipated comeback. Yuasa is set to direct “Daisy’s Life”, a feature-length animated adaptation of Banana Yoshimoto‘s 2019 novel of the same name. The project is being co-produced by Asmik Ace, Aniplex, and CoMix Wave Films, with Yuasa helming the production through his newly launched studio, amepippin.

Yuasa, celebrated for genre-defying works such as “Mind Game”, “The Tatami Galaxy”, “Devilman Crybaby”, and “Ride Your Wave”, was last seen at the helm of the 2021 short film “Inu-Oh” before stepping back from the industry. His return has generated considerable excitement across anime circles and the broader cinematic community.

Check the interview with the director Interview with Masaaki Yuasa: History is Quite Selective A Tale of Grief and Rebirth

“Daisy’s Life” marks a new narrative direction for Yuasa. Based on Yoshimoto’s novel,...

The Annecy Festival continues to champion cutting-edge global animation, from studio tentpoles to indie darlings. This year’s Work in Progress showcase – always one of the most popular sidebars at any edition of the fest – offers an enticing glimpse into 12 upcoming features and four series in varying stages of production. Here’s a look at this year’s impressive 16-title lineup.

Features

“Carmen,” Sébastien Laudenbach (France)

From “Chicken for Linda!” and “The Girl Without Hands” director Sébastien Laudenbach, “Carmen” is set in 1840s Seville and follows Salva, a teen assistant to a blind knife grinder, who becomes captivated by a young gypsy woman with a haunting voice. A grim prophecy foretelling Carmen’s death sets Salva and his gang of street kids on a desperate mission to change her fate. Animated in a painterly 2D style, this atmospheric French production weaves suspense, music, and youthful defiance into a tale as...

Celebrated Japanese animation director Masaaki Yuasa has unveiled the debut project from his newly established animation studio, ame pippin. Titled “Daisy’s Life,” the feature is a Japanese-French co-production based on Banana Yoshimoto’s novel Hinagiku no Jinsei, with original illustrations by renowned artist Yoshitomo Nara. The film is set for delivery in 2026.

Yuasa is best known for his surreal storytelling and bold visual style in films such as “Mind Game,” “Lu Over the Wall,” and the Golden Globe-nominated “Inu-Oh.” He launched ame pippin in February 2025 with the goal of pushing artistic boundaries in the animation world. Backed by heavyweights Asmik Ace, Inc., Aniplex Inc. and CoMix Wave Films, the Tokyo-based studio aims to be a major force in the ever-evolving global animation landscape.

“Daisy’s Life” follows the emotional journey of a six-year-old girl named Daisy, who loses her mother in a tragic accident and struggles to adapt to life with her aunt.

Japanese anime auteur Masaaki Yuasa, whose rock musical Inu-Oh premiered at Venice, has launched Tokyo-based animation studio Ame Pippin.

The company will aim to be “a place for new opportunities and a fresh creative environment,” according to Yuasa, who is CEO of the new company. No projects have yet been revealed.

The animation studio was founded with backing from Japanese production company and distributor Asmik Ace, which produced Inu-Oh; Sony subsidiary Aniplex; and Comix Wave Films, the animation studio known for producing the films of Makoto Shinkai (Your Name).

Yuasa made his feature directorial debut in 2004 with highly acclaimed manga...

Acclaimed Japanese animation director Masaaki Yuasa has announced the launch of his own animation studio, ame pippin. Teaming up with industry giants Asmik Ace, Inc., Aniplex Inc. and CoMix Wave Films Inc., Yuasa’s new venture promises to bring fresh and innovative content to the world of animation.

Yuasa, known for his unique and imaginative storytelling, has been a prominent figure in the animation world for decades. In 2013, he co-founded the hugely popular Japanese animation studio Science Saru with producer Eunyoung Choi. That studio produced Yuasa’s 2023 Golden Globe-nominated feature “Inu-Oh,” Netflix’s “Scott Pilgrim Takes Off” and episodes of “Adventure Time” and “Star Wars: Visions.”

In the animation community, Yuasa’s most highly regarded work may be 2004’s “Mind Game,” considered by many to be one of the most important Japanese works of the 21st century. His more recent films, such as “Lu Over The Wall” and “Ride Your Wave,...

The Bold and the Beautiful spoilers for Thursday, January 23, 2025, are here! In tomorrow’s episode, fans can expect Daphne Rose (Murielle Hilaire) to toy with Carter Walton (Lawrence Saint-Victor) and Hope Logan (Annika Noelle).

Steffy Forrester Finnegan (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) gets giddy over her plan working. Meanwhile, Luna Nozawa (Lisa Yamada) and Bill Spencer (Don Diamont) discuss their pasts.

Keep reading and let’s talk about what is coming up in the next episode of the CBS soap opera.

The Bold And The Beautiful’ Spoilers – Carter Walton & Hope Logan’s Mission

B&b spoilers for Thursday, January 23 reveal that Hope told Steffy that Forrester Creations was getting closer to making a deal with the great Daphne Rose.

Of course, Steffy already knows this as she is the one who planted Daphne in Forrester Creations in the first place.

While that is going on, Carter and Daphne are alone. In a weekly preview clip,...

