Recently in Japanese Movies Category

Drunken Angel [Yoidore Tenshi]

酔いどれ天使

Genre: Quasi-historical Yakuza Drama [Post-war Japan: 1948]

review in one breath

This very early Kurosawa film retells the historical tale of Yoshitsune's perilous and skillful escape from the hands of his warring brother. It is a legendary tale, well-beloved in Japanese history, here brought to the screen in a highly entertaining and effective way. This is truly one to check out.

Death Note 2: The Last Name
[Desu Nōto 2: the Last Name]

デスノート the Last name

Genre: Supernaturally-Fueled Crime Thriller

review in one breath

This is the second and concluding film of the two-part Death Note live action saga. Here Kira continues his strategic maneuvering under the watchful pursuits of his nemesis, the boy-genius "L". Whose name will be "the Last name" written in the Death Note?

Death Note
[Desu Nōto]

デスノート

Genre: Supernaturally-Fueled Crime Thriller

review in one breath

When a young man stumbles across and touches a mysterious notebook, his eyes are opened to the supernatural forces of Death Gods or "Shinigami" who work behind the scenes of human mortality. When an individual's name is merely written in this Death Note, that soul dies within mere seconds. Possessing such a flawless weapon immediately requires decisions regarding murder, the Law, an ideal society and above all, Justice. This is a face-paced and highly strategic crime thriller based on the popular manga series.

Ravaged House
[Tadareta Ie : "Zoroku no Kibyou" yori]

爛れた家「蔵六の奇病」より

Genre: Tale of Dismal Collectivism and Local Superstition

review in one breath

In a rural village, a young man is suddenly stricken with a mysterious and terrible disease which transforms him into an unrecognizable mass of festering sores. Fearful of the local towns people's opinion and reaction, the family strives to keep their diseased son hidden from sight. But when the nosy mayor and his delinquent son take things into their own hands, the horrible secret is brought to light with dreadful consequences for everyone involved. This is the last tale in Hideshi Hino's Theater of Horror Hexology.

Lizard Baby
[Watashi no Akachun]

わたしの赤ちゃん

Genre: Embryonic Terror!

review in one breath

In an attempt to overcome writer's block, an aspiring horror screenplay writer uses his wife's pregnancy as the backdrop for a new gripping and well-received tale. As both his story and the subsequent film progress toward their completion, his finds his real-life situation paralleling the more horrifying elements of his imagination, not least of which is his wife's giving birth to a LIZARD BABY! This is tale five in Hideshi Hino's Theater of Horror Hexology.

Tekkonkinkreet
[Tekkon Kinkreet]

鉄コン筋クリート

Genre: Yakuza-infused Orphan Youth Angst

review in one breath

In the last remaining vestige of an otherwise over-modernized metropolis, two orphaned children have learned to live both freely and violently amongst rival gang intrusion, yakuza activity, and the good-natured help from some similarly-minded, decade-weary citizens. This tale, seen through their own eyes, is wholly about the survival and destruction of these two orphaned youths, not only in terms of their physical safety but also their mental landscape. Childhood dreams and hopes struggle headlong with the reality of urban decay, vicious crime, and the crippling sense of loss.

Dead Girl Walking
[Kaiki! Shinin Shôjo]

死人少女

Genre: Postmortem Teen Angst

review in one breath

Although young Yuri suffers a fatal heart attack she finds herself unable to play dead. Instead, she lurches around dropping various body parts as she becomes more isolated and ostracized from her family and friends. When all other relationships and physical cohesiveness abandon her, she must decide her own fate. This is the second volume (of six) of manga artist Hideshi Hino's "Theater of Horror" now available in Region 1 release.

Boy from Hell
[Jigoku kozô]

地獄小僧

Genre:Manga-based Z-grade Schlock-gore Horror

review in one breath

When her only child is tragically killed, prominent surgeon Chiba Emma will stop at nothing to bring him back. For both audiences and victims alike, this unfortunately entails a gamut of schlock-gore violence and the creepy de-evolution of a loving mother into the MILF from Hell. This is volume one (of six) of manga artist Hideshi Hino's "Theater of Horror" now available in Region 1 release.

