SciFi Japan

    The brand-new VIZ Cinema gives San Franciscans an opportunity to see first-run Japanese films. Photos by Loren Portillo

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    Old Meets New as San Francisco`s Japantown Gets a Fresh Look for the 21st Century Author: Loren Portillo Source: VIZ Media Official Site: NewPeopleWorld.com With San Francisco`s Japantown passing it`s 100th year milestone in 2006, many have been complaining that the area is falling into disrepair and not up to date with modern times. I remember as a kid in the 1970`s pestering my Dad in taking me down to Japantown in a quest for anything Godzilla related. The small J-town mall and Kinokuniya bookstore still remain and are frozen in time, the same way they were back then. I guess that is nostalgic for some, but for the young mallrats and the iPod generation it is considered prehistoric and in desperate need of a makeover. That makeover has arrived with the new VIZ Cinema located at the recently opened ``NEW PEOPLE`` building

    Logo for CNNGo, the new Asian lifestyle and travel site from CNN. Photo courtesy of CNNGo. © 2009 Cable News Network Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.

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    SFJ Articles Featured in Inaugural Lineup of New CNN Website Official Site: CNNGo Special Thanks to W. David Marx and Andrew Demaria This past September 28th saw the premiere of CNNGo.com, a new lifestyle and travel site from CNN. CNNGo has launched with an Asia regional site and six city sites (Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, Shanghai, Tokyo and Mumbai), giving visitors an insider`s look at the Far East. W. David Marx, CNNGo`s Tokyo City Editor, invited SciFi Japan to be part of the site`s Local Blog Buzz, a section where CNN will "be pointing to the very best blogs we think locals and travelers should know about." We`re honored to be featured alongside a number of excellent websites (including favorites like Anime News Network, Jason Gray, AltJapan, and An Eternal Thought in the Mind of Godzilla) and we look forward to welcoming new readers who learn of

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    Japanese Animator Hayao Miyazaki to Receive the 2009 Berkeley Japan Prize Source: Institute of East Asian Studies press release Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley, California has been showcasing the stunning artistry, soaring imagination, and social conscience of internationally acclaimed director Hayao Miyazaki in four special screenings, presented in collaboration with the Center for Japanese Studies at UC Berkeley. The screenings have been going on throughout the month of July and culminate in a rare in-person appearance by Miyazaki himself. The Center for Japanese Studies at the University of California, Berkeley is proud to award internationally acclaimed filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki with the 2009 Berkeley Japan Prize, which honors individuals from all disciplines and professions who have, over a lifetime influenced the world`s understanding of Japan. In conjunction with his in-person acceptance of the award, Hayao Miyazaki will be honored

    The evil Comet Empire awaits its confrontation with Yamato and its conquest of Earth. ©1978 Tohokushinsha Film Corp.

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    Nishizaki Gives Fans the End (?) of Yamato! Author: Tim Eldred, Starblazers.com and Greasemonkeybook.com SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO, Part 1: The Anime Classic That Nearly Wasn`t SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO, Part 2: From Valley to Peak When we last left our heroes, SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO had gone through an honest-to-gosh Cinderella story. From the depths of obscure early-70s TV animation, the great ship rose again to blindside all of Japan and turn into the biggest thing to happen to anime since… anime began. The movie scored boffo box office, the tone was set for a future of prodigious commerce, and the door was wide open for a sequel. Producer Yoshinobu Nishizaki had, in fact, already expressed an interest in making one a month before the YAMATO movie premiered. In the July 1977 issue of OUT magazine, he toyed with the notion of a movie that

    Long ticket line for the first SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO movie. ©Tohokushinsha Film Corp.

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    The YAMATO Boom Begins! Author: Tim Eldred, Starblazers.com and Greasemonkeybook.com SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO, Part 1: The Anime Classic That Nearly Wasn`t From the privileged vantage point of time and distance, it’s easy for us in the Western world to forget what an enormous struggle it is to make a successful anime series in Japan. The stuff just seems to gush out in an endless flood, the only limit being the size of the pipe it flows through. But hidden in that flood are many near-death experiences. Programs that we recognize as monster hits today--YAMATO, GUNDAM, EVANGELION and more--all narrowly avoided fatal blows. Ratings failed to spike, network support evaporated, and only by sheer blind luck did later circumstances come to the rescue. The onscreen story of SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO is loaded with drama, action, and sacrifice. The offscreen story, as it turns out, is exactly the

    Japanese poster art for 20TH CENTURY BOYS -CHAPTER 2-. Photo courtesy of JM Shop. ©1999,2006 Naoki Urasawa, Studio Nuts/Shogakukan. ©2009 ”20th Century Boys” Film Partners