Miho Nakayama, a respected Japanese music and film personality, died at 54. Her agency, Big Apple, confirmed her death on Friday. Nakayama was discovered deceased at her Tokyo residence, leaving a considerable legacy in the entertainment world.

Her abrupt passing has shocked fans and colleagues. The cause of her death has not yet been determined as investigations continue. Her website had earlier that day postponed a Christmas show in Osaka owing to her health struggles.

Nakayama was born in Tokyo on March 1, 1970, and her career began in 1985. That year, she made her television debut on TBS, released her first single, “C,” and appeared in a film adaptation of the manga “Be-Bop High School.”

In the late 1980s, Nakayama became famous in the city pop genre. She is famous for successful singles like “Waku Waku Sasete” and albums like “After School,” “Catch the Nite,” and “Mind Game.” Despite releasing fewer music albums in the early 2000s,...

Now that they’ve set the year’s best film for a December 10 debut, the Criterion Channel have unveiled the rest of next month’s selection. John Waters’ films are inseparable from John Waters’ presence, making fitting Criterion’s decision to pair an eight-film retrospective (Multiple Maniacs to Cecil B. Demented) with his own “Adventures in Moviegoing” wherein the director extols virtues of Bergman, Chabrol, Barbara Loden, and Samuel Fuller. His own Polyester will have a Criterion Edition alongside the Bob Dylan doc Don’t Look Back, an iconic film in its own right and, I think, fitting companion to The Unknown with Lon Chaney, also streaming on Criterion. No Country for Old Men and Election receive likewise treatment; the latter appears in “MTV Productions,” a series featuring Beavis and Butt-Head Do America, The Original Kings of Comedy, and (coming close to Freddy Got Fingered for least-expected 2024 addition) Jackass: the Movie.

Annecy, France — During today’s Warner Bros. Discovery Adult Animation Showcase at the Annecy Animation Festival, the company unveiled two new series, “Get Jiro!,” based on the late Anthony Bourdain’s graphic novels of the same name, and “Super Mutant Magic Academy” from “Regular Show” creator J.G. Quintel and Jillian Tamaki.

Created by Briand Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka, co-writers of “Sharper” and producers of NBC’s “Superstore,” “Get Jiro!” unspools in a near-future version of Los Angeles and follows the mysterious sushi chef Jiro in a brutal environment where hungry patrons will kill to get a table at the most prestigious restaurants.

Bourdain “was a big comic fan, a big anime fan. It was a huge anime fan. ‘Mind Game’ from Studio 4ºC was his favorite movie. When I got to Warner Brothers Animation, ‘Get Jiro’ was one of the first things that I optioned from DC,” said added Peter Girardi,...

When a Ping Pong anime series was first announced in early 2014, I had to ask: Why? Taiyo Matsumoto’s manga had already been adapted to film back in 2002. Directed by first-timer Fumihiko Sori with a script by rising star Kankuro Kudo, the film launched the career of actor Shido Nakamura. It even came with songs by Supercar and Boom Boom Satellites. I couldn’t imagine anything better than that. When I learned Masaaki Yuasa was directing the series, I became even more curious – and confused. Yuasa was one of my all-time favorite anime directors (and still is.) His 2007 science fiction series Kaiba changed my vision of what TV anime could be. He would have been a great fit to adapt Yuasa’s epic No. 5 . Instead he was hired to go back over old ground. I didn’t understand why at the time. Now I recognize that of all Matsumoto’s comics,...

Mermaid fairy tales have enjoyed lasting popularity since Andersen's “The Little Sea Maid” and La Motte-Fouqué's “Undine”. Recent (unequal) reboots can further attest to this enduring appeal. Nothing surprising when considering the universality of these legendary creatures across civilizations and times. As for Japanese folklore, the Ningyo has gained a significant prominence not long ago through Miyazaki's “Ponyo” (2008). Just a decade later, the director of the celebrated “Mind Game” (2004), Masaaki Yuasa, developed his own rendition, this time in the form of a coming-of-age narrative.

on Amazon by clicking on the image below

Kai Ashimoto, a taciturn and disillusioned middle school student, is raised in a small coastal town by a single father in the handcrafted umbrella shop of his grandfather, a retired fisherman. After being exposed for posting music demos online, he agrees to join his classmates, the wannabe Yuho and the carefree Kunio, in a rock band named Seiren,...

Between his work on cult classic animated movies like Mind Game and fan-favorite anime series Devilman Crybaby, Masaaki Yuasa has developed a reputation as an innovative and playful filmmaker. His unique visual style has helped bring life to mature, enigmatic stories and all-ages adventures with the same infectious passion. Now, Gkids has released a box set featuring all five of Yuasa's feature-length films.

Masaaki Yuasa: Five Films includes 2004's Mind Game, 2017's The Night is Short, Walk on Girl, 2017's Lu Over the Wall, 2019's Ride Your Wave, and 2021's Inu-Oh, alongside an extensive selection of bonus features. Each film is emblematic of Yuasa's imaginative approach to storytelling. In an interview with Cbr, Yuasa looked back on his eclectic animation career, compared his experience working on feature films to his time in television, and shared his excitement about the new collection of his films, which is on sale now.

