Horror and comedy crash head-on in CHAW, the new South Korean monster movie about a massive, man-eating mutant wild boar.
© 2009 Polygon Entertainment LLC/Soo Jack Films

Updates and Review of the Korean Killer Wild Boar Movie
Author: Kim Song-ho
Source: Various official press materials
Official Movie Site: CHAW

SPOILER WARNING: This article contains plot details and images from a new movie.

“Everyone, enjoy!” The final theatrical poster for CHAW
plays up the film’s mix of horror and comedy. © 2009
Polygon Entertainment LLC/Soo Jack Films

One day in Sammae-ri, a small and peaceful village in Jirisan National Park that has not experienced a serious crime for 10 years, a terrible incident happens. Parts of a cruelly mutilated dead body are discovered by ecologists who are staying in the mountains to study the local wildlife. Policeman Kim Kang-su (Eom Tae-woong), newly transferred to Sammae-ri from Seoul, joins the case.

The victim turns out to be a granddaughter of Cheon Il-man (Jang Hang-seon), who was once a legendary hunter. He is convinced that the girl was not killed by human hands but instead by the massive, man-eating boar called Chaw. In response, the terrified people of Sammae-ri invite several famous hunters to slay Chaw. A hunter named Baek (Yoon Je-moon) soon kills a large wild boar and is looked to be as great as he claims. But the beast that eats people is still alive on the mountain and soon makes its presence known with a vicious counterattack.

The Korean killer wild boar movie CHAW opened in its native country on July 15. As reported in the previous SciFi Japan coverage of this movie back in August 2008, CHAW was scheduled to open in Korean theaters last December. However, for reasons unknown, the movie was not released at that time.

SciFi Japan’s Korean correspondent Kim Song-ho picks up the story of CHAW from that point until now with production info, a review of the movie, plus promotional art and production stills.
Continued…

Source: Shochiku Co., Ltd.
Special Thanks to Junko Kawaguchi

Kenichi Matsuyma— best known as L in the DEATH NOTE films— stars
in the ninja manga adaptation KAMUI. © 2009 Kamui Film Partners

The ninja action film KAMUI, directed by Yoichi Sai and co-produced/distributed by Shochiku Co., Ltd., will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, to be held in Toronto, Ontario from September 10- September 19, 2009. KAMUI is one of eight international films newly added to the festival’s Special Presentation Program.

Founded in 1976, TIFF takes over 23 screens in downtown Toronto for 10 days each September. Last year, more than 300,000 attendees turned out for screenings of 312 films from 64 different countries.

KAMUI is a live action adaptation of Sanpei Shirato’s manga The Legend of Kamui, which was originally serialized in the Japanese anthology magazine Garo from December 1964 to July 1971. An English language version of The Legend of Kamui was first released by VIZ Media in 1987. In 1969, the story came to television as the 22 episode anime series KAMUI THE NINJA: STORIES OTHER THAN THE LEGEND (Ninpu Kamui Gaiden), followed by an animated film in March of 1971. The new KAMUI movie is one of the highest budgeted films ever made in Japan.
Continued…

Logo for the ASTRO BOY animated series. © 2004 Tezuka Productions Co., Ltd., Sony Pictures Entertainment (Japan) Inc. and Dentsu Inc.

Source: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment press release
Official Site: Astro Boy Complete, Astro Boy Vol 1

DVD cover for ASTRO BOY Volume 1. Photo courtesy
of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. © 2004 Tezuka
Productions Co., Ltd., Sony Pictures Entertainment
(Japan) Inc. and Dentsu Inc.

With Imagi Studio’s CG ASTRO BOY movie scheduled for a October 23rd US theatrical release, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is taking the opportunity to re-issue the 2003-04 ASTRO BOY animated series on DVD. The anime based on the legendary Japanese comic series by Osamu Tezuka, known as the “Japanese Walt Disney”, will be available on September 15.

