SciFi Japan

    Photo by Daisuke Ishizuka. © 2011 Toei Co., Ltd.

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    Authors: the SciFi Japan team Photos: Daisuke Ishizuka The staff of SciFi Japan to thank all of our readers, contributors, news sources and sponsors for their help and support this past year. We wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and a wonderful holiday season as we head into 2012. In keeping with the holiday spirit, the following photos from Daisuke Ishizuka show the Super Sentai and Kamen Rider Christmas displays at Akihabara in Tokyo. Enjoy!

    Masaru Kato (Kenichi Matsuyama) battles aliens in GANTZ II: PERFECT ANSWER, playing December 17th at NEW PEOPLE Cinema. © Hiroya Oku/Shueisha © 2011 Gantz Film Partners

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    EATRIP, DOCUMENTARY OF AKB48 and GANTZ II: PERFECT ANSWER in the The Bay Area on Dec 17th Source: NEW PEOPLE Entertainment, MediaLab press release Special Thanks to Erik Jansen NEW PEOPLE, the nation’s only entertainment complex dedicated to Japanese popular culture, has announced a trio of Japanese live-action films to screen on Saturday, December 17th at the venue’s SF Film Society|NEW PEOPLE Cinema. The screenings will include the culinary documentary EATRIP, which plays at 1:00pm, the newly released music biopic, DOCUMENTARY OF AKB48 – TO BE CONTINUED, which plays at 3:00pm and again at 8:30pm, and finally the action-packed conclusion of the celebrated GANTZ sci-fi saga with a showing of GANTZ II: PERFECT ANSWER 5:00pm. Tickets are $10.00 each per film. Information and advance tickets are available at newpeopleworld.com. The SF Film Society|NEW PEOPLE Cinema is a 143-seat subterranean theatre located at 1746 Post Street in San

    A Buddhist monk stays true to his punk rock roots in ABRAXAS. Photo courtesy of Zipangu Fest. © 2010 Abraxas Production Committee

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    Festival of Nuclear Reactions, Retro, Anime and Horror Kicks Off November 18th in London Source: Zipangu Fest, Third Window Film press releases Official Site: zipangufest.com The second Zipangu Fest— celebrating the best of cutting edge and avant garde Japanese cinema— will be held at London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) and Café Oto from November 18th to 24th, before moving to venues around the UK. The festival will showcase a selection of Japan’s finest features, documentaries, shorts, animation and experimental films... most of which have never been seen before in the UK and this festival will probably be the only chance to see them in the near future. In the aftermath of this year’s tragedy in north-eastern Japan, the issues surrounding nuclear energy have resurfaced and Zipangu Fest will show two documentaries on the subject. Hitomi Kamanaka’s ASHES TO HONEY (?????????????, Mitsu-bachi no

    Photo courtesy of Anime Jungle.

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    Come Perform Onstage as Your Favorite Japanese Superhero Source: Anime Jungle Special Thanks to Tetsu Shiota and Yoichi Kakuma On Saturday, November 5th, the collector`s shop Anime Jungle in Los Angeles, CA will host their first HENSHIN CONTEST for costumers/cosplayers to perform a short onstage skit with a Kamen/Masked Rider, Super Sentai/Power Rangers, or other Costumed Heroes theme. The contest will take place at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC) during the opening reception for the KAMEN RIDER VS SUPER SENTAI Anniversaries Tribute Exhibition (co-sponsored with with Q-POP) in downtown LA`s Little Tokyo. Cosplayers who wish to participate in the Henshin Contest can register at either of Anime Jungle`s Los Angeles locations or online. Complete contest details can be found at animejungle.net/henshin. The top three performances will have their choice of three prizes, all related to Kamen Rider or Super Sentai. Anime Jungle invites

    The 3D version of the Korean box office smash THE HOST will make its world premiere next month at the Busan International Film Festival. © 2006 Chungeorahm Film