Cbr:...

While Studio Ghibli is celebrating the release of a new film by their lead genius, Hayao Miyazaki, with The Boy and the Heron, and Disney is celebrating their 100th anniversary in a variety of ways (including the film Wish), another powerhouse of animation is quietly celebrating their legacy. That would be Masaaki Yuasa, the brilliant director, writer, and animator behind some of the greatest anime films of all time, and a handful of brilliant TV series. Yuasa is a master of motion and space, and also one of the most fluid anime filmmakers of all time, able to adapt his style to various genres and emotions.

A gorgeous new Blu-ray box set, Masaaki Yuasa: Five Films, collects the major cinematic achievements of Yuasa — Mind Game, The Night is Short, Walk on Girl, Lu Over the Wall, Ride Your Wave, and Inu-Oh. As we previously reported about the Yuasa set, the...

Masaaki Yuasa: Five Films Collector's Edition is a Blu-ray release that collects five of Masaaki Yuasa's legendary anime films, including Mind Game, The Night is Short, Walk on Girl, Lu Over the Wall, Ride Your Wave, and Inu-Oh. Yuasa's unique vision unites all of his works, which are characterized by protagonists who are bound by something and find release. He incorporates his own thoughts on the era into his recent films. Yuasa discusses how he adapts stories for the screen, focusing on translating his own feelings and capturing the essence of the original material. He also highlights the challenges of maintaining motivation and passion in the constantly evolving anime industry.

One of modern anime's most beloved directors is Masaaki Yuasa, and it's never been a better time to be a fan of his with the release of Masaaki Yuasa: Five Films Collector's Edition. Known for his signature fluid style,...

In the contemporary field of Japanese animation, no one makes films and TV shows like Yuasa Masaaki. Compared to the lifelike backgrounds and careful detailing of facial animations that typify much of anime, Yuasa’s mash-ups of disciplines and methods recall the unorthodox approaches of Don Hertzfeldt and Soviet-era Hungarian animators like Marcell Jankovics and György Kovásznai. But Yuasa’s north star—in underlying motivation, if not aesthetic—may be Tex Avery, whose brand of unpredictable comedy can be seen in the filmmaker’s willingness to upend character continuity and even the fundamental outlines of drawings for the sake of pursuing a joke or feeling to its most outlandish conclusion.

The plots of the five films included in Shout! Factory’s new box set are, however fantastical their framings, often elementally simple, and many have reference points in another anime films and shows. A kind of lysergic take on Miyazaki Hayao’s Ponyo,...

Akuma Kun is a supernatural mystery Shōnen anime series. The Netflix series is the 2nd adaptation of the Shigeru Mizuki hit manga series, it also serves as the sequel to the 1989 series. The Netflix series is set 30 years after the events of the original series and it revolves around a boy genius named Ichiro Umoregi, who was raised by demons he investigates cases that are caused by demons with the help of his partner, Mephisto the 3rd. So, if you loved Akuma Kun here are some similar anime you could watch next.

Akuma-Kun

Synopsis: As death loomed over him, Dr. Faust predicted the coming of a new era dominated by demons. Powerless to combat this looming threat, he entrusted his faith to Shingo Yamada, a young boy marked by birth as the chosen warrior destined to fight against evil. To aid them, Faust summoned the hesitant demon Mephisto, forming a binding agreement.

Celebrate the genius of anime filmmaker Masaaki Yuasa with the new collector's edition Blu-ray box set, Masaaki Yuasa: Five Films. Preorder now! Experience Yuasa's imaginative and influential works, including his directorial debut Mind Game and other epic titles like The Night is Short, Walk on Girl and Lu Over the Wall. Get ready for a treasure trove of bonus features, including a 60-page book, a poster, scene breakdowns, Q&a sessions and more. Don't miss it!

It’s a great day to love anime because filmmaker Masaaki Yuasa is being honored with a brand-new, collector's edition box set featuring some of his most influential works. The six-disc Blu-ray collection is titled Masaaki Yuasa: Five Films, and it is now available to preorder ahead of its December release. And it will include his directorial debut Mind Game (2004) among the other epic titles. Take a look at the announcement trailer for Masaaki...

Castlevania: Nocturne is a spin-off series of the hit series Castlevania. Created by Clive Bradley, the Netflix original series is based on a video game series of the same name. Castlevania: Nocturne is set in 1792, during the French Revolution and it follows the story of Richter Belmont, as he joins forces with hunters and magicians to prevent an apocalypse. So, if you love the Castlevania spin-off series here are some similar anime you could watch next.

Castlevania (Netflix) Credit – Netflix

Synopsis: Inspired by the computer game series of the same name, Castlevania is an animated series that centers on Vlad Dracula Tepe (Graham McTavish), who’s attempting to wipe out humanity as retribution for the Church burning his wife Lisa (Emily Swallow) at the stake. It appears that no one can stop the hurricane of destruction that Dracula has unleashed upon 15th-century Eastern Europe. But vampire hunter Trevor Belmont (Richard Armitage...

Innovation and creativity are the defining characteristics of the anime medium. A desire to push the boundaries of conventional storytelling and test the capabilities of animation as an art form explains anime's intrinsic link with the bizarre and surreal. However, some shows take their goal to transcend classifications to a whole new level.