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    NTV and Toho Score with Second Part of Their Sci-Fi Trilogy Author: Elliot Gay Source: NTV (Nippon Television Network) Official Movie Site: 20th Boys Special Thanks to Asuka Kimura, Tzeling Huang, and JM Shop Picking up where the first film dramatically left off, comes the second act of the trilogy, 20TH CENTURY BOYS -CHAPTER 2- (20-Seiki Shonen: Dai 2 Sho- Saigo no Kibo; lit. 20th Century Boys: Chapter Two - The Last Hope). Penned by original manga author Naoki Urasawa, and directed by Yukihiko Tsutsumi, CHAPTER 2, does what many manga adaptations wish they could do: grip an audience unfamiliar with the material. First however, a bit of back-story to refresh those who didn’t catch the first film, or don’t remember it as well. 20TH CENTURY BOYS follows a group of childhood friends, all adults living out their daily lives in monotony. One of them in

    Bob Wilkins prepares to tape CREATURE FEATURES.

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    CREATURE FEATURES host Bob Wilkins Passes Away Author: Bob Johnson Thanks to: Tom Wyrsch, Aaron Cooper, Butch Portillo and Damon Foster "Don`t stay up late, it`s not worth it," Bob Wilkins warned as he would lean back in his yellow rocking chair, smoke wafting from his big cigar. But monster movie fans in Northern California stayed up with him every Saturday night anyway. From 1971 through 1979, Bob Wilkins brought the best and worst of fantasy, horror and science fiction to audiences throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, in the Sacramento Valley, and nationwide through KTVU’s status as a cable super station. His dry wit and deadpan humor won over audiences, and CREATURE FEATURES would often beat SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE in the local ratings. On January 7, 2009 Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area lost one of its most beloved television icons after a long

    Takashi Miike`s SUKIYAKI WESTERN DJANGO is now playing in New York and opens Sept 12 in Los Angeles. © 2007

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    Source: First Look Studios Official Movie Site (japan): Sukiyaki Western Django Official Movie Site (US): Sukiyaki Movie Special Thanks to JM Shop SUKIYAKI WESTERN DJANGO su•ki•ya•ki [soo-kee-yah-kee] n. A popular Japanese dish made with beef and usually containing soy sauce, bean curd, and greens, cooked in a single pot at the table. Simple ingredients cooked together without added broths to create a unique essence that is truly Japanese. Genre: Action / Western Running Time: 121 minutes Completed: August 2007 Director: Takashi Miike Writers: Takashi Miike and Masaru Nakamura Cast: Hideaki Ito, Koichi Sato, Yusuke Iseya, Masanobu Ando, Takaaki Ishibashi, Yoshino Kimura, Teruyuki Kagawa, Masato Sakai, Shun Oguri, Quentin Tarantino, Kaori Momoi Studio: First Look Studios Now playing in New York; opens in Los Angeles on September 12 CAST Gunman: Hideaki Ito Kiyomori: Koichi Sato Yoshitsune: Yusuke Iseya Yoichi: Masanobu Ando Benkei:

    Just some of the many faces onscreen this month in New York City. Godzilla is © Toho Co., Ltd. ALWAYS- SUNSET ON THIRD STREET- 2 © 2007 Always2 Film Partners, ACCURACY OF DEATH © 2008 Sweet Rain Film Partners, L: CHANGE THE WORLD © 2008 L Film Partners, SUKIYAKI WESTERN DJANGO © 2007 SUKIYAKI WESTERN DJANGO Film Partners, DAINIPPONJIN © 2007 Yoshimoto Kogyo Co. Ltd.

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    The New York Asian Film Festival and Japan Cuts Screen More than 50 Feature Films Source: Japan Society, Subway Cinema Beginning this month, New York City plays host to 24 days of Asian cinema. Subway Cinema`s New York Asian Film Festival (June 20- July 6) and Japan Society`s JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Films (July 2 - July 13) combined will feature more than 50 movies, over 60 short films, a free feature film screening for the NYC community; exclusive Q&A’s with filmmakers and other special events. This year also marks the second collaboration between JAPAN CUTS and NYAFF, who will co-present nine films at the Japan Society from July 3-6. A small sampling of the films being shown includes... ACCURACY OF DEATH (2008): A God of Death (Takeshi Kaneshiro) is tasked to spend a week with those who’ve been assigned a sudden demise. ALWAYS- SUNSET

    The Hulk stares down at Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth), a soldier who will soon become his most powerful enemy. Photo courtesy of Universal Studios. © 2008 Marvel Rights LLC

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    Marvel`s Monster Hero Returns to the Big Screen Source: Universal Studios Official Website: THE INCREDIBLE HULK Special Thanks to Joy O`Brien SPOILER WARNING: This article contains plot details for a new film. The following production notes were created by Universal Pictures for the THE INCREDIBLE HULK, opening nationwide on June 13, 2008. The text is © 2008 Universal Studios. MARVEL, and all Marvel characters including The Hulk are © 2007 Marvel Characters, Inc. Welcome to the explosive new chapter in the Super Hero franchise that’s captivated the world for more than 40 years. Universal Pictures and Marvel Studios bring the action-packed epic motion picture of one of the most captivating heroes of all time to a world that’s been anxiously awaiting it—THE INCREDIBLE HULK. For decades, the brute strength and touching vulnerability of this character have captured the imagination in all of us

    Harrison Ford is back as Indiana Jones, co-starring with Shia LaBeouf as Mutt Williams and Karen Allen as Marion Ravenwood, in INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures. © 2008 Lucasfilm Ltd.

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    A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Indiana Jones` Latest Adventure Source: Paramount Pictures Official Website: Indiana Jones Special Thanks to Joy O`Brien SPOILER WARNING: This article contains plot details for a new film. The following production notes were created by Paramount Pictures for INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL, opening in theaters this Thursday, May 22. The text is © 2008 Lucasfilm Ltd. His exploits are the stuff of legend and his name has become the very definition of adventure. Indiana Jones. The whip-toting, punch-packing, snake-hating, globe-trotting archaeologist with a fedora is back on screen in “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” debuting worldwide Thursday, May 22, 2008. This newest adventure begins in the desert Southwest in 1957 – the height of the Cold War. Indy and his sidekick Mac (Ray Winstone) have barely escaped a close scrape with

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    Source: Yahoo! Movies Official Site: Speed Racer The Movie Check out the opening sequence of the SPEED RACER motion picture, courtesy of Yahoo! Movies. SPEED RACER is ©2008 Warner Bros. Entertainment.

    SPEED RACER promotional art featuring Rain as racer Taejo Togokahn. ©2008 Warner Bros. Ent.

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    The Korean Superstar Discusses His Role in the New SPEED RACER Film Author: Keith Aiken Source: Warner Bros. Official Site: Speed Racer The Movie Special Thanks to Gemma Cacho, Warner Bros. As Warner Bros’ SPEED RACER movie opens in theaters today, audiences will be reintroduced to the wonderful cast of characters from the classic anime series. The film brings back a slew of familiar faces, from Speed, Trixie, Racer X and Chim-Chim to supporting players such as Inspector Detector and recurring villains like Snake Oiler. SPEED RACER’s writing/directing team of Andy and Larry Wachowski have also introduced several new characters created specifically for the movie. One of the most important of these new creations is Taejo Togokahn, the lead driver and heir apparent of Togokahn Motors. In an attempt to prevent a hostile takeover of his family’s business, Teijo brings together Speed Racer

    Theatrical poster for Warner Bros` SPEED RACER. ©2008 Warner Bros. Ent.

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    A Detailed Look at the New Live Action Film! Source: Warner Bros. Official Site: Speed Racer The Movie Photos courtesy of Gemma Cacho, Warner Bros. SPOILER WARNING: This article contains plot details for a new film. The following production notes were created by Warner Bros. Pictures for their theatrical feature SPEED RACER, opening nationwide this Friday, May 9. The text is © 2008 Warner Bros. Entertainment. From the Wachowski brothers and producer Joel Silver, creators of the groundbreaking THE MATRIX trilogy, comes the high-octane family adventure SPEED RACER. Hurtling down the track, careening around, over and through the competition, Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) is a natural behind the wheel. Born to race cars, Speed is aggressive, instinctive and, most of all, fearless. His only real competition is the memory of the brother he idolized—the legendary Rex Racer, whose death in a race has left behind a legacy that Speed

    Speed Racer leaps from the Mach 5 in this promo piece from Tatsunoko Studios. ©2008 Tatsunoko Productions and Speed Racer Enterprises.

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    Part 1: Go Speed Go! A Series Overview Part 2: Racers Start Your Engines! How it All Began Part 3: MACH GO GO GO Comes to the U.S. Author: James Long One problem that Tatsunoko Productions faced during the production of MACH GO GO GO was the budget. By switching to color, the cost of each episode nearly doubled from that of an episode of SPACE ACE. A single episode of SPACE ACE cost roughly 1,800,000 yen, while an episode of MACH GO GO GO would run about 3,500,000 yen (Approximately $4,970 per episode compared to $9,660 per episode, at 1967 exchange rates). The money from sponsors helped to cover much of the deficit, but not all of it. For additional financial support, the Yoshidas turned to an idea that had been in the back of their minds when developing the series. They looked to sell

    Another classic Marvel superhero flies onto the silver screen with Paramount Pictures` new release, IRON MAN. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures. © 2008 MVLFFLLC & Marvel Entertainment.

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    A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Upcoming Marvel Superhero Movie Source: Paramount Pictures Official Website: Iron Man Movie SPOILER WARNING: This article contains plot details for a new film. The following production notes were created by Paramount Pictures for the upcoming theatrical release of IRON MAN. The text is © 2008 Paramount Pictures. MARVEL, and all Marvel characters including Iron Man are © 2007 Marvel Characters, Inc. Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment Present Marvel Studios’ soaring action-adventure IRON MAN, the story of billionaire industrialist and genius inventor Tony Stark (ROBERT DOWNEY JR.). As CEO of Stark Industries, the U.S. Government’s top weapons contractor, Tony has achieved celebrity status by protecting American interests around the globe for decades. Tony’s carefree lifestyle is forever changed when his convoy is attacked following a weapons test he oversees and he is held hostage by a group of insurgents.

    Scenes from the movie CLOVERFIELD. © 2008 Paramount Pictures.

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    The Highly Popular CLOVERFIELD End Credits Music to Be Released on iTunes Author: John “Dutch” DeSentis Source: Soundtrack Net, Film Score Monthly Online, CLOVERFIELD DVD Official site: iTunes On April 29th, iTunes will make available for download “ROAR!” the CLOVERFIELD overture. Written by frequent J.J. Abrams composer Michael Giacchino, “ROAR!” is a tribute to the classic style of monster movie scoring and has become a much sought after track among fans who enjoyed it during the closing credits of the 2008 film. “ROAR!” came to be when director Matt Reeves screened a version of the movie in which editor Kevin Stitt temped in music from Akira Ifukube’s score to GODZILLA (1954) which went over very well and gave them as well as producer J.J. Abrams the idea to do something like that of their own seeing as there was no real score to speak of during the

    Sketch book cover featuring Speed, Trixie, Spritle and Chim-Chim. ©2008 Tatsunoko Productions and Speed Racer Enterprises.

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    Part 1: Go Speed Go! A Series Overview Part 2: How it All Began! Author: James Long Most SPEED RACER fans know that the series was originally released in Japan as MACH GO GO GO and was the creation of Tatsuo Yoshida and his animation studio, Tatsunoko Productions. Beyond that, many fans know very little about Yoshida himself, his studio, and the efforts that went into creating MACH GO GO GO. Tatsuo Yoshida was born in Kyoto on March 4, 1932. He was the eldest of the three children in the Yoshida family, followed by brothers Kenji on January 1, 1935 and Toyoharu on January 1, 1940. Yoshida was a self-taught artist, showing remarkable skill even as a grade schooler. Following the end of World War II, the three Yoshida brothers all fell in love with the Superman comics that were being brought to Japan by

    Warner Brothers` main one-sheet advertisement for SPEED RACER. ©2008 Warner Bros. Entertainment

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    SPEED RACER Coverage Starts Here. Author: Bob Johnson Source: Warner Brothers` Press Release With a number of anticipated films being released in 2008, from Batman to Bond and beyond, Warner Brothers is banking on one of Japan`s most recognizable cartoon characters to grab their portion of the box office. In the weeks that lead up to the release of SPEED RACER, SciFi Japan will be taking a look back at the original series, as well as some of its other incarnations, courtesy of Tatsunoko historian James Long. So relive the most dangerous races, the mammoth cars, the car acrobatic teams, the desert races and much much more with SciFi Japan as we gear up to celebrate all things SPEED! In the meantime, here is an initial peek at the new movie, with much more coverage to come! From writers/directors/producers Larry and Andy Wachowski, creators of the groundbreaking

    The First issue of Uchusen, January 1980.

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    Hobby Japan Brings Back Classic Japanese Magazine. Author: Bob Johnson In January of 1980, a new magazine was published in Japan covering Science Fiction films, television, books and other media. Called “Space Magazine Uchusen”, this publication grew over 25 years to become a leading source of information on the latest Japanese films and television series, as well as an authoritative resource on classic movies and TV from not only Japan, but all over the world. First released as a quarterly magazine, Uchusen would switch between quarterly and bi-monthly over the years, finally settling on bi-monthly status shortly before its demise in July of 2005 after 119 issues. Early issues of Uchusen featured articles on classic science fiction, as well as information on new and upcoming releases. However, the most fascinating aspect of the earlier issues were the splashy covers, many painted in retro-sci

    Anime - Animation

    Ultraman - Tsuburaya

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