Review: "TOMIE" is Weird as Sh*t - Happy Halloween

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 153 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux

Tomie (1998)

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:  Japan

Running time:  95 minutes

Not rated

DIRECTOR:  Ataru Oikawa

WRITER: Ataru Oikawa (based upon the manga by Junji Ito)

PRODUCERS:  Yasuhiko Azuma, Youichiro Onishi, and Shun Shimizu

CINEMATOGRAPHERS  Akira Sakoh and Kazuhiro Suzuki

EDITOR:  Ryûji Miyajima

COMPOSERS:  Hiroshi Futami and Toshihiro Kimura

HORROR/THRILLER

Starring:  Miho Kanno, Mami Nakamura, Yoriko Douguchi, Tomorowo Taguchi, Kouta Kusano, and Kenji Mizuhashi

Tomie is a 1998 Japanese horror film from director Ataru Oikawa.  It is the first entry in the Tomie film series, which totals eleven films as of 2011.  It is also based on the manga (Japanese comics), Tomie, which was published from 1987 to 2000 and was created by Junji Ito.  Tomie the movie focuses on a traumatized young woman who is haunted by the name, “Tomie.”

Tsukiko Izumisawa (Mami Nakamura) is seeing a psychiatrist, Dr. Hosono (Yoriko Douguchi), about her problem sleeping at night.  She also has repressed memories of some trauma in her past.  Detective Harada (Tomorowo Taguchi) believes it has something to do with the murder of her friend, Tomie (Miho).  Trouble is that going back a century’s worth of records, Harada finds Tomie as the name of several victims of horribly violent crimes.  Is this Tomie the same one involved with Tsukiko?  And what about that guy with a severed human head in a plastic grocery bag?

Tomie was the first in a series of popular Japanese horror movies starring the mysterious Tomie and her machinations, and the film is based upon the Junji Ito comic (manga) of the same title.  Tomie isn’t as intense as that most popular Japanese horror film, Ringu, but it’s fairly suspenseful in its own right.  Actually, Tomie is more a suspense film than a horror or a thriller.  Director/screenwriter Ataru Oikawa drenches his film in shadows and the atmosphere bleeds creepiness and weirdness.  It’s an atmosphere that can have the viewer always hanging on for what’s going to happen next.  What makes the film as effective as it ever gets is Oikawa’s use of a real world setting.  He shot the film as it if were just a pedestrian TV drama.  That banality coupled with the pulp madness that surrounds the Tomie character and the eventual revelation of what she is makes the film turn out to be something much better than it seemed a third of the way through its running time.

Tomie is not for every body, but Tomie is perfect for the horror flick fan on the prowl for something real different.  The film also has a frankly bizarre musical score.

6 of 10

B

★★★ out of 4 stars

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Review: "GODZILLA MINUS ONE" Recalls the Original Spirit of Godzilla

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 26 of 2024 (No. 1970) by Leroy Douresseaux

Godzilla Minus One (2023)

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Japan; Language: Japanese

Running time: 124 minutes (2 hours, 4 minutes)

MPA – PG-13 for creature violence and action

DIRECTOR:  Takashi Yamazaki

WRITER:  Takashi Yamazaki (based on characters owned by Toho Co., Ltd.)

PRODUCERS:  Gô Abe, Kazuaki Kishida, Keiichiro Moriya, and Kenji Yamada

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Kôzô Shibasaki

EDITOR:  Ryûji Miyajima

COMPOSER:  Naoki Satô

Academy Award winner

SCI-FI/DRAMA and HISTORICAL/WAR

Starring:  Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Sakura Ando, Munetaka Aoki, Kuranosuke Sasaki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Yuki Yamada, Yuya Endo, and Sae Nagatani

Gojira Mainasu Wan is a 2023 Japanese historical war drama and science fiction film written and directed by Takashi Yamazaki and produced by Toho Studios.  It is Toho's 33rd Godzilla film and 37th entry in the Godzilla film franchise.  The film's English-language title is Godzilla Minus One, the title by which I will refer to it in this review.

Godzilla Minus One won the Oscar for “Best Achievement in Visual Effects” at the 96th Academy Awards earlier this year (March 10, 2024).  The director, Takashi Yamazaki, was one of the four men who each received an Oscar statuette for the win.  In Godzilla Minus One, a former kamikaze pilot is struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder when the giant monster of his nightmares returns to attack post-war Japan.

Godzilla Minus One opens in 1945, near the end of World War II.  Kōichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki)  lands his Mitsubishi A6M Zero at the Japanese base on Odo Island for repairs.  Shikishima is a kamikaze pilot (the military units that flew suicide missions for Japan during WWII).  The base's lead mechanic, Sōsaku Tachibana (Munetaka Aoki), deduces that Shikishima had fled from his suicidal duty by pretending his plane had technical issues.  Later that night, Godzilla, a large dinosaur-like creature, attacks the island garrison, and only Shikishima and Tachibana survive.

Shikishima returns home to find his parents were killed in the bombing of Tokyo.  Plagued by survivor's guilt, he begins supporting a woman, Noriko Ōishi (Minami Hamabe), whose parents also died in the bombing.  With an orphaned baby girl, Akiko (Sae Nagatani), left in Noriko's custody, Shikishima forms a kind of family unit.  He even finds employment aboard a minesweeper tasked with disposing of naval mines from World War II.  Still, Shikishima can't leave the war behind and is reluctant to ask Noriko to marry him.

Meanwhile, the United States' nuclear tests at the Bikini Atoll leaves Godzilla mutated and empowered.  Baptized within the horrific power of the atomic bomb, Godzilla now re-emerges, more powerful, and begins to battle Japan on land and sea.  Can Shikishima emerge from his guilt and help save Japan from a monster that can unleash the power of a nuclear weapon?

North American audiences are familiar with the modern, rebooted version of Godzilla that stumps around the Legendary Entertainment's “MonsterVerse” an American multimedia franchise that includes a suite of movies that began with 2014's Godzilla and includes the most recent hit, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024).  In Japan, Godzilla also received a modern reboot, known as the “Reiwa era,” and that began with the 2016 film, Shin Godzilla.  Godzilla Minus One is the fifth film from this era.

Godzilla mainly appears in three major sequences in this film, and they are absolutely awesome.  The initial one, the attack on Odo Island, is as good any dinosaur attack depicted in Jurassic Park (1993) and its sequels or Jurassic World (2015) and its sequels.  The second sequence, when Godzilla attacks Ginza, a district in Tokyo, took my breath away.  I believe that the Ginza attack probably earned Godzilla Minus One the votes it needed to win its special effects Oscar.  This film's Godzilla is the old-fashioned one that looks like the man-in-a-suit original from the early Godzilla films, beginning in the mid-1950s.  However, modern special effects takes the classic and gives him more character, making him more a force a nature than a mere monster.

Godzilla Minus One is as much an ensemble wartime drama as it is a monster movie.  It is not perfect, because it does drag quite a bit in places between Godzilla's appearances.  The cast, led by Ryunosuke Kamiki as Koichi Shikishima, personifies the lives of people living and struggling through the aftermath of a defeated Japan.  In a sense, Japan's imperial ambitions and overreach brought that suffering on the people.  However, dropping two atomic bombs dropped on Japan (on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945) was some other country's decision.  Nor is Japan at fault for the monster that Godzilla becomes as a result of the United States' atomic testing in the Pacific.

Godzilla Minus One is a depiction of Japan's post-WWII efforts to save itself from its own actions and the actions of others.  I found myself rooting for them in that epic final battle much in the way I root for the U.S. of A in American war cinema.  However, Godzilla Minus One is not so much about nationalism as it is about national survival, and it is quite well-made and entertaining, also.

A

8 of 10

★★★★ out of 4 stars

Saturday, June 29, 2024

NOTES:

2024 Academy Awards, USA:  1 win: “Best Achievement in Visual Effects” (Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, Masanori Takahashi, and Tatsuji Nojima)

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Review: "LAPUTA: CASTLE IN THE SKY" is in the Sky with Diamonds

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 41 of 2023 (No. 1930) by Leroy Douresseaux

Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986)

Tenkū no Shiro Rapyuta – original Japanese title

Running time:  125 minutes (2 hours, 5 minutes)

MPAA – PG

DIRECTOR:  Hayao Miyazaki

WRITER:  Hayao Miyazaki

PRODUCER:  Isao Takahata

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Hirokata Takahashi

EDITORS:  Hayao Miyazaki, Yoshihiro Kasahara, and Takeshi Seyama

COMPOSER:  Joe Hisaishi

ANIMATION/FANTASY and ACTION/ADVENTURE

Starring:  (voices) Mayumi Tanaka, Keiko Yokozawa, Kotoe Hatsui, Minori Terada, Fujio Tokita, Ichiro Nagai, and Hiroshi Ito

Laputa: Castle in the Sky is a 1986 Japanese animated, action-adventure fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki.  Laputa is also the first film fully produced by the Japanese animation studio, Studio Ghibli.  In North America, the film is known simply as Castle in the Sky, the title by which I will refer to it in this review.  Castle in the Sky follows the adventures of a young boy and girl who must race against time, pirates, and foreign agents in a bid to find a legendary island that floats in the sky.

