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    Photo courtesy of Shochiku Co., Ltd. ©2025 SNOWFLOWERS Film Partners

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    Photo courtesy of Shochiku Co., Ltd. ©2025 SNOWFLOWERS Film Partners Source: Shochiku Co., Ltd. Official Site: https://movies.shochiku.co.jp/yukinohana (Japan)   Shochiku has provided information and photos for their new historical drama, SNOWFLOWERS: SEEDS OF HOPE (雪の花　―ともに在りて―, Yuki no Hana ―Tomoni Arite―), opening in Japanese cinemas on January 24th. This impactful film is a "new period drama masterpiece" that transcends generations with its star-studded cast featuring Tori Matsuzaka, Koji Yakusho and Kyoko Yoshine.   Photo courtesy of Shochiku Co., Ltd. ©2025 SNOWFLOWERS Film Partners Introduction "A true story of love and inspiration" unfolds as an unknown small-town doctor, fought to develop a cure for an epidemic in the late Edo period. With the support of his wife and a Western medicine doctor in Kyoto, this untold story comes to life. SNOWFLOWERS: SEEDS OF HOPE is directed by Takashi Koizumi, former

    Japanese artwork for Booster Pack 03. Photo courtesy of Tsuburaya Productions. ©TSUBURAYA PRODUCTIONS

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    Japanese artwork for Booster Pack 03. Photo courtesy of Tsuburaya Productions. ©TSUBURAYA PRODUCTIONS Dark Heroes and Monsters Will Soon Appear!Source: Tsuburaya Productions press releasesOfficial Site: https://ultraman-cardgame.com/ Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President: Masayuki Nagatake)  is pleased to announce that the third Booster Pack for the ULTRAMAN CARD GAME (ウルトラマン カードゲーム, Urutoraman Kādo Gēmu) will be released on Friday, April 25th. The ULTRAMAN CARD GAME is a new trading card game inspired by the world of Ultraman featuring playability appealing to both adults and kids, as well as collectability with specially designed cards by renowned creators from around the globe. The game also offers several rare cards to collect from artists and designers who have worked on the Ultraman shows and movies. The game was released simultaneously around the world on Friday, October 25, 2024 in 4 languages, a first in the history

    Photo courtesy of CRAZY BUMP. TM & ©TOHO CO., LTD.

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    Source: CRAZY BUMP Inc. press release   Photo courtesy of CRAZY BUMP. TM & ©TOHO CO., LTD. Crazy Bump Inc., a company that organizes and manages special exhibitions themed on subcultures such as manga, anime, and special effects, has announced some new products to be sold at the Giant Mechagodzilla POP UP STORE in Gallery of Hakaba (大メカゴジラPOP UP STORE in 墓場の画廊, Dai Mekagojira Poppu Appu Sutoa in Hakaba no Garō). The POP UP STORE will be held at the Gallery of Hakaba store in Nakano, Tokyo, from January 16 to February 25, 2025. The venue will feature a Mechagodzilla exhibition plus official merchandise. Most products will be available at both the Gallery of Hakaba in Nakano and their online store. For more information on the Giant Mechagodzilla POP UP STORE in Gallery of Hakaba, please see the earlier report here on SciFi Japan.

    Photo courtesy of Radiance Films. ©Toei

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    Source: Radiance Films, MVD Entertainment Special Thanks to Derek Stubinski Photo courtesy of Radiance Films. ©Toei Toei's yakuza thriller HOKURIKU PROXY WAR (北陸代理戦争, Hokuriku Dairi Sensō, 1977) will be released February 25 in a limited edition Blu-ray from Radiance Films. For fans of THE YAKUZA PAPERS, THE FRENCH CONNECTION, and MEAN STREETS, this film unites Kinji Fukasaku, the director of BATTLE ROYALE, with Sonny Chiba, the star of STREET FIGHTER. HOKURIKU PROXY WAR is available for the first time on Blu-ray, 4K restored, and loaded with extras. Loose-cannon gangster Kawada rebels when his two-timing boss forms an alliance with a major crime syndicate. The syndicate's main rivals see Kawada as their perfect proxy, but his furious temper quickly rubs them the wrong way, leaving Kawada to face overwhelming forces. Fukasaku's final yakuza film features some of the strongest women's roles in his career, plus a

    Photo courtesy of GKIDS. ©Takashi Imashiro, KODANSHA/Ghost Cat Anzu Film Partners

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    Photo courtesy of GKIDS. ©Takashi Imashiro, KODANSHA/Ghost Cat Anzu Film Partners Source: Shout! Studios press release Special Thanks to Lauren Blum   Photo courtesy of GKIDS. ©Takashi Imashiro, KODANSHA/Ghost Cat Anzu Film Partners On March 4th, the charming new anime film GHOST CAT ANZU (化け猫あんずちゃん, Bakeneko Anzu-chan, 2024) comes to Blu-ray from GKIDS, with distribution by Shout! Studios, following a successful theatrical run in the U.S. this past November. Bonus features on GHOST CAT ANZU include teasers and trailers. The film will also be available on digital platforms, including Amazon, Apple, Google, Fandango, Microsoft, and iNDEMAND, on January 28th. Precocious tween Karin finds herself abandoned by her father in rural Japan. Living in a temple with her grandfather, she meets Anzu, a giant “ghost cat” and notorious layabout tasked with looking after her. Distrustful of her new guardian, Karin sabotages Anzu’s odd jobs

    Photo courtesy of TOKYOPOP. ©2025 Mattel ©TOKYOPOP

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    Photo courtesy of TOKYOPOP. ©2025 Mattel ©TOKYOPOP First titles set to debut in print in 2026.Source: TOKYOPOP press release Special Thanks to Erik Jansen (MediaLab) Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT), a leading global toy and family entertainment company and owner of one of the most iconic brand portfolios in the world, and pioneering manga and anime media brand TOKYOPOP, today announced a partnership to develop original manga-style graphic novels for children ages 8-12 based on Mattel’s Hot Wheels and Barbie brands. The first titles, including a western-style manga graphic novel series inspired by Hot Wheels and new stories featuring characters from Barbie, are set to debut in print in 2026. These series will feature fresh artwork and original stories, bringing the cherished brands to new audiences in innovative formats. “Hot Wheels and Barbie have long been symbols of storytelling, creativity

    Photo courtesy of Vision Films. ©Vision Films, Inc.

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    Source: Vision Films, Inc.Special Thanks to Avery Guerra Photo courtesy of Vision Films. ©Vision Films, Inc. Vision Films has announced the North American Transactional VOD release of cult-classic filmmaker Jim Wynorski's latest feature DINOGATOR on January 14, 2025. A 30+ year veteran in the Hollywood B-movie filmmaking genre, writer/producer/director Jim Wynorski has made over 150 films across a myriad of genres. He launched his career under the tutelage of his childhood idol, legendary filmmaker Roger Corman and the rest is history. 10 years in the making, Wysnorski shot this full-length feature on location in one of his favorite locales, Mariana, Florida. The cast ranges from first-time actors to veteran Michael Madsen. DINOGATOR holds true his successful, campy, b-movie formula that includes cult classics such as RETURN OF THE SWAMP THING, CHOPPING MALL, PIRANHACONDA, POINT OF SEDUCTION: BODY CHEMISTRY III, and BODY CHEMISTRY 4: FULL EXPOSURE.

    Blu-ray cover art. Image courtesy of MVD Entertainment. ©2021 The Great Yokai Wars Film Partners

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    Source: MVD Entertainment press release Special Thanks to Derek Stubinski Blu-ray cover art. Image courtesy of MVD Entertainment. ©2021 The Great Yokai Wars Film Partners Following the Limited Edition Blu-ray, and the DVD, Kadokawa's THE GREAT YOKAI WAR: GUARDIANS (妖怪大戦争 ガーディアンズ, Yōkai Daisensō Gādianzu, 2021) will receive a wide release Blu-ray edition this April from SRS Cinema. The film is the second entry in the popular Great Yokai War series from legendary director Takashi Miike (AUDITION, ICHI THE KILLER). In the year 20xx, cities located along the Fossa Magna, a fault that runs from north to south across the Japan island, are destroyed by what appears to be a storm or an earthquake. The route of the destruction points towards Tokyo. Meanwhile, in Beijing, Yokai from around the world come together for an international conference known as the "Yummit". They discover that monsters formed from

    Photo courtesy of Radiance Films. ©NIKKATSU CORPORATION

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    Source: Radiance Films, MVD Entertainment Special Thanks to Derek Stubinski Nikkatsu's UNDERWORLD BEAUTY (暗黒街の美女, Ankokugai no Bijo, 1958) will be released January 28 in a limited edition Blu-ray from Radiance Films. This wildly inventive early noir sees Seijun Suzuki (BRANDED TO KILL, TATTOOED LIFE) infectiously playing with genre rules and gender stereotypes. Photo courtesy of Radiance Films. ©NIKKATSU CORPORATION Retrieving the diamonds he stashed before his arrest, thief Miyamoto (Michitaro Mizushima) hopes to help his old partner Mihara (Toru Abe), crippled during the heist. Their former boss, crime lord Oyane (Yusuke Ashida), offers to mediate with a foreign buyer, but secretly wants the stones for himself. The deal goes awry when gunmen appear on the scene. Mihara swallows the diamonds but dies in the chase, leaving a valuable corpse in the police morgue. Miyamoto forms an uneasy alliance with Mihara's wildcat sister Akiko (Mari Shiraki) to

    Photo courtesy of Arrow Films. ©1967 KADOKAWA CORPORATION

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    Photo courtesy of Arrow Films. ©1967 KADOKAWA CORPORATION Source: Arrow Films, MVD Entertainment Special Thanks to Derek Stubinski The Daiei crime thrillers A CERTAIN KILLER / A KILLER'S KEY will be released in February as a double feature limited edition Blu-ray from Arrow Films. Photo courtesy of Arrow Films. ©1967 KADOKAWA CORPORATION Anticipating the cool aesthetic of Seijun Suzuki's BRANDED TO KILL and based on a crime novel by Shinji Fujiwara, the author of the original material for the same year's A COLT IS MY PASSPORT, A CERTAIN KILLER and A KILLER'S KEY are similarly stylish contemporary hitman thrillers directed by Daiei's top director of jidai-geki, Kazuo Mori (THE TALE OF ZATOICHI CONTINUES) and starring the studio's top actor Raizō Ichikawa (SHINOBI: BAND OF ASSASSINS, SLEEPY EYES OF DEATH). In A CERTAIN KILLER (ある殺し屋, Aru Koroshiya, 1967), Shiozaki's low-profile existence as a chef

    Doraemon and Nobita travel into a world inside a painting in the 45th anniversary big screen adventure, DORAEMON THE MOVIE: NOBITA'S ART WORLD TALES. Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd. © Fujiko Pro/Shogakukan, TV Asahi, Shin-Ei, ADK 2025

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    Doraemon and Nobita travel into a world inside a painting in the 45th anniversary big screen adventure, DORAEMON THE MOVIE: NOBITA'S ART WORLD TALES. Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd. © Fujiko Pro/Shogakukan, TV Asahi, Shin-Ei, ADK 2025 Source: Toho Co., Ltd Official Site: https://doraeiga.com/2025/ (Japan) Theatrical poster. Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd. © Fujiko Pro/Shogakukan, TV Asahi, Shin-Ei, ADK 2025 Toho Co., Ltd. has provided SciFi Japan with information and high-res images from DORAEMON THE MOVIE: NOBITA'S ART WORLD TALES (映画ドラえもん のび太の絵世界物語, Eiga Doraemon: Nobita no Esekai Monogatari), the 44th film in the long running Doraemon franchise. It will be released in Japanese theaters on March 7, 2025. The Doraemon movie series, which has been a great adventure in various places such as Antarctica, Treasure Island, the moon, ancient Earth with dinosaurs, space, and a utopia floating in the sky, celebrates its

    Photo courtesy of Crunchyroll. ©Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC.

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    Photo courtesy of Crunchyroll. ©Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC. A Collaborative Effort Showcasing Sony’s Unified Commitment to IP Expansion is in Production to Elevate the Award-Winning PlayStation FranchiseSource: Crunchyroll press release Crunchyroll, the global anime brand, together with Aniplex, Sony Music, and PlayStation Productions, today announced a new anime series adapted from Sucker Punch Productions’ award-winning GHOST OF TSUSHIMA video game and its “Legends” cooperative multiplayer experience inspired by Japanese folktales and mythology. The GHOST OF TSUSHIMA anime will be produced in collaboration with Aniplex, the studio behind globally celebrated series such as DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA, SOLO LEVELING, and SWORD ART ONLINE. The adaptation will be helmed by Director Takanobu Mizuno, with Gen Urobuchi (NITRO PLUS) for Story Composition and animation by KAMIKAZE DOUGA. Together, the team will bring GHOST OF TSUSHIMA: LEGENDs’ traditional samurai aesthetics to life with cinematic storytelling and striking visuals. Sony Music

    GODZILLA VS. SELF-DEFENSE FORCES cover art. Photo courtesy of Bungeishunju Ltd. Godzilla TM & © TOHO CO., LTD.

