Win Tickets to the World Premiere of DEATH KAPPA at the New York Asian Film Festival

The giant monster Hangyolas rampages through the streets of Yokohama like he owns the place in DEATH KAPPA. Japan`s latest daikaiju movie will be making its world premiere at the 2010 New York Asian Film Festival. Photo courtesy of NYAFF. © 2010 Fever Dreams

See the Latest Japanese Giant Monster Movie 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 2010 New York Asian Film Festival and Japan Cuts: Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema. Running from June 25-July 8 at the Lincoln Center`s Walter Reade Theater, July 1 - 16 at Japan Society, and midnights June 25/26 and July 2/3 at IFC Center, the combined festival will feature dozens of films, international and world premiere screenings, Q&A`s with filmmakers, and other special events. Last year`s NYAFF daikaiju double feature of MONSTER X STRIKES BACK and GEHARHA also included an exclusive video message from director and FX makeup great Tomoo Haraguchi (the 90s Gamera trilogy, GAMERA THE BRAVE, SAKUYA, UZUMAKI, KIBAKICHI, REIGO: THE DEEP-SEA MONSTER VS THE BATTLESHIP YAMATO) introducing his latest project, DEATH KAPPA... an "old school" Japanese giant monster movie done in the spirit of those creature classics of decades past. DEATH KAPPA is a Tokyo Shock original production from Media Blasters, Nikkatsu (GAPPA, THE TRIPHIBIAN MONSTER), and Fever Dreams (MACHINE GIRL, TOKYO GORE POLICE). This year, the New York Asian Film Festival is hosting the world premiere of DEATH KAPPA on Friday, June 25th as part of their "IFC@Midnight" series. Even better: our friends at NYAFF have offered SciFi Japan readers a chance to win free tickets to attend the premiere! DEATH KAPPA WORLD PREMIERE Japan, 2010, 79 minutes, digital projection, in Japanese with English subtitles Directed by Tomoo Haraguchi Starring Misato Hirata, Mika, Yakan Nabe, Hideaki Anno, Ryuki Kitaoka, Shinji Higuchi, Daniel Aguilar, Hiroko Sakurai, a Kappa

The internet, cell phones, satellites. True. But also, the Yeti, the Loch Ness Monster, the Chupacabra. Science, but also monsters. Progress, but also monsters. We can destroy the germs that cause bad breath, yes, but still: monsters. A double-barreled blast of 80`s VHS nostalgia, DEATH KAPPA is the ultimate in ultimate in ridonkulous, lo-fi giant monster mayhem; a long loop of magnetic tape ripped straight from the video era, replete with cheesy title treatments, cheesy plot twists, cheesy white guys speaking Japanese and cheesy monsters. But the cheese is applied intentionally by an overqualified crew dragging the monster movies they loved as kids into the future. The first Japan-shot movie from Media Blaster`s Fever Dreams Productions, it`s directed by Tomoo Haraguchi, stars Misato Hirata (famous for her appearances in ULTRAMAN MEBIUS), and the teeny tiny miniature cities pancaked under giant monster feet are courtesy of Isao Takahashi, veteran of almost every major kaiju movie since GODZILLA 1985. Talent to be sure, but something else is also needed: a kappa! This mischevious Japanese yokai (folk spirit) lives in rivers, likes to fart and play jokes and loves cucumbers - it`s like a leprechaun crossed with a turtle plus a bit of unicorn. When Kanako returns home in disgrace after failing to make it as a pop star in Tokyo, her grandmother takes her in and makes her the caretaker of their tiny village`s kappa: she must feed it cucumbers and clean its shrine. The kappa is cute as a biscuit... but a secret cell of WW II scientists have sinister plans for the creature. A fight with weaponized Imperialist fishmen and an atom bomb explosion cause it to grow to enormous size, and Japan is under attack by giant monsters. Again. Smarter (and stupider) than it has any right to be, DEATH KAPPA is a simultaneous wallow in nostalgia and satire. But don`t despair, giant monster tropes are not the only thing being deconstructed here. Yokohama is also deconstructed, too, turned into toe jam beneath the enormous, dancing, webbed feet of... DEATH KAPPA!

OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES and INFORMATION

Prize: A. There are two prizes in total. Each prize consists of two passes to see the DEATH KAPPA on the evening of Friday, June 25 at 12:15am (technically, early Saturday morning); one for the winner, and one pass for a guest, for a total of two passes per winning entry. B. Passes will be available "Will Call" at the IFC Center box office on June 25, 2010. Winners must present a photo ID in order to claim their prize. The IFC Center is located at 323 Sixth Avenue (between 3rd and 4th Streets), New York, NY 10014. Box office: (212) 924-7771. C. In the event that a winner chooses not to (or cannot) accept a prize, he or she forfeits all claim to that prize. D. One entry per person. Prizes are non-transferable. No substitution of prizes allowed. E. These passes are for admission to the DEATH KAPPA premiere screening only. New York Asian Film Festival is providing complimentary admission with the condition that no other benefits are implied. Winners understand and acknowledge that they are responsible for all other expenses including transportation, food (you`ll have to buy your own popcorn), and lodging. Furthermore, winners and their guests understand and acknowledge that New York Asian Film Festival and SciFi Japan are in no way liable for any injuries or other losses incurred by accepting the passes. Duration of contest: The contest runs from June 13 until 12:00am on June 21, 2010. How to enter: A. Complete and submit correct answers to the online questionnaire (see below). B. All entries must be complete, including entrant`s name, email address, home phone number, and responses to the questionnaire. Determination of winners: A. Only contestants who have submitted the requested information and the correctly answered questionnaire will be entered in the final drawing. The first three randomly drawn eligible entries will be judged the winners. B. SciFi Japan is not responsible for typographical, electronic or other errors in Internet operation affecting the offering, outcome, administration of the contest or the announcement of prizes. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. C. The decision of the New York Asian Film Festival and SciFi Japan is final. Entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and by the decisions of the SciFi Japan judges, which are final and binding in all respects. This is it! Just fill in the following questionnaire and email it to "DEATH KAPPA" at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Good luck! Name: Email address: Phone number: Question: 1. Who directed DEATH KAPPA?