The evolution of the Iron Man armor on display in Tony Stark’s lab in IRON MAN 2, the sequel to 2008′s smash hit based on the Marvel Comics character.
Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures. © 2009 MVLFFLLC

Author: Kim Song-ho
Official Movie Site: ironmanmovie.marvel.com

Key theatrical poster art for IRON MAN 2, opening
May 7th. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
© 2009 MVLFFLLC

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

IRON MAN 2 begins from the final scene of the previous film, where Tony Stark revealed his secret identity of Iron Man and made the press conference panic. However, this time we see it again not from where the film exactly ended, but from a different place – a shabby, small room in Russia. There lies an old man on his deathbed and his son, who keeps drinking vodka to get over sadness. At last, the old man dies and the son’s grief turns into rage. It’s the birth of Ivan Vanko/Whiplash, the new enemy of Tony Stark/Iron Man.

But in this sequel, Whiplash is not the only enemy. The US government tries to confiscate the Iron Man suit because it considers the suit as a threat to the country’s security. Justin Hammer, a rival arms dealer, keeps trying to bite a chunk out of Stark whenever he has the chance. Later, he wins Whiplash over to his side and makes a formidable threat to Stark. To make matters worse, Stark’s company declines and Stark himself suffers from poisoning caused by the arc reactor. He begins to fuddle between narcissism and self-destructive eccentricity. He must face not only the enemies out there, but also the enemy – a very hard to defeat at that – in his own mind. At this point, the audience become anxious. With twice as many characters and plot points than the previous film, this sequel might crash.
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New US Edition of Classic Japanese Folktales
Author: Dan Ross
Source: Lexington Books
Official 100th Anniversary Site (Japanese): tono100.com

Cover for the Japanese folktale collection The
Legends of Tono: 100th Anniversary Edition. Photo
courtesy of Lexington Books. © 2008 The Japan
Foundation/Fumiko Yanagita

The Legends of Tono (Tono Monogatari) is a book with a complicated history. In the prefecture of Iwate in the village of Tono a local folklorist, Kizen Sasaki (1886-1933), had been collecting the folktales of the region at the turn of the 20th Century. He was the sort of person who you might imagine walking from house to farm to field just conversing with the people of the land and mentally cataloging their reminiscences and anecdotes.

In 1908 Sasaki had a chance meeting with Kunio Yanagita (1875-1962). Already an active writer in Tokyo, Yanagita was a fan of ghost stories ranging from Chinese folktales and Japanese classics to the Western stories of Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Meeting with Sasaki and hearing some of his local stories inspired him to take a trip to Tono and then finally to write this collection. Yanagita’s method was to listen to Sasaki’s reports and then visit the locales where they took place and then write the tales in his own words.

So the book comprises the individual accounts of the people of Tono collected by Sasaki and then codified into a cohesive whole by Yanagita. Plus consideration of the careful translation by Ronald A. Morse, this was quite an enterprise.
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Source: 4Digital Media, Organic Marketing
Special Thanks to Alexandra Beedell

Live in England? Like Japanese horror movies? Then
enter SciFi Japan’s contest to win the new JU-ON: WHITE
GHOST and JU-ON: BLACK GHOST UK DVD! Photo courtesy
of 4Digital Media and Organic Marketing. © 2009 Toei
Video Co., Ltd. /Cell

SciFi Japan is pleased to present another giveaway contest for Japanese horror fans in the United Kingdom.

On April 26th, the two latest films in the hugely successful JU-ON/THE GRUDGE Japanese horror series— JU-ON: WHITE GHOST and JU-ON: BLACK GHOST— will be released together on DVD in the UK by 4Digital Media. The one disk set continues the franchise under the helm of the original JU-ON producer Taka Ichise and creator Takashi Shimizu whose horror filled vision was remade in America as THE GRUDGE (2004). To celebrate the release of these horrifying films 4Digital Media and Organic Marketing have 5 copies of the DVD to give away to SciFi Japan readers.