Castle in the Sky opens on an airship.  Aboard the aircraft is a young girl, Sheeta (Mayumi Tanaka), an orphan girl abducted by the government agent, Colonel Muska (Minori Terada).  The airship is attacked by Captain Dola (Kotoe Hatsui) and her gang, “the Dola Pirates” (all of whom are apparently her sons).  Dola is seeking Sheeta's necklace, which holds a small orb made of pure “etherium” crystal.  Attempting to escape, Sheeta falls from the airship, but is saved by the magic of etherium in the now-glowing crystal, which lowers her slowly to the ground.

On the ground, Sheeta is caught by a young boy, Pazu (Keiko Yokozawa).  Soon, Pazu is on a mission to protect Sheeta from both Dola and Muska.  Pazu and Sheeta's goal is to reach the mythical flying island, “Laputa,” which is connected to both children's past, but in different ways.  The mystery of Laputa is what exactly is it – a paradise, a treasure trove, or something dangerous.

I have previously reviewed the following Miyazaki-directed films:  The Castle of Cagliostro (1979), Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984), My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Princess Mononoke (1997), Spirited Away (2001), Howl's Moving Castle (2004), Ponyo (2008), and The Wind Rises (2013).  As Netflix is shutting down its DVD-by-mail division, I am hoping to get to the Miyazaki films that I have not previously watched.  This is the first time I've watched Castle in the Sky.

For me, the most wonderful thing about Castle in the Sky is that it is steeped in Hayao Miyazaki's affinity for flight, a theme that dominates many of his films.  He fills this film with wonderful flying contraptions, such as the government's flying fortress, “Goliath,” and the Dola pirates' airship, “Tiger Moth.”  Even the robots of Laputa can become wonderful flying machines.  As with many of Miyazaki's films, Castle in the Sky is breathtaking, visually stunning, and mind-blowing, especially when the narrative takes to the air.

One of the film's most dominant themes is the innocence of children, as seen through the eyes of Pazu and Sheeta.  That shows in the two characters' resilience and determination in the face of constant turmoil and ceaseless obstacles.  Their relationship is the counterbalance to the film's darker elements, especially its focus on on humanity's relationship with nature and with technology.  Most of the film displays technology in harmony with nature, taking place in a fantasy version of the nineteenth century.  There is a “retro-future” aesthetic that finds a balance between mankind's technological creations and the natural world at large.  Castle in the Sky would go on to have a strong influence on the then emerging science fiction sub-genre known as “steampunk.”

I believe that if you, dear readers, have never seen a Miyazaki film, the first one you watch will validate the great things you may have heard about him.  When you see your second Miyazaki, you will certainly become a true believer.  Castle in the Sky is the kind of animated film that will make just about any movie fan a true believer in Hayao Miyazaki.  It is one of the greatest adventure films ever made, and one of the greatest animated films of all time.  Castle in the Sky mixes vivid imagination, eye-popping inventiveness, and stunning beauty in a way only the best animated films do.  Every frame of this film belongs on a wall in a museum.  If it were a Disney animated feature, Disney would call Laputa: Castle in the Sky an instant classic.  It certainly is a classic.

10 of 10

Tuesday, September 5, 2023

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Review: "NAUSICAA IN THE VALLEY OF THE WIND" Soars to the Animation Heavens

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 36 of 2023 (No. 1925) by Leroy Douresseaux

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)

Kaze no Tani no Naushika – original Japanese title

Running time:  117 minutes (1 hour, 57 minutes)

MPAA – PG for violence

DIRECTOR:  Hayao Miyazaki

WRITER:  Hayao Miyazaki (based upon the manga by Hayao Miyazaki)

PRODUCER:  Isao Takahata

CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Yasuhiro Shimizu, Koji Shiragami, Yukitomo Shudo, and Mamoru Sugiura

EDITORS: Naoki Kaneko, Tomoko Kida, and Shoji Saka

COMPOSER:  Joe Hisaishi

ANIMATION/FANTASY and ACTION/ADVENTURE

Starring:  (voices) Sumi Shimamoto, Goro Naya, Ichiro Nagai, Hisako Kyoda, Yoji Matsuda, Yoshiko Sakakibara, Iemasa Kayumi, Kohei Miyauchi, Joji Yanami, Minoru Yada, Mina Tominaga, Mahito Tsujimura, and Rihoko Yoshida

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is a 1984 Japanese animated, post-apocalyptic, fantasy film from director Hayao Miyazaki.  The film is based on Miyazaki's manga (Japanese comic), also titled Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, which first began publication in 1982.  Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind the movie focuses on a princess who is both warrior and pacifist and her desperate struggles to prevent two warring nations from destroying themselves and her homeland.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind opens one thousand years after the event known as “the Seven Days of Fire.”  It was an apocalyptic war that destroyed civilization and caused an ecological collapse, creating something called “the Sea of Decay.”  This is a poisonous forest of fungal life and plants that swarm with giant mutant insects, the largest and most dangerous being the the trilobite-like and armored “Ohm.”  The poison from the plants can kill humans, and every day, the Sea of Decay spreads, encroaching on what little open land remains.

Nausicaä (Sumi Shimamoto) is a teenage warrior and princess of the Valley of the Wind, a land that has remained, thus far, free of the Sea of Decay.  Riding the wind and sky in a powered glider, Nausicaä explores the jungles of the Sea of Decay and communicates with its creatures.  That is how she is reunited with the explorer and great swordsman, Lord Yupa Miralda (Goro Naya), who has returned to meet with Nausicaä's father, Jihl (Mahito Tsujimura), the King of the Valley of the Wind.

But tragedy strikes.  The Valley of the Wind is soon at the epicenter of two warring nations, the Kingdom of Tolmekia and Pejite.  Princess Kushana (Yoshiko Sakakibara) has led the Tolmekian Frontier Forces into the Valley.  Thus, Nausicaä must forge a relationship with Prince Asbel of Pejite (Yoji Matsuda), but there is something worse than two warring nations.  Destruction is headed towards the Valley of the Wind, and it will take all of Nausicaä's talents, skills, and tricks to save her home.

I have previously reviewed the following Miyazaki-directed films:  The Castle of Cagliostro (1979), My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Princess Mononoke (1997), Spirited Away (2001), Howl's Moving Castle (2004), Ponyo (2008), and The Wind Rises (2013).  As Netflix is shutting down its DVD-by-mail division, I am hoping to get to the Miyazaki films that I have not previously watched.

Apparently, the work of the legendary French comic book creator, Jean “Moebius” Giraud (1938-2012), influenced Miyazaki in the creation of his manga, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.  The influence of Moebius remains with Miyazaki's film adaptation of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.  I also see the influence of the famed animation director, Ralph Bakshi, especially of his 1977 fantasy film, Wizards.  J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings novels (1954-55) are clearly influences, and Frank Herbert's famed science fiction novel, Dune (1965), is also an influence.  In fact, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind the film would arrive in theaters almost nine months before the first film adaption of Herbert's novel, director David Lynch's 1984 film, Dune.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is a beautifully and practically designed film in the sense that the environments have both a sense of naturalism and realism to them while the insects are fantastical creations that seem more practical than impractical because they are based on real insects.  This makes the world of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind seem like a credible future world or at least genuine post-apocalyptic future.  Yes, Nausicaä's glider is impractical, but the animation gives it such beauty in motion that I believe in it and I believe in the way Nausicaä flies it.

The film's plot and subplots are strongly environmental and ecological and the conflict is a series of familiar tribal tropes.  However, what carries plot and narrative are the inventive and engaging characters.  Every players, regardless of the size of his or her role, is inviting and intriguing.  Yes, Nausicaä is a star born, a heroine out of fairy tale, folklore, and mythology who captures hearts and holds our imaginations captive.  Still, the denizens of the Valley and the feuding and conniving citizens of Tolmekia and Pejite are a delightful bunch, not good and evil, so much as they are selfish, but likable, each in his or her own way.  The legendary Yupa, like Nausicaä, stands as a typical heroic figure, although he stands behind Nausicaä.

A long time ago, I told a fellow Miyazaki fan that Spirited Away was my favorite of the director's films.  He insisted that I see Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.  Now, I'm not so sure which is my favorite.  Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is like no other animated feature film, and I certainly consider it one of the greatest that I have ever seen.

