Hideo Nakata's 1998 J-horror sensation "Ring" ("Ringu") revolves around images, mainly the distortion of photographs that denote Sadako's (Rie Inō) marked victims, and the eerie, anxiety-inducing cursed tape that comes alive in grotesque ways. Even Gore Verbinski's 2002 remake employs this photographic distortion — smudged and blurred faces that hint at the tragedy that befell the ones photographed, as if their very souls were smudged out of the frame.
The idea that photographs capture the essence of our souls is not recent, nor is its relation to spirit photography far-fetched, as the shadows and aberrations captured are often considered proof of something amiss. When Nakata was asked about this concept in an interview with Offscreen, the director affirmed that the idea for the smudged photos was inspired by a real-life woman who could allegedly manipulate objects with her clairvoyance, just like Sadako's influence manipulated the photographs:
"Mister Takahashi, who wrote the script with me,...
The idea that photographs capture the essence of our souls is not recent, nor is its relation to spirit photography far-fetched, as the shadows and aberrations captured are often considered proof of something amiss. When Nakata was asked about this concept in an interview with Offscreen, the director affirmed that the idea for the smudged photos was inspired by a real-life woman who could allegedly manipulate objects with her clairvoyance, just like Sadako's influence manipulated the photographs:
"Mister Takahashi, who wrote the script with me,...
- 5/26/2024
- by Debopriyaa Dutta
- Slash Film
by Sarah Miles
The year turns. Spring is now in bloom and that means a new season of anime, but for many the sheer number of possible choices can be daunting and it can be easy to miss a smaller hidden gem. I have gathered 12 of the season's new shows to help you decide if they are worth checking out and where you can find them. Only new shows, so no Black Butler: Public School Arc, My Hero Academia season 7, Laid Back Camp season 3, etc. as if you're already a fan you'll be watching them anyway and if you're curious about any of them I would recommend you start at the very beginning, I hear it's a very good place to start.
Tonari no Yokai-san
Studio: Lidenfilms
Director: Ami Yamauchi
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
In a version of modern-day Japan where humans live side by side with Yokai, mythical spirits and creatures of folklore,...
The year turns. Spring is now in bloom and that means a new season of anime, but for many the sheer number of possible choices can be daunting and it can be easy to miss a smaller hidden gem. I have gathered 12 of the season's new shows to help you decide if they are worth checking out and where you can find them. Only new shows, so no Black Butler: Public School Arc, My Hero Academia season 7, Laid Back Camp season 3, etc. as if you're already a fan you'll be watching them anyway and if you're curious about any of them I would recommend you start at the very beginning, I hear it's a very good place to start.
Tonari no Yokai-san
Studio: Lidenfilms
Director: Ami Yamauchi
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
In a version of modern-day Japan where humans live side by side with Yokai, mythical spirits and creatures of folklore,...
- 5/22/2024
- by Sarah Miles
- AsianMoviePulse
Imagine a hard-working man who delivers parcels and couriers to make ends meet. Now take a guess on what would happen if someone told him that he’s the heir to trillions of dollars, making the richest person on the planet? John (Philip Froissant) of One Trillion Dollars dealt with a similar situation when an old man arrived at his doorstep to tell him that he might be the potential heir to an estate. The old man also handed him two thousand euros in exchange for his saliva for a DNA check and for not working while his inheritance claim was settled. At first, John thought the old man was just a nutjob, as he was an orphan with no family or relatives to inherit anything from. However, John chose to play along, as the old man was paying him handsomely for his trouble.
Spoilers Ahead
What Did Giacomo Fontanelli See In His Dream?...
Spoilers Ahead
What Did Giacomo Fontanelli See In His Dream?...
