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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 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.
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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.
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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.”
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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!
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The REBIRTH OF MOTHRA films are among several Toho monster movies that can be viewed for free on Sony Pictures’ Crackle video network.
© 1996-97 Toho Co., Ltd.

Online Video Service Features Toho Titles Distributed by Sony Pictures
Source: Crackle, Inc.
Special Thanks to Chad Kaszer

Sony Pictures Entertainment’s online video network Crackle, Inc. has made some new additions to their selection of Godzilla and Toho titles.
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Critically Acclaimed Movies Based on Smash Hit Manga Series to Open New VIZ Cinema in August
Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases
Official Movie Site: 20thboysfilms.com (US), 20th Boys (Japanese)
Special Thanks to Evelyn Dubocq and Erik Jansen

US poster art for 20TH CENTURY BOYS 1: BEGINNING OF THE
END. Photo courtesy of VIZ Pictures. © 1999, 2006 Naoki
Urasawa, Studio Nuts / Shogakukan © 2008 “20th Century
Boys” Film Partners

VIZ Pictures, an affiliate of VIZ Media, LLC that focuses on Japanese live-action film distribution, has announced that it has licensed from Nippon Television (NTV) the North American theatrical and DVD distribution rights to the live-action 20TH CENTURY BOYS (20-Seki Shonen) feature film trilogy from Japan. The films are based on the critically acclaimed 20th Century Boys manga series created by Naoki Urasawa, which is a national phenomenon in Japan, selling over 20 million copies to date.

VIZ Pictures is scheduled to release the first and second chapters of 20TH CENTURY BOYS films on DVD later this year, with the remaining film scheduled for release in 2010. VIZ Media publishes the 20th Century Boys manga series (rated ‘T+’ for older teens) in North America and will also distribute the DVDs.

On August 15th, VIZ Cinema will celebrate its grand opening at NEW PEOPLE, the brand-new Japanese pop culture center located at 1746 Post Street in San Francisco, with a very special screening of 20TH CENTURY BOYS 1: BEGINNING OF THE END— the first chapter of the live-action trilogy— presented in partnership with Nippon Television. Advance tickets go on-sale on Friday, July 31st.

20TH CENTURY BOYS 1: BEGINNING OF THE END will continue playing at VIZ Cinema for the next week, followed by a week-long showing of the second chapter of the trilogy, 20TH CENTURY BOYS 2: THE LAST HOPE. As an unprecedented event in the Japanese film world, VIZ Cinema will host the world premiere of the third and final chapter 20TH CENTURY BOYS 3: REDEMPTION on August 28th, presented simultaneously with the national release in Japan.
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Source: Asian Film Festival of Dallas
Special Thanks to Mike Keller

Program cover for the 2009 Asian Film Festival of Dallas.
Photo courtesy of AFFD.

The Asian Film Festival of Dallas returns to Landmark’s Magnolia Theater from July 17-23, 2009.

This year’s festival will open with Dante Lam’s THE BEAST STALKER, which was nominated for five Hong Kong Film Awards. The closing film will be IP MAN, the acclaimed biography of Bruce Lee’s martial arts teacher.

In between will be a wide range of action, drama, animation, documentary, comedy, and fantasy movies from the United States, Japan, China, Vietnam, North Korea, South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore, India, and the Philippines. A partial list includes such titles as WRITTEN BY, K-20: THE FIEND WITH TWENTY FACES, HANSEL AND GRETEL, KABEI: OUR MOTHER, YOU DON’T KNOW JACK, CAPE NO. 7, ICHI, TANDOORI LOVE, MUSHISHI, 4BIA, OLD PARTNER, 881, NEKO RAMEN TAISHO, SAMURAI AVENGER, and KIMJONGILIA.
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Source: FUNimation Entertainment press releases
Special Thanks to Jackie Smith

GUNGRAVE: THE COMPLETE SET © 2003 Red/Project
Gungrave

North American anime distributor FUNimation Entertainment has provided details on some new DVD releases going on sale this month.

Read on for cover art and descriptions of KAZE NO STIGMA: SEASON 1 VOL. 1, CLAYMORE VOLUME 6: THE AWAKENING, and GUNGRAVE: THE COMPLETE SET.
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Reimagining of the Legendary Blind Swordsman ZATOICHI Opens in Britain on July 10
Source: The Associates, Manga Entertainment UK
Official Movie Site: ICHI (Japan), ICHI THE MOVIE (UK)
Special Thanks to Farhana Shaikh

While searching for her long-lost mentor, the blind swordswoman Ichi (Haruka
Ayase) meets a young boy named Kotaro (Ryosuke Shima). Photo courtesy of
The Associates. © 2008 ICHI Film Partners

Director Fumihiko Sori’s 2008 movie ICHI, a gender-bending reimagining of the classic “Zatoichi” series of films and TV shows, will open at selected UK cinemas on 10th July, 2009.

The beautiful Ichi is a sole goze (blind woman singer) carrying only a shamisen (Japanese stringed instrument) and a walking stick, traveling on her own to find the blind swordsman who has brought her up and cared for her as a child. People try to take advantage of the fact that she is blind, but Ichi fights back with her unusual skill with swords, using the sword hidden inside her walking stick.

