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Quick LinksMakoto Shinkai's Your Name is a Modern Masterpiece of AnimeJJ Abrams' Planned Your Name Remake Has Already Gone Through 3 Different DirectorsMovies Like Your Name Are Probably Better Off Not Getting Remade

Although Hayao Miyazaki may be the world's leading figure in Japanese anime films, thanks to his widely recognized and beloved work from Studio Ghibli, other anime directors such as Makoto Shinkai have gained more and more recognition from Western audiences within the last decade. Despite being unfairly overlooked by the Academy, Shinkai’s 2016 film Your Name has been considered to be one of the best animated films of the century, ranking at number 83 on IMDb’s Top 250. It's a visual and thematic masterpiece of animation, which is why it’s so shocking that J.J. Abrams is currently feeling the need to remake it in live-action for American audiences. Abrams has accomplished quite a bit throughout his career as a producer and director,...

The live-action adaptation of Aka Akasaka and Mengo Yokoyari’s hit manga Oshi no Ko is making history. Within just 30 days of its release, it became the most-watched Amazon Prime original in Japan, as per the series’ official website.

This massive achievement highlights the show’s popularity since its debut on November 28, when the first six episodes were released worldwide. The final two episodes followed shortly after on December 5.

Each episode of the series introduces a fresh theme song and artist, keeping things dynamic. The in-story idol group B-Komachi wraps up the film with their song ‘Shining Song.’ The unique musical choices have resonated deeply with viewers.

Adding to the excitement, the sequel film hit theaters on December 20, featuring performances by popular names like Nagisa Saitō (formerly of =Love) as Ruby, and Asuka Saitō (ex-Nogizaka46) as Ai. Aqua is played by Kaito Sakurai, while Nanoka Hara portrays Kana Arima.

Lee Isaac Chung, the director behind films and series including Minari (2020), The Mandalorian and this year's box office smash-hit Twisters, has opened up about why his live-action movie adaptation of Makoto Shinkai's Your Name was doomed to failure.

Chung was excited to bring his own take on Shinkai's Your Name to the world as a fan of the original film. "That was a situation in which I just loved all the people so much," he told Empire. However, while working from a script by Emily V. Gordon, he realized what a monumental task had been put in front of him. "I like the animated film," Chung explained, "but what I didn't realize is how hard it is to adapt a Japanese animated movie and to try to do that for America. That was the goal that Toho had put before us. But it's really hard to do."

Related Your...

Shinzo Katayama has emerged as one of the most interesting voices of Japan during the latest years, with his movies usually including a sense of grittiness and tension that is so missing from the local industry. His latest work, “Lust in the Air”, a slightly erotic film, is based on a short story by legendary manga artist Yoshiharu Tsuge, which actually transcends genres quite intently.

Lust in the Air is screening at Tokyo International Film Festival

The story focuses on Yoshio, a poor and struggling manga artist who lives in Kitamachi. He is sent by Oyaji, the landlord of his apartment who is also engaged in other shady businesses, to help a novelist called Imori move in, and meets a recently-divorced woman named Fukuko. Yoshio is immediately bewitched by her beauty, even though she is already seeing someone else. In the meantime, Imori establishes an advertising agency, borrowing the name...

"Beauty and the Beast" truly is a tale as old as time, and has been retold in countless ways, like the Ron Perlman and Linda Hamilton TV series of the same name, the Fran Drescher comedy "The Beautician and the Beast," the teen rom-drama "Beastly," or even in an episode of "Hello Kitty's Furry Tale Theater." Recently, legendary Japanese filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda delivered "Belle," a magnificent animated sci-fi fantasy film that thrusts the tale out of the world of old and into the techno future.

The story takes place in the not-so-distant future where the internet has evolved into a legitimate virtual reality called U, where avatars are created by users' scanned biometric information. A teenager named Suzu creates an avatar named Belle who becomes a pop superstar, but everything changes when her virtual concert is interrupted by the seemingly undefeatable fighter The Dragon (or "The Beast"), who she quickly becomes infatuated with.

Satoshi Miki started out as a writer for hit TV variety shows, some of which are legendary in Japan. He then began directing stage plays and further expanded into TV dramas and films. His directing style has its good and urbane sense of humor, in which seemingly unnecessary episodes and dialogues are developed and interwoven into a story, incidentally making them indispensable parts of the story. His first film “In the Pool” (’05) and his second feature “Turtles Are Surprisingly Fast Swimmers” were consecutively released theatrically in the year 2005. Two of his movies were also released in 2022, “What to Do With The Dead Kaiju” and his collaboration with Mark Schilling, “Convenience Story”.

On the occasion of both screening at Fantasia, we talk to him about the appeal of kaiju movies, Japanese politicians, the casting of the two movies, cooperating with Mark Schilling, the Japanese movie industry, and other topics.

“What to Do With The Dead Kaiju...

When it comes to Japanese comedies, few directors have made quite the impact. While some of his peers might have some of the more universally known titles under their belt, Miki has also left his mark with works such as “Turtles Are Surprisingly Fast Swimmers”, “Adrift in Tokyo” and “Instant Swamp”. Being the member of a comedy group whose band of humor he once compared to Monty Python, he has emphasized the targets for laughter in his works are those tendencies, trends or moods within the culture of his home country which may be seen as odd or troublesome. His newest feature, “Convenience Story”, is no exception to the rule, with the story revolving around one of the cornerstones of Japanese culture, at least to the eye of the outsider, the 24/7-open convenience store seemingly promising an easy solution to one’s problems. The feature is also a collaboration of film critic Mark Schilling,...

The Film

The new Miyazaki. That’s a description I’ve heard applied to Mamoru Hosoda over and over, and it’s never sat well with me. Notwithstanding that Hosoda has expressed critical feelings about Miyazaki’s depiction of women, or my own apathy about Miyazaki’s films, Hosoda isn’t the new anybody, nor does he need to be. He’s the first Mamoru Hosoda, and across his six solo features, he’s established a strong authorial voice and, for my money, stands out as one of the best and most exciting filmmakers working today, and not just in animation.

Belle, like Hosoda’s previous films, takes a gigantic sci-fi concept and boils it down to a tiny personal story. The setting is contemporary, but the internet seems to be dominated by an app called U, a social network which, through body sharing technology (think a less gross take...

"Nobody would think that Belle is a country bumpkin like you." Charades, French distributor of this film, has released a new trailer for Belle from acclaimed, award-winning Japanese animation director Mamoru Hosoda. We've already posted a few Japanese trailers for this already, and it's expected this will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival this summer. The animated adventure is about a teenage girl who lives between modern-day Japan and a virtual world called "U." The story follows her as she makes a new friend and "embarks on a journey of adventures and love both in their quest of becoming who they truly are." With a voice cast including Kaho Nakamura, Kenjirô Tsuda, Mamoru Miyano, Kôji Yakusho, Toshiyuki Morikawa, and Ryô Narita. I'm really looking forward to this! As magical as ever from Hosoda. Jump in. Here's the first international trailer (+ ...

"I feel like I've been in a strange dream." FUNimation has released an official Us trailer for the upcoming Us release of the Japanese anime hit film Your Name. You've probably heard about this film already, or at least heard the name before. Your Name opened in Japan last August, and went on to become the highest-earning Japanese film ever globally. It made over $230 million in Japan alone, playing in the #1 spot for 13 weeks, making it a sensational success in Japanese cinema. The film is finally about to open in Us theaters this spring, and there's a new trailer with subtitles below to watch as an introduction. There is an English-language dubbed version of the film being released, but we always prefer the original version with subtitles. Featuring the voices of Ryûnosuke Kamiki, Mone Kamishiraishi, Ryô Narita and Aoi Yuki. Enjoy. Here's the official Us trailer (+ poster) for Makoto Shinkai's Your Name,...