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Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus review – a stark, emotional finale from master musician
In his last weeks of life, the Oscar-winning composer is filmed at the piano by his son. It is an almost wordl…
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Finding Her Beat review – women-only taiko drumming troupe takes on the US
The challenges of bringing the Japanese drum style to an American audience are laboriously told, but the perfo…
- Japan, Period and historical films, Science fiction and fantasy films, Action and adventure films, World news, Asia Pacific, Culture, Film
Godzilla Minus One review – rageful monster is one of the best in the series
Director Takashi Yamazaki sets his destroyer of worlds against a postwar Japan still recovering from the effec…
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Small, Slow But Steady review – meditative boxing tale as deaf fighter rethinks life
Film follows Keiko, deaf since birth, making her way in the ring when Covid-19 lockdown arrives in Japan and s…
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Bad City review – retro homage to 80s Japanese thrillers is elegantly pulpy
A taskforce of honest cops is assembled to tackle the gangsters menacing Kaiko City. Many punches are thrown i…
- Japan, MANGA, Comics and graphic novels, Science fiction and fantasy films, World news, Asia Pacific, Books, Anime, Culture, Animation in film, Film
Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero review – eye-candy anime is gloriously mesmeric
The immensely popular franchise is back with a cast of brightly coloured characters in a world of bad guys wit…
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Prisoners of the Ghostland review – testicle-detonating Nicolas Cage sci-fi
Nicolas Cage teams up with Japanese enfant terrible director Sion Sono for an entertaining post-apocalyptic ma…
- Japan, MANGA, Comics and graphic novels, Books, Anime, Culture, Animation in film, Film, Film adaptations
Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train review – an anime fever dream
Good, bad and powerful spells collide in this impressively animated romp that inspires touching reflections on…
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The Legend of the Stardust Brothers review – 80s Japanese bubblegum pop curio
Even with a glorious mishmash of a pop soundtrack, it’s not obvious why Makoto Tezuka’s cult musical needs a r…
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Tokyo Dragon Chef review – ramen-themed yakuza musical comedy
Yoshihiro Nishimura throws every ingredient into this overblown, overcooked and oddly endearing underworld rom…
- Japan, Environment, Marine life, Conservation, Animals, Wildlife, Fishing, World news, Documentary films, Asia Pacific, Culture, Food, Film
Ama-San review – a deep dive into Japan’s fisherwomen culture
Cláudia Varejão’s camera embark’s on an enigmatic and occasionally baffling study of a hypnotic worldThe ama a…