10 of 10

Thursday, August 10, 2023

The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

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Review: "GRAVEYARD OF THE FIREFLIES" is as Powerful as Any Live-Action Wartime Film

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 35 of 2023 (No. 1924) by Leroy Douresseaux

Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

Hotaru no Haka – original Japanese title

Running time:  89 minutes (1 hour, 29 minutes)

MPAA – not rated

DIRECTOR:  Isao Takahata

WRITER:  Isao Takahata (based on the novel by Akiyuki Nosaka)

PRODUCER:  Toru Hara

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Nobuo Koyama

EDITOR: Takeshi Seyama

COMPOSER:  Michio Mamiya

ANIMATION/WAR/DRAMA

Starring:  (voices) Tsutomu Tatsumi, Ayano Shiraishi, Akemi Yamaguchi, and Yoshiko Shinohara

Hotaru no Haka or Grave of the Fireflies is a 1988 Japanese animated World War II drama and historical film directed by Isao Takahata and produced by Studio Ghibli.  The film is based on the 1967 short story, “Grave of the Fireflies,” by Akiyuki Nosaka.  This was the fourth animated film produced by Studio Ghibli and the first one directed by studio co-founder, Isao Takahata.  Grave of the Fireflies focuses on a young boy and his little sister as they struggle to survive in World War II Japan.

Grave of the Fireflies introduces a boy, Seita (Tsutomu Tatsumi), and his little sister, Setsuko (Ayano Shiraishi).  They find themselves on their own as a result of one of the American raids that was part of “the Bombing of Kobe” campaign during World War II.

One day, a group of American Boeing bombers firebombs Kobe.  Though Seita and Setsuko survive the bombing, their mother (Yoshiko Shinohara) is severely injured and later dies.  Seita conceals their mother's death from Setsuko in an attempt to keep her happy.  Seita does not know the status of their father who is an officer in the Imperial Japanese Navy.  The children move in with an aunt (Akemi Yamaguchi), but although Seita tries to accommodate his aunt's demands, she becomes resentful of the children being in her home.

After leaving their aunt's house, Seita and Setsuko move into an abandoned bomb shelter located near a pond.  The place is swarming with fireflies, which delights Setsuko.  For a time, Seita and Setsuko are happy, but like the life of an adult firefly, the children's happiness is short-lived.

Previously, I have only reviewed two Studio Ghilbi films that were not directed by Hayao Miyazaki.  They are Tales from Earthsea (2006), which was directed by Miyazaki's son Gorō Miyazaki, and The Secret World of Arrietty (2010).  As Netflix is shutting down its DVD-by-mail division (in September 2023), I am hoping to get to more Studio Ghibli films that I have not previously watched.

I think Grave of the Fireflies has received much praise because it is not only a powerful war film, but it is also a truly unique war film.  Grave of the Fireflies is not an anti-war film, although it depicts the suffering that wartime can bring, mainly through Seita and Setsuko, but also via background characters.  The film is haunting and achingly sad, but at the same time, life goes on, even in wartime.  Seita and Setsuko make the best of life, a nearly inseparable pair enjoying life the best that they can.  The film portrays how Seita watches over Setsuko so that she can still live the life of a small girl, frockling, having adventures, and using her imagination.  Her smiles and happiness permeate this film even in its darker moments.  One might question the choices that Seita makes, but he did not make them out of concern of his own pride.  He made them so that his little sister could live in dignity.

Grave of the Fireflies proves that animated films can tackle the most achingly human conditions, including the heartbreaking experiences that afflicted many Japanese during World War II.  The animation's glorious colors might suggest a vivid pastoral fantasy, but the story is a depiction of the human pastoral.  Thematically, the film's fireflies can represent many things, from birth and decay to the flight of planes that attack Japan.  However, I usually thought of the spirits of children in flight when I saw a scene of fireflies gently moving upwards.

Grave of the Fireflies is a film that no fan of animated feature films should miss.  It has a timeless quality, and I found it hard to believe that this year (2023) is the thirty-fifth anniversary of the film's original Japanese theatrical release.  The story that it depicts may be from a long-gone time, but like Seita and Setsuko, the spirit of Grave of the Fireflies still stirs.

9 of 10

A+

★★★★+ out of 4 stars

Thursday, August 3, 2023

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Review: Miyazaki's "THE CASTLE OF CAGLIOSTRO" is Something Else Entirely

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 34 of 2023 (No. 1923) by Leroy Douresseaux

Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (1979)

Rupan Sansei: Kariosutoro no Shiro – original Japanese title

Running time:  102 minutes

MPAA – not rated

DIRECTOR:  Hayao Miyazaki

WRITERS:  Hayao Miyazaki and Haruya Yamazaki (based upon the manga by Monkey Punch)

PRODUCER:  Tetsuo Katayama

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Hirokata Takahashi

EDITOR: Masatoshi Tsurubuchi

COMPOSER:  Yuji Ohno

ANIMATION/FANTASY/COMEDY and ACTION/ADVENTURE

Starring:  (English voices – Manga Entertainment dub) David Hayter, Bridget Hoffman, Kirk Thornton, Kevin Seymour, John Snyder, Dorothy Elias-Fahn, Milton James, Michael Gregory, Barry Stigler, and Joe Romersa; (Japanese voices) Yasuo Yamada, Eiko Masuyama, Kiyoshi Kobayashi, Makio Inoue, Goro Naya, Sumi Shimamoto and Taro Ishida

Rupan Sansei: Kariosutoro no Shiro or Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro is a 1979 Japanese animated action-adventure and comic-fantasy animated from director Hayao Miyazaki.  An English-language dub of the film was first theatrically released in the U.S. in 1991 under the title, The Castle of Cagliostro, the title that I will use for this review.

The Castle of Cagliostro focuses on a master thief, Lupin III.  The film Lupin is based on the manga character, Lupin the Third, created by late manga artist, Kazuhiko Kato (1937-2019), who is best remembered by his pen name, Monkey Punch.  In the film, a dashing thief struggles to free a princess from an evil count who needs her in order to gain a mysterious treasure.

The Castle of Cagliostro opens in Monaco.  There, Master thief Lupin III (David Hayter) and his partner, Jigen (John Snyder), flee the National Casino with huge quantities of stolen money.  As they will soon learn, however, the stolen bills are actually distinctive, high-quality counterfeits known as “Goat bills.”  Lupin decides to seek out the source of this counterfeit money, the country known as the Duchy of Cagliostro.

Shortly after arriving, Lupin and Jigen see a young woman being chased by armed thugs.  It turns out that she is Lady Clarisse de Cagliostro (Bridget Hoffman), and she is running away from her fiancé, the Count de Cagliostro (Kirk Thornton), the regent of the Duchy of Cagliostro.  The Count has arranged a marriage with Lady Clarisse in order to cement his power. The marriage will also help him recover the fabled ancient treasure of Cagliostro, for which he needs both his and Clarisse's ancestral signet rings.

Lupin is determined to save Clarisse from this arranged marriage.  In addition to his partner Jigen, Lupin calls in the highly-skilled martial artist and swordsman, Goemon (Michael Gregory), and the rival professional thief, Fujiko (Dorothy Elias-Fahn).  Meanwhile, Inspector Zenigata of Interpol (Kevin Seymour) sees Lupin's activities in the Duchy of Cagliostro as a perfect opportunity to catch the thief he has been chasing for so long.  Can Lupin rescue Clarisse? Will Count Cagliostro destroy them both?  And just what is the treasure of Cagliostro?

I have previously reviewed the following Miyazaki-directed films:  My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Princess Monoke (1997), Spirited Away (2001), Howl's Moving Castle (2004), Ponyo (2008), and The Wind Rises (2013).  As Netflix is shutting down its DVD-by-mail division, I am hoping to get to the Miyazaki films that I have not previously watched.

I had heard of The Castle of Cagliostro in connection with Miyazaki, but I had put off seeing it.  I wish I'd seen it earlier, as it is a delightful and maniacal comedy.  The film is not without flaws, as it stretches credulity a bit far, even for a Japanese animated film.  Lupin is not just a master thief; he is also apparently a super-human thief with supernaturally good luck.

Still, I treasure The Castle of Cagliostro's loopiness because Miyazaki and his co-writer Haruya Yamazaki are imaginative when it comes to the comic and action-adventure possibilities of the twists and turns this quasi-mystery takes.  As both designer and storyboard artist, in addition to being director, Miyazaki is inventive in the way he stages the action as a series of chases and fights that are as defined by feats of aerial stunts and gymnastics as they are by martial arts and combat skills.

The characters are quite nice, especially gallant Lupin, who is apparently more ruthless in the original manga, and his partner, Jigen, the amiable, but quite skilled tough guy.  However, the star here is Miyazaki in his first feature-length film.  He makes the action unrestrained by gravity, natural law, or architecture.  Thus, the film is a rollicking adventure with a humorous tone that belies the threat of brutal violence and death that frequently pop up in the story.  I really like The Castle of Cagliostro, and I highly recommend it to fans of Hayao Miyazaki and to those searching for the great animated films.  I also plan on buying my own physical copy.