4Digital Media’s JU-ON: WHITE GHOST and JU-ON: BLACK GHOST DVD is Region 2 PAL, cert. 15, has a running time of 121 minutes, and presents the films in their original 16×9 Anamorphic widescreen, with Japanese language audio (Dolby Digital 2.0) and English subtitles. The suggested retail price is £15.99.
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Yuriko Sinjou (Ayumi Sonoda) and Kenji Uozaki (Kouzou Nomura) apparently see something even more exciting than the giant monster rampaging behind
them in a publicity paste-up for the early Toho daikaiju movie VARAN. Photo courtesy of Media Blasters. © 1958 Toho Co., Ltd.

Author: Sean Kotz

On March 31, 2010, New York City’s Japan Society launched a fascinating film series called “Mad, Bad… and Dangerous to Know: Three Untamed Beauties” highlighting counter-culture images of women in Japanese society featuring the work of three actresses–Ayako Wakao, Meiko Kaji and Mariko Okada. In contrast to the customary Japanese model of deferring, silent and bashful servants, their upstart female characters challenge the tradition but mostly with negative (and often downright evil) characters. However, as early as 1958’s VARAN (Daikaiju Baran), Toho’s monster films were offering positive, even heroic, alternatives to the accepted molds of housewife and office lady—the female reporter, a role that would develop into a staple during the Showa period and beyond.
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Japan Society Continues “The Double-Edged Sword” Chambara Film Series on April 24th
Source: Japan Society
Special Thanks to Joel Neville Anderson

The final Zatoichi screening in the “The Double-Edged Sword” film series will
be NEW TALE OF ZATOICHI on April 24. Photo courtesy of Japan Society. © 1963
Kadokawa Pictures, Inc.

New York – Japan Society’s latest Monthly Classics film series “The Double-Edged Sword: The Chambara Films of Shintaro Katsu & Raizo Ichikawa” pays tribute to two Japanese screen legends in their most respected, representative and stylish chambara (sword fighting) films. Curated by film expert and author Chris D. (Outlaw Masters of Japanese Film), the series screens monthly through May 2010

Having opened in December 2009, this Saturday’s second-to-last screening marks the final appearance of Shintaro Katsu’s Zatoichi in the film series as well as the introduction of Raizo Ichikawa’s Nemuri Kyoshiro in THE SWORD OF SEDUCTION (aka SLEEPY EYES OF DEATH 4).
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Get the K-20 DVD and Poster for Free, Courtesy of VIZ Pictures and SciFi Japan
Source: VIZ Pictures
Official Movie Site: k20themovie (US), K-20 (Japanese)
Special Thanks to Rieko Fuji

VIZ Pictures is offering SciFi Japan readers the chance to
win a K-20: THE FIEND WITH TWENTY FACES Gift Pack
containing the DVD and poster. Photo courtesy of VIZ
Pictures. © 2008 “K-20″ Film Partners

A SciFi JAPAN EXCLUSIVE

Today, VIZ Pictures is releasing the action film K-20: THE FIEND WITH TWENTY FACES (K-20: Kaijin Nijumenso Den, 2008) on Region 1 DVD. To celebrate the new release, VIZ Pictures is giving SciFi Japan readers in the United States and Canada a chance to win one of three Gift Packs, each with the K-20: THE FIEND WITH TWENTY FACES DVD and poster.

Heikichi Endo (played by Takeshi Kaneshiro) is a circus acrobat who is deceived by K-20 and framed to take the fall for the phantom thief. Using his incredible physical dexterity, Heikichi wages war against K-20 in order to clear his name and fights alongside K-20′s next wealthy target, Duchess Yoko Hashiba (Takako Matsu) and her fiancée, the brilliant detective Kogoro Akechi (Toru Nakamura). But what is the ultimate decision Heikichi has to make?

