Category: Features

May 15, 2017 · 0 comments

By Jonathan Clements. Kaori Chiba’s recently published Japanese-language book The Day Heidi was Born is a long-overdue account of one of Japanese animation’s landmark works. Made in 1974 in an attempt to cash in on the children’s literature niche suggested by the Japanese success of The Moomins, Heidi: Girl of the Alps brought together a […]

May 12, 2017 · 0 comments

By Andrew Osmond. Before Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry opens in Britain on 17th May, your humble correspondent decided to check it out in Tokyo. Yes, the film is so brand spanking new that it’s playing in London and Tokyo cinemas at the same time. I saw it at the Toho cinema in Kabukicho, part of […]

May 9, 2017 · 0 comments

By Jeremy Clarke. This so-called ‘Noodle Western’ always sounded somewhat off-the-wall. It impressed when it first appeared in 1985 and viewing it again on Criterion’s new Blu-ray, Tampopo has stood the test of time well. “This’ll be famous in the history of cinema” says cast member Fukumi Kuroda in director Juzo Itami’s 90-minute edited diary […]

May 6, 2017 · 0 comments

By Andrew Osmond. With fortuitous timing, the concluding half of Your Lie in April comes soon after A Silent Voice brought a wider audience to a side of anime once neglected; the emotional, even tragic, real-world teen drama. Once again, it’s about a boy and a girl with deep problems; about how they awaken huge […]

May 3, 2017 · 0 comments

By Jeremy Clarke. Lowlife Love is the first film production from Third Window Films, which for just over a decade has been distributing movies from Japan and the Far East through UK cinemas and home video. For this opening foray, founder-turned-producer Adam Torel has chosen to work with writer/director Eiji Uchida whose earlier Greatful Dead […]