Karas : The Revelation
[Karasu]

鴉

Genre: Explosive Conclusion to this Kick-Ass Sci-Fi Samurai Epic

review in one breath

This final half to the visually explosive Karas storyline will certainly not disappoint. Rendered in both cell anime and crisp CG techniques, this entire tale of Shinto-esque resurrection and samurai-like vengeance is truly one to behold. Fans of (testosterone fueled) tales of revenge and vengeance will certainly get their fill here. And fans of redemptive, humanistic struggles and triumphs over moral ambiguities and wrong decisions will also be knee deep. If you can, certainly see this.

Karas : The Prophecy
[Karas]

鴉

Genre: Fascinating Anime Blend of Traditional and Futuristic Monsters

review in one breath

To the human eye, contemporary Shinjuku seems merely a bustling city brimming with normal human affairs. But as this tale demonstrates, the ancient yokai, supernatural beings of traditional lore, continue to live among and within humanity even in this day and age. Diligently guarding the interaction between these two realms is Karas, a formidable ghost warrior of exceptional skills. This is the first of a beautifully rendered two volume set providing the latest in cutting edge Japanese animation.

Paprika
[Papurika]

パプリカ

Genre: Psychedelic Sci-Fi Anime
Director: Kon Satoshi (2006)

review in one breath

Dreams and Reality collide with devastating consequence in this highly colorful and imaginative anime by director Satoshi Kon. After years of effort, a research team has nearly perfected a device which taps into a subject's dreams. The goal of the project is to use the device to help subjects overcome psychological obstacles and enhance the growth of consciousness. But it the wrong hands and quickly proves a malevolent weapon which not only melts the minds of its victims but soon overlaps objective reality with the subjective manipulation of Nightmare.

Pornostar
[Poruno Sutaa ]

U.S. release tile: Tokyo Rampage

ポルノスター

Genre: Psychotically Anti-Social Neo Yakuza Youth
Director: Toyoda Toshiaki (1998)

review in one breath

Here is an absolutely excellent film for fans of the contemporary neo yakuza genre. Director Toyoda Toshiaki may be better known to Western audiences for Blue Spring (Aoi Haru), another excellent nihilistic urban youth tale, which he directed 3 years after this film. Set in the urban youth culture of Shibuya, Tokyo, Pornostar offers its own exploration of the impact of yakuza influence upon youth culture. By creating a truly unique protagonist, which is simultaneously beyond morality yet somehow set against the moral scourge of the yakuza, Toyoda leads his audience into the deepest corners of Tokyo's influential sub-culture of crime.

Sword of Doom
[Dai-bosatsu tôge]

大菩薩峠

Genre: Evil Mind, Evil Sword Samurai Tale
Director: Okamoto Kihachi (1966)

review in one breath

The principles of samurai bushido are in sharp focus here, demonstrating the zen-like connection between the swordsman's mind and his use of the blade. Sword of Doom examines an unruly samurai with ruthless sword skills whose ego and moral deficiencies lead him down a path of ultimate destruction. This is truly a classic samurai film in that it is wholly about the bushido mentality and how one's moral character and discipline ultimately decide one's fate.

Incident at Blood Pass [Machibuse]

待ち伏せ

Genre: Yojimbo Samurai Tale
Director: Inagaki Hiroshi (1970)

review in one breath

A rogue ronin samurai is hired by a mysterious man to travel to a snowy mountain pass and wait for further instructions. Along the way he rescues an abused maiden who asks to accompany him until he reaches his destination. Once there, the samurai encounters a hodge-podge of seemingly innocuous local characters who unbeknownst to him are plotting a major ambush of an official caravan soon to pass their way. This is the last of Toshiro Mifune's "Yojimbo" films.

