Category: Japanese

Back at Cinemas for its Anniversary, Fans Can Experience Tokyo Godfathers in 4K!

As part of AX’s ongoing Cinema Nights schedule, Tokyo Godfathers makes its return to cinema, and we got some terrific news about this release.

Tokyo Godfathers AX Cinema Nights Promo PosterTokyo Godfathers is returning to cinemas across North America from December 11 to13, and it’s sure to please. This holiday classic from master director Satoshi Kon (Paprika, Perfect Blue) celebrates its 20th anniversary with a 4K restoration under the supervision of the original art director and producers.

It’s part of Anime Expo Cinema Nights, a year-round movie event series celebrating the best new and classic anime films, and it is managed by Iconic Events Releasing, a company that specialises in bringing critically acclaimed films to the big screen.

Tickets, participating theatres, and more information are available at:

https://www.ax-cinemanights.com/

Plot Summary:

On Christmas Eve, three homeless companions stumble upon a baby girl in a garbage heap. They name her Kiyoko, and vow to care for her as they track down her family.

Haunted by memories of their own broken pasts and pursued by a cast of shadowy characters from Tokyo’s nightlife, Hana, Gin and Miyuki overcome their differences and learn to trust one another as a new, makeshift family. With the New Year fast approaching, the mystery behind baby Kiyoko deepens, and these unlikely heroes discover the surprising–and sometimes miraculous–connections that have brought them all together.

Tokyo Godfathers 20th Anniversary (English Dub)

Unboxing GKIDS’s Rebuild of Evangelion 3.0+1.11 Thrice Upon A Time

The Rebuild of Evangelion is finally complete! Now whether one should wait for a megaset to bring them all together or buy each film individually, well…

Rebuild of Evangelion 3.0+1.11 Thrice Upon A TimeAvailable to purchase on Amazon USA

As I’ve said in the unboxing video made to look at the packaging of this latest release that wraps up the Rebuild of Evangelion series, the keepsake edition created by GKIDS and distributed by Shout! Studio is far more attractive looking than Funimation’s. And as for why love this over the other?

That’s up to fans to figure out since the number of years it took to make this series was big, and during that time, negotiating the rights for North American distribution most likely had some troubling bureaucracy (like in the anime) as the final release is on the hands of another company to handle. While I don’t know the full story, I am hopeful a set will be offered, so I can see the cinematic presentation in full.

In this series, we have:

Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone — In this intro, we meet the mysterious Kaworu and Lilith in a film edit of what is essentially the anime series, episodes one to seven.

Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance — With this film, the series is sped through fast (8-23), and Mari Makinami is a new character. Asuka is reimagined and sports an eye patch.

Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo — The rather ironic title says it all, and instead of concluding the way the series did, it jumps ahead to deal with a “new” situation. NERV has a rival, and WILLE is not as what they seem. There’s more going on here, and it’s almost okay to start from here. However, a lot of character development points will get missed.

Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time – This chapter neatly wraps everything up, and goes to places that I didn’t expect, as the universe implodes, and…. (no spoilers are offered here, as this film is considered reviewed to death)

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Kaiju and Ghibli Fans Rejoice! Toho and GKIDS (Studio Ghibli) to Release Their Films in December for America.

Studio Ghibli and Toho is coming to America in December, and just who will dominate depends. The Boy and the Heron, or will it be Godzilla Minus One?

The Boy and the Heron English Poster - Studio GhibliThe English dubbed trailer recently dropped for Studio Ghibli‘s The Boy and the Heron and it looks good! When there’s top notch performers coming in to provide a track for those who prefer this release over the other (i.e. subtitles), it’s sure to be a hit! and I’m looking forward to check out both. You can’t go wrong with Mark Hamill! For a full list of credits, please check out GKIDS official webpage here.

As excitement builds for what is presumedly Hayao Miazaki’s final film, GKIDS is offering early screenings in select cities across the United States of America, and hopefully Cineplex Cinemas will follow suit. They have not made any formal announcements yet, but it’s safe to say there will be screenings. Fans are encouraged to contact their local major theatre chain for when it will be screening there.

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Anime, TheNFB and the 2023 Vancouver Asian Film Festival – Top Animated Picks

We offer our top animated picks that’ll be playing this weekend at the Vancouver Asian Film Festival!

National Film Board of Canada LOGOThe 2023 Vancouver Asian Film Festival is taking place this weekend, and out of everything being offered this year, it’s their Animated Shorts Program that has my interest. That’s because the National Film Board of Canada is presenting two special shorts. Also, the anime Gonta: The Story of The Two-Named Dog in The Fukushima Disaster is playing at this event!

I’m tempted to head over to see the film and make a weekend out of being in the big city. While I’m still deciding, I should also mention two other works in the shorts’ presentation, including Bride’s Dream and Galactic Canine Space Force!

Thankfully, ahead of their BC premiere screening, I got to preview TheNFB’s works, and have a quick review. Disclaimer: beware of spoilers.

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Zom 100: Is That Bucket List of the Dead Half Empty or Half Full

Just how many things Akira managed get done in Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is a game in itself, as we couintdown this infinite progression!

zom 100: bucket list of the dead netflix posterNetflix

Sometimes it is tough to find a unique zombie film that can take this genre to the next level. Whether that’s with blending it with some other style or just coming up with a unique story idea. I waited for October to roll around before watching Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead. And what it delivers is perfect for those wanting another reason to avoid swimming in the sea. Although that season is over, what’s revealed here is a compressed version of the manga (and perhaps the television show too).

Now that some appetites have been whetted, I doubt anyone wants fish sashimi that’s way past their date of expiry. Instead, what’s presented here isn’t quite like Zombieland. What I find is a hodge-podge mix of George Romero style commentary, an attempt to compress the manga/anime into a singular film and a protagonist who isn’t alwaya 100% there.

Here, Akira Tendo (Eiji Akaso) is pretty much a slave. Although he has a good job at a corporation, life isn’t sweet as his boss pushes him around, and he’s asked to burn the midnight oil. Pretty soon, he just wants to quit. But before he can do that, a pandemic has wiped out most of Japan and those who haven’t been infected by this mysterious virus have to fend for themselves. His skills as a football star don’t really amount to anything in this film.

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