The K-20: THE FIEND WITH TWENTY FACES DVD is now available for purchase. The suggested retail price is $24.92 U.S. / $35.99 CAN.
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Source: FUNimation Entertainment press release, Eleven Arts Entertainment
Special Thanks to Brian Cleary

Vampire student Monami Arukado (Yukie Kawamura) has her undead heart set
on Mizushima (Takumi Saito). Photo courtesy of Eleven Arts Entertainment.
© 2010 Pony Canyon /Concept Film /Excellent Film Partners

Valentine’s Day turns twisted for Mizushima after the vampire schoolgirl Monami gives him a chocolate laced with vampire blood. One bite of the delicious sweet infects him with immortality. This does not sit well with Mizushima’s jealous girlfriend Keiko. She wants him all to herself. A bloody battle between the two women ends with Keiko falling to her death. To her luck, Keiko’s mad scientist father reanimates her into an undead Frankenstein girl. Now on a level playing field, the undead damsels fight for the heart of Mizushima.

FUNimation Entertainment has acquired home entertainment, digital and merchandising rights to the live action horror comedy VAMPIRE GIRL VS. FRANKENSTEIN GIRL (Kyuuketsushoujo tai Shoujofuranken, 2009) from Eleven Arts Entertainment. FUNimation will release the film on DVD and Blu-ray in October 2010.
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New Novels By Some Of Japan’s Best Sci-Fi Writers Set To Debut This Spring
Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases
Official Site: haikasoru.com
Special Thanks to Evelyn Dubocq and Erik Jansen

Cover for the Japanese sci-fi novel Loups-Garous.
Photo courtesy of VIZ Media. © 2001 Kyogoku
Natsuhiko.

VIZ Media, LLC has announced the upcoming release of four new science fiction novels under its Haikasoru imprint. Slum Online, by Hiroshi Sakurazaka, and The Stories of Ibis, by Hiroshi Yamamoto, will hit stores on April 20th. Loups-Garous, by Natsuhiko Kyogoku, and The Next Continent, by Issui Ogawa, will be released on May 18th.

Haikasoru publishes some of the most compelling contemporary Japanese science fiction and fantasy stories for English-speaking audiences. The imprint launched in North America with a dedicated focus on Japanese science fiction.
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SciFi Japan Presents a Second Look at the New Superhero Movie
Author: Kim Song-ho
Official Movie Site: kickass-themovie.com

Nerdy Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) becomes the crime fighter Kick-Ass. © 2010
KA Films LP

KICK-ASS is a superhero film without superheroes. The masked and costumed vigilantes appearing in KICK-ASS are all normal, without super powers. For example, our protagonist Dave, who later becomes the titular hero, is a less-than-average geek. He is not so athletic, has no relationships with girls and sometimes he is picked on by the local thugs along with his equally nerdy friends. One distinctive feature Dave has is a vision. A vision that changes his life forever – having been frustrated by the fact no one ever tries to be a superhero, he decided to become one himself.

SciFi Japan is pleased to present another look at the new hit superhero film.
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Author: Kyle Byrd
Official Movie Site: kickass-themovie.com

Poster for Lionsgate’s new superhero movie KICK-ASS.
© 2010 KA Films LP

KICK-ASS is the story of a nerdy high school kid named Dave (played by Aaron Johnson), who becomes obsessed with the idea of becoming a real life superhero. While his friends laugh at the idea, Dave becomes determined to prove that such a feat is possible. He orders a wetsuit online and becomes Kick-Ass. While he doesn’t do much of what his name would imply, he becomes an Internet sensation practically overnight.

On the other end of the spectrum are Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage) and his daughter Hit-Girl (Chloe Moritz), who he has trained to become a vigilante killing machine like himself. Big Daddy is working on taking down the group of mobsters responsible for his wife’s death. The mobsters are lead to believe that Kick-Ass is to blame for their current difficulties. Subplots develop from there including a blooming romance with Dave’s crush from school, as well as the mob boss’s son becoming the hero Red Mist (SUPERBAD’s Christopher Charles Mintz-Plasse) to help draw Kick-Ass, Big Daddy and Hit-Girl out to be caught by his father.