Nightmare Detective [Akumu Tantei]

悪夢探偵

Genre: Gloomy Psychic Crime Horror
Director: Tsukamoto Shinya (2006)

review in one breath

Tokyo police are baffled by a series of grisly deaths which at first glance appear to be obvious suicides but after further investigation have all the earmarks of homicide. Eyewitnesses to some of the cases report that the victims violently killed themselves in their sleep while screaming for help. When it is discovered that each of the victims had phoned a mysterious individual known only as "0", a detective calls the number only to soon thereafter die a gruesome self-inflicted death in his sleep. At their wits end, the cops ask the help of a bedraggled psychic said to possess the ability to enter people's dreams.

Dai-Nipponjin [Dai Nippon Jin]

大日本人

Genre: Traditional Kaijuu Deconstruction
Director: Matsumoto Hitoshi (2007)

review in one breath

Masaru Daisato is a 4th generation Japanese superhero. His father, Grand Father and Great-Grand Father before him had protected the Japanese Islands from ultimate destruction at the hands of various monsters (kaijuu) rising from both land and sea. Unlike his ancestors, however, who were nationally heralded as beloved heroes and were often invited into the Imperial Palace, Masaru's personal life is in shambles. He is divorced, has little income, and in the eyes of many contemporary Japanese is far less spectacular than the historical hype suggests. The film Dai-Nipponjin is a documentary following Masaru's mundane daily life and superhero responsibilities in an effort to understand the man behind the legend.

Samurai Chicks [Dokuritsu shôjo gurentai]

独立少女紅蓮隊

Genre: Politically-minded Ninja-ettes
Director: Mari Asato (2007)

review in one breath

Deep within the basement of Tokyo's Orion Dance Academy is a politically subversive training ground where aspiring young starlettes are transformed into assassins and spies. Highly skilled in toe-tapping terrorist techniques and sophisticated disguises (such as a large Pink Bunny suit!), our team of four babettes must fight the diabolical security forces of Japan to free their Mother Land, Okinawa. Will they succeed? Will they survive? Will they be able to finally perfect that cool but tricky dance move before their oppressors come crashing down upon them???

Prayer Beads [Omoinotama Nenju]

オモヒノタマ 念珠

Genre: Horror Anthology

review in one breath

This is a 9 episode collection of Japanese horror vignettes, all either directed or supervised by CG/FX guru Masahiro Okano. With stories ranging from psychadelic sci-fi to traditional folk horror, from the sentimental to the macabre, this collections presents a number of entertaining tales with impressive cinematography. In relation to the other Japanese horror anthologies released in the West, this collection stands near the top in terms of cinematic quality and visual polish.

Carved [Kuchisake Onna]

口裂け女

Genre: Urban Legend Horror
Director: Kôji Shiraishi (2007)

review in one breath

The well known urban legend of a slit-mouthed woman comes suddenly to life in a small Japanese town, terrifying first the children and then adults while wreaking havoc on a few unfortunate victims. This is a modern re-telling with a few unique twists of a century-old tale of a horribly disfigured woman whose vengeful spirit abducts children and submits them to a grisly fate.

Ghost Train [Otoshimono]

オトシモノ

Genre: Mass Transit Horror
Director: Takeshi Ken Furusawa (2006)

review in one breath

On any given day, the number of items turned into the Japan Railway's Lost and Found division is staggering. In most cases, such items are discovered and turned in by honest individuals who soon thereafter forget wholly about the incident. But in a few documented cases in a particularly remote mountainous region, those finding lost items soon go missing themselves.

Ring: The Final Chapter [Ringu : Saishūshō]

リング -- 最終章

Genre: Ringu-based TV series
Director: Hiroshi Nishitani, et al. (1999)

review in one breath

This is a 12-episode, 10-hour, made-for-TV adaptation of Koji Suzuki's now infamous novel, Ringu. This originally aired on Fuji TV in 1999 only months after the theatrical release of Nakata Hideo's genre-busting film. Loosely based on the original tale, this is a quasi-horror crime thriller which despite a far lesser shock value than the film, remains a very polished and entertaining series.

Apartment 1303 [1303 go shitsu]

1303号室

Genre: Haunted House Horror
Director: Ataru Oikawa (2007)

review in one breath

One after another, a series of new tenants in an oceanfront apartment on the 13th floor leap to their deaths in what local police can only describe as "serial suicide". When the sister of the most recent victim decides to investigate, she discovers that Apartment 1303 holds a very dark, powerful and horrific secret.