8 of 10

A

★★★★ out of 4 stars

Thursday, July 27, 2023

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Review: Wild, Uneven "BULLET TRAIN" Has a Killer Last Act

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 66 of 2022 (No. 1878) by Leroy Douresseaux

Bullet Train (2022)
Running time: 127 minutes (2 hours, 7 minutes)
MPA – R for strong and bloody violence, pervasive language, and brief sexuality
DIRECTOR:  David Leitch
WRITER:  Zak Olkewicz (based on the novel by Kotaro Isaka)
PRODUCERS:  Antoine Fuqua, David Leitch, and Kelly McCormick
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Jonathan Sela (D.o.P.)
EDITORS:  Elisabet Ronaldsdottir
COMPOSER:  Dominic Lewis

ACTION

Starring:  Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Shannon, Sandra Bullock, Benito A Martinez Ocasio (Bad Bunny), Logan Lerman, Zazie Beetz, Masi Oka, Kevin Akiyoshi Ching, Johanna White, and Karen Fukuhara with Channing Tatum and Ryan Reynolds

Bullet Train is a 2022 action movie from director David Leitch.  The film is based on the 2010 novel from author Kōtarō Isaka, Maria Beetle (which was titled Bullet Train for its U.S. and U.K. Editions).  Bullet Train the movie takes place aboard a swiftly-moving bullet train where five assassins gradually discover that they have several things in common.

Bullet Train opens in Japan and introduces “Ladybug” (Brad Pitt), an assassin turned “snatch-and-grab man.”  In Tokyo, he enters a bullet train bound for Kyoto.  He is initially wary of accepting this job from his handler, Maria (Sandra Bullock), which involves him retrieving a briefcase that contains ten million dollars.  Also on the train is a young woman known as “Prince” (Joey King); the assassin brothers, “Lemon” (Brian Tyree Henry) and “Tangerine” (Aaron Taylor-Johnson); and the revenge-seeking Yuichi Kimura (Andrew Koji).

They are all passengers on this particular bullet train, directly and indirectly, because of “The Son” (Logan Lerman), the kidnapped son of the Russian-born Yakuza boss known as the “White Death” (Michael Shannon).  Ladybug, who is begrudgingly working this job, believes that it is bringing out the worst of the bad luck that he believes plagues him.  Gradually, he finds himself fighting off an ever-growing gathering of killers and miscreants.  And waiting for everyone at their final stop in Kyoto – at least for those that survive – is an ultimate showdown with the White Death and his hired killers.

Directly or indirectly, Bullet Train is a movie influenced by the films of Oscar-winning filmmaker, Quentin Tarantino.  The dialogue – full of chatter, threats, and banter – is supposed to come across as cool, but it is merely blather from a third or fourth or fifth generation take on a Tarantino screenplay.  The characters are also Tarantino retreads, and so are their actions and inaction.  Still, I must admit that I like some of them, especially Brad Pitt's Ladybug.

So is Bullet Train any good, you might ask?

Well, two-thirds of it is uneven and moves in fits and starts of violence and murder.  I was mostly uninterested, but there are some surprising cameos that captured my interest.  For instance, Zazie Beetz is the assassin, “The Hornet,” and recording artist, Bad Bunny, is the Mexican assassin, “The Wolf.”  Both, however, are barely in the film.  I think they would have improved Bullet Train a good bit had their roles been enlarged.

However, the first 80 or so mediocre minutes of this movie are worth it for the last 40 minutes.  It is as if Bullet Train suddenly explodes in its last act to reveal a much better movie that had been hiding inside the fairly awful movie.  Everything is better, even Brad Pitt, who keeps this movie from being an absolute disaster.  Sometimes, it is worth having a genuine movie star, like a Brad Pitt, star in a genre movie.  The first two-thirds of this movie deserves a grade of “C-” at best, but the last third deserves an “A.”  So I'll average that out to a “B,” and I will recommend Bullet Train because of its last act.  It really is spectacular, and it is a pay off for your patience.

6 out of 10
B
★★★ out of 4 stars

Saturday, October 29, 2022


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Review: "DRIVE MY CAR" is an Extraordinary Drama and is One of 2021's Best Films

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 47 of 2022 (No. 1859) by Leroy Douresseaux

Drive My Car (2021)
Original title: Doraibu Mai Kā (Japan)
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:  Japan; Languages: Japanese, Korean Sign Language, English, and others
Running time:  179 minutes (2 hours, 59 minutes)
DIRECTOR:  Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
WRITERS:  Ryûsuke Hamaguchi and Takamasa Oe (based on the short story by Haruki Murakami)
PRODUCERS:  Teruhisa Yamamoto
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Hidetoshi Shinomiya
EDITOR:  Azusa Yamazaki
COMPOSER:  Eiko Ishibashi
Academy Award winner

DRAMA

Starring:  Hidetoshi Nishijima, Toko Miura, Reika Kirishima, Masaki Okada, Park Yu-rim, Jin Dae-yeon, Sonia Yuan, Ahn Hwitae, Peri Dizon, and Satoko Abe

Doraibu Mai Kā is a 2021 Japanese drama film directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi.  The film is also known by its English title, Drive My Car (the title which I will use for this review).  The film is based on author Haruki Murakami's short story, "Drive My Car," which is included in Murakami's 2014 short story collection, Men Without Women.  Drive My Car the movie focuses on a recent widower who is directing a play and dealing with the fact that he must accept someone else driving his beloved car.

Drive My Car is set in Japan and introduces actor and well-known theater director, Yusuke Kafuku (Hidetoshi Nishijima).  He was married to Oto (Reika Kirishima), an attractive screenwriter who suddenly died of a cerebral hemorrhage.

Two years later, Yusuke accepts a residency in Hiroshima, where he will direct a multilingual adaptation of Uncle Vanya, the 1898 play by the renowned Russian playwright, Anton Chekhov.  Yusuke also discovers that the theater company financing Uncle Vanya, the Hiroshima Arts and Culture Center, requires that Yusuke not drive his car, but instead be chauffeured in his own car.  He objects at first, but a reserved young female chauffeur, Misaki Watari (Toko Miura), reveals herself to be a skilled driver.  So Yusuke accepts someone else driving his car.

Yusuke begins casting the play and discovers that one of the auditioning actors is Koshi Takatsuki, a former colleague of his late wife, Oto.  As he works through the play with the cast, Yusuke deals with his grief, but discovers that the young actor, Koshi, and his young driver, Misaki, are also dealing with grief, regret, and inner turmoil.

Apparently, the complicated feelings and trauma of the characters in Drive My Car echo the emotional turmoil of the characters in Anton Chekhov's Uncle Vanya.  I have never read Uncle Vanya, nor have I ever seen a production of it.

That does not stop me from seeing Drive My Car as probably the best film of 2021.  The film is meditative and contemplative and has a smooth, calm pace which heightens the film's sense of intimacy.  This tranquility allows director Ryusuke Hamaguchi to direct a film in which it really looks like the actors are engaging in self-examination.  The film's themes of regret, of accepting others as they are, and of self-acceptance feel genuine.

One might think that Drive My Car is dull or even complicated, but it is not.  The film is rather straightforward, and the confrontations between characters can be intense but feel constructive.  Drive My Car may be too slow for most American audiences, but I think that serious film lovers will find themselves engrossed by this hauntingly beautiful and most painfully human film.  They may even find it helpful.  Watching the film, I felt as if I were experiencing something I needed to see and hear a long time ago.

This film received many honors, including winning the Academy Award for “Best Foreign Language Film.”  Still, I would have liked to have seen some of its cast, especially lead actor, Hidetoshi Nishijima (Yusuke), and supporting actress, Toko Miura (as the drive Misaki), earn Oscar acting notices.  Yusuke and Misaki's scenes at the latter's old home during the last half hour of the film are some of the best in years and some of the best performed.  Other cast members:  Reika Kirishima, Masaki Okada, and Park Yu-rim, are also worthy of award notice.

Drive My Car's cinematographer, Hidetoshi Shinomiya, made the film one of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful, of the year.  From majestic exterior vistas to shadowy and cozy interiors shots, Drive My Car looks both intimate and epic.  Eiko Ishibashi's film score, with its futuristic flourishes and electronica sensibilities, accentuates Shinomiya's cinematography,

That is the thing about Drive My Car.  Director Ryusuke Hamaguchi has great collaborators, including his co-writer, Takamasa Oe, and he could not have made Drive My Car the achievement in cinema that it is without them.  He could not have made a film in which some of its best scenes occur inside a moving car such an sublime film experience.  Drive My Car.

