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Japanese Film / Animation - Hiragana Times Archive
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A Comedy About a Live Radio Drama Broadcast Jun. 15
This is the first film directed by MITANI Koki, known as a comedy theater playwright. This motion picture was adapted for film in 1997 from the stage production performed by the theatrical group Tokyo Sunshine Boys (headed by Mitani, currently inactive), similarly titled “Radio no Jikan (Translation: Radio Time).” ...
Humans vs Robots in Future Society
In 1927, Austrian Fritz LANG’s silent masterpiece Metropolis amazed audiences with its ahead-of-its-time imagery of a distant future where utopia and class warfare clash. ...
A Nostalgic Story of a Teacher and Students on a Small Island
The book “Nijushi no Hitomi” (Twenty-four Eyes) by TSUBOI Sakae might be a familiar story to many Japanese, but most likely a considerably fewer number of people have seen the black and white 1954 film based on the famous story. Just one of the 50 films directed by the prolific KINOSHITA Keisuke, Twenty-four Eyes easily stands out as one of the most memorable of the late, great director. ...
People Inspired to Cook Good Ramen
Turn on the TV in Japan and it seems like half the time you’ll come across a food show. Yet the Japanese obsession with food transcends all entertainment media – movies being no exception. While there is no shortage of forgettable films about eating, ITAMI Juzo’s Tampopo, stands above the usual fare. ...
Unspectacular Youth Finds his Destiny in Space
Way back in 1987, fledgling animation company, GAINAX, released its first movie, Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise. The film was a bold move in many ways. With its massive 800 million yen budget and lack of the usual animated cliches – super powers, robots, sexy women etc. – the young company chose to rely heavily on storyline, and it paid off. Although a modest success at the box office, ...
Blind ‘Robin Hood’ Confronts Villains
Zatoichi is a samurai action movie with KITANO Takeshi both directing and playing the main character, Ichi. The movie is highly reputed thanks to Kitano’s unique direction that includes the use of rhythmical music in some scenes. Ichi appears to be just a blind masseur who travels the country, but he is also a master of swordplay and stands against villains with his secret sword hidden in his cane. ...
Profound Story of Two Boys Exploring the Galaxy
Based on a story by renowned Japanese writer MIYAZAWA Kenji (1896~1933), and adapted as an animated movie in 1985, the plot revolves around a struggling, young boy (portrayed as a cat in this movie) named Giovanni. Unpopular in school and having to work hard to help support his sick mother, Giovanni finds little solace in his life, ...
A Story of Country Girls Trying to Regenerate their Town
This is a heartwarming masterpiece based on a true story. In 1965, when the coal mining industry was in obvious decline, a large number of lay-offs was planned at the Joban Mine in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture. In order to rescue the city a project to build a theme-park called “Joban Hawaiian Center” was begun. ...
The World’s Longest-running Movies Series Featuring an Unlikely Hero
In Japan there used to be a movie series that would always be on in cinemas during the New Year’s and summer bon holidays. That series was “Otokowa Tsuraiyo” (English title: “Tora-san Series”) starring ATSUMI Kiyoshi as the movies’ hero, KURUMA Torajiro, affectionately known as “Tora-san.” The series started in 1969 and contains 48 films in all. Forty-six of them were directed by YAMADA Yoji. ...
Strange Experience of a Girl Lost in a Wondrous World
Spirited Away a big hit by director MIYAZAKI Hayao, a master of Japanese animation. To date the film has been seen by over 23 million people and has made 30.4 billion yen, making it the most successful Japanese film in history. Spirited Away is the story of a girl named Chihiro who was spirited away to a weird town where she experiences many things at a bath house where Japanese gods come to relax. ...
Masterless Samurai who Save Farmers Attacked by Bandits
This film is the most important work of KUROSAWA Akira, a director who greatly influenced film makers around the world, including Steven SPIELBERG. It may be taken as an action movie, but it is more like a humanist movie that describes an unjust society from the perspective of the weak. In this movie you will find similarities with the workers who are exploited in the present income gap society seen across the world, ...
