Japan Archives | Otaku No Culture

Beat the Heat with AmPM, CARTOON & YELLOCK with Summer Drive feat. Icazahra!

It’s hot in the city with a huge collab between Japan’s best DJ’s and EDM artists getting together with Summer Drive feat. Icazahra!

The season is right for Japanese masked production duo AmPm, tech-house DJ and producer CARTOON and virtual human artist YELLOCK, along with Japan-based singer-songwriter and Indonesian diva singer Icazahra, to bring ‘Summer Drive feat. Icazahra’ to the airwaves! This track is one way to dance the night away, and it’s the perfect release to signal the end of this eason.

The new track is a collaboration born from the popular music show ‘Unknown Studio’ broadcast in Japan by ABC TV. The song combines Icazahra’s beautiful singing voice with AmPm’s synth sound and a lot more from CARTOON+YELLOCK, resulting in a house music gem. If you’re just as curious as we are, the streaming links can be found on this landing page:

There’s no music video, and listeners can visit this YouTube Music page to listen to this mix-genre work. Band bios are as follows:

Continue reading “Beat the Heat with AmPM, CARTOON & YELLOCK with Summer Drive feat. Icazahra!”

Shin Kamen Rider or Masked, He’s still A Ronin At Heart

Instead of turning the franchise into a cinematic blockbuster Shin Kamen Rider is still very much a 70s superhero film about a lonely soldier boy.

Fantasia Film Festival 2023 and Available to Stream on Amazon Prime as Shin Masked Rider
Spoiler Alert

Hidiki Anno’s Shin Kamen Rider is his latest entry to a self-contained universe, and it doesn’t change the story of Takeshi Hongo (Sôsuke Ikematsu) becoming the bug-like superhero by much. Although he isn’t ready to identify himself as Kamen, what he discloses is that he’s a Masked Rider.

By tacking the word “Shin” on front, this filmmaker isn’t making this film to bring in new fans. Instead, what he adds is a Frankenstein element to appease those in the know. The internal conflict this hero must be feeling has been explored before, and when Anno is involved, it’s sure to be good! This change to an kids television show to an adult one is a tonal shift I’m liking. Continue reading “Shin Kamen Rider or Masked, He’s still A Ronin At Heart”

Mad Cats is Mad Cap Hiliarity that only Reiki Tsuno Can Realise!

Mad Cats is one heck of a roller coaster ride of an action flick and a laugh out loud road trip movie at the same time.

Playing at Fantasia Film Festival Aug 4, 2023
For tickets, please visit the link here.

Mad Cats is more than just another absurdist fantasy, and I rather enjoyed how it brought the Egyptian veneration of felis catus to a Japanese film. Here, a cult of cat-women are hell-bent on taking out a mega corporation. While the motives aren’t entirely clear, I would not question it. Although this micro-budget film didn’t go all out in the makeup department to make this villainous cast look feline, it’s easy to understand why they are completely human. If they don’t totally blend in, then to attack their targets would be a lot more problematic.

This group of warriors serve Bastet. And as for why they’re targeting Japanese pet shop owners is because of Mune Kurosawa (So Yamanaka) ticking off this Egyptian goddess. After locating the seat of her power and finding where she stashes her catnip, he’s caged up for his transgression.

Continue reading “Mad Cats is Mad Cap Hiliarity that only Reiki Tsuno Can Realise!”

AmPM’s Ready to be ‘Traveling Without Moving’ and Track Listing

Electronic DJ duo AmPM has put together a full album and also released a music video Traveling Without Moving to show how to keep listeners dancing!

AmPM’s debut album ‘Traveling Without Moving’ is finally here, and it’s jet-set on taking listeners to a sonic journey that best represents what Tokyo, Jakarta, Amsterdam and New York City is all about! And the best part of this release is that it features guest vocalists from the UK, Singapore and Japan (11 talents in total), including hotly tipped Lilly Ahlberg and RAENE.

From the Press Release:

This album encapsulates the essence of exploration, experiences, and personal reflections on travelling. Through their imaginative lyrics, AmPm and their featured vocalists delve into the emotions, memories, and impressions associated with these vibrant metropolises. “Travelling is an integral part of our lives, and we have drawn inspiration from our own journeys,” explained the band. “This album serves as a window into our personal stories, inviting listeners to experience the diverse emotions associated with travelling. Each city represented in the album holds significance to us, whether it be Tokyo, Jakarta, Amsterdam, or New York City. We wanted to create a musical narrative that captures the essence of these cities and the unique feelings they evoke.”

This song draws on inspiration from a broad spectrum of electronic genres, with house at its heart. The album brings together a collection of lighter-than-air pop songs which immerse listeners in a world of sonic bliss. Each track takes on a unique identity, blending infectious melodies, lush harmonies, and pulsating rhythms. “We have created a work that can give an individually unique experience to our listeners,” say the band. “We also wanted to fully express house music, which is at the core of our sound. It’s a very original sound; a sense of pop, but also with speed and exuberance, with house music at the heart of it. This album is a signature of what AmPm are, and we’re proud to say that we’ve made a house music album that represents the year 2023.”

Continue reading “AmPM’s Ready to be ‘Traveling Without Moving’ and Track Listing”

Ready for Fantasia Film Festival 2023? We got our Top 20 Epic Picks!

There’s lots to see and thrill to at Fantasia Film Festival 2023, and we got our choice picks on what fans of animation, horror and fantasy to see!

The best genre movie gala in Canada is almost here, and Fantasia Film Festival 2023 has a lot to offer! Over the three weeks, fans of horror, sci-fi, fantasy, drama and animation have a lot to pick from, and we got our list. Just how much one can take in per day depends on how much sleep and culture from this city one wants to take in (and how deep our pockets are to partake in everything). Montreal, Quebec is a mecca for all things classical and noveau.

As this celebration is back to being an in-person festival, so must the digital side disappear. That’s alright, since watching a film must also include the experience of sharing your joy with fellow movie-goers. This year’s spotlight includes a focus on Korean cinema, honouring Nicholas Cage with a career achievement award. (Update: Due to the writer’s strike, all celebrity guests cannot attend). He stars in SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL (playing July 22nd at the Auditorium des diplômés de la SGWU). Just when fans thought he was over the top in Renfield, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!

Continue reading “Ready for Fantasia Film Festival 2023? We got our Top 20 Epic Picks!”