These series strive to capture the dreamlike absurdity of the unconscious mind, using surreal imagery to explore the extremes of human imagination. The liberties of the anime medium make it perfect for surreal art, even if some find its weirdness difficult to comprehend. These series are designed for viewers excited to explore the unconventional yet thought-provoking beauty of surrealism.

Related: The 19 Weirdest Anime Ever Made, Ranked

Welcome To Irabu's Office

There are hardly any anime series as distinctive and daring, both theoretically and visually, as Welcome to Irabu's Office. The show is a deceptively colorful drama about...

This review may contain spoilers.

Yusuke Hirota makes his directorial debut with STUDIO4 ºC on “Poupelle of Chimney Town” (2020). The director is not new to the film scene, however. Hirota previously worked with the studio as a CGI artist on projects like “Berserk” (2012) and “Mind Game” (2004). Likewise, “Poupelle” is not news, either. Comedian-turned-author Akihiro Nishino worked closely with Hirota to make “Poupelle” an extension of his previously published storybook. While the book covers around “three to four chapters” of Nishino’s ideas, the film intends to cover around “ten” – making it effectively an extension of the world that the book began.

“Poupelle of Chimney Town” is screening at Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema

As a result, “Poupelle of Chimney Town” (the movie) feels like a hodgepodge of storylines that combine into one. Here, under the walled, smog-covered skies of Chimneytown, Lubicchi (Mana Ashida) is a lonely chimney sweep.

By 2007, it was certain animator and director Masaaki Yuasa was going places, after having impressed audiences and critics alike with “Mind Game” and “Kemonozume”. The latter had been awarded the Jury Selection Prize at Japan Media Arts Festival, further cementing its creator’s reputation within the industry and marking him as part of a small group of people who would go on to define the anime genre in the years to come. “Genius Party”, a compilation of twelve animated features, was in many ways a representation of the kind of skill and talent within the industry, with Yuasa contributing “Happy Machine”, which tells the story of an infant and its experiences in the world.

Happy Machine screened at International Film Festival Rotterdam

Having spent his life in a nursery, the baby is used to the structure taking care of everything he needs. However, when it suddenly breaks down, the infant...

Mubi has announced its lineup of streaming offerings for next month and amongst the highlights are a Ricky D’Ambrose double bill, including his new film The Cathedral, as well as a trio of films by Maurice Pialat, Gaspar Noé’s Vortex, David Osit’s Mayor, Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master, an expansion of their Tilda Swinton series, and more.

Also including films by Tsai Ming-liang, Sky Hopinka, Nacho Vigalondo, Anton Corbijn, and more check out the lineup below and get 30 days free here.

September 1 – Classical Period, directed by Ted Fendt | Ted Fendt Focus

September 2 – 2 Days in New York, directed by Julie Delpy

September 3 – Timecrimes, directed by Nacho Vigalondo

September 4 – Małni – Towards the Ocean, Towards the Shore, directed by Sky Hopinka

September 6 – Mayor, directed by David Osit

September 7 – Friendship’s Death, directed by Peter Wollen | The One and Only: Tilda Swinton

September 8 – Hideous, directed by Yann Gonzalez | Brief Encounters

September 9 – The Cathedral,...

Hybrid is probably the word to best suit Michael Arias’ “Tekkonkinkreet”. Based on Taito Matsumoto’s manga “Black & White”, it is the story of Yin and Yang brothers Kuro (“Black”) and Shiro (“White”) as they battle to save their home from adults, greedy bad guys and inner demons.

Tekkonkinkreet is screening at Japan Society

Treasure Town is an island in the middle of the city – a lawless neighborhood that nobody runs, but everybody claims. Children run the streets, to the annoyance of the yakuza; while the police holds little real power. But this is the chaotic order in place. That is until Hebi and his evil empire want to raze Treasure Town to the ground and build an amusement park in the name of profit. This evil force unites the inhabitants against this outsider as they gradually realize the plans in place, and it’s up to out two young heroes to fight back.

You just know you’re in for a horrible weekend at the box office when six new movies open in over 250 theaters — two of those into more than 1,500 theaters — along with a major nationwide expansion and a 40th anniversary re-release of a beloved classic, and only two of those eight movies make it into the Top 10.

We’ll get into each of those in a bit, but first, we start with Brad Pitt’s action-comedy “Bullet Train,” which remained in first place for a second weekend with 13.4 million, a pretty substantial 55 drop from its opening last week. It has grossed 54.4 million, so far, with no guarantee it might join this year’s 100 million club.

The animated “DC League of Super-Pets” maintained second place with an estimated 7.2 million, but with one major caveat. According to estimates, the Dwayne Johnson-Kevin Hart animated vehicle only made 20,000 more than Tom Cruise’s “Top Gun: Maverick” in its 12th weekend.

What Westerners don’t know about Noh — the classical Japanese theater form in which masked dancers gracefully interpret supernatural tales — could easily fill a 12-hour PBS documentary. But who wants to watch that? Certainly not the audience renegade anime director Masaaki Yuasa is after with “Inu-oh,” a rowdy punk alternative focusing on two social rejects whose defiantly original performance style broke all the rules and elevated them to rock-star status, only to be (all but) forgotten by history.

