Japanese Movie Reviews »
Neon Genesis: Evangelion 2.22 You Can (Not) Advance (2009) Movie Review
The oddly titled “Evangelion: 2.22 You Can (Not) Advance” is the second in creator Anno Hideaki’s grand, cinematic revisioning of his hugely popular and influential original anime series. Following on from “Evangelion: 1.0 You...
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Neon Genesis: Evangelion 1.11 You Are (Not) Alone (2007) Movie Review
With the original anime series having screened back in the mid 1990s, followed by a variety of follow up features and reworkings that aimed to provide new endings and clarity, fans would be forgiven...
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Robo-Geisha (2009) Movie Review
“Machine Girl” director Iguchi Noboru returns with more unfettered craziness in the form of “Robo Geisha”, a film which has already become somewhat of a cult sensation after its jaw dropping trailer notched up...
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Kaiji: The Ultimate Gambler (2009) Movie Review
“Kaiji: the Ultimate Gambler” was originally released in Japan in 2009 as “Gambling Apocalypse Kaiji”, and now arrives on region 2 DVD via 4Digital Media. Based on Fukumoto Nobuyuki’s popular manga, the film was...
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Samurai Zombie (2008) Movie Review
The great thing about the new wave of wild Japanese splatter cinema is its real sense of collaboration and teamwork, with pretty much everyone involved working with each other and directing their own opuses....
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The Hidden Fortress: The Last Princess (2008) Movie Review
“Hidden Fortress: The Last Princess” is a big budget remake of Akira Kurosawa’s 1958 classic “The Hidden Fortress”, the film often credited as providing the inspiration for George Lucas’ “Star Wars” series. This new...
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Fish Story (2009) Movie Review
This film doesn’t really have much to do with fish, but it does have something to do with a story – so the title’s not a complete lie. This ‘story’ follows a 1970s Japanese...
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White Night (2009) Movie Review
The Japanese crime novel “Byakuyako” by author Higashino Keigo’s gets its second screen outing with the Korean film “White Night”, having already been adapted for a 2006 domestic television drama. This cinematic version of...
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20th Century Boys 3: The Last Chapter (2009) Movie Review
Answers and revelations finally arrive in the form of “20th Century Boys – The Last Chapter: Our Flag”, as director Tsutsumi Yukihiko returns with the final instalment of his hugely ambitious adaptation of Urasawa...
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Gungrave: Complete Collection Box Set Review
Although there are many videogames based upon anime series, “Gungrave” shows that such inspiration can work both ways, having been adapted from Yasuhiro Nightow’s hit 2002 Playstation title. Created by Nightow (best known for...
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Geisha Assassin (2008) Movie Review
“Geisha Assassin” marks the directorial debut of Go Ohara, a man with a fine pedigree in the recent wave of low budget Japanese genre cinema, having worked as action choreographer on the likes of...
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Rain Fall (2009) Movie Review
Based on the novel by author Barry Eisler, “Dance of the Dragon” director Max Mannix’s 2009 political thriller “Rain Fall” marks the first cinematic adventure of freelance assassin John Rain. Having never read any...
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DVD Review: Ocean Waves (1993) Movie UK R2
I’m not the biggest fan of manga or anime, I mean I’ve seen a few of the well-known movies, like “Ghost in the Shell” and “Ninja Scroll”, and I’ll never stop singing the praise...
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Hard Revenge, Milly (2008) / Hard Revenge, Milly: Bloody Battle (2009) Reviews
More low budget Japanese mayhem arrives in the form of “Hard Revenge Milly” and “Hard Revenge Milly: Bloody Battle”, originally released a couple of years back and now slicing their way onto region 2...
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Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl (2009) Movie Review
I approached directors Yoshihiro Nishimura and Naoyuki Tomomatsu’s over-the-top 2009 high school gore comedy “Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl” with the same expectations I possessed during my initial viewing of “Tokyo Gore Police”, “The...
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Ju-On: White Ghost/Black Ghost (2009) Movie Review
From its relatively humble beginnings in 2000 as a direct to DVD release, the Japanese horror “Ju-on” series went on to become one of the modern Asian ghost genre’s most influential franchises, and one...
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Blood (aka Buraddo, 2009) Movie Review
Most empathetically not to be confused with the similarly titled and themed Hollywood anime rehash “Blood – the Last Vampire” is “Blood”, an erotic vampire outing from “Shinobi” director Shimoyama Ten. The film stars...
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Zombie Hunter Rika (2008) Movie Review
As someone who tends to favor the low-budget, the twisted, and the purposely bizarre, it’s really no surprise that this endless wave of violent, over-the-top action currently streaming out of Japan amuses me to...
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Boat (2009) Movie Review
“Boat” is a Korean Japanese co-production charting the experiences and cross cultural friendship of a couple of smugglers, and was directed by Kim Young Nam, whose indie feature “Don’t Look Back” won awards back...
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Oppai Volleyball (2009) Movie Review
All that most male viewers probably need to know is that “Oppai Volleyball” translates as ‘breast volleyball’ and that it stars the gorgeous swimsuit model turned actress Haruka Ayase as a teacher who tries...
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