Rinne [Reincarnation]

輪廻

Genre: Supernatural Horror
Director: Takashi Shimizu (2005)

review in one breath

The concepts of reincarnation, curse and karma are explored in this tale involving a determined film director's attempt to base his new horror film on a grisly mass murder in a remote mountain inn more than 40 years prior. When he takes the cast for a film shoot at the actual location of the crime, the lead actress soon descends into haunting visions. This is the third film in the "J Horror Theater Series" and is directed by J-horror guru Shimizu Takeshi.

Mizuchi [Death Water]

水霊

Genre: Shinto-based Supernatural Horror
Director: Kiyoshi Yamamoto (2006)

review in one breath

An earthquake in a remote mountainous region unearths an ancient Shinto shrine dedicated to Yomotsu - Hirasaka, the mythical entrance to the Shinto underworld and its Fountain of the Dead. The discovery is significant both archaeologically and academically, but soon impacts surrounding residents as its terrible secret seeps into the local water supply causing horrific thirst, mind-bending visions and violent deaths.

One Missed Call: Final [Chakushin Ari Final]

Genre: Technology-Enabled Supernatural Horror
Director: Manabu Asao (2006)

review in one breath

DON'T ANSWER THAT PHONE!!! The cursed calls are back, this time decimating a group of high school students on a field trip to South Korea. Obnoxious screaming youth, a heart-wrenching tribute to the beauty of sign language, helpful tips on where to "hang" out in downtown Seoul, and a whole new way to be wrong about basic internet functionality are ALL included in this third and hopefully "final" installment of the One Missed Call saga.

Kokkuri-san [Kokkuri]

Genre: Ouija-Fueled Teen Angst Ghost Tale
Director: Takahisa Zeze (1997)

review in one breath

In the midst of dealing with boyfriends, secret lives and existential gloominess three high school girls decide to consult a Ouija board for insights into their futures. Little do they realize that Kokkuri-san, the guiding force behind their foray into spiritism, is ready to unleash a dismal, karmic, supernatural whirlwind which brings nothing but destruction to them all.

Sakebi [Retribution]

Genre: Supernatural Psychological Thriller
Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa (2006)

review in one breath

Soon after investigating the muder of a young woman, a hardened detective finds that he is haunted by the woman's ghost and discovers several inexplicable clues seemingly linking him to the crime. As he struggles to understand his nightmarish predicament, both inner and outer worlds collide in this disturbing and mind-bending morality tale.

EXTE [Ekusute]

Genre: Hair-Raising (!!!) Supernatural Horror
Director: Sion Sono (2007)

review in one breath

When a bizarre hair fetishist stumbles upon an eery corpse sprouting metric tons of hair, he euphorically shares his bounty by selling dark snippets to eager salons throughout the town for use in increasingly popular hair extensions (or as the Japanese call them, "exte"). Little do they realize that a malevolent retribution is meted out upon anyone coming into contact with the slithering locks of hair, possessing their scalps in a most hair-raising fashion!

Criminal Woman: Killing Melody
[Zenka Onna Karoshi Bushi]

前科おんな　殺し節

Genre: Bad Girls Causing Yakuza Wars

review in one breath

After the ruthless murder of her father, Miki swears revenge against the Oba Yakuza Clan, but her reckless attempt only gets her locked up in jail where she is befriended by a number of socially delinquent females. After serving their time, the girls band together in order help Miki carry out her plot to take down the Oba gang. But problems quickly arise when they discover one of their toughest former cellmates is Oba's lover.

Ugetsu Monogatari
[Tales of Moonlight and Rain]

雨月物語

Genre: Classic Japanese Ghost Tale

review in one breath

This classic supernatural morality tale follows the path of two men who prioritize their ambitions above all else and inadvertently set aside their families and responsibilities. This 1953 ghost tale is arguably the FIRST truly Japanese horror film and is thus required viewing for anyone seriously interested in the whole of J-Horror.

They Who Step on Tiger's Tail
[Tora no O wo Fumu Otokotachi]

虎の尾を踏む男たち

Genre: Historical Samurai Tale (Kamakura Era 1185-1392 AD)

review in one breath

This very early Kurosawa film retells the historical tale of Yoshitsune's perilous and skillful escape from the hands of his warring brother. It is a legendary tale, well-beloved in Japanese history, here brought to the screen in a highly entertaining and effective way. This is truly one to check out.

Sukenban Deka
[Girl Boss Detective]

スケバン刑事

Genre: Yo-Yo Wielding High School Girl Saves the World (Again)

review in one breath

When a political revolutionary takes over a remote school in order to convert its students into terrorists, young Saki dusts off her killer yo-yo, enlists the help of long-time friends, and promptly proceeds to bring the school and its revolutionary leader to their knees. This film is based on the Japanese TV series and casts the same familiar personalities.

The Great Yokai War
[Youkai Dai Sensou]

妖怪大戦争

Genre: Traditional Monster Explosion

review in one breath

After being singled out at a local Shinto festival, Young Tadashi finds himself in the middle of an epic battle between traditional youkai and the forces of Evil. This is a rather amazing tale utilizing nearly every traditional youkai known. Directed by Miike Takashi and tapping Mizuki Shigeru for creative design, this is a veritable smorgasbord of fun and nostalgia.

Kamikaze Girls
[Shimotsuma monogatari]

下妻物語

Genre: Very fun and cool female friendship adventure

review in one breath

Momoko is dainty, enjoys needlepoint and never goes out without a flambouyantly frilly dress. Ichigo is a rough-mouthed girl biker whose two predominant behaviours are spitting and head-butting. This unlikely pair collide and strike up an awkward friendship in the forlorn rural environ of Shimotsuma, Ibaragi. Their unusual adventures easily results in one the best recent films you can see.

Gakkou no Kaidan 3
[aka Gakkou no Kwaidan 3 or Haunted School 3]

学校の怪談 3

Genre: Child-centric Ghost Story

review in one breath

Regaining some of the core, good-natured elements from the original Gakkou no Kaidan (which were unfortunated dropped from Gakkou no Kaidan 2), here director Kaneko takes a shot at conjuring up a school-aged horror taking place in the dark hallways of a large and foreboding elementary school building. The fruits of his efforts are both visually and narratively impressive, resulting in a highly recommendable ghost story for all ages which carries a meaningful humanitarian message.

Gakkou no Kaidan 1
[aka Gakkou no Kwaidan or Haunted School]

学校の怪談

Genre: SUPERB Child-centric Ghost Story

review in one breath

This is a really a fun and effective movie. With the exception of a couple, less-than-perfect adults, the cast throughout are child actors through whose eyes and imaginations this wonderfully creative ghost story unfolds. The diversity of spooks presented here is quite impressive and makes this story more entertaining than merely waiting to see the same old ghost appear and reappear. This became an instant classic in Japan.

NIN x NIN : Ninja Hattori-Kun - The Movie [Ninja Star]

ＮＩＮ　ＮＩＮ　忍者ハットリくん　ＴＨＥ　ＭＯＶＩＥ

Genre: Comedic Contemporary Ninja Tale

review in one breath

This light-hearted and comedic story places Ninja Hattori-kun in a final "training mission" smack in the middle of contemporary Tokyo. A well-established and beloved character in children's books and anime, the adventures of pure-hearted Hattori will appeal to younger audiences and those interested in a good-natured and frequently funny humanitarian tale which packs a whole lot of ninja action and antics.

Stray Dog
[Nora Inu]

野良犬

Genre: Post War Crime Thriller

review in one breath

When homicide detective Murakami's pistol is stolen, a rash of murderous crimes begins. Plagued with the knowledge that his own weapon is causing the harm, Murakami is driven to extreme lengths to track down the killer and recover his gun. But the closer Murakami gets to the killer, the more he realizes how much they have in common. This is a great film filled with early Kurosawa social commentary on the condition of postwar Japan.

Continue reading Stray Dog - Nora Inu (Akira Kurosawa 1949).