September 2020 | Otaku No Culture |

Jiang Ziya Quietly Gets World-Wide Release Oct 1st!

Release Date:
Oct 1st, 2020

Please check local listings for showtimes near you.

Well GO USA

Set for a world-wide release on the same date, the highly anticipated general Jian Ziya is set to make his mark! This animated movie was set to debut during Chinese New Year, but the Covid-10 Pandemic put a halt to that plan. This fighter is not going to take it, and although this release does not have the holiday to give it the box office support it needs, fans of this series will no doubt flock to it.

This retelling of Investiture of the Gods has its own built-in audience in China. While It’s uncertain where exactly this movie fits in the Fengshen Cinematic Universe’s timeline, those who are invested in this story will want to know more. Jiang looks like he can be the grandfather to Ne Zha, and the trailer (see below) show a much younger figure than the older, wiser individual.

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LAAPFF 2020 Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad “Bakemono?”

This short is but a tease, and it’s a worthy introduction to the traditions a Japanese family generally follow. I can’t help but chuckle at how the parents are trying to get their only child to behave.

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Available to viewers in Southern California (excluding San Diego County) from Oct 1 at 12pm PT to Oct 31, 2020 at 11:59pm PT. Click here to watch the film on Eventive.

In South Asia, Hungry Ghost Month is over, but in America, Halloween will soon be here! I’m thrilled to watch Bakemono, a short film about Ayumi (Claudia Fabella), a very young girl acting out and wanting to accept the supernatural in her life, despite her parent’s fears. The word refers to a class of monsters who are shapeshifters, and they don’t have to be ghosts.

I found out in my research that writer/directors Sumire Takamatsu and Jorge Lucas are working on expanding this short into a feature length work. Thanks to Gus Wood of Pop Horror for this revelation, and I’m hopeful this can blow the beans away from how Paranormal Activity was made. In this short film’s case, the throwing of beans from the entranceway of a home during Setsubun is said to keep the evil spirits at bay. This spring ritual has no place during autumn, but I get where this belief comes from. It’s no different than the Japanese ritual of pouring beer over the gravestone.

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LAAPFF 2020 From Adolescence to Adulthood in The Death of Nintendo

The Filipino coming of age film, Death of Nintendo, is deceptive because of the title. I wondered how video games factored into a story about three boys going through puberty and trying to understand the life they have under the shadow of Mount Pinatubo, a very active volcano. Plenty of level ups are going to be required to deal with school bullies and to win a certain princess’s heart.

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival

Sept 24 to 27th, 2020

Please check local film festival schedules for a screening near you.

The Filipino coming of age film, Death of Nintendo, is deceptive because of the title. I wondered how video games factored into a story about three boys going through puberty and trying to understand the life they have under the shadow of Mount Pinatubo, a very active volcano. Plenty of level ups are going to be required to deal with school bullies and to win a certain princess’s heart.

Paolo (Noel Comia Jr.) is crushing hard on Shiara (Elijah Alejo). His friends Kachi (John Vincent Servilla) and Gilligan (Jigger Sementilla) are not as grown up and have their video games, a Famicom, to fall back to. We also see in Paolo’s room a lot of posters representing everything that’s considered manly. The Wolverine poster says it all.

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LAAPFF 2020 The Power of Myth, Healing & Kapaemahu

The art style is simply fantastic. The sepia tones evoke a dream-like quality to contrast the past to the present. As the tale shifts from a quiet watcher to that of a child being told of his heritage, I firmly believe what’s presented here is a far better tale than Disney’s Moana. Both are terrific in its regard of what Polynesian culture represents, but if I had to choose which is more respectful in its production, it’s with Won-Kalu’s work!

Bakemono By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Available to watch in the continental United States via LAAPFF till Oct 31st.

The animated short, Kapaemahu, is a contender for the Academy Awards and I can easily see why after seeing it as part of the 36th annual month-long Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. It played at Tribeca, and if you love the power of myth as I do, this mystical work is worth seeking out. Not only is Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson’s work an alluring mystical retelling of the origins of the healing stones located in Waikiki Beach, but also it recounts the history of Hawaii quite well.

It’s almost easy to forget the conflict when the Europeans came in to colonize this paradise in the latter acts. Instead, part of this work’s charm is in how four tall and mysterious figures helped do more than bring together the natives from the region. They are transgender and recognized as benevolent beings. Their arrival is compared to the Europeans, and that’s where we get an excellent look at how this island nation’s civilization changed over time. As with Canada now respecting the nations that first occupied this land before any event, we are shown where we all came from.

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Which Witchy ‘wich is Best with this Kickstarter?

This game is best with five or more players. There’s enough ingredients per category–meats, buns, condiments and veggies (to name a few)–but if you’re playing with three players, to sort out the cards and scale it down is an enormous task especially before an impromptu game.

Bakemono — **Visit the KickStarter Page here**

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Card game creators Janelle Jones and Sanji Moore ‘wich you can help by contributing to the Kickstarter here. Okay, now that bad pun is out of my system, I can say this sandwich making card game is on its last week to sailing to success. It’s always fun to unlock the stretch goals in these crowdfunding campaigns, and what’s offered are thank you’s to everyone who contributed to this party card game. The idea is certainly perfect for moms and creative types looking for new ideas to craft up for their kids next meal (or themselves). I’m sure they’ve heard enough whines of not peanut butter and jelly again. The question I have is if jellyfish is a valid condiment? As an Asian, some of us do love this treat!

In addition to the staple ingredients, there’s impossible to eat stuff like glass (unless it’s made of candy) that you have to include in your final product which you have to convince players is the best. Gordon Ramsey, look out!

There’s no magical djinni to transform the weird to the fantastic, and nor is there Wesley, the farm hand from Princess Bride to take on every request from the lovely Buttercup. I can’t help but wonder if Fezzik the giant would eat anything presented to him, but this game isn’t about a certain Life brand cereal. Mikey wouldn’t eat the ideas made up here.

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Taking on Once More With Feeling, Year Two with Buffie the Vampyre Slayer!

This year’s version of Starry Starry Skies’ Once More, With Feeling; Buffie the Vampire Slayer is bigger and I’m sure the plans to even expand it further will take up the entire breadth of the stage.

Bakemono By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Playing at The Roxy
aka Bluebridge Repertory Theatre
2657 Quadra Street

Sept 24-26 & Oct 2-4
Evening performances: 8:30pm
Saturday Matinees: 5:30pm

Regular tickets available for purchase online and Virtual screening tickets can be bought here.

Original review posted 2019/10/19

This year’s version of Starry Starry Skies‘ Once More, With Feeling; Buffie the Vampire Slayer is bigger and I’m sure the plans to even expand it further will take up the entire breadth of the stage. I’m fairly sure this musical will be a staple in the Victoria theatre scene like Atomic Vaudeville’s Rocky Horror Show (unless cancelled because of a certain pandemic). So far, this company is one of two shows at The Roxy offering something spooky for the Halloween season.

Instead of a female narrator demon, this year’s version is male, and there’s more gender swapping going on. One casting difference has another actor playing the role of Spike. Corin Bert Winglet really nailed that role for me with his charm from last year’s show. This time, he’s Sweet, the demon who magically compels his victims to break out into song and dance, and revealing something each character prefers to keep in the closet. But when all the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players, just who manipulates whom in this play is at the core of this musical.

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