10 of 10

Friday, August 12, 2022

NOTES:
2022 Academy Awards, USA:  1 win: “Best International Feature Film” (Japan); 3 nominations: “Best Motion Picture of the Year” (Teruhisa Yamamoto), “Best Achievement in Directing” (Ryûsuke Hamaguchi), and “Best Adapted Screenplay” (Ryûsuke Hamaguchi and Takamasa Oe)

2022 BAFTA Awards:  1 win “Best Film Not in the English Language” (Ryûsuke Hamaguchi and Teruhisa Yamamoto); 2 nominations: “Best Director” (Ryûsuke Hamaguchi) and “Best Screenplay-Adapted” )Ryûsuke Hamaguchi)

2022 Golden Globes, USA:  1 win : “Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language” (Japan)

2021 Cannes Film Festival:  3 wins: “Best Screenplay” (Ryûsuke Hamaguchi and Takamasa Oe), “FIPRESCI Prize” (Ryûsuke Hamaguchi), and “Prize of the Ecumenical Jury” (Ryûsuke Hamaguchi); 1 nomination: “Palme d'Or” (Ryûsuke Hamaguchi)

The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: "THE SWORD OF DOOM" is a Thrilling Jidaigeki

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 24 of 2021 (No. 1762) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

The Sword of Doom (1966)
Dai-bosatsu tôge (original title)
Running time:  119 minutes (1 hour, 59 minutes)
DIRECTOR:  Kihachi Okamoto
WRITER:  Shinobu Hashimoto (based on the novel by Kaizan Nakazato)
PRODUCERS:  Sanezumi Fujimoto, Konparu Nanri, and Masayuki Satô
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Hiroshi Murai
EDITOR:  Yoshitami Kuroiwa
COMPOSER:  Masaru Satô

MARTIAL ARTS/ACTION/DRAMA

Starring:  Tatsuya Nakadai, Michiyo Aratama, Yuzo Kayama, Yoko Naito, Kei Sato, Tadao Nakamaru, Ichiro Nakaya, and Toshiro Mifune

Dai-bosatsu Tōge (The Pass of the Great Buddha) is a 1966 Japanese period drama (a “jidaigeki”).  Also known by the titled, The Sword of Doom (the title by which I will refer to this film for this review), the film is directed by Kihachi Okamoto from a screenplay by Shinobu Hashimoto and is based on a novel written by Kaizan Nakazato.  The Sword of Doom focuses on a sociopathic samurai who relishes killing people.

The Sword of Doom introduces Ryunosuke Tsukue (Tatsuya Nakadai), a master swordsman with an unorthodox fighting style.  Amoral and ruthless, Ryunosuke believes that one's sword is one's soul.  We see him kill an elderly pilgrim; needlessly kill a man in a duel; and kill several of that man's clansman who ambush him shortly afterwards.

To make a living, Ryunosuke joins the “Shincho Group,” a rogue band of ronin who take it upon themselves to murder and assassinate for whatever reason they decide.  However, the wanton murders and other unconscionable acts he has committed have created a trail of vendettas that follows Ryunosuke closely.  He has also drawn the notice of two people in particular:  a young man, Hyoma Utsugi (Yuzo Kayama), whose brother Ryunosuke killed, and Shimada Toranosuke (Toshiro Mifune), another master swordsman, whose skill unnerves Ryunosuke.

First, I feel obligated to give you a warning, dear readers.  The Sword of Doom ends abruptly during the middle of a fight between Ryunosuke and dozens of assassins in a burning courtesan house.  It leaves many plot elements and subplots unresolved, including those involving Hyoma Utsugi and Shimada Toranosuke.  Apparently, Kihachi Okamoto, the director of The Sword of Doom, planned to adapt the novel upon which the film is based as a trilogy, but the other films were never made.

That said,  I think that The Sword of Doom is a tremendous samurai film, and, while I have not seen that many samurai films, it is one of the best I have ever seen.  There are three things that draw me to this movie.  First, I like the way the film focuses on Ryunosuke.  It is as if Okamoto points his camera through Ryunosuke's flesh and blood and into his soul.  This film is an examination of an amoral man's interior life; it is an investigation of how such a man lives with and justifies himself.  While Ryunosuke may act as if he does not care about anyone, as the film goes on, he clearly cannot deal with a reckoning – odd for a man who acts as if he is above it all.

The second element that makes me really like this film are the sword duels and group battles.  The battle between Ryunosuke and his victim's clansman at the end of the Spring 1860 segment is bracing, while the duel that initiates this battle is a feast of anticipation.  The fight at the end of the film is just crazy, mad, and crazy-mad-good; seeing Ryunosuke hack, slash, and stab so many of the men trying to kill him made me fell almost delirious or almost sick.  However, I think the best fight in this movie involves the character played by one of my favorite actors.

The late Toshiro Mifune could have made a toilet paper commercial exciting filmed entertainment.  His mere presence in The Sword of Doom elevates the film.  It is as if Mifune first appears in this film to let the viewer know that this movie has a higher purpose than being just another jidaigeki.  When Mifune's Toranosuke kills the perpetrators of a botched assassination attempt, he defines this movie as both a rumination on the evil actions of an evil man and as a tale about the kind of bold men who must fight powerful evil men.

The Sword of Doom is about the struggle of good men of good action against men with evil minds and evil swords.  If not for the abrupt ending, I would say that The Sword of Doom is a perfect film.

8 of 10
A

Sunday, October 22, 2017


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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93 Nations Submitted Entries for the "International Film" Oscar at 93rd Academy Awards

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILMS ELIGIBLE FOR 93RD OSCARS® ANNOUNCED

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced feature films eligible for consideration in the International Feature Film category for the 93rd Academy Awards®.  Eligibility lists by category can be viewed at Oscars.org/93rdFeatureEligibility.  Complete 93rd Academy Awards rules can be found at Oscars.org/rules.

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
Ninety-three countries have submitted films that are eligible for consideration in the International Feature Film category for the 93rd Academy Awards.  An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture (more than 40 minutes) produced outside the United States with a predominantly (more than 50%) non-English dialogue track.  Lesotho, Sudan and Suriname are first-time entrants.

Earlier this year, the Academy’s Board of Governors voted to expand the shortlist from 10 to 15 films.  Academy members from all branches are invited to participate in the preliminary round of voting and must meet a minimum viewing requirement to be eligible to vote in the category.  The shortlist of 15 films was announced on Tuesday, February 9, 2021.

93RD ACADEMY AWARDS® ELIGIBLE FOR CONSIDERATION IN THE INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM CATEGORY:

Listed in alphabetical order by country:
Albania, “Open Door”
Argentina, “The Sleepwalkers”
Armenia, “Songs of Solomon”
Austria, “What We Wanted”
Bangladesh, “Sincerely Yours, Dhaka”
Belgium, “Working Girls”
Bolivia, “Chaco”
Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Quo Vadis, Aida?”
Brazil, “Babenco - Tell Me When I Die”
Bulgaria, “The Father”
Cambodia, “Fathers”
Cameroon, “The Fisherman’s Diary”
Canada, “14 Days, 12 Nights”
Chile, “The Mole Agent”
China, “Leap”
Colombia, “El Olvido Que Seremos (Memories of My Father)”
Costa Rica, “Land of Ashes”
Croatia, “Extracurricular”
Cuba, “Buscando a Casal”
Czech Republic, “Charlatan”
Denmark, “Another Round”
Dominican Republic, “A State of Madness”
Ecuador, “Emptiness”
Egypt, “When We’re Born”
Estonia, “The Last Ones”
Finland, “Tove”
France, “Two of Us”
Georgia, “Beginning”
Germany, “And Tomorrow the Entire World”
Greece, “Apples”
Guatemala, “La Llorona”
Honduras, “Days of Light”
Hong Kong, “Better Days”
Hungary, “Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time”
Iceland, “Agnes Joy”
India, “Jallikattu”
Indonesia, “Impetigore”
Iran, “Sun Children”
Ireland, “Arracht”
Israel, “Asia”
Italy, “Notturno”
Ivory Coast, “Night of the Kings”
Japan, “True Mothers”
Jordan, “200 Meters”
Kazakhstan, “The Crying Steppe”
Kenya, “The Letter”
Kosovo, “Exile”
Kyrgyzstan, “Running to the Sky”
Latvia, “Blizzard of Souls”
Lebanon, “Broken Keys”
Lesotho, “This Is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection”
Lithuania, “Nova Lituania”
Luxembourg, “River Tales”
Malaysia, “Roh”
Mexico, “I’m No Longer Here”
Mongolia, “Veins of the World”
Montenegro, “Breasts”
Morocco, “The Unknown Saint”
Netherlands, “Buladó”
Nigeria, “The Milkmaid”
North Macedonia, “Willow”
Norway, “Hope”
Pakistan, “Circus of Life”
Palestine, “Gaza Mon Amour”
Panama, “Operation Just Cause”
Paraguay, “Killing the Dead”
Peru, “Song without a Name”
Philippines, “Mindanao”
Poland, “Never Gonna Snow Again”
Portugal, “Vitalina Varela”
Romania, “Collective”
Russia, “Dear Comrades!”
Saudi Arabia, “Scales”
Senegal, “Nafi’s Father”
Serbia, “Dara of Jasenovac”
Singapore, “Wet Season”
Slovakia, “The Auschwitz Report”
Slovenia, “Stories from the Chestnut Woods”
South Africa, “Toorbos”
South Korea, “The Man Standing Next”
Spain, “The Endless Trench”
Sudan, “You Will Die at Twenty”
Suriname, “Wiren”
Sweden, “Charter”
Switzerland, “My Little Sister”
Taiwan, “A Sun”
Thailand, “Happy Old Year”
Tunisia, “The Man Who Sold His Skin”
Turkey, “Miracle in Cell No. 7”
Ukraine, “Atlantis”
Uruguay, “Aleli”
Venezuela, “Once upon a Time in Venezuela”
Vietnam, “Dreamy Eyes”

All dates and rules for the 93rd Academy Awards are subject to change based on national guidelines, state-mandated government orders and Academy-determined best practices.