British distributor Manga Entertainment and publicist The Associates have provided a handful of clips from movie. Click the “Continued” link and enjoy!
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Logo for MW, the new live action adaption of the manga by Osamu Tezuka. Photo courtesy of NTV. © 2009 MW Production Committee

Osamu Tezuka’s Controversial Manga Becomes a Live Action Film
Source: NTV (Nippon Television Network)
Official Site: mw.gyao.jp

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

Japanese theatrical poster for MW. Photo courtesy of NTV. © 2009
MW Production Committee

Last December, SciFi Japan ran a report on MW, a new live action film based on a manga by the late Osamu Tezuka, Japan’s legendary “god of manga” and “father of anime”.

While Tezuka is known worldwide for his children’s favorites such as Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion, his MW manga was a dark and downbeat thriller that tackled many controversial subjects including government cover-ups, religion, the nature of good and evil, homoeroticism, the effects of excessive technology on nature, and the US military presence in Japan. While drastically different from his typical fare, Tezuka still received great acclaim for his work on MW.

The movie version of MW was developed by the “MW Production Committee” of NTV- Nippon Television Network (the DEATH NOTE film series), the telecommunications company NTT DoCoMo Inc., Amuse Soft Entertainment (THE NEIGHBOR NO. 13), IMJ Entertainment (NANA, NANA 2), and Studio Swan (KIDS). Japanese theatrical distribution of the film is being handled by Gaga Communications (perhaps best known for the ZEIRAM series), while NTV is handling international sales.

MW has been completed and opens today, July 4, in Japan. SciFi Japan is pleased to present a further look at the film with the following production notes and images provided by NTV.
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Samuel Goldwyn Films Releases Live Action Film Based on Hit Anime
Source: Samuel Goldwyn Films press notes
Official Movie Site: Blood The Last Vampire
Special Thanks to Teresa DiMartino, Jean McDowell, and Sharon Siegel

US poster art for BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE, the live
action adaptation of the hit anime film. Photo courtesy
of Samuel Goldwyn Films. © 2009 East Wing Holdings
Corp. and SAJ.

SPOILER WARNING: This article contains plot details for a new movie.

Following theatrical releases in Japan, France, Hong Kong, South Korea, and the United Kingdom, Chris Nahon’s martial arts action thriller BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE will open this month in American cinemas. The film is a live action adaption of the award-winning anime of the same name from Production I.G. (GHOST IN THE SHELL, KILL BILL VOl. 1) and Aniplex. The new movie was created by an international partnership that includes East Wing Holdings Corp., Pathé, the Hong Kong-based EDKO Film, the French production company SAJ, and cooperation and support from Production I.G.

BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE will be released theatrically by Samuel Goldwyn Films in Los Angeles, Chicago, San Diego, Seattle, Berkeley, Boston, Cambridge, Waltham, Washington DC, San Francisco, Honolulu, Aiea, San Diego, Dallas, Houston, Irvine, Seattle, Las Vegas, and New York on Friday, July 10th.

SciFi Japan presents an early look at BLOOD with press notes, photos, promotional art, the US trailer, and video clips courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films.
Continued…

Source: 4Digital Media, The Associates
Special Thanks to Steve Beecham and Farhana Shaikh

SciFi Japan is pleased to present another giveaway contest aimed at Japanese science fiction fans in the United Kingdom.

Cover art for the upcoming British DVD of MEATBALL
MACHINE. Photo courtesy of 4Digital Media. © 2005 King
Record Co.

As previously announced, the British movie and home video distributor 4Digital Media has acquired the UK rights to the Japanese splatter and gore movies MEATBALL MACHINE (Mîtoboru Mashin, 2005), TOKYO GORE POLICE (Tokyo Zankoku Keisatsu, 2008), and GROTESQUE (Gurotesuku, 2009).

Now, 4Digital Media and The Associates are giving SciFi Japan readers in Britain a chance to win free DVDs of the three films, starting with MEATBALL MACHINE.

An all out in your face gore-fest Japanese style. MEATBALL MACHINE is a wild, splatterific, experimental sci-fi/horror rollercoaster that will have your entire brain and body shaken and stirred. Capable of making biomechanical weapons out of human flesh, alien parasites grotesquely invade the Earth, turning their hosts into maniacal killers who seek and destroy each other to the bloody death! And yes, it’s also a human love story, even though the budding romantics are infested with slimy, tumor-like globules. Co-directors Junichi Yamamoto and Yudai Yamaguchi (BATTLEFIELD BASEBALL) pull out all the stops and don t let up until the final epic battle. It’s a touching testament to young love, blood, and alien ooze that leaves you screaming for more.

The MEATBALL MACHINE DVD will be available for purchase in the UK from 6th July, courtesy of 4Digital Media.

And check back with SciFi Japan in the coming weeks for TOKYO GORE POLICE and GROTESQUE giveaways!
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Major Motoko Kusanagi makes her escape in the opening sequence of GHOST IN THE SHELL 2.0. The updated version of the popular anime will
be shown this month at the Barbican Centre in London. © 1995/2008 Shirow Masamune/Kodansha · Bandai Visual · Manga Entertainment

Updated Anime Classic to be Screened in London
Source: Barbican Centre, Sarah Harvey Publicity press release
Special Thanks to Laura Bushell

Barbican Film continues their JAPANIMATION series with a special preview of the classic GHOST IN THE SHELL in its newly remastered form GHOST IN THE SHELL 2.0 (Kokaku Kidotai 2.0) on 21 July. The film has now been thoroughly updated, with all the original CGI shots completely re-digitised to enhance their quality. There’s a new 6.1 surround soundtrack, and a remix of Kenji Kawai’s disturbing and evocative score from Oscar-winning sound mixer/editor Randy Thom at Skywalker Sound.
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