ASTRO BOY follows the adventures of a clever and resourceful atomic-powered robot with super strength and jet-rocket feet, who possesses a human-like personality and fights for justice and peace for humans and robots alike.

Produced by Tezuka Productions and Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan, the fifty episode ASTRO BOY was inspired by the classic anime series that originally aired in Japan in 1963.

The new show celebrated the 40th anniversary of Tezuka’s original ASTRO BOY anime and premiered in Japan on the character’s fictional birthday of April 7, 2003 with state-of-the-art animation and visuals that kept the same classic style as the original Astro Boy manga and anime. The series debuted in America on the Kids WB Network and Toonami in 2004.

In 2005, the series was released in a Region 1 DVD box set by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Now Sony will now re-release ASTRO BOY in five separate collectible DVD volumes, each containing ten episodes and priced at $14.94 SLP.
Continued…

Plans for a sequel to the 2006 international hit THE HOST took a major step forward this week. © 2006 Chungeorahm Film

Singapore Company Funds Upcoming Korean Monster Sequel
Author: Kim Song-ho
Source: Chungeorahm Film official press release

The signing ceremony for THE HOST 2 at the Puchon International Fantastic
Film Festival. (From left): Han Sang-jun, festival director; Choi Yong-bae, CEO of
Chungeorahm Film; Kelvin Tong, CEO of Boku Films and Kenneth Tan, director of
the Singapore Film Commission and COO of MDA. © 2009 Chungeorahm Film

Chungeorahm Film, the company behind the Korean monster hit THE HOST (Gwoemul, 2006), has announced that Singaporean film company Boku Films will invest 5 million USD for the upcoming sequel, THE HOST 2 (Gwoemul 2).

A signing ceremony for the investment was held on July 21 (Korean date) in Puchon, where the 13th Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival is currently transpiring (the festival takes place from July 16 to 26). Chungeorahm Film CEO and THE HOST 2 producer Choi Yong-bae, Boku Film CEO Kelvin Tong and director of the Singapore Film Commission Kenneth Tan attended the signing ceremony. Tan is also in charge of MDA (Media Development Authority), by which Boku Films could invest 50% of the film’s whole production cost. The amount of 5 million USD (approximately 6 billion Korean won) is the largest foreign investment for a Korean film in the history of Korean cinema.
Continued…

PONYO, the latest anime film from Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli, will have a pre-release screening at the New York International Children’s Film Festival.
Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Studios. © 2008 Nibariki – GNDHDDT. © Disney Enterprises, Inc.

Source: New York-Tokyo press release
Official Movie Site: disneypictures/ponyo

The magical goldfish Ponyo yearns to become human. Photo courtesy of Walt
Disney Studios. © 2008 Nibariki – GNDHDDT. © Disney Enterprises, Inc.

The long awaited U.S. debut of animation master Hayao Miyazaki’s PONYO is here! New York International Children’s Film Festival is presenting the first East Coast screening of the film in a special pre-release event 3:00pm on Sunday, August 9th at Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway, New York, NY 10025.

Seats are selling out fast, so be sure to purchase your tickets asap! Also, if you’re feeling lucky, the media company New York-Tokyo will be giving away 5 pairs of tickets to this event through a random raffle. PONYO is a wonderful film for all ages, combining brilliantly colorful, flowing visuals and Miyazaki’s unparalleled warmth and humanity in a heartfelt story of friendship and devotion. The film opens theatrically on August 14.
Continued…

GEHARHA: THE DARK AND LONG HAIR MONSTER is one of three daikaiju films showing at Fantasia this Sunday. © 2009 NHK ‘Geharha’ Project.