Nominations for the 93rd Academy Awards will be announced on Monday, March 15, 2021.

The 93rd Oscars® will be held on Sunday, April 25, 2021, and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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ABOUT THE ACADEMY:
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a global community of more than 10,000 of the most accomplished artists, filmmakers and executives working in film. In addition to celebrating and recognizing excellence in filmmaking through the Oscars, the Academy supports a wide range of initiatives to promote the art and science of the movies, including public programming, educational outreach and the upcoming Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.

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Amblin Television and HBO Max Developing Series Inspired by the Film, "Rashomon"

Amblin Television and HBO Max Sign Development Deal for an Original Series Inspired by Rashomon

The modern take on the groundbreaking classic will be written by Oscar® nominees Billy Ray and Virgil Williams

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Amblin Television and HBO Max announced that they have entered into a deal to develop a show inspired by the acclaimed Akira Kurosawa film Rashomon, with Oscar® nominees Billy Ray (Captain Phillips, The Hunger Games, The Comey Rule) and Virgil Williams (Mudbound, A Journal for Jordan) writing.

    Amblin Television and HBO Max sign development deal for an original series inspired by Rashomon. The modern take on the groundbreaking classic will be written by Oscar nominees Billy Ray and Virgil Williams.

Amblin Partners’ Co-Presidents of Television Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey (The Americans, Haunting of Hill House) will executive produce, along with Mark Canton (Power, 300) of Atmosphere Entertainment, Leigh Ann Burton of Opus7 Entertainment, and David Hopwood (Den of Thieves, Immortals). Todd Cohen, SVP Television Development, will oversee the day-to-day development of the project for Amblin, with Frank and Falvey.

In 2018, Amblin announced that they had secured the blessing of the Kurosawa family to create a new series inspired by the iconic 1950 film, after Burton and Canton approached them with the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It was Burton who successfully navigated the complex negotiation, to close the deal.

The series will not be an adaptation but will retain the key plot device of the groundbreaking Kurosawa film – a drama centering around a grisly sexual assault and murder, and the unraveling mystery seen through multiple characters’ competing narratives – to explore the themes of truth and subjective point of view, in a modern setting. Each episode will present the perceived truth of an individual character – putting each, in turn, at the center of the story and telling the events surrounding the murder from their unique, self-serving point of view.

"I am delighted to work with Amblin Partners and HBO Max to reimagine Rashomon for today’s audience. I am excited to see my dad’s vision through this inspirational story kept alive and made accessible to a new generation,” said Hisao Kurosawa.

“Truth has become increasingly fractured in this age of cable news and social media’s 'say it and it’s true' culture,” said Frank and Falvey. “Akira Kurosawa’s masterpiece was not just a murder mystery; it was a revolution in storytelling, as cinema’s most impactful and influential early exploration of subjective points of view and flawed narration. Seventy years after the film’s release, the legacy of Rashomon is indisputable and its central themes more relevant than ever. Our series will honor the impact of the original work and explore the age-old concept of objective truth versus subjective perspective in our modern times.”

“It takes a lot of hard work to make the stars align and I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to create an original take on Rashomon – a masterpiece from a true genius of cinema – for new audiences, with the full support and blessing of the Kurosawa family,” said Canton. “Not only that, but to be doing so in partnership with my friends and colleagues at Amblin Television, as well as the brilliantly talented Billy Ray and Virgil Williams, is truly the convergence of hard work and good fortune that every producer hopes for.”

“We are excited to work with Amblin Partners and our incredible writing team. Everyone involved understands the caliber and cache of Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon and his legacy,” said Burton.

“Our partnership on Rashomon is based on our mutual pledge to make every single episode, every scene, and every character of this show a loving homage to Kurosawa’s talent as an artist. That’s our true north,” said Williams and Ray.

Virgil Williams is represented by Craig Brody of Map Point Management and John Meigs Jr. of Hansen, Jacobson, et. al.

Billy Ray is represented by Peter Nichols of Lichter Grossman Nichols Adler Feldman & Clark.


About Amblin Television:
Amblin Television, a long-time leader in quality programming, is a division of Amblin Partners, a content creation company led by Steven Spielberg. Amblin Television’s co-presidents, Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey, oversee all development, production and programming for the company. Amblin Television currently has eight projects in various stages of production and release, including The Haunting of Bly Manor – the follow-up chapter to acclaimed series The Haunting of Hill House – for Netflix, Animaniacs for Hulu, a third season of Roswell, New Mexico for The CW, Brave New World from Peacock, Halo for Showtime, Masters of the Air for Apple, Gremlins for HBO Max, and Resident Alien for SYFY.

Some of Amblin Television’s previous credits include the Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning drama The Americans for FX, Emmy-nominated HBO movie All The Way starring Bryan Cranston, Smash for NBC, Under the Dome for CBS, Falling Skies for TNT, The Borgias and The United States of Tara for Showtime, and Las Vegas for NBC.

http://www.amblin.com

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"Getter Robot Arc" Anime is Due Summer 2021

“Getter Robot Arc" Finally Becomes an Anime!

The last "Getter Robot" by Ken Ishikawa is going through an era of stagnation and chaos!

TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The hit manga series "Getter Robot" by Go Nagai and Ken Ishikawa, which has been running since 1974, is now in its 46th year. The final chapter of the series, "Getter Robot Arc", has finally been made into an anime! A teaser visual and the first PV have been released.
“Getter Robot Arc” is the final installment in the "Getter Robot Saga" manga series by Go Nagai and Ken Ishikawa, which began in 1974.

What is "Getter Robot Saga"?

“Getter Robot Saga” is the generic term for the Getter Robot series, which began with “Getter Robot”.  The original “Getter Robot” was a milestone in the history of coalescing robots. After that, the spirit of "transformation" was inherited in many other work.  “Getter Robot” was followed by "Getter Robot G" (1975~), "Getter Robot Go" (1991~), "Shin Getter Robot" (1997~), and "Getter Robot Arc" started to be serialized in Futabasha's “Super Robot Magazine”, an extra issue of Action Pizzazz, in 2001.  After that, Ken Ishikawa passed away suddenly. Both "Getter Robot Arc" and "Getter Robot Saga" became unfinished masterpieces.

Finally, "Getter Robot Arc" is coming to life!

The anime to be produced this time is a work that reflects the characteristics of the original work more strongly.  The teaser visual depicts the story's main character, Takuma Nagare, the main Robot, Getter Arc, and Hayato Jin, the first pilot of Getter Robot, who is also deeply involved in the series.  In the first PV, the song 'HEATS' by Hironobu Kageyama, that is very popular in the OVA "Getter Robot - The Last Day", is newly recorded in the new version 'HEATS 2021', and you can see the Getter Arc in action.

The animation will be produced by Bee∙Media, the creator of the OVA "Getter Robot Series", and will be directed by Jun Kawagoe, who has worked on "Getter Robot - The Last Day", "Shin Getter Robo vs Neo Getter Robo", and “New Getter Robo”.  It has been 46 years since the series was born. The Getter Robot's exuberant "hot spirit" will break through the current stagnation and chaos.  Don't miss it!

Animation ”Getter Robot Arc”
Animated in summer, 2021

Staff:
Original work: Go Nagai and Ken Ishikawa
Director: Jun Kawagoe
Animation Production: Bee∙Media

Official Website:
“Getter Robot Arc” Official Website: getterrobot-arc.com

“Getter Robot Arc” ©Go Nagai-Ken Ishikawa/DynamicPlanning-Shin Saotome Labo

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VIZ Media Announces Acquisition of "Genie Family 2020"

HOLD ONTO YOUR WISHES BECAUSE THE GENIE FAMILY IS RETURNING

The trailer for Genie Family 2020 is here.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA— Wishes will soon be granted when Genie Family 2020, coming to Crunchyroll this October 2020, hits North and Latin American screens thanks to today’s announcement that VIZ Media has acquired the digital streaming, broadcast, electronic sell-through, home video, and merchandise rights to the revival of the beloved 1969 animation.

Five decades since its debut, and with a new twist on the classic, the funny and loveable King Genie is back in Genie Family 2020, only this time he has a daughter Akubi, who must undergo training in the human world in order to become a worthy queen and his successor.

Set in modern-day Tokyo and packing in all the imagination, adventure, and humor for which the original is known, Akubi's royal training begins with Kantaro, the grandson of King Genie's former master — but this new master Kantaro is in grade school, and Akubi’s wish-granting is anything but predictable. Along for the ride is Akubi’s kid brother, who loves to be mischievous.

Since debuting in 1969, Genie Family has carefully distilled the essence of friendship and dreaming big – between laughs – capturing the wonder and joy of life’s ups and downs while delivering precious nuggets of poignant wisdom along the way. The latest remake comes after two previously successful spin-offs — 2001 Yobarete Tobedete! Akubi-chan and 2006 Akubi Girl.