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    Japan's Top Class Military Experts Discuss War in Anime and Special Effects FilmsSource: Bungeishunju Ltd. press releases GODZILLA VS. SELF-DEFENSE FORCES cover art. Photo courtesy of Bungeishunju Ltd. Godzilla TM & © TOHO CO., LTD. Bungeishunju Ltd.. (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Shigeyuki Iikubo) will release a new paperback book, Godzilla vs. Self-Defense Forces: The ‘Theory of War’ in Anime (ゴジラvs.自衛隊　アニメの「戦争論」, Gojira vs. Jieitai Anime no Sensō-ron), by Yu Koizumi, Sugio Takahashi, Hiroyuki Ohta, and Marei Mentlein, on January 17, 2025.    How did the capital air defense communication in MOBILE POLICE PATLABOR actually look to the eyes of the Self-Defense Forces? In the world of NEON GENESIS EVANGELION, the Soviet Union has not collapsed. The Bakagarasu aircraft in NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND is operated in the same way as the Messerschmitt Me 323 Gigant developed in Nazi Germany.

    Photo courtesy of Trends International. TM & ©TOHO CO., LTD.

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      Photo courtesy of Trends International. TM & ©TOHO CO., LTD. Source: Trends InternationalSpecial Thanks to Pam Fettig and Jeff Loeser Photo courtesy of Trends International. TM & ©TOHO CO., LTD. Godzilla fans in North America can now purchase the Godzilla 2025 Wall Calendar from Trends International. Revisit your favorite Japanese kaiju film every day this year with the Godzilla 2025 Wall Calendar featuring 13 high-quality images from the Godzilla series printed on premium paper. Part of Trends International's DateWorks Wall Calendars line, it is made to hang on a wall, cork board, or bulletin board at home, school, or the office. Each monthly calendar spread features enough room to mark important dates or write down reminder notes - making them perfect for staying organized and productive all year long. The Godzilla 2025 Wall Calendar is available from retailers, including Amazon.

    Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd. ©2025 THE SOLITARY GOURMET Film Partners

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    Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd. ©2025 THE SOLITARY GOURMET Film Partners Source: Toho Co., Ltd.Official Site: https://gekieiga-kodokunogurume.jp/ (Japan)   A SciFi JAPAN EXCLUSIVE Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd. ©2025 THE SOLITARY GOURMET Film Partners SPOILER WARNING: This article contains plot details for an upcoming film. Toho Co., Ltd. has provided information and photos from their new movie THE SOLITARY GOURMET (劇映画 孤独のグルメ, Gekieiga Kodoku no Gurume), which opens in Japanese cinemas on January 10th.   INTRODUCTION The hit manga The Solitary Gourmet by writer Masayuki Kusumi and artist Jiro Taniguchi debuted in 1994 and ran through 2015.  It told the story of Goro Inogashira, an independent trader importing household and fashion goods from France, who travels all over Japan and abroad for his true passion -- food. In each of the manga's 32 chapters, Inogashira would dine at

    GAMERA VS VIRAS star Carl Craig has been cast in the new film, KAIJU: ISLAND OF FIRE. GAMERA VS VIRAS ©KADOKAWA

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    GAMERA VS VIRAS star Carl Craig has been cast in the new film, KAIJU: ISLAND OF FIRE. GAMERA VS VIRAS ©KADOKAWA Source: North Star Pictures JPOfficial Site: https://www.kaijumultiverse.com/Special Thanks to Avery Guerra  A SCIFI JAPAN EXCLUSIVE Gamera series actor Carl Craig has joined the all-star genre cast of upcoming monster movie, KAIJU: ISLAND OF FIRE.  Born in 1956, Carl was the son of a US military officer stationed in Japan when he was cast by director Noriaki Yuasa in the co-lead role of Boy Scout Jim Morgan in Daiei's GAMERA VS. VIRAS (ガメラ対宇宙怪獣バイラス, Gamera Tai Uchū Kaijū Bairasu, 1968), originally released in America as DESTROY ALL PLANETS. He later served in the US Air Force and Air Force Reserves as a pilot and was a federal law enforcement officer in the Department of Homeland Security. KAIJU: ISLAND OF FIRE is the first