MOTHRA, GEHARHA, BRINGING GODZILLA DOWN TO SIZE Triple Feature in Montreal
Authors: André Dubois and Ed Godziszewski
Source: 2009 Fantasia Festival

The Fantasia International Film Festival, taking place now through July 29th in Montreal, Canada, will include a Japanese monster triple feature this Sunday, July 26 at 10:00 am.
Continued…

Source: Shochiku Co., Ltd. press release
Official Movie Site: horumo.jp (Japan), horumo.com (US)
Special Thanks to Junko Kawaguchi

Kyoto University freshman Akira Abe (Takayuki Yamada) is distracted from his
studies. Photo courtesy of VIZ Pictures. © 2009 Kamogawa Horumo Film Partners

The combat action comedy BATTLE LEAGUE HORUMO (Kamogawa Horumo) will have its international premiere this week at the 2009 Fantasia Festival in Montreal, Canada. The movie, called “the strangest film ever made”, won the competition “Grand Prix” at the 1st Okinawa International Film Festival in Japan earlier this year.

Fantasia’s BATTLE LEAGUE HORUMO screening will take place at 5:00pm on July 24th at the Concordia Hall Theatre, 1455 de Maisonneuve O.

Based on the best-selling fantasy novel Kamogawa Horumo written by Manabu Makime, BATTLE LEAGUE HORUMO is a story about a group of university students who get involved in playing a game of “Horumo” – a combat match where each team manipulates 100 spirits (referred to as Oni) to fight their opponents.
Continued…

New VIZ Media Titles Include 4-Volume Official Film Comic, Picture Book And Art Book
Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases
Official Movie Site: disneypictures/ponyo
Special Thanks to Evelyn Dubocq and Erik Jansen

Cover for VIZ’s Ponyo Picture Book, one of several new releases
based on Hayao Miyazaki’s film PONYO. Photo courtesy of VIZ
Media. © 2008 Nibariki – GNDHDDT

VIZ Media, LLC will publish a series of new releases based on PONYO, the new animated film from Studio Ghibli and Academy Award-winning director and world-renowned Japanese animation legend Hayao Miyazaki.

To support the release, VIZ Media will offer the official 4-volume full-color Ponyo Film Comic, a Ponyo Picture Book, and The Art of Ponyo, which presents a comprehensive collection of original art, sketches, character designs and storyboards from the film. Walt Disney Studios will release PONYO throughout North America on August 14, 2009.

PONYO is a wondrously imaginative retelling of the timeless Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale “The Little Mermaid,” and offers the adventures of little fish-girl whose father happens to be a great sorcerer of the seas.

Trapped in a jar during one of her escapades, she washes ashore where five-year-old Sosuke releases her and renames her Ponyo. In an effort to stay close to her new friend, Ponyo tries to transform herself into a human, causing a great imbalance between their two worlds. A subtle message of the unfathomable threads that connect all forms of life is woven artfully throughout this enchanting film.
Continued…

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 with a series of events held on the UC Berkeley campus, celebrating his timeless body of film work.

For this extremely rare, U.S. appearance, Hayao Miyazaki will have a conversation with Roland Kelts (Tokyo University lecturer and author of Japanamerica), followed by a question and answer period with the audience. Join us for an opportunity to engage Miyazaki in a conversation about more than just anime — the social issues and ideas that his films champion, including the future of Japan and the role of the artist in a rapidly evolving world.
Continued…

The new Japanese daikaiju Geharha attacks Kanazawa Station in GEHARHA: THE DARK AND LONG HAIR MONSTER. © 2009 NHK ‘Geharha’ Project.

New TV kaiju movie comes to DVD & Blu-ray
Author: James Ballard & Keith Aiken
Source: AV Watch
Official Site: Geharha (Japan)

GEHARHA comes to DVD and Blu-ray in Japan with English subtitles.
© 2009 NHK ‘Geharha’ Project.

SPOILER WARNING: This article contains plot details and images from a new movie.

NHK’s TV movie GEHARHA: THE DARK AND LONG HAIR MONSTER (Chouhatsu Daikaiju Gehara) will be released on DVD and Blu-ray in Japan on September 30th and will include English subtitles.

Premiering on the NHK program PAPHOOO! (Perform!) this past February 24th, GEHARHA is an affectionate tribute to the classic Toho monster movies of the 1950s and 60s that liberally mixes comedy and daikaiju action. A fishing boat is attacked at sea by a gigantic, hairy monster. After examining the sole survivor (Kanji Tsuda from GAMERA THE BRAVE) of the assault— who has lost all his hair— scientific adviser Dr Murakami (Shiro Sano, GODZILLA 2000) suspects the culprit is a “Keukegen spectre”, a shaggy supernatural beast from Japanese folklore. The announcement leads reporter Hideo Akihara (Ken Osawa, SAMURAI FICTION) to a forest shrine dedicated to the Keukegen Geharha, where he finds several worshipers (many of whom are bald) and learns that an ancient seal containing the monster has been broken.
Continued…

Comprehensive Edition Debuts as Famed Director’s Latest Animated Film PONYO Hits North American Theatres this Summer
Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases
Special Thanks to Evelyn Dubocq and Erik Jansen

Cover for VIZ’s English release of the Hayao Miyazaki
collection Starting Point: 1979-1996. Photo courtesy
of VIZ Media. © 1996 Nibariki

VIZ Media, LLC has announced the publication of the first of a new collection of essays, interviews, memoirs and manga from legendary animation director, Hayao Miyazaki, titled Starting Point: 1979-1996. The book has an estimated street date of August 4th and will carry an MSRP of $29.99 US and $34.99 Canada.

At over 450 pages, Starting Point: 1979-1996 is a comprehensive and insightful look at the first-half of Miyazaki’s legendary career, during which he rose from humble beginnings to create some of the most seminal animated features ever made, including NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND, CASTLE IN THE SKY, MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO, KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE, and PORCO ROSSO, as well as his launch of Studio Ghibli. PONYO is Miyazaki’s newest feature film and will be released by Walt Disney in North America this August.

“Hayao Miyazaki is known and loved around the world for his imaginative films that continue to delight children and adults,” says Gonzalo Ferreyra, Vice President, Sales & Marketing for VIZ Media. “Starting Point presents, in Miyazaki’s own words, his philosophies towards life, his work, the animation industry both in Japan and abroad, and his creative inspirations and motivations. He also offers lots of stories, many of them quite humorous, which show the extent of his complete dedication to animated film and the people with whom he works. We invite fans to enjoy this chronicle of the life of a man whose own dreams have come true.”
Continued…

KAMEN RIDER DRAGON KNIGHT— the American adaptation of KAMEN RIDER RYUKI— airs every Satruday morning on The CW4Kids.
© 2008 Ishimori Production, Inc.; Toei Company Ltd.; Adness Entertainment Co., Ltd.

KAMEN RIDER TV Producer to Make Major Announcement at Special Panel Presentation and Screening on July 26
Source: Kamen Rider Productions press release
Official Site: kamenridertv.com

Meet the cast and crew of KAMEN RIDER DRAGON KNIGHT at this year’s San
Diego Comic-Con International. © 2008 Ishimori Production, Inc.; Toei Company
Ltd.; Adness Entertainment Co., Ltd.

The hit live action series KAMEN RIDER DRAGON KNIGHT will hold a special panel presentation and screening at San Diego Comic-Con International set for Sunday, July 26 from 2:45 to 3:45pm at Room 6DE. There will also be an autograph session on the same day from 1-2pm in the autograph area of the convention center.