Based on Mark Millar’s graphic novel of the same name, KICK-ASS is an extremely fun, crowd-pleasing film with great action scenes and inspired direction.
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Coming to US DVD and Blu-Ray this Summer
Source: Media Blasters
Special Thanks to Richard York

Media Blasters has released the English language trailer for DEATH KAPPA, a new Tokyo Shock original film produced with Fever Dreams Japan. DEATH KAPPA is an “old school” daikaiju movie from the creators of cult favorites THE MACHINE GIRL, DEATH TRANCE and TOKYO GORE POLICE and director Tomoo Haraguchi, the celebrated make-up, creature and effects master whose credits include the last four Gamera films, ASHURA, UZUMAKI, RING 0, Showtime’s MASTERS OF HORROR series. and REIGO: THE DEEP-SEA MONSTER VS THE BATTLESHIP YAMATO. Haraguchi has also directed a handful of films such as MIKADROID, SAKUYA, and KIBAKICHI.
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Slice of Life Blockbuster From Kadokawa Pictures Coming to Multiple Crunchyroll Platforms Soon
Source: BAM! Marketing, Publicity & Promotions press releases
Special Thanks to Chase Wang

©2005 Nagaru Tanigawa/ Noizi Ito/ member of SOS

Crunchyroll, Inc. has announced the acquisition of the Kadokawa Pictures blockbuster title THE MELANCHOLY OF HARUHI SUZUMIYA for multiple Crunchyroll platforms. More information is available on the official official THE MELANCHOLY OF HARUHI SUZUMIYA series page on Crunchyroll.

THE MELANCHOLY OF HARUHI SUZUMIYA follows the eponymous character voiced by Japanese idol superstar Aya Hirano. A classmate of hers poses: “I thought that when I entered high school, my days of believing in aliens, time travelers and ESPers were going to be over. That is until she introduced herself. Claiming to be interested in only aliens, time travelers, and ESPers, Haruhi Suzumiya was the strangest girl I’ve met in a long time.”
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Three Days of Fantasy, Sci-Fi and Horror Movies
Official Site: http://www.vintagemonsters.de/festival.php (Germany)
Special Thanks to Ralf Lorenz

Film lineup for the VINTAGE MONSTERS FESTIVAL. © 2010 Andreas
Schiefler and Ralf Lorenz

Classic monsters and heroes return to the big screen in Germany with the VINTAGE MONSTERS FESTIVAL, running May 7-9, 2010 in Hamburg. Event organizers Ralf Lorenz (GUALAGON, Pranke: Das Filmmagazin für Monsterfreaks) and Andreas Schiefler (Vintage Movie Posters) will be screening 35mm prints of the German language versions of nine fan favorites at the Metropolis Kino, Steindamm 54, 20099 Hamburg, Germany.

Scheduled to be shown are CONAN THE BARBARIAN (1982), GODZILLA VS GIGAN (1972), THE BLACK PIT OF DR. M (1959), THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM (1961), THE GREEN SLIME (1968), ANDY WARHOL’S BLOOD FOR DRACULA (1974), DRACULA VS FRANKENSTEIN (1970), TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA (1970), and PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES (1965).
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Toho Releases Classic WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS to Blu-Ray.
Author: Loren Portillo
Official Website: Toho Blu-Ray

Cover for the Blu-Ray release of WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS. ©2010 Toho Co., Ltd.

With the great news of a new Godzilla film in the near future, Toho Studios has been getting into the Blu-Ray game with some of the great kaiju classics from the 1950′s and 60′s with such titles as GODZILLA (GOJIRA, 1954), RODAN (SORA NO DAIKAIJU RADON, 1957) MOTHRA (MOSURA, 1962) and the newly released WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS (SANDA TAI GAIRA, 1966).

Presented in an incredible 2:35:1 Blu-Ray transfer, WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS is by far the most pristine print ever of this classic and is superior to the “Toho Master Collection” put out by Classic Media last year. Many fans were disappointed with the Japanese film transfer in that collection, but will be very elated to see a fantastic film transfer here. But unlike the Classic Media DVD collection, this Blu-Ray does not come with English subtitles which is no surprise when it comes to how Toho releases their films on DVD or Blu-Ray.
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Suspense And Intrigue Combine With Stunning Visual Effects And Gravity-Defying Stunts For A Riveting Adventure
Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases
Official Movie Site: k20themovie (US), K-20 (Japanese)
Special Thanks to Evelyn Dubocq and Erik Jansen

Cover art for the K-20: THE FIEND WITH TWENTY FACES
Region 1 DVD, on sale April 20th from VIZ Pictures. Photo
courtesy of VIZ Media. © 2008 “K-20″ Film Partners

VIZ Pictures will release the action film K-20: THE FIEND WITH TWENTY FACES (K-20: Kaijin Nijumenso Den, 2008) on DVD on April 20th. The film will carry an MSRP of $24.92 U.S. / $35.99 CAN.