    HOSHI 35 Blu-ray artwork by Matt Frank. Image courtesy of SRS Cinema. ©2023 3Y

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    Source: SRS Cinema LLC Special Thanks to Ron Bonk HOSHI 35 Blu-ray artwork by Matt Frank. Image courtesy of SRS Cinema. ©2023 3Y Distributor SRS Cinema has announced the launch of preorders for their Blu-ray and VHS editions of HOSHI 35 (星35, 2023). Written and directed by Hiroto Yokokawa (THE GREAT BUDDHA ARRIVAL, NEZURA 1964), and co-directed by Kazuma Yoneyama and Daisuke Sato, with effects by Sato, the movie uses traditional Japanese FX techniques (aka tokusatsu) in the tradition of the classic Godzilla and Gamera films. HOSHI 35 has attracted fan attention in both Japan and the United States for its cast, which is made up of a veritable 'who's who' of genre veterans, starting with Godzilla Heisei Series star Megumi Odaka (GODZILLA VS BIOLLANTE to GODZILLA VS DESTOROYAH). The movie, whose title is derived from the Japanese word for "star" (hoshi), is a celebration

    Promo art for the Ultraman Zero POP UP STORE feat. Ultraman Leo in JUNGLE. Photo courtesy of JUNGLE. ©TSUBURAYA PRODUCTIONS

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    Source: Entertainment Hobby Shop JUNGLE press release Promo art for the Ultraman Zero POP UP STORE feat. Ultraman Leo in JUNGLE. Photo courtesy of JUNGLE. ©TSUBURAYA PRODUCTIONS Jungle Co., Ltd. (Head office: Nipponbashi, Naniwa-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture; CEO: Koji Shiota) will host the Ultraman Zero POP UP STORE feat. Ultraman Leo in JUNGLE (ウルトラマンゼロ POP UP STORE feat.ウルトラマンレオ in JUNGLEを大阪, Urutoraman Zero POP UP STORE feat. Urutoraman Reo in JUNGLE) at their Entertainment Hobby Shop JUNGLE location in Osaka from Friday, January 24th to Sunday, February 23rd, 2025. Jungle regularly holds special events at their Japan stores, while their US branch recently ran the Godzilla 70th Anniversary POP UP STORE in Los Angeles.   ■ Event Description Connect the Future! The 15th Anniversary of Ultraman Zero and 50th Anniversary of Ultraman Leo! Ultraman Zero, the son of Ultraseven, made his shocking debut in the 2009

    Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd. ©2024 DOCTOR-X THE MOVIE Film Partners

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    Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd. ©2024 DOCTOR-X THE MOVIE Film Partners Source: Toho Co., Ltd.Official Site: https://doctor-x-movie.jp/ (Japan)   Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd. ©2024 DOCTOR-X THE MOVIE Film Partners SPOILER WARNING: This article contains plot details for a new film. Toho Co., Ltd. has provided information and photos from their movie DOCTOR-X THE MOVIE (劇場版ドクターX FINAL, Gekijō-ban Dokutā X FINAL), which opened in Japanese cinemas in early December.   INTRODUCTION The television series DOCTOR-X (ドクターX　～外科医・大門未知子～ , Dokutā X ~Gekai Daimon Michiko~) debuted on TV Asahi in 2012 and ran for seven seasons through 2021. It followed the exploits of the lone-wolf genius surgeon, Michiko Daimon, who stuck true to her words: "I never fail." DOCTOR-X recorded the highest average viewership ratings over a ten-year period, and has now been adapted into its first movie. Daimon, who has

    Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd. ©2025 1ST KISS Film Partners

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    Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd. ©2025 1ST KISS Film Partners Source: Toho Co., Ltd.Official Site: https://1stkiss-movie.toho.co.jp/ (Japan)   A SciFi JAPAN EXCLUSIVE Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd. ©2025 1ST KISS Film Partners SPOILER WARNING: This article contains plot details for an upcoming film. Toho Co., Ltd. has provided information and photos from their new fantasy romance movie FIRST KISS (ファーストキス　1ST KISS, Fāsuto Kisu 1ST KISS), which opens in Japanese cinemas on February 7, 2025.   INTRODUCTION A masterpiece spun by a master of love stories. Yuji Sakamoto wrote an original screenplay for the film WE MADE A BEAUTIFUL BOUQUET (花束みたいな恋をした, Hanataba Mitaina Koi o Shita, 2021) which became a huge hit, grossing 3.8 billion yen. The universal love story of young people resonated with people of all ages and became a social phenomenon. Next, hois screenplay for MONSTER

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