The KAMEN RIDER Comic-Con presentation kicks off with never-before-seen footage from upcoming KAMEN RIDER DRAGON KNIGHT episodes, followed by a panel session featuring stars Stephen Lunsford (Kit/Kamen Rider Dragon Knight), Matt Mullins (Len/Kamen Rider Wing Knight), Yvonne Arias (Maya), Scott Bailey (JTC/Kamen Rider Strike), William O’Leary (General Xaviax) and members of the series’ award-winning creative team including directors Steve and Mike Wang. The event closes with an audience Q&A and a raffle drawing awarding 200 Bandai bags including action figures from the eagerly anticipated KAMEN RIDER toy line and KAMEN RIDER packs that include a backpack, cap, and t-shirt. All in attendance will be able to take home a Comic-Con exclusive KAMEN RIDER DRAGON KNIGHT poster.
Continued…

Chiaki Kuriyama, Takayuki Yamada, and Sei Ashina star in the new action comedy BATTLE LEAGUE HORUMO. Photo courtesy of VIZ Pictures.
© 2009 Kamogawa Horumo Film Partners

Zany Action Film Based on Best-Selling Novel Will Screen at Several North American Film Festivals this Summer
Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases
Official Movie Site: horumo.jp (Japan), horumo.com (US)
Special Thanks to Evelyn Dubocq and Erik Jansen

US poster art for BATTLE LEAGUE HORUMO. Photo courtesy
of VIZ Pictures. © 2009 Kamogawa Horumo Film Partners

VIZ Pictures, an affiliate of VIZ Media, LLC that focuses on Japanese live-action film distribution, has been extremely busy of late. They recently acquired the North American theatrical and DVD rights to the NTV/Toho films K-20: THE FIEND WITH TWENTY FACES and 20TH CENTURY BOYS trilogy. Today VIZ announced they have licensed Shochiku’s combat action-comedy KAMOGAWA HORUMO − BATTLE LEAGUE IN KYOTO (Kamogawa Horumo) and will be releasing it in North America as BATTLE LEAGUE HORUMO.

Based on the best-selling fantasy novel Kamogawa Horumo written by Manabu Makime, the live-action BATTLE LEAGUE HORUMO is the story of a group of university students who inevitably gets involved in a combat game where each person manipulates 100 spirits (referred to as Oni) to fight their opponent. Akira Abe (Takayuki Yamada), a freshman at Kyoto University, falls for his classmate Kyoko Sawara (Sei Ashina) and soon ends up at a mysterious club called “Kyoto University Azure Dragon” which turns out to be one of the Horumo teams playing the mysterious (and somewhat absurd) game which started over 1,000 years ago in the Heian period. The heat rises as 2,000 spirits wage fierce battles against the backdrop of the breathtakingly beautiful city of Kyoto. Let the battle begin!
Continued…

BE FOREVER YAMATO, pushing the boundaries of anime.
©1980 Tohokushinsha Film Corp.

Author: Tim Eldred, Starblazers.com and Greasemonkeybook.com

What was the best year to be a Space Battleship Yamato fan in Japan? 1977, when the first movie proved to everyone that they were not alone in their obsession? 1978, when FAREWELL TO YAMATO showed the entire nation that anime was here to stay? Maybe. But if you were looking for non-stop Yamato action that filled an entire summer vacation from end to end, you could do no better than 1980.

That’s the year BE FOREVER YAMATO rolled out in movie theatres, and from June through August it was a non-stop Summer of Love. In the history of fantasy films, animated or otherwise, few campaigns can compare to that of BE FOREVER YAMATO. The anticipation for this film burned even hotter than it had for FAREWELL. Ever the showman, Yoshinobu Nishizaki supervised an avalanche of promotional events that built excitement to a fever pitch and set records that have yet to be broken.
Continued…

For years Monster Zero had been the main website for news, reviews and discussions on all things Godzilla and Japanese fantasy. With the tragic death of founder Aaron Smith, the news section of Monster Zero could not keep up with the flood of information out there. However the message boards continued to thrive and grow with a range of discussions on all aspects of not only Japanese films and TV but also international films, toys, film festivals and events.

In the meantime, SciFi Japan has been the go-to site for news on the world of Japanese cinema and television, and has expanded to include international cinema as well.

Now, in the best of both worlds, SciFi Japan and Monster Zero are joining forces to bring everything into one site!
Continued…