Among the most unpredictable artists of his medium, Yuasa specializes in trippy, off-the-wall anime features such as “Mind Game” and “Night Is Short, Walk On Girl” that recall the work of psychedelic toonsmith Ralph Bakshi at his anti-establishment extreme. Of all the filmmakers now working in Japan, Yuasa is the last one fans would expect to show an interest in the rigorously rule-based world of Noh — until it clicks that his...

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“Inu-Oh” (screening theatrically from GKids) represents Masaaki Yuasa’s summary statement about animation, music, history, and rebellion. It’s the culmination of his wildly imaginative and deeply compassionate work about honoring marginalized people. He takes everything he’s explored in “Lu Over the Wall,” “Mind Game,” “Ride Your Wave,” and “The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl,” and explodes it in “Inu-Oh.”

The film’s an anime rock opera set in 14th century feudal Japan about the friendship between two cursed musical performers, who serve as historical versions of modern-day stars with theatrical fearlessness: the real-life, enigmatic Inu-Oh (Avu-chan from fashion punk Queen Bee), a Noh dancer who dramatizes the Heike’s slaughter at sea in the Battle of Dan-no-ura, and Tomona (Mirai Moriyama), a blind biwa player who chronicles the story in song. But the way Yuasa assaults us with dazzling imagery and musical performance, he comes off...

Inu-Oh (2021).Something strange happens when you watch a film by Masaaki Yuasa. Something strange in the film, and something strange in your mind. It happens on the surface and in the depths, and it works its way from the movements of the film out into the world. It partakes deeply of both Eastern and Western traditions in art, drama, and film—seeming to pull from everywhere while maintaining a focused center. The experience brings to mind Anthony Bourdain’s meditations on his first trip to Tokyo, which he described as transformative, powerful, and violent: “A window opens up into a whole new thing and you think, what does this mean? What do I have left to say? What do I do now?” In Yuasa’s new film, Inu-Oh, this window opens up from the perspective of its two main characters—14th-century musicians who dress like 1970s glam rockers: one who...

I consider Masaaki Yuasa one of the greatest anime directors of our time, one of the few who directs, continuously, titles that are addressed to adults and not children or teenagers, who seem to be the industry’s main target. Starting with “Mind Game” and “Kemonozume”, and continuing with “Ping Pong” and “Space Dandy,” I have cherished all of his works I have seen, and as it turns out, “Night Is Short, Walk on Girl” was no exception.

Night is Short, Walk on Girl will be screening at Japan Society on June 17

The story revolves around two people, the Girl With Black Hair and Senpai. The latter is in love with the former, and he has been trying to ask her out for some time, with his place and time of choice being a wedding they both attend, which is also, where the story starts. The Girl, however, whose resolution is to always move forward,...

There’s more warmth than wisdom in the animated Japanese coming-of-age drama “Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko,” an exceptionally well-realized variation on a by-now familiar anime story: a young girl learns how to love herself and her life in a picturesque seaside town.

The typically impressive craftsmen at the Japanese animation studio Studio 4°C have successfully highlighted the most endearing parts of this mother-daughter dramedy, which is as much about going through puberty as it is about accepting a parent or guardian for who they are.

Director Ayumu Watanabe and supervising animation director–character designer Kenichi Konishi (“Children of the Sea”) capture the halting rhythms and awkward splendor of daily life in a small port town. That makes all the difference in this story about a shy pre-teen who learns not only to look forward to her adolescence, but also how to empathize with her embarrassing single mother.

Also Read:

Crunchyroll...

Japan in Frankfurt! After two online editions, the 22nd Nippon Connection Film Festival, which will be held May 24 to 29, 2022, will bring the most exciting current Japanese films and culture programs to the city again. Around 100 short and feature-length films showcase the complete range of Japanese cinema – from newcomers to established directors, from anime to documentaries. The film program includes one world premiere, 24 international, eleven European and 30 German premieres. This year’s thematic focus “Stories Of Youth – Coming Of Age In Japan”, supported by the Kulturfonds Frankfurt RheinMain, deals with the lives and challenges of young people in Japan.

The supporting program, which will include more than 60 workshops, concerts, lectures and performances, is more extensive than ever, promising a fascinating festival week outside the cinema as well. For snacks in between, there will be a wide range of Japanese foods and drinks available on the festival grounds.

The events take place...

Dynamic filmmaking duo, Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), discuss their favorite animated movies with Josh Olson and Joe Dante.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)

Swiss Army Man (2016)

Bottle (2010)

Hi Stranger (2016)

Robin Robin (2021)

Chicken Run (2000)

The Eagleman Stag (2011)

Noah (2014)

The External World (2011)

Interesting Ball (2014)

Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988)

Looney Tunes: Back In Action (2003)

Ghostbusters (1984) – Axelle Carolyn’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing

Gremlins (1984) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review, Tfh’s 30th anniversary celebration

Beowulf (2007)

Star Wars (1977)

Wall-e (2008)

Up (2009)

Inside Out (2015)

How To Train Your Dragon (2010)

Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (2009)

The Lego Movie (2014)

Speed Racer (2008) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (2018) – Dennis Cozzalio’s 2018 year-in-review

Princess Mononoke (1997) – Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review

Spirited Away (2001) – Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review

Batman: Gotham Knight (2008)

Cleopatra (1970)

My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)

Ponyo (2008)

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind...

An animator long showered with awards and critical praise, beginning with his 2004 full-length directorial debut “Mind Game,” Yuasa Masaaki is no stranger to the festival circuit. But Venice, where his new animated feature “Inu-Oh” is screening in the Horizons section, is his first Big Three festival. And his film is the only one from Japan in the lineup.

“I don’t feel that I’m representing Japan or anything like that, but Venice is a festival with a certain status and influence,” he tells Variety in a Zoom interview. “It was the first international festival to invite Kurosawa Akira. And Kitano Takeshi won its biggest prize. So it’s a festival that has recognized the very top people in Japanese cinema.”

The Japanese media has reported that “Inu-Oh,” an animation about how a blind player of the biwa (Japanese lute) and a Noh dancer with a differently formed body created...

From the director of Mind Game and the studio that brought you Ride Your Wave and Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! comes a historical new tour-de-force.

Inu-Oh is born with unique physical characteristics, and the horrified adults cover every inch of his body with garments, including a mask on his face. One day, he meets a boy named Tomona, a blind biwa player, and as Tomona plays a delicate song of tangled fate, Inu-Oh discovers an incredible ability to dance.

Inu-Oh and Tomona become business partners and inseparable friends, using their creative gifts to survive on the margins of society, as song after song gains them notoriety and propels them to stardom. Through the songs, Inu-Oh mesmerizes his audiences on stage and gradually begins to transform into someone of unequaled beauty. But why is Tomona blind? Why was Inu-Oh born with unique characteristics? It is a story about the friendship of Inu-Oh and Tomona,...

Fortissimo Films has acquired sales rights outside Asia to “Inu-Oh,” a Japanese animation film that will play at both the Venice and Toronto festivals.

The film is directed by Yuasa Masaaki with acclaimed Japanese animation studio Science Saru. It will have its world premiere in the Orizzonti competition section at the Venice Film Festival on Sept. 9, 2021. That will be followed by a special presentation at the Toronto International Film Festival.

“Inu-oh” is an animated rock musical about a boy who was born with unique physical characteristics. One day he meets the blind biwa player. The boy asks him to write a song about him. The player writes and performs a song about the boy’s fate. They become a musical success and their career stars rise quickly in 14th century Japan. The boy frees parts of his body bit by bit while performing and the musician reconciles with his past.

With one week to go before the 25th edition of the Fantasia Film Festival begins we turn our attention to the closing night of the festival, on August 25th. We already know that Takashi Miike's The Great Yokai War - Guardians will close the festival. Now we get word that another special treat from Japan will also help close out this year's festival.    The audience at the screening will be the first to see a special World Premiere teaser of the anime series Deiji Meets Girl. The series is directed by Tazawa Ushio, an animator who has worked on some impressive projects; Your Name, 5 Centimeters Per Second, and Mind Game, to name a few.    If you have a ticket for that in-person...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.

Art-House Animation

If your eyes are tired of the latest cookie-cutter animation from the Hollywood mill, Criterion is featuring quite a line-up of inventive arthouse offerings in the field. With works by Marcell Jankovics, Satoshi Kon, Ari Folman, Don Hertzfeldt, Karel Zeman, and more, the series includes The Fabulous Baron Munchausen (1962), Belladonna of Sadness (1973), Fantastic Planet (1973), Watership Down (1978), Son of the White Mare (1981), Alice (1988), Millennium Actress (2001), Mind Game (2004), Paprika (2006), Persepolis (2007), Waltz with Bashir (2008), Mary and Max (2009), It’s Such a Beautiful Day (2012), Tower (2016), The Wolf House (2018), No. 7 Cherry Lane (2019), and more.

Where to Stream: The Criterion Channel

Neo-Noir

One of the greatest series to arrive on the Criterion Channel thus far is this selection of neo-noir offerings, including Brian De Palma’s masterpieces Blow Out and Body Double,...

The July lineup at The Criterion Channel has been revealed, most notably featuring the new Wong Kar Wai restorations from the recent box set release, including As Tears Go By, Days of Being Wild, Chungking Express, Fallen Angels, Happy Together, In the Mood for Love, 2046, and his shorts Hua yang de nian hua and The Hand.

Also among the lineup is a series on neo-noir with Body Double, Manhunter, Thief, The Last Seduction, Cutter’s Way, Brick, Night Moves, The Long Goodbye, Chinatown, and more. The channel will also feature a spotlight on art-house animation with work by Marcell Jankovics, Satoshi Kon, Ari Folman, Don Hertzfeldt, Karel Zeman, and more.

With Jodie Mack’s delightful The Grand Bizarre, the landmark doc Hoop Dreams, Orson Welles’ take on Othello, the recent Oscar entries Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time and You Will Die at Twenty, and much more,...

Sink Your Teeth Into Tokyo Ghoul On Screen Anime

Live-action adaptation of hit manga heads line-up that challenges limits of animation.

