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| Japan Reviewed |
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Opinions on anything Japanese
our visitors care to write about. Also see our
Japan Entertainment section for more information about Japanese
movies, Jpop, rock and related stories. Do you have an
opinion about a Japanese movie, product, or anything you'd like to share with our visitors?
Maybe you sell a Japanese product or service that you'd like us to write a review
about?
Let us know. |
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The Tales of the Blind Swordsman |
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Japanese Movie Review |
 In modern times, the persona of the “anti-hero” has almost become
passé. From comics characters such as the Punisher and Wolverine to
pro wrestling superstars like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, the story of
the moral less “good” guy has certainly been told many times over.
Although there are few examples of this from our own “Old West” genre,
not many leap from the screen in such an impressive manner as Japan’s
own blind swordsman, Zatoichi. (read more) |
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The Mother of Dreams |
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Japanese Book Review |
 When
Japanese write stories about the women of Japan, mother is once seen as a
central character - a giver, breeder, a certain symbol of mercy. A certain
goddess. In The Mother of Dreams, Ooka Shohei writes a curious story of a
young boy who is stuck in the bed in fever. The story is a tranquil
description of his love to his mother. A bit oedipal love, perhaps, but very
natural and gentle description of his mother's care. (read
more) |
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Ichi The Killer |
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Japanese Movie Review |
 At its
core, this is a story about the impending confrontation between two
interesting characters. The first is the title character, Ichi. Ichi is an
adult with the mind of a child. That child has been manipulated by the
twisted Jijii to believe that he is a true superhero, complete with
costume. (read more) |
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Returner |
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Japanese Movie Review |
 While “Returner” is
not a cinematic masterpiece, it is a lot of fun. Don’t get caught
expecting the greatest action film ever made, because you could nitpick
small plot points or the Hollywood-style ending for days. “Returner” is
what it is. There are elements of movies such as “Terminator,”
“Independence Day,” “E.T’,” “The Matrix,” and even the anime
“Transformers” found in this film. Some of the fighting style even borrows
heavily from Chinese greats like “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. (read more) |
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Spirited Away |
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Japanese Anime Review |
 The
visuals are so utterly fantastic that you have to remind yourself that
“Sen to Chihiro” is animated. As you fall deeper into the film and meet
all of the fantastic creatures within, you will become entranced by their
fluid motion, visual depth, and believability. (read
more) |
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Soy Sauce |
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Japanese Food Review |
 ...
with ethnic cuisines gaining in popularity, you will have some choices at most
any neighborhood supermarket. Here are a few of my favorites and one or two to
avoid. (read more) |
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Mai Hime |
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Japanese Anime Review |
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This story has so
many levels of interest. First, you have the premise of a number of super
powered young girls called HIMEs. Each girl has a special ability, such as
creating a special weapon from thin air, controlling and element, or
controlling technology. Secondly, you have the backdrop of the boarding
school with the usual school entrapments... (read
more) |
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Samurai 7 |
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Japanese Anime Review |
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The visuals, sound,
and basic production aims for the lofty heights of a Miyazaki film.
Combine this with the fact that it is a modern adaptation of one of the
greatest films of all time (Shichinin no Samurai), and you’ve got an
instant classic. (read more) |
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Nobody Knows - Home Alone
Reality |
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Japanese Movie Review |
 This voyeuristic, non-judgmental
look at how four children deal with their abandonment is what you would get if
Todd Solondz directed Home Alone. Starring Yuya Yagira as the oldest of the four
siblings we watch him pass into puberty while already acting as patriarch. (read more) |
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Grave of the Fireflies |
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Japanese Anime Review |
 The
voices and actions of the characters are so well done that they take on a
life of their own. The young girl in particular, named Setsuko, is
adorable. Watching the extra features I learned they actually employed a 5
year old girl for the voice and, contrary to typical productions, allowed
her to read the lines in her own way and then animated the character to
fit the emotions and tone. (read more) |
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Kwaidan |
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Japanese Movie Review |
 The third tale is probably the
most breathtaking of the series. The story opens with Hoichi, a blind
musician... singing about a war between the Heike and Genji clans, whose
brutal final battle claimed most of their lives... the priests decide the only way to save Hoichi is to hide him
in plain sight, drawing kanji filled spells all over his body, but is this
enough to keep the musician safe? (read more) |
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Gojira (Godzilla) |
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Japanese Movie Review |
 ... a must see
for anyone interested in Japanese history and culture. There are too many
tidbits to discuss in one brief review, but they add realism to the film.
Certainly the later installments of the 50-year old franchise had some
silliness and intended camp, but the original was an unapologetic allegory
to the times, trials, and tribulations of a nation struggling to rebuild
its economy and way of life. (read more) |
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Seven Samurai |
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Japanese Movie Review |
 Kurosawa’s greatest strength as a
filmmaker is to make the viewer care about every character, no matter
how two dimensional they may initially seem. In most other films, the
scared villagers would be an afterthought. In this film, most any 2nd
or 3rd tier character could have easily been pulled to the front and
garner your attention. (read
more) |
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Ringu (The Ring) |
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Japanese Movie Review |
 Director Hideo
Nakata’s version “Ringu” is a creepy vision into darkness that many movie
scribes say is how horror should be done. On the surface, “Ringu” is a
different tale that effects you the first time you see it in the same
manner “Amityville Horror” or ”The Blair Witch Project” might have. At its
heart, this is a story of the supernatural, psychic abilities, murder, and
unforgiving wrath from beyond the grave. (read more) |
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Sgt. Frog |
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Japanese Anime Review |
 This anime is really
a great example of the insanity that is humor anime. The basic premise is
a small force of aliens (5) have been sent to earth as advance scouts,
with the potential to gain a foothold on our planet. (read
more) |
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