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    Primary Korean Film Festival Puts Two Monster Movies on This Year`s List Author: Kim Song-ho Source: Busan International Film Festival The 3D version of Bong Joon-ho`s THE HOST (?? / Gwoemul, 2006) and Kim Ki-duk`s classic YONGARY, MONSTER FROM THE DEEP (??? ??? / Daegoesu Yonggary, 1967) will be shown at this year`s Busan* International Film Festival (BIFF, October 6~14). The event is known to be one of the most prosperous Asian film festivals in the world, first launched in 1996. THE HOST 3D is a surprise entry, as its existence was not known by the majority of Korean filmgoers or press before the festival announcement on September 8. Because the movie was produced before the 3D boom caused by James Cameron`s AVATAR (2009), it was post-converted from 2D. Production studio Chungeorahm Films had previously announced that the sequel (which has been in development for years) might

    Logo for the new Gaijin Channel website. © 2011

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    New Website to Promote Creative Life in Japan Author: Keith Aiken Official Site: gaijinchannel.com Special Thanks to JR Lipartito and Jim Ballard SciFi Japan would like to alert our readers to a great new website. Debuting Thursday, September 1st, Gaijin Channel has been brought together by JR Lipartito (FOX BACKSTAGE PASS, BRINGING GODZILLA DOWN TO SIZE) and a team of talented contributors in Japan to become a premiere creative community for Japanophile entertainment. Gaijin Channel`s mission is to spread unique views on life in Japan as can only be told by those who come from or have been heavily influenced by other cultures. There is something unique about Japan that inspires the creative spirit, and Gaijin Channel is specifically designed to enable Japan-based creators to reach a global audience... not only by showing their work, but by sharing the creative process as well to connect with

    Eriko Ayukawa (Ayumi Ito) struggles with the mystery of GANTZ. Photo courtesy of NEW PEOPLE Entertainment. © Hiroya Oku/Shueisha © 2011 Gantz Film Partners

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    Japanese Sci-Fi Live-Action Film and New Sequel Set to Screen During 2011 San Diego Comic-Con Source: MediaLab press release Official Movie Site: gantz-movie.com (Japan), gantzmovies.com (US) Special Thanks to Erik Jansen NEW PEOPLE Entertainment, a film division of NEW PEOPLE, Inc. that focuses on the licensing and distribution of Japanese films and media, has announced a series of special theatrical screenings of the live action sci-fi thriller GANTZ (??, Gantsu, 2011) and its sequel, GANTZ II: PERFECT ANSWER (?? PERFECT ANSWER, Gantsu Pafekuto Ansaa, 2011), at the Pacific Gaslamp 15 Theatres in San Diego, CA. GANTZ screens on Friday, July 22nd at 6:00pm and 9:00pm, while GANTZ II: PERFECT ANSWER screens on Saturday, July 23rd at 6:00pm and also at 9:00pm. Both films will be shown in Japanese with English subtitles. The film screenings will take place during the 2011 Comic-Con International, the

    Kei Kishimoto (Natsuna Watanabe) and Masaru Kato (Kenichi Matsuyama) confront a big threat in GANTZ. © Hiroya Oku/Shueisha © 2011 Gantz Film Partners

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    Winners will See Both Movies for Free, Courtesy of NYAFF and SciFi Japan Source: Subway Cinema/New York Asian Film Festival Special Thanks to Kristen Osborne and Grady Hendrix Thank you to everyone who entered New York Asian Film Festival and SciFi Japan`s contest for free passes to see GANTZ and GANTZ: PERFECT ANSWER at NYAFF. The screenings takes place at the Japan Society on Saturday, July 9 starting at 12:30 pm. Japan Society is located at 333 East 47th Street (between First and Second avenues), New York, NY 10017. Their box office number is 212-832-1155. The randomly drawn winning entries are: Dylan Bach Greg Cordaro Congratulations to the winners! Each of you has won a pair of tickets to see the double feature of GANTZ and GANTZ: PERFECT ANSWER. Your passes will be available on the day of the show at the

    Kei Kishimoto (Natsuna Watanabe) battles weird aliens in GANTZ. Photo courtesy of Japan Society. © Hiroya Oku/Shueisha © 2011 Gantz Film Partners

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    See Both Movies for Free, Courtesy of NYAFF and SciFi Japan Source: Subway Cinema/New York Asian Film Festival Special Thanks to Kristen Osborne and Grady Hendrix Next week sees the launch of the 2011 New York Asian Film Festival and Japan Cuts: Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema. Running from July 1-14 at the Film Society of Lincoln Center and July 7 - 22 at Japan Society, the combined festival will feature dozens of films, international and world premiere screenings, Q&A`s with filmmakers, and other special events. This year`s lineup a double feature of the new live action sci-fi movies GANTZ (??, Gantsu, 2011) and GANTZ: PERFECT ANSWER (?? PERFECT ANSWER, Gantsu Pafekuto Ansaa, 2011). Presented back-to-back and in the original Japanese with English subtitles, the screenings will mark the New York Premiere of the subtitled GANTZ and the North American Premiere of GANTZ:

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    Huge Festivals Return to New York City with Screenings of 70 Asian Films Source: Subway Cinema, Japan Society Special Thanks to Kristen Osborne, Grady Hendrix, and Shannon Jowett Beginning July 1st, New York City once again plays host to America`s leading large-scale festival of popular Asian cinema. Subway Cinema`s New York Asian Film Festival (July 1-14) and Japan Society`s Japan Cuts: Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema (July 7-22) combined will feature 70 different movies, world and US premieres, exclusive Q&A’s with filmmakers, and other special events. This year also marks the fifth annual collaboration between Japan Cuts and NYAFF, who will co-present several films at the Japan Society from July 7-10. Festival Venues Film Society of Lincoln Center`s Walter Reade Theater: July 1-14 165 West 65th Street, Upper Level (between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue) Box office: (212) 875-5601 America`s pre-eminent film presentation organization, The Film

    FUNimation Entertainment has announced three new titles for release in 2011-2012. ZEBRAMAN 2: ATTACK ON ZEBRA CITY © 2010 Zebraman- Attack on Zebra City Partners. WE WITHOUT WINGS- UNDER THE INNOCENT SKY © 2011 Navel. CITY UNDER SEIGE © 2010 Universe Entertainment.

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    ZEBRAMAN 2, CITY UNDER SEIGE, and WE WITHOUT WINGS- UNDER THE INNOCENT SKY to Get US Release Source: FUNimation Entertainment Special Thanks to Jackie Smith This past weekend, FUNimation Entertainment announced it has acquired the U.S. distribution rights to three new properties. The live action film ZEBRAMAN 2: ATTACK ON ZEBRA CITY (?????? -?????????-, Zeburaaman -Zebura Shiti no Gyakushuu-, 2010) was directed by Takashi Miike (ICHI THE KILLER, 13 ASSASSINS) and is a sequel to Miike`s 2004 film ZEBRAMAN. The anime series WE WITHOUT WINGS- UNDER THE INNOCENT SKY (????????, Oretachi ni Tsubasa wa Nai, 2011) is a romantic comedy from director Shinji Ushiro (BLESSING OF THE CAMPANELLA) which revolves around a group of young people whose seemingly unconnected lives may be linked in an alternate world. The Hong Kong science fiction action film CITY UNDER SEIGE (????, Chun sing gai bei, 2010) was directed and co-written

    Lee Dae-ho (Kim Sang-kyoung) has some concerns about skyscraper fire safety measures in THE TOWER, a new Korean disaster movie in the style of THE TOWERING INFERNO. Photo courtesy of CJ E&M Pictures and The Tower Pictures. © 2011 CJ E&M Pictures/ The Tower Pictures

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    Principal Photography Begins for New Korean Disaster Movie Author: Kim Song-ho Source: CJ E&M Pictures/ The Tower Pictures CJ E&M and The Tower Pictures jointly announced on June 6th (Korean date) that principal photography for THE TOWER (??) began on May 18 at KOFIC Studio in Namyangju, Korea. THE TOWER depicts the desperate struggles of a group of people trapped in a giant skyscraper located in downtown Seoul, as a massive fire consumes the building on Christmas Eve. The movie is helmed by Kim Ji-hoon, director of the upcoming 3D creature feature SECTOR 7 (7??, Chil gwanggu) which premieres in Korea August 4. His 2007 debut feature MAY 18 (??? ??, Hwaryeohan hyuga), about the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy movement, was a critical and commercial success. SECTOR 7 is also expected to be a strong contender in the domestic box office battle this summer.

    Yakuza Shozo Iwaki (Tak Sakaguchi) is transformed into weapon-loaded cyborg in YAKUZA WEAPON, the new film from the team behind the cult hit VERSUS. Photo courtesy of Sushi Typhoon. © 2010 Ken Ishikawa/ Dynamic Planning, Yakuza Weapon Film Partners

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    Made in Japan, Kicking Ass Worldwide Source: Sushi Typhoon Official Movie Site: sushi-typhoon.com/films/yakuza-weapon Special Thanks to Marc Walkow The team who brought you VERSUS have returned with YAKUZA WEAPON (????, Gokudo Heiki, 2011), another hard-edged battle royale featuring tough gangsters, deadly women and cybernetic penis implants! Working as a hard-to-kill mercenary in South America, ex-yakuza Shozo Iwaki (Tak Sakaguchi) is informed of the death of his gang boss father, Kenzo (Akaji Maro). Returning home after four years, Shozo discovers that his father’s number-one man, Kurawaki (Shingo Tsurumi), has double-crossed and assassinated Kenzo, leaving Shozo not only in charge of what little remains of the Iwaki Family, but also burning with the desire for vengeance. After a titanic battle in which an entire building is leveled, both Shozo and Kurawaki are left barely alive, Shozo missing an arm and a leg. Despite his debilitating

    Hayao Miyazaki`s classic PORCO ROSSO is among the films and anime series screening at this year`s AM² convention. © 1992 Nibariki • TNNG

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    Source: BAM! Marketing, Publicity & Promotions press release Official Site: am2con.org Special Thanks to Chase Wang AM², the highly-anticipated animation, music and manga convention taking place July 1-3, 2011 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Southern California, has revealed some of the titles (with more to come) that will be screened at this year`s event. ARAKAWA UNDER THE BRIDGE (?????? ? ????, Arakawa Andaa za Burijji, 2010) Rating: PG-13 Ko Ichinomiya`s family motto is "Never be indebted to anyone," but after losing his pants and falling into the Arakawa River, he quickly finds himself in debt to his savior, the cutely insane Nino (who happens to live under the bridge). To repay her, he vows to help her with her desire to "experience love." Along the way he`ll meet the river`s other residents, including a hot-blooded kappa, a Sister in drag, and a

    The new Toho SFX Actress Encyclopedia is a treasure trove of photos and information about the leading ladies of Toho`s fantasy films. © 2011 Yosensha Co. Ltd./ Toho Co., Ltd.

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    Author: Loren Portillo Official Site: Toho SFX Actress Encyclopedia Released in Japan barely a month ago, the incredible softcover book Toho SFX Actress Encyclopedia (????????????????, Toho tokusatsu jouyuu taizenshuu) covers 50 years of Toho special effects film actresses, from 1954 to 2004. Published by Yosensha Co. Ltd., this 158 page marvel includes a stunning amount of rare color and B&W photographs of some of the most beautiful women ever to grace the screens at Toho Studios. I would assume finding photographs of these beautiful actresses would be considered very common in Japan, but for the foreign fan it is quite a treat to be able to see so many favorites here in this great book. My particular favorite page is a beautiful 1962 color photograph of all of Toho`s top actress`s in kimono outfits... a very stunning picture, indeed. There is also a selection of very interesting

    Eleven Gamera movies are among the free content now streaming on GooHead, the new internet channel for classic Asian feature films and television series. © 1999 Kadokawa Pictures, Inc.

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    Source: Golden Media Group press release Official Site: GooHead Internet Channel Special Thanks to Roy McAree GooHead, Inc. has announced that their Internet Channel is now available at GooHead.com. The new channel specializes in internet delivery in the United States and Canada, free of charge, of classic Asian feature films and television series. The objective of the GooHead Internet Channel is to make content available in the simplest possible, clutter free way, and is dedicated to the delivery of your choice of viewing within three clicks or less. GooHead utilizes the best in class technology services by Amazon Web Service— AWS S3 and Cloudfront— to provide the best possible viewing experience regardless of how viewers access content (television, PC, tablet, or smartphone). GooHead Inc. is pleased to have had the assistance of Marlin Davis, president of MDE, in the development, design, and deployment

    Advance art for ALWAYS- SUNSET ON THIRD STREET `64. © 2012 Always Sunset on Third Street `64 Film Partners

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    Takashi Yamazaki Continues the Blockbuster Film Series... this Time in 3D Authors: Keith Aiken and Jim Ballard Source: NTV (Nippon Television Network), Cinema Today, various Official Site: Always 3 Fresh from the smash success of his live action SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO (SPACE BATTLESHIP ???, Uchu Senkan Yamato, 2010), filmmaker Takashi Yamazaki is now at work on a third installment of the award-winning ALWAYS- SUNSET ON THIRD STREET movie franchise. Directed and co-written by Yamazaki from Ryohei Saigan`s popular manga, the first ALWAYS- SUNSET ON THIRD STREET (ALWAYS ??????, Always San-Chome no Yuhi, 2005) told the story of the residents of a small Tokyo neighborhood in late 1958. The image of Tokyo Tower under construction figured prominently in both the film and its promotional campaign, which presented a sentimental, nostalgic look back at Japan`s economic and cultural post-war rebirth. ALWAYS- SUNSET ON THIRD STREET was a tremendous

    The subtitled version of GANTZ will be screened this month at the VIZ Cinema in San Francisco. Photo courtesy of VIZ Pictures. © Hiroya Oku/Shueisha © 2011 Gantz Film Partners

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    Source: MediaLab press release Official Site: NewPeopleWorld.com Special Thanks to Erik Jansen VIZ Cinema at NEW PEOPLE, the nation’s only movie theatre dedicated to Japanese and Asian film, presents a pair of special movie events taking place at the venue in February. Trailers, screening times and tickets are available at VIZCinema.com. The venue is located inside NEW PEOPLE at 1746 Post Street in San Francisco’s Japantown. Slated to screen on February 19th will be the acclaimed Korean director Kim Ki-duk’s romantic prison drama, BREATH, which will be followed by a reception with The Red Lantern: Bay Area Asian Cinephiles, based in San Francisco and the world`s largest Meetup group for Asian films. Also, by popular demand, VIZ Cinema at NEW PEOPLE will offer a special one-night-only screening on February 19th of the live-action sci-fi thriller GANTZ (in Japanese with English subtitles). GANTZ is based on the smash

    Christopher Nolan`s critical and box office smash INCEPTION is now available on DVD and Blu-ray. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros Home Video. © 2010 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

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    Author: Kyle Byrd Official Site: inceptionmovie Every now and then a genre film will come along that takes old ideas and reinvents them. It reminds you why you go to see fantasy films to begin with. INCEPTION is one of those rare films. Directed by Christopher Nolan (MEMENTO, BATMAN BEGINS, THE DARK KNIGHT), INCEPTION is a sci-fi action film that plays out like a Hitchcockian thriller on acid. It concerns a man named Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio), a skilled thief who is paid to enter people’s dreams and steal ideas from them. Saito (Ken Watanabe), the head of a powerful corporation, approaches Cobb about doing a reverse operation… planting an idea instead of stealing one. He wants Cobb to enter the mind of his dying corporate rival’s son, Robert Fischer Jr. (Cillian Murphy) and plant an idea that will inspire him to break up

    The World Premiere of GANTZ was held January 20th in Hollywood. Photo by Richard Pusateri.

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    Kazunari Ninomiya and Kenichi Matsuyama present GANTZ World Premiere in Hollywood Author: Richard Pusateri Official Movie Site: gantz-movie.com (Japan), gantzmovies.com (US) Special Thanks to Erik Jansen and Rieko Fuji The fans were restless at the GANTZ World Premiere in Hollywood. Above the world famous Grauman’s Chinese Theater January 20, the fans lining the entrance corridor of Mann’s Chinese 6 theaters were fidgeting and nervously chattering long before the film’s stars Kazunari Ninomiya (LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA) and Kenichi Matsuyama (DETROIT METAL CITY, DEATH NOTE) arrived for what was billed as the “GANTZ WORLD PREMIERE.” One of the first things master of ceremonies Patrick Macias told the crowd was the stars were just in from the World Premiere earlier that day in Tokyo, leaving the description of this event as the "World Premiere" needing some clarification. I had arrived 90 minutes before the event’s

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