Expand the realms of possibility for animation this month with the Screen Anime channel’s latest line-up that celebrates experimental techniques, and anime’s rising influence in other mediums. Leading this latest curated roster of films is Tokyo Ghoul, the Japanese live-action adaptation of Sui Ishida’s internationally bestselling horror manga, that previously inspired the beloved anime franchise.

Screen Anime also invites you to experience new techniques and ideas in anime with The Case of Hana & Alice, a coming-of-age mystery celebrated for its use of rotoscoping, a technique of tracing live-action footage to create realistic motion seen in later films like 2017’s Loving Vincent. Director Masaaki Yuasa has proven himself to be a favourite among Screen Anime fans, and there’s no better showcase of why that is than...

International attention to Indian animation has certainly refocused after the release of “Bombay Rose”, and this particular short is no exception. Freelance animator Shaheen Sheriff tempts smiles and laughter in this year’s “Asian Focus” of Cartoon Underground’s International Competition with their five-minute film, “Watchmakers at Time’s End.”

“Watchmakers at Time’s End” is Screening at Cartoons Underground

“Watchmakers at Time’s End” revolves around a Kerala watchmaker’s dilemma in a whimsical alternate universe. At one point, a meteor hit the Earth so hard that the Earth has been tilted off-center from its axis; since then, it has been nigh impossible to measure time. One day, however, a mysterious substance falls from the heavens – one that allows the watchmaker to accurately tell time again. The joy is only short-lived, however, once another meteor shower destroys what little is left.

The film is certainly charming. With the zany...

Gkids has acquired the North American distribution rights for Masaaki Yuasa’s animated feature Inu-Oh. Gkids, Japanese production company Science Saru Inc. and its partner Asmik Ace, Inc. made the announcement today. This marks the fifth collaboration between Gkids and Yuasa. The production company worked with Yuasa on his films Lu Over the Wall, The Night is Short, Walk On Girl, Mind Game, and most recently, Ride Your Wave. Gkids is set to release Inu-Oh theatrically in 2021.

The film follows the titular Inu-Oh, the legendary 14th century Noh performer, who is born with unique physical characteristics. As a result of his appearance, the horrified adults cover every inch of his body with garments, including a mask on his face. One day, he meets a boy named Tomona, a blind biwa player. When Tomona plays a delicate song of tangled fate, Inu-Oh discovers an incredible ability to dance.

Inu-Oh and Tomona...

GKids has acquired North American theatrical rights to the animated feature “Inu-Oh,” a 2D re-imagining of the 14th century Japanese performer from acclaimed director Masaaki Yuasa (“Ride Your Wave”). “Inu-Oh,” which is currently part of Annecy 2020 Online’s work-in-progress program, and produced by Science Saru Inc., will be released this fall.

The musical animated feature tells the story of the friendship between the legendary 14th century Noh performer Inu-Oh, born with unique physical characteristics that he hides with a mask and full garments, and the blind Biwa player Tomona. As the two rise from hardship to stardom through their creative partnership, they may break each other’s curse. The film offers character creation from manga artist Taiyo Matsumoto (Tekkonkinkreet), who previously collaborated with Yuasa on the anime adaptation of Matsumoto’s series “Ping Pong the Animation.” “Inu-Oh” marks the fifth movie from the director that GKids has distributed, following “Ride Your Wave...

GKids has acquired North American theatrical rights to the animated feature “Inu-Oh,” a 2D re-imagining of the 14th century Japanese performer from acclaimed director Masaaki Yuasa (“Ride Your Wave”). “Inu-Oh,” which is currently part of Annecy 2020 Online’s work-in-progress program, and produced by Science Saru Inc., will be released this fall.

The musical animated feature tells the story of the friendship between the legendary 14th century Noh performer Inu-Oh, born with unique physical characteristics that he hides with a mask and full garments, and the blind Biwa player Tomona. As the two rise from hardship to stardom through their creative partnership, they may break each other’s curse. The film offers character creation from manga artist Taiyo Matsumoto (Tekkonkinkreet), who previously collaborated with Yuasa on the anime adaptation of Matsumoto’s series “Ping Pong the Animation.” “Inu-Oh” marks the fifth movie from the director that GKids has distributed, following “Ride Your Wave...

Distributor plans 2021 release.

Gkids has acquired North American rights from Asmik Ace to Masaaki Yuasa’s musical animation Inu-Oh, recently presented as a work in progress at Annecy.

The film tells the story of the friendship between the legendary 14th century Noh performer Inu-Oh, and the blind Biwa player Tomona, who rise from hardship to stardom through their creative partnership.

The film features character creation from manga artist Taiyo Matsumoto (Tekkonkinkreet), who previously collaborated with Yuasa on the anime adaptation of Matsumoto’s series Ping Pong The Animation.

Eunyoung Choi of Science Saru and Fumie Takeuchi of Asmik Ace served as producers.