- 12/7/2023
- by Rishabh Shandilya
- Film Fugitives
What a strange, unpredictable film Ryûsuke Hamaguchi has made to follow his rapturously received international breakthrough, Drive My Car. While Evil Does Not Exist (Aku Wa Sonzai Shinai) reins in the symphonic expansiveness of its predecessor, this more compact slow-burn drama builds its own hypnotic, changeable rhythms, along with a quiet sense of dread that sneaks up on you just as people on both sides of a conflict appear to be working toward common ground — whatever that’s worth. An ending that pushes its ambiguousness to confounding lengths will be a deal-breaker for some, but this haunting stealth thriller about violations of nature is a work of undeniable power.
If the shadow of Chekhov stretched elegantly over Drive My Car, the Japanese writer-director’s new film might almost be said to have a kinship with Ibsen, its tensions around the potential contamination of a water supply and the heated responses...
If the shadow of Chekhov stretched elegantly over Drive My Car, the Japanese writer-director’s new film might almost be said to have a kinship with Ibsen, its tensions around the potential contamination of a water supply and the heated responses...
- 9/4/2023
- by David Rooney
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
With over 50+ films, Camera Japan Festival is proud to announce its full and diverse programme, combining films ranging from de newest and best Japanese arthouse, animation, documentaries, short films and classic cinema.
The 18th edition of the festival will be opened at Rotterdam based LantarenVenster on September 21st with a festive screening of Takahashi Masaya's European premiere of The Dry Spell. One day prior, the festival unofficially kicks off at Worm with a very special screening of Spaghetti Ramen. From 28 September – 1 October, the festival moves to Amsterdam's LAB111.
With three international and ten European premieres, the festival consists of a very special and exclusive film programme. Films such as Tsugaru Lacquer Girl, Firing the Lighter Gun and The Rest of Our Lives, will have their first screenings outside of Japan, here, at Camera Japan Festival.
As if the international premieres were not special enough, the festival is honored to welcome...
The 18th edition of the festival will be opened at Rotterdam based LantarenVenster on September 21st with a festive screening of Takahashi Masaya's European premiere of The Dry Spell. One day prior, the festival unofficially kicks off at Worm with a very special screening of Spaghetti Ramen. From 28 September – 1 October, the festival moves to Amsterdam's LAB111.
With three international and ten European premieres, the festival consists of a very special and exclusive film programme. Films such as Tsugaru Lacquer Girl, Firing the Lighter Gun and The Rest of Our Lives, will have their first screenings outside of Japan, here, at Camera Japan Festival.
As if the international premieres were not special enough, the festival is honored to welcome...
- 9/3/2023
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
If you are looking for a room in the coastal town of Onomichi, you better not check in at the Ohashi apartments. Except if you want your very own meet-and-greet with J-Pop Idol Shiori Kubo, who happens to play the ghost trapped inside room 101 in Natsuki Takahashi's “A Girl in My Room”.
A Girl in My Room is streaming as part of Jff+ Independent Cinema
Based on the popular manga by Chugaku Yamamoto, the story revolves around the heartbroken Yohei, who gets dumped by his girlfriend and is left behind in the former love nest. Out of nowhere, a curious girl ghost appears and wants to experience a feeling she never felt during her life as a human, love. Yohei is annoyed by her curiosity and even tries to exorcise her, but slowly realises that she is more human than he thought.
The fantasy romantic comedy was filmed on...
A Girl in My Room is streaming as part of Jff+ Independent Cinema
Based on the popular manga by Chugaku Yamamoto, the story revolves around the heartbroken Yohei, who gets dumped by his girlfriend and is left behind in the former love nest. Out of nowhere, a curious girl ghost appears and wants to experience a feeling she never felt during her life as a human, love. Yohei is annoyed by her curiosity and even tries to exorcise her, but slowly realises that she is more human than he thought.
The fantasy romantic comedy was filmed on...
- 8/23/2023
- by Alexander Knoth
- AsianMoviePulse
FailArmy, the brand known for distributing slapstick user-generated content to millions of subscribers, is teaming up with a veteran of the YouTube gaming scene. Mari Takahashi is the host of 50 vs. 50, a gamified fail competition that will be distributed across FailArmy’s free ad-supported television (Fast) channels.
A press release describes 50 vs. 50 as a head-to-head battle between “fail” videos. “Viewers can expect to see the best video collections going head-to-head filled with jokes, mayhem, and jaw-dropping moments,” reads the release. In a trailer for the show, Takahashi uses the phrase “50 states, 50 fails,” suggesting that 50 vs. 50 will cross the United States in search of the nation’s most ridiculous user-generated bloopers.
50 vs. 50 is the latest addition to FailArmy’s Fast hub, which can be found on platforms like Pluto TV, Freevee, and The Roku Channel. Jukin Media, the one-time parent company of FailArmy, revealed its plan to turn fails into originals...
A press release describes 50 vs. 50 as a head-to-head battle between “fail” videos. “Viewers can expect to see the best video collections going head-to-head filled with jokes, mayhem, and jaw-dropping moments,” reads the release. In a trailer for the show, Takahashi uses the phrase “50 states, 50 fails,” suggesting that 50 vs. 50 will cross the United States in search of the nation’s most ridiculous user-generated bloopers.
50 vs. 50 is the latest addition to FailArmy’s Fast hub, which can be found on platforms like Pluto TV, Freevee, and The Roku Channel. Jukin Media, the one-time parent company of FailArmy, revealed its plan to turn fails into originals...
- 8/4/2023
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Exclusive: Yu-Gi-Oh!, the classic anime series, is headed to Web3 streaming service Rewarded.tv.
Five seasons of animated show will be made available for free on the platform, joining series such as Dragnet, Drink Champs and Luther. This follows a deal with Konami Cross Media, which produces the series and sells it in the U.S.
Viewers will be able to earn rewards, badges and digital collectibles by watching and sharing episodes. Rewarded.tv is available on smart TV devices such as Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Roku and on cell phones and the web.
“We are pleased to have Yu-Gi-Oh!, the king of games, available on the gamified Rewarded.tv experience,” added Mark Kirk, Senior Vice President, Distribution, Konami Cross Media NY, Inc.
“We could not be more excited to be bringing Yu-Gi-Oh! to the Rewarded.tv audience,” said Krish Arvapally, CEO of the platform’s owner Replay. “Replay...
Five seasons of animated show will be made available for free on the platform, joining series such as Dragnet, Drink Champs and Luther. This follows a deal with Konami Cross Media, which produces the series and sells it in the U.S.
Viewers will be able to earn rewards, badges and digital collectibles by watching and sharing episodes. Rewarded.tv is available on smart TV devices such as Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Roku and on cell phones and the web.
“We are pleased to have Yu-Gi-Oh!, the king of games, available on the gamified Rewarded.tv experience,” added Mark Kirk, Senior Vice President, Distribution, Konami Cross Media NY, Inc.
“We could not be more excited to be bringing Yu-Gi-Oh! to the Rewarded.tv audience,” said Krish Arvapally, CEO of the platform’s owner Replay. “Replay...
- 6/19/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
(Welcome to The Daily Stream, an ongoing series in which the /Film team shares what they've been watching, why it's worth checking out, and where you can stream it.)
The Movie: "Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer"
Where You Can Stream It: Crunchyroll, RetroCrush
The Pitch: Ataru is a horny teenage boy who wants to make out with every pretty woman he meets. Lum is a beautiful alien from outer space with lightning powers. Lum loves Ataru, but Ataru thinks Lum is annoying. So goes "Urusei Yatsura," one of the most popular anime series of the 1980s. Based on a comic by the queen of romantic comedy, Rumiko Takahashi, it ran for 194 episodes and launched the careers of many young animators and directors. The chief director of its first 106 episodes, Mamoru Oshii, would go on to direct such films as "Ghost in the Shell" and "Patlabor 2."
The strangest work...
The Movie: "Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer"
Where You Can Stream It: Crunchyroll, RetroCrush
The Pitch: Ataru is a horny teenage boy who wants to make out with every pretty woman he meets. Lum is a beautiful alien from outer space with lightning powers. Lum loves Ataru, but Ataru thinks Lum is annoying. So goes "Urusei Yatsura," one of the most popular anime series of the 1980s. Based on a comic by the queen of romantic comedy, Rumiko Takahashi, it ran for 194 episodes and launched the careers of many young animators and directors. The chief director of its first 106 episodes, Mamoru Oshii, would go on to direct such films as "Ghost in the Shell" and "Patlabor 2."
The strangest work...
- 1/24/2023
- by Adam Wescott
- Slash Film
Yukihiro Takahashi, the drummer and lead vocalist for electronic music trailblazers Yellow Magic Orchestra, has died at the age of 70.
Takahashi’s office released a statement to the The Japan Times and Nhk confirming Takahashi’s death on Jan. 11, citing aspiration pneumonia as the cause. Takahashi previously revealed that he underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor in 2020.
Takahashi, who was born in Tokyo, launched his career in the early Seventies, performing with his brother, Nobuyuki Takahashi, in the band Buzz and glam-rock group Sadistic Mika Band, which he joined after their original drummer departed.
Takahashi’s office released a statement to the The Japan Times and Nhk confirming Takahashi’s death on Jan. 11, citing aspiration pneumonia as the cause. Takahashi previously revealed that he underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor in 2020.
Takahashi, who was born in Tokyo, launched his career in the early Seventies, performing with his brother, Nobuyuki Takahashi, in the band Buzz and glam-rock group Sadistic Mika Band, which he joined after their original drummer departed.
- 1/15/2023
- by Althea Legaspi and Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Bhubaneswar, Jan 9 (Ians) Placed in a group with defending champions Belgium and Germany along with Korea, the Japan men’s hockey team aims to give its 100 percent in every match at the Fih Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela.
Japan arrived in Odisha on Monday and received a warm reception at the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar.
Placed in Pool B with Belgium, Korea and Germany, head coach Akira Takahashi’s side will begin their Fih Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela campaign with a match against the German side on January 14. The Japan men’s hockey team will, then, face Korea and Belgium in their group games, respectively.
Takahashi is confident of a good outing in the tournament and wants his players to give their 100 per cent in the tournament.
“We have played in India before and are excited to be here for the World Cup.
Japan arrived in Odisha on Monday and received a warm reception at the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar.
Placed in Pool B with Belgium, Korea and Germany, head coach Akira Takahashi’s side will begin their Fih Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela campaign with a match against the German side on January 14. The Japan men’s hockey team will, then, face Korea and Belgium in their group games, respectively.
Takahashi is confident of a good outing in the tournament and wants his players to give their 100 per cent in the tournament.
“We have played in India before and are excited to be here for the World Cup.
- 1/9/2023
- by News Bureau
- GlamSham
Miyamoto Musashi has been solidified in history for his phenomenal skills as a swordsman. As such, he’s been depicted in cinema for decades. His story has been shown as a hopeful journey in Hiroshi Inagaki’s “Samurai Trilogy” or as a Zen-seeking quest in Tomu Uchida’s five-part film series. The ronin would even be used as a symbol of patriotism in the propaganda feature “Miyamoto Musashi,” directed by Kenji Mizoguchi. Yet, the famed warrior was far from perfect, and there was more to him besides his sword skills. He was also a human and one with imperfections for that matter. These complexities are showcased in Tai Kato’s gritty but human jidaigeki epic “Miyamoto Musashi.” An alternative title for the picture is “Sword of Fury.”
Like many adaptations, the film is based on Eiji Yoshikawa’s epic novel “Musashi,” a fictionalized account of the famous ronin with touches...
Like many adaptations, the film is based on Eiji Yoshikawa’s epic novel “Musashi,” a fictionalized account of the famous ronin with touches...
- 7/29/2022
- by Sean Barry
- AsianMoviePulse
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