Posted by kevin at 3:07am EDT on Thursday, June 26, 2008
Filed under: Comedy, Misc video clips
This discussion over at Jason Gray’s blog about Koki Mitani’s media whorin’ ways reminded me about this “Mecha-Mecha Iketeru!” clip from last month where Satoshi Tsumabuki, Koichi Sato, and Mitani showed up for a “Yabecchi Sushi” segment (basically talk, promote stuff, eat something, smack each other around, etc.) I also included a segment with Haruka Ayase, who seems to know the drill—compliment Mechaike and Ninety-nine and you get more free PR for your movie. Finally, I left in the final segment with pop duo Tackey & Tsubasa trying to get through a performance of “Koi Uta” with Tsubasa taking Takashi Okamura’s pun-filled guidance. It has absolutely nothing to do with movies, I’m just easily amused.
Posted by kevin at 11:13am EDT on Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Filed under: Comedy, Drama, Future releases
Takahisa Zeze‘s upcoming basketball flick Flying Rabbits seems to have blown its news wad a little earlier than expected given its September 13 release date, so I figured it’s as good a time as any to catch everyone up on what we know so far.
The story revolves around a girl named Yukari (Satomi Ishihara) who has always aspired to become a CA (cabin attendant). She gets hired by Japan Airlines, but due to an unexpected slip-up she’s also recruited to the company’s basketball team, “JAL Rabbits”. Splitting time between her training as an attendant and playing basketball, Yukari keeps messing up in both areas. She stinks at basketball and keeps getting reprimanded by her mean old CA trainer. Not used to dealing with hardships like this, she wants to quit and go home—but eventually finds the strength to keep trying. Seems like a pretty pedestrian inspirational dramedy filled with pretty girls. I’m in.
Posted by kevin at 2:03pm EDT on Sunday, June 22, 2008
Filed under: Comedy, Drama, Future releases, New trailers
Ai Ryutsu Center (roughly “love distribution center") will be released in Japan on July 19, 2008 and the first trailer recently surfaced. Directed by Tetsuhiko Tsuchiya, the film stars 2007 Horipro Talent Scout Caravan Grand Prix winner Rika Adachi as Chikako, an ordinary high school girl without a boyfriend. In an attempt to spark her love life she wishes for true love at a Shinto shrine. Afterward, she receives a strange email on her cell phone with a sign-up page for “Ai Ryutsu Center”. She thinks it’s just junk mail, but in her attempt to delete it she mistakenly registers herself for the service. Later, a clumsy but likable salesman (Kenji Mizuhashi) shows up to assist her in finding love. As a result of his bumbling efforts Chikako ends up in a love triangle with ex-boyfriend Kenta (Goki Maeda) and her best friend Haruka (Mari Iriki). Also appearing in the film will be actress Aya Hirayama (Waterboys, The Backdancers!) and AKB48 “Team A” member Tomomi Itano.
Posted by kevin at 1:12am EDT on Saturday, June 21, 2008
Japanese distributor Pony Canyon will be releasing Norihiro Koizumi’s Gachi Boy on DVD with English subtitles on September 17, 2008. For those who haven’t heard of it, the story revolves around a genius college student in Hokkaido named Ryoichi Igarashi (Ryuta Sato) who joins professional wrestling school. During his training he carries around a little notebook in which he takes copious notes of every little thing he learns. Still, he seems to have problems remembering important details. When he completely forgets that his debut match at a local shopping mall is rigged he treats it like a real life or death challenge. Surprisingly, his enthusiasm gets the crowd on his side and he becomes a popular character with the fans. His little sister (Riisa Naka) witnesses the match and clues his fellow wrestlers in on the real reason he acted the way he did: he suffered a severe head injury the year before and now has a higher brain function disorder that renders him incapable of retaining new information for more than one day. That’s why he takes so many notes.
Posted by kevin at 2:33am EDT on Friday, June 20, 2008
According to director Ryuhei Kitamura, he first met Tak Sakaguchi after witnessing him beat some guy up in a street fight. Since Kitamura didn’t really know any real actors at the time, he offered Sakaguchi a role in Versus—the frenetically-paced action film that would launch both their careers as well as the career of his co-star, Hideo Sakaki. Given his humble beginnings, the idea that less than decade later Sakaguchi would be directing veteran actors like Akaji Maro and Shun Sugata in his own movie is frankly hard to believe. Even so, the final product of his directorial debut: Be a Man! Samurai School, ended up being both absurdly funny and oddly charming.
Subtitled releases:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|