Founded in 1986 Studio 4°C is perhaps one of the most innovative animations studio in Japan. While at times overshadowed by the success of Studio Ghibli, the studio founded by Eiko Tanaka has made quiet a name for itself thanks to productions like “Mind Game” (2004) and “Mutafukaz” (2017) along with its work on music videos and video games. In 2007 the studio released a collection of short animated features titled “Genius Party”, directed by their best directors such as Atsuko Fukushima, Shoji Kawamori and Shinji Kimura. The seventh segment of the collection is director Masaaki Yuasa’s “Happy Machine”, a unique vision of how the world we perceive is not what it seems if we take a closer look at it.

“Genius Party: Happy Machine” is screening at We Are One: A Global Film Festival

The story of the short feature revolves around an infant in his nursery observing the world around him.

Fox Entertainment has signed another established TV showrunner to a direct talent deal. The broadcast network has inked a direct, exclusive, broadcast-only talent deal with writer/producer Kyle Killen.

Under the pact, Killen will develop scripted series for the Fox network. The projects will be developed under the Chapter Eleven production banner, where Killen is partnered with Scott Pennington.

“I have had the pleasure of working with Kyle on a number of series over the past decade. He is an incredible talent and that rare voice who is able to write in any genre that interests him,” said Fox Entertainment President Michael Thorn. “As Fox Entertainment continues to pursue its hand-crafted approach to development, I know working closely with Kyle, along with Scott and Keith Redmon at Anonymous Content, will result in the creation of distinctive programming for viewers.”

Killen executive produces the upcoming Showtime drama series Halo,...

Water, as a conduit for romance and spirituality, has been en vogue as of late in Japanese feature animation. Entries in this wet subgenre, where young characters grapple with torrential rain and oceans to dazzling effect, as well as life lessons submerged in nature-based metaphors, include Makoto Shinkai’s box office hit “Weathering With You,” Ayumu Watanabe’s upcoming “Children of the Sea,” and Masaaki Yuasa’s mermaid tale “Lu Over the Wall.”

Returning to that liquid magic, Yuasa, who produces films through his own company Science Saru, makes a new splash with his third feature in three years “Ride Your Wave,” written by Reiko Yoshida, who also penned recent anime standouts “Okko’s Inn,” “A Silent Voice,” and “Liz and the Blue Bird.” Notwithstanding the saturation of H2O-fueled teen movies, the director-screenwriter pair filter a love story through an oddball premise addressing heroism and perseverance with robust notes of graphic originality.

"The entire ocean has begun moving." GKids has unveiled an official Us trailer for the Japanese anime film titled Children of the Sea, which has been playing at a few film festivals last year (after initially opening in Japan in the summer). This is the latest feature made by Japan's Studio 4°C, and is directed by Ayumu Watanabe, with a score by award-winning composer and longtime Studio Ghibli collaborator Joe Hisaishi. The story involves a young girl named Ruka who is drawn into a mystery involving sealife around the world, in which two mysterious water-connected boys are involved. Of course, she falls in love with one of them. Starring the voices of Mana Ashida, Hiiro Ishibashi, Seishû Uragami, and Win Morisaki in the original version. It's a funky film, with a few quirky, odd moments, along with the usual cute, fun moments in so many anime films these ...

What’s the easiest way to tell the next generation of anime directors’ work apart from the creative shadow of those who came before — and especially from the look and feel of Studio Ghibli? Easy, just listen to the soundtracks they choose to define their movies’ personalities. Makoto Shinkai connects with a younger demo by setting his films to the boy-band stylings of a J-Pop group called the Radwimps, while Masaaki Yuasa embraces an even more mainstream sound with “Ride Your Wave” by leaning on Generations from Exile Tribe, turning their hit single “Brand New Story” into more than just a theme.

Plenty of couples have a favorite tune, but Yuasa uses this silly love song so often in the film, it practically becomes a joke unto its own — the conduit by which a young woman struck by tragedy calls her boyfriend back from the beyond. The dead dude, Minato,...

Masaaki Yuasa has made a career out of weird yet beautifully crafted anime. From the trippy and enthralling Mind Game, to the loopy Lu Over The Wall, and even the brutally graphic and unforgiving Devilman crybaby, you know you’re in for a ride when his name comes out in the credits. Though at first glance […]

The post ‘Ride Your Wave’ Review: A Sweet And Heartfelt Anime About Grief [Sitges 2019] appeared first on /Film.

In the world of independent animation, Korean director-animator-concept artist Oh Seo-ro (also nicknamed Osro) skyrocketed to Internet fame. He first caught the attention of the international festival radar with graduation short “Afternoon Class” (2015) – a hilarious depiction of the all-too-relatable struggle of staying awake in school. “Afternoon Class” made its rounds at A-list animation festivals like Annecy, Animafest Zagreb, and won the Lotte Reiniger Promotion Award for Animated Film at Stuttgart. His follow-up film, the infamous snot-heavy short “(oo)” (2017) was laureled the Grand Prize at the 2018 Insomnia Animation Film Festival, Jury Special Prize at 2017 Siggraph Asia Bangkok, and most recently, the Vimeo Staff Pick Premiere.

We managed to squeeze in an interview with Oh Seo-ro right before his next flight to Denmark’s Viborg Animation Festival (where he animated the opening trailer). At the 15th edition of Seoul’s Indie-AniFest, we had the opportunity to learn about his journey to success.