Director Shimako Sato assembled a strong cast and used cutting edge special effects to bring K-20 to life. The movie is set in the fictional city of Teito in the late 1940s, in a world where World War II never happened and the nobility system established during the Meiji Era still exists. An extreme divide exists between the upper and lower classes, with 90 percent of the country’s wealth being held by the upper class. The capital of Teito is in crisis with the emergence of a menacing phantom thief known as “The Fiend (Kaijin) With Twenty Faces” or simply “K-20.”

“The character of K-20 was originally born in the best-selling 26-volume Boy Detectives series, written by Japanese literary master Rampo Edogawa, and over the years the stories have been enjoyed by more than 100 million people,” says Seiji Horibuchi, President and CEO of VIZ Pictures. “The inspired film uses a potent mix of eye-catching visual effects and gravity-defying high wire stunts to bring the unique story to the screen with incredible results. We look forward to fans discovering this thrilling new action feature from VIZ Pictures.”
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Official Site: vintagemonsters.de (Germany)
Special Thanks to Ralf Lorenz

Cover art for Vintage Monsters #1. Photo courtesy of
Ralf Lorenz. © 2010 Vintage Movie Posters and MonsterCon

This month sees the premiere of Vintage Monsters, a new German magazine featuring rare and beautiful international posters and lobby cards from monster, sci-fi, fantasy and horror films. The magazine is the brainchild of Andreas Schiefler (owner of Vintage Movie Posters) and Ralf Lorenz (GUALAGON, Pranke: Das Filmmagazin für Monsterfreaks).

Vintage Monsters #1 runs forty pages and focuses on the movies playing at next month’s VINTAGE MONSTERS FESTIVAL in Hamburg with more than 150 full color illustrations from CONAN THE BARBARIAN (1982), GODZILLA VS GIGAN (1972), THE BLACK PIT OF DR. M (1959), THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM (1961), THE GREEN SLIME (1968), ANDY WARHOL’S BLOOD FOR DRACULA (1974), DRACULA VS FRANKENSTEIN (1970), TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA (1970), and PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES (1965). The text is written in both German and English.
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Documentary on THE SAMURAI’s Extreme Popularity in Australia Comes to DVD April 21st
Source: Madman Entertainment

DVD cover art for SHINTARO!, the documentary about the
impact THE SAMURAI had on Australian audiences. Photo
courtesy of Madman Entertainment. © 2009 ScreenWorld

Beginning December 29th, 1964, an extraordinary cross-cultural TV sensation swept through the suburban lounge rooms of Australia. Senkosha Productions’ THE SAMURAI (Onmitsu Kenshi, 1962-65) left an indelible impression on the children of the “swinging” sixties. Imported from Japan, dubbed into American-English it was a smash hit, astonishing broadcasters, advertisers, the press and critics alike. Never before, or since, has a show become such a cult hit and caused such controversy as THE SAMURAI.

This 2009 documentary interviews prominent Australian SAMURAI lovers – such as comedian Steve Bedwell (FULL FRONTAL), writer/producer Santo Cilauro (The D-Generation) and Roy Slaven (comedian John Doyle) – to discover exactly why THE SAMURAI phenomenon caused such fervor across Australia. It looks at children’s perception and the equally profound perception of their parents and grandparents.

THE SAMURAI has left an endearing legacy in the hearts and minds of the Australians who experienced a unique sensation which swept a nation. This is a unique Australian story which needed to be told.
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Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases
Official Site: NewPeopleWorld.com
Special Thanks to Evelyn Dubocq and Erik Jansen

VIZ Cinema will hosts a GUNDAM movie marathