Category: Documentary

A trailer for the upcoming Kazuo Umezu documentary Gwashi! Umezu Kazuo Desu has been posted via the film’s official website. The 73-year-old Umezu has been creating manga since his debut in 1955 and is most famous for horror works like “The Drifting Classroom” and “Orochi: Blood”—as well as the gag manga “Makoto-chan” (which spawned the phrase “Gwashi!” and accompanying hand gesture).

According to Tokyograph, director Koji Ito also works on Umezu’s website (UMEZZ.com) and has been filming him for 3 years now in preparation for the documentary.

Aside from Umezu, the first person shown being interviewed in the trailer is book designer Shin Sobue, who’s quirky, artistic-minded innovations in book and manga design have delighted otakus while sending shivers up the spin of publishers and binders throughout Japan. The next guy is manga writer and editor Kentaro Takekuma. And finally, there’s Hideki Egami, current editor-in-chief of IKKI magazine.

“Gwashi! Umezu Kazuo Desu” will open on Monday, November 23, 2009 (Labor Thanksgiving Day) at Shimokitazawa Tollywood.

Here’s the trailer for eatrip, a documentary directed by food expert and radio personality Yuri Nomura which explores the importance of food in human culture and social customs surrounding it. The film brings together celebrities such as actor Tadanobu Asano, singer UA, German fashion designer Jurgen Lehl, and others to talk about their own experiences and share a meal. Distributed by stylejam and slated for release in June.

Thanks to logboy for finding this one.

Official website

Update (11/12/2010): Replaced video with the subtitled version Viz Pictures recently uploaded to YouTube.

Shida Beach in Chiba Prefecture is one of the top surfing spots in Japan. One day a man arrives there intending to become a true surfer: 47-year-old entertainer Ryuhei Ueshima. Ueshima Jane is a comedy/documentary chronicling Ueshima’s plight as he takes on this unlikely challenge along with his protege, young entertainer Hiroiki Ariyoshi. As the two struggle with the rough Shida waves, they end up befriending some of the locals. Then something unexpected happens; Ueshima falls in love. In the midst of a second adolescence at 47, he suddenly finds himself infused with youthful courage.

If you’re a fan of Japanese variety shows you probably know what to expect from this one. Comedian Takashi Okamura has perfected the art of taking on impossible challenges in his ongoing “Okamura Offer Series” Mechaike specials. The formula basically consists of looking like a fool in the beginning for comedic purposes, almost giving up, then becoming totally dedicated and eventually succeeding in an emotional crescendo. Judging from the trailer I’m assuming this movie will probably be very similar to that. At least I hope it is, because those specials are fantastic.

Official website

Hideo Nakata, the man behind “Ring” and the sequel to its subsequent Hollywood remake, “The Ring 2”, has created a documentary to help other foreigners understand what the Hollywood filmmaking process is like and what it takes to succeed there. The project is appropriately titled “Foreign Filmmakers’ Guide to Hollywood” (Hollywood Kantoku Gaku Nyumon) and will be screened at Shibuya’s Image Forum in March 2009.

Obviously Nakata draws heavily on his own experiences on “The Ring 2” from 2004-2005, but the documentary also includes interviews with other foreign-born filmmakers that have experienced some degree of success such as Takashi Shimizu (The Grudge), Jonathan Liebesman (The Killing Room), and producer Takashige Ichise: a guy who has been through the Hollywood wringer quite a few times over the years and knows all the angles.

Official website

Update:

As logboy points out, the trailer is now up at this link. That is some seriously dramatic music for low-key interview scenes.