“Genie Family is one of the most endearing animations of its time, and we are thrilled for a whole new audience to meet the latest generation alongside fan favorite King Genie in brand-new adventures,” said Brad Woods, CMO of VIZ Media. “What was true in 1969 when the original show premiered is still true today: wishes and dreams have endless potential. We can’t wait for today’s kids to meet Kantaro, Akubi, and her rascally kid brother.”

Directing the series is Atsushi Nigorikawa, with Hiroko Kanasugi handling series composition; Shin Takemoto and Masatsune Noguchi are behind the character designs, while the music composition is by Takamitsu Shimazaki, Hiroshi Sasaki, and Teppei Shimizu. The animation production is by Tatsunoko Production (Speed Racer, Gotchaman, Casshan, Hurricane Polymar and Tekkaman, and Infini-T Force).

Genie Family 2020 stars:
    Koichi Yamashita (Hakushon): "Ranma 1/2" Ryoga Hibiki
    Sumire Morohoshi (Akubi): "The Promised Neverland" (2019) Emma
    Daiki Yamashita (Puuta): "My Hero Academia" (2016 - 2019) Izuku Midoriya
    Miyuri Shimabukuro (Kantaro): "Carole & Tuesday" (2019) Carole


About VIZ Media:
An international authority on manga for more than three decades, VIZ Media is leading the way in what’s now, new and next. Reaching one in four millennials and half of all Gen Z manga readers, VIZ is at the forefront of America’s Japanese pop-culture phenomenon, which today dominates multiple industries from publishing and animation to film and gaming. VIZ is proud to be the #1 destination for manga in America and home to some of the most prestigious anime brands driving the industry. Combined with a market share footprint larger than household names collectively, VIZ has pivoted from a localization company to a market leading pop culture publisher and producer. For more about VIZ Media, please visit viz.com

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Yen Press Announces New Manga and Books for August 2020

Acquisition Announcement – Yen Press Acquires Seven New Titles for August 2020

NEW YORK, NY – Yen Press, LLC announced its latest acquisitions today, including a novel adaptation of Makoto Shinkai’s The Garden of Words, the Konosuba light novel spinoff Konosuba: An Explosion on this Wonderful World! Bonus Story: We are the Megumin Bandits and five manga series: Last Round Arthurs, Majo Raba Majo Reba, Yoshi no Zuikara: The Frog in the Well Does Not Know the Ocean, ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Department P.S. and Puella Magi Madoka Magica Omnibus Edition. All seven titles will release in August 2020.

The Garden of Words
Story by Makoto Shinkai

From director Makoto Shinkai comes the novel adaptation of his award-winning 2013 film Garden of Words, a moody drama about two lonely souls who meet in the garden of Shinjuku during rainy season and help each other “learn to walk again” in life.

From Makoto Shinkai, the prolific storyteller responsible for critically-acclaimed films such as your name. and Weathering With You, comes a novel adaptation of The Garden of Words, a visually stunning and touching film from 2013 that is currently streaming on Netflix.

Konosuba: An Explosion on this Wonderful World! Bonus Story: We are the Megumin Bandits
Story by Natsume Akatsuki
Illustration by Kasumi Morino

The right magic words can stir a person’s soul. For Megumin, those words are “vigilante justice.” Join everyone’s favorite one-trick wizard, as well as Iris the Headstrong, Cecily the Problematic, and Yunyun…as they get a taste of the righteous bandit lifestyle! Evil aristocrats beware!

“For the sake of justice, there’s no line I won’t cross! No criminal act I won’t commit!”

An ongoing bonus series that ties into the light novel spinoff Konosuba: An Explosion on This Wonderful World!, which features the beloved arch-wizard Megumin as the protagonist, Konosuba: An Explosion on This Wonderful World! Bonus Story: We are the Megumin Bandits is a laugh-out-loud series filled with vigilante justice and plenty of Megumin!

Last Round Arthurs
Story by Taro Hitsuji
Art by Yuzuriha
Original Illustration by Kiyotaka Haimura

In all honesty, Rintarou's life is boring as hell. If you ask him, he was born into this world with too much talent. Everything goes too according to plan. His way of having fun? Joining forces with the weakest candidate, Luna Artur, in the upcoming battle to become King Arthur's successor—and save the world from impending doom.

The only problem? She's the scummiest of scum, pawning off her sacred sword and forcing her knight, Sir Kay, into some seriously skeevy cosplays! Or so he thinks—until a close encounter with death, when her true power astonishes all. Make way for an unexpected take on the age-old legends of King Arthur!

A manga adaptation of the Last Round Arthurs light novel series by Taro Hitsuji, the writer of Akashic Records of Bastard Magic Instructor. The first volume of the Last Round Arthurs light novel is currently available from Yen Press.

Majo Raba Majo Reba
Story and Art by Sakurai Ato

Haruka Kuse sees Maruna Rinjou as his savior—he owes his life to her blood transfusion, after all. But what he never knew is that she’s actually a witch! Haruka wants to repay the favor somehow, and the answer is…crossdressing to help Maruna pass her magic exams?!

Ato Sakurai, author of Today’s Cerberus, brings a fiery new magical romance! Combining cute artwork with a hilarious hijinks, Majo Raba Majo Reba is a must-read for fans of shonen comedy.

Yoshi no Zuikara: The Frog in the Well Does Not Know the Ocean
Story and Art by Yoshino Satsuki

A new story about one man’s creative struggles arrives courtesy of Satsuki Yoshino, author of Barakamon! Can a ten-year manga artist with experience only in the fantasy genre pivot to drawing a down-to-Earth story about regular folks? It’s sink-or-swim for Naruhiko Toono and his career!

From Satsuki Yoshino, creator of Barakamon and Handa-kun, comes a new series involving the subject of mangaka and the artistic process. The series stands out as an intriguing read for fans of slice-of-life stories as well as fans of series focusing on the manga industry, such as Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun and Bakuman.

ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Department P.S.
Story and Art by Natsume Ono

Dive back into Natsume Ono’s world of clandestine intrigue and delectable eats! This spin-off puts the spotlight on the supporting characters seen throughout the original series—including the five chief officers of ACCA, Nino, and Mauve! Discover closely guarded secrets, hidden thoughts, and true feelings in the Dowa Kingdom.

A two-volume spin-off of Natsume Ono’s ACCA 13-Territory Inspection Department, a sophisticated tale of espionage that was adapted into an anime in 2017. All six volumes of the original ACCA 13-Territory Inspection Department manga are available from Yen Press.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica Omnibus Edition
Story by Magica Quartet
Art by Hanokage

When a new girl joins her class, Madoka Kaname feels she recognizes the mysterious, dark-haired transfer student from one of her dreams...a dream where she is approached by a cat-like creature who offers Madoka an opportunity to change destiny. Madoka had always thought magic was the stuff of fantasy...until she sees the transfer student fighting with the very cat-being from her dream! And just like in Madoka's dream, the cat gives her a choice: Will Madoka become a Puella Magi in exchange for her dearest desire? What will be the cost of having her wish come true?

A collection of the three-volume Puella Magi Madoka Magica manga series published by Yen Press into a single omnibus volume. Puella Magi Madoka Magica retells the story of the iconic animated series from Gen Urobuchi, a series which has stood out as one of the most beloved anime of the past decade.


About Yen Press, LLC
­­Yen Press, LLC is a joint venture between Kadokawa Corporation and Hachette Book Group. Founded in 2006, Yen Press has quickly risen to become one of the largest and most prolific publishers of manga and original graphic novels in the North American marketplace and a driving force in the introduction of light novels and Japanese literature to new readers through its Yen On imprint. For more information, visit www.yenpress.com.

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VIZ Media Announces New Manga and Blu-ray Titles for December 2019

VIZ MEDIA PRESENTS NEW HOME MEDIA AND PUBLISHING RELEASES FOR DECEMBER 2019

Get The Latest Blu-ray Set For BLEACH Anime Series And New Manga Releases JUJUTSU KAISEN And Junji Ito’s NO LONGER HUMAN

VIZ Media wraps up 2019 with three new home media and publishing releases for December 2019. First up, BLEACH Blu-ray Set 5 continues Ichigo’s fight against the Arrancars, all in beautiful HD and packed with bonus features. The popular supernatural SHONEN JUMP series JUJUTSU KAISEN receives a long-awaited print and digital debut. Finally, horror master Junji Ito’s ultimate adaptation of an immortal work of Japanese literature, NO LONGER HUMAN by author Osamu Dazai, will be available as a deluxe hardcover edition.

New Home Media for December:

BLEACH Blu-ray Set 5 - Blu-ray MSRP: $54.97 U.S. / $63.99 CAN · Available December 3rd

As Ichigo fears the growing strength of the Hollow within him, the Soul Society detects an attack on the World of the Living by Arrancars—Hollows with Soul Reaper powers created by the traitor Sosuke Aizen! Ichigo rushes to the aid of his friends, but his Hollow interferes. Can Ichigo master his inner self in time to help defeat the threat of the Arrancars? And who are the mysterious Visoreds who are interested in recruiting him? Set 5 features 28 episodes on four Blu-ray discs (Eps. 112-139). Bonus features include a VIZ staff commentary track that is available for select episodes, digital art gallery and clean opening and endings.

New Publishing Releases for December:

JUJUTSU KAISEN By Gege Akutami - MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN · Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens - Available December 3rd

In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna were lost and scattered about. Should any demon consume Sukuna’s body parts, the power they gain could destroy the world as we know it. Fortunately, there exists a mysterious school of Jujutsu Sorcerers who exist to protect the precarious existence of the living from the supernatural!

NO LONGER HUMAN By Junji Ito - MSRP: $34.99 U.S. / $46.99 CAN · Rated ‘M’ for Mature Readers - Available December 17th

Plagued by a maddening anxiety, the terrible disconnect between his own concept of happiness and the joy of the rest of the world, Yozo Oba plays the clown in his dissolute life, holding up a mask for those around him as he spirals ever downward, locked arm-in-arm with death.

Osamu Dazai’s immortal—and supposedly autobiographical—work of Japanese literature, is perfectly adapted here into a manga by Junji Ito. The imagery wrenches open the text of the novel one line at a time to sublimate Yozo’s mental landscape into something even more delicate and grotesque. This is the ultimate in art by Ito, proof that nothing can surpass the terror of the human psyche.

For additional information on anime and manga titles distributed and published by VIZ Media, please visit viz.com.

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VIZ Media Offers New Anime, Manga, and Book Holiday Gift Options

VIZ MEDIA PRESENTS AN EXCITING SELECTION OF ANIME AND PUBLISHING TITLES FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Holiday Season Gifts Include SAILOR MOON And CASTLEVANIA Home Video, Deluxe TRANSFORMERS Art Book, Manga Box Sets And More

VIZ Media offers fans a diverse collection of titles to add to their wish lists this holiday season. Featured anime titles include Season 2 of the acclaimed Netflix Original Anime Series CASTLEVANIA as well as the series finale of SAILOR MOON, available for the first time ever on home video in the U.S. Fans can also enjoy a limited edition of TRANSFORMERS: A VISUAL HISTORY celebrating the franchise’s 35th anniversary, and a deluxe DRAGON BALL art book. Additional offerings come from fan-favorite series including BLEACH and BORUTO: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS, ONE PIECE, RWBY and much more.

Anime Gift Selections:

CASTLEVANIA SEASON 2 - Blu-ray MSRP: $29.98 U.S. / $34.99 CAN · DVD MSRP: $24.98 U.S. / $29.99 CAN

Trevor Belmont, last survivor of his house, is no longer alone, and he and his misfit comrades, Sypha Belnades and Alucard race to find a way to save humanity from extinction at the hands of the grief-maddened Dracula and his sinister vampire war council.

SEASON 2’s special features include production animatics, storyboards, art gallery and more!

SAILOR MOON SAILOR STARS PART 2 - Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack MSRP: $69.99 U.S. / $81.99 CAN · DVD MSRP: $39.99 U.S. / $51.99 CAN · Available November 12th (Part 1 Available Now) 

Although the popularity of the Idol group Three Lights is off the charts, Usagi hasn't realized that Seiya, Yaten and Taiki are the Sailor Star Lights. But with the number of Phage growing in the city, the purpose of star seeds is the biggest mystery that needs to be solved. Could the mysterious Chibi-Chibi hold the answer? The tide is turning, but not in Usagi's favor. Her allies are being overpowered, and altered timelines are confusing the fate she knows to be true: Mamoru is her true love, Neo Crystal Tokyo is her future kingdom and her fellow Guardians will be her eternal protectors...right? The ultimate battle with the chaotic Sailor Galaxia lies ahead, and the fate of all existence lies in the balance.

Special features include cast interviews, trailers, opening & ending songs, and art gallery.

JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE: DIAMOND IS UNBREAKABLE Part 1 - Blu-ray MSRP: $69.99 U.S. / $81.99 CAN · DVD MSRP: $39.99 U.S. / $51.99 CAN

It's 1999, and Jotaro Kujo has just arrived in the idyllic Japanese town of Morioh—only this time, he's not hunting DIO and his henchmen. His search for the illegitimate child of Joseph Joestar has brought him face-to-face with Josuke Higashikata, a Stand-wielding, butt-kicking high schooler who happens to be afraid of turtles. But behind Morioh's tranquil facade is an invisible evil slowly eating away at the peace and well-being of its residents. Bizarre happenings are becoming commonplace, and the Joestar clan must rise to the occasion if they and the town of Morioh are to survive.

MEGALOBOX Limited Edition Blu-ray - MSRP: $69.99 U.S. / $81.99 CAN

Bored, resigned, and unfulfilled, a young man with neither name nor past survives by fighting in underground matches of a sport called "Megalobox," a form of boxing that utilizes powered exoskeletons. Calling himself JNK.DOG, he feels trapped in a world of crime, poverty, and ecological collapse. All that changes when he has a chance encounter with Yuri, the reigning king of Megalobox. Now, obsessed with proving himself, JNK.DOG becomes a man driven to do whatever it takes to fight his way to the top of the rankings and take on the champion.

Also Available!

BLEACH 1-4 Blu-ray Sets; Set 5 available December 3rd! - MSRP: $54.97 U.S. / $63.99 CAN

BORUTO: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS 1-3 Blu-ray & DVD Sets - Blu-ray MSRP: $44.98 U.S. / $52.99 CAN · DVD MSRP: $39.99 U.S. / $51.99 CAN

Deluxe Book Gift Selections:

DRAGON BALL: A VISUAL HISTORY By Akira Toriyama - MSRP: $34.99 U.S. / $46.99 CAN · Available November 12th

A comprehensive art book showcasing manga art, additional promotional material, creator commentary and notes/sketches/posters, from throughout the history of the original DRAGON BALL series. This hardcover book with dust jacket comes protected in an upscale slipcase.

TRANSFORMERS: A VISUAL HISTORY By Jim Sorenson - Limited Edition MSRP: $99.99 U.S. / $125.00 CAN · Available November 12th

The deluxe limited edition comes packaged in a beautiful collector’s box with an exclusive variant cover design and five gorgeous and frame-ready prints.

One of the world’s most popular franchises, Transformers has been delighting fans since 1984. Now, in this deluxe hardcover celebration, Hasbro reveals behind-the-scenes production sketches, beautifully polished final art, and everything in-between. From the obscure to the iconic, this book features packaging artwork, animation models, video game designs, comic pages, and, for the first time ever, production artwork from all six Paramount live-action films! Lovingly curated by Transformers expert Jim Sorenson, this is the most comprehensive collection of Transformers imagery ever assembled.

THE WORLD OF RWBY By Daniel Wallace - MSRP: $39.99 U.S. / $53.99 CAN

The definitive companion to the hit animated series, THE WORLD OF RWBY is the ultimate celebration of a pop-culture phenomenon. Go behind the scenes with exclusive commentary from Rooster Teeth and explore the show’s creation through in-depth interviews with the writers, animators and voice artists. With comprehensive analysis of key characters and iconic episodes, and showcasing stunning visuals from the series, this is the must-have book for RWBY fans around the world.

Also Available!

ONE PIECE COLOR WALK COMPENDIUM: WATER SEVEN TO PARAMOUNT WAR By Eiichiro Oda - MSRP: $39.99 U.S. / $53.99 CAN

EVANGELION ILLUSTRATIONS 2007-2017 - MSRP: $34.99 U.S. / $46.99 CAN

Manga Box Set Gift Selections:

ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM COMPLETE BOX SET By Yusei Matsui - MSRP: $189.99 U.S. / $249.99 CAN · Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens

The complete bestselling ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM series is now available in a boldly designed, value-priced box set! Includes all 21 volumes of this unique tale of a mysterious, smiley-faced, tentacled, superpowered teacher who guides a group of misfit students to find themselves—while doing their best to assassinate him. Action-packed, hilarious, and heartwarming, this title is famous for moving fans to tears through their laughter. Includes an exclusive, full-color, mini “yearbook” filled with images of favorite characters in different art styles and contexts (previously unreleased in the English editions).

DRAGON BALL COMPLETE BOX SET by Akira Toriyama - MSRP: $139.99 U.S. / $179.99 CAN · Rated ‘T’ For Teens

The DRAGON BALL COMPLETE BOX SET contains all 16 volumes of the original manga that kicked off the global phenomenon. Also includes an exclusive double-sided poster and collector’s booklet featuring fun DRAGON BALL trivia and guides as well as an interview with its legendary creator.

DRAGON BALL Z COMPLETE BOX SET by Akira Toriyama - MSRP: $219.99 U.S. / $279.99 CAN · Rated ‘A’ For All Ages

The DRAGON BALL Z COMPLETE BOX SET contains all 26 volumes of the manga that propelled the global phenomenon that started with DRAGON BALL into one of the world’s most recognizable and best-selling manga. Also includes an exclusive double-sided poster and collector’s booklet featuring fun DRAGON BALL Z trivia and guides as well as an interview with Akira Toriyama.

For additional information on these properties and other anime and manga titles distributed and published by VIZ Media, please visit viz.com.

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