Japan On Film

JOF is back with a new season! And in this episode, we spotlight possibly the greatest Japanese film ever made, 2000's neo-classic cult film, Battle Royale! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/japanonfilm/message

Anime makes its Japan On Film debut. 2016’s Your Name quickly became one of the top-grossing Japanese films of all time. But what is it about this movie that captured the imagination of the world? Find out as I take a deeper look at this modern classic. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/japanonfilm/message

Giko is just your average delinquent schoolgirl who cuts class to smoke, carries a chainsaw, and has an army of trendy poser mutant cyborgs on her trail. Wait…what?! Get ready to enter the world of Japanese grindhouse! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/japanonfilm/message

Yuki was born with only one purpose—to avenge her mother. After spending her entire life training, she’s now ready to pursue her mission. Dive into the gore-soaked world of the 1973 cult classic, Lady Snowblood! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/japanonfilm/message

Enjoy a stylistic look at the old Yoshiwara red-light district in Mika Ninagawa’s 2006 film, Sakuran. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/japanonfilm/message

Akira Kurosawa’s classic adaptation of a story by Ryunosuke Akutagawa is the focus of this episode. You’ve no doubt seen it before. But what you may not know is some of the historical context for the story’s Heian setting and how that compares to postwar Japan. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/japanonfilm/message

Get ready to rock out to the sounds of the Blue Hearts! This week I look at 2005s Linda Linda Linda, featuring Aki Maeda (Battle Royale), Yuu Kashii (Death Note), and Doo-na Bae (The Host, Sense8)! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/japanonfilm/message

Japan On Film is back with a new season! And to celebrate the release of Godzilla: King of the Monsters, dive into the original Godzilla! Far from just being a cheesy B-monster flick, the original Godzilla is actually a very powerful film about the dangers of nuclear weapons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/japanonfilm/message

The final installment of the three-part season finale! Listen to the rest of my conversation with Derrick as we discuss the music in both movies, the legacy theyve left behind, and talk about the interconnected nature of both westerns and samurai films. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/japanonfilm/message

The three-part season finale continues as Derrick and I continue our conversation about Seven Samurai and The Magnificent Seven, going a bit deeper into some of the things that make both these movies special. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/japanonfilm/message

In the first of this three-part season finale, I've invited fellow author and movie reviewer Derrick Ferguson to come on and talk with me about Akira Kurosawa's 1954 classic, Seven Samurai, and to compare it with John Sturges' 1960 remake, The Magnificent Seven. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/japanonfilm/message

In light of Kazuo Koikes recent passing, the film Ive chosen for this episode is an adaptation of his most famous creationLone Wolf and Cub. Released in 1972 and starring Tomisaburo Wakayama, Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance was the first of six films based on Koikes manga. Its the story of a former shogunate executioner framed for treason who must become an assassin for hire, accompanied by his young son. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/japanonfilm/message

In another episode documenting movies based on the novels of Kanae Minato, I watched Yoshihiro Nakamuras 2014 film, The Snow White Murder Case. When a beautiful young woman is killed in a brutal fashion, all signs point to a jealous co-worker. But as always in one of Minatos thrillers, theres more to the story --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/japanonfilm/message

Tetsuya Nakashima was mostly known as a comedy director, but in 2010 he made his debut into the world of thrillers with Confessions. Based on the book of the same name by Kanae Minato, Confessions is a chilling tale of a teacher seeking revenge for the death of her daughter. Discover more about it in this episode! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/japanonfilm/message

After two ligher episodes, we take a turn towards the darker side of Japanese cinema by having a look at Takashi Miikes world-famous horror film, Audition! When a widower decides to remarry, he opts for an audition to find the perfect wife. What he gets is something very different --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/japanonfilm/message

Set in 1987, Initiation Love focuses on the struggles a young company employee has when he starts a new job and maintaining a long-distance relationship. Marketed on the basis of a massive twist, was that twist worth it? Find out in the latest episode! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/japanonfilm/message

Based on a possibly true story, this week we look at 2005's Train Man. Can a geek with no style or social skills win over the love of a beautiful woman with the help of the Internet, or is he just making it all up? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/japanonfilm/message

Hirokazu Kore-eda's 2018 film, Shoplifters, has received near-universal critical acclaim across the globe. Find out why so many are responding to it, what it says about poverty in Japan, and why Japanese conservatives have been angered by the movie. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/japanonfilm/message

Momoko is a selfish lolita obsessed with the Rococo era. Ichiko is a is a gruff, tough yanki biker girl with a penchant for spitting and head-butting. Enter a world of biker legends and frilly dresses in Tetsuya Nakashima's Kamikaze Girls! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/japanonfilm/message

Travel back to 1860 Japan and experience Akira Kurosawa's samurai masterpiece, Yojimbo. When a wandering ronin comes across a town caught in the middle of a gang war, he decides to stay and play both sides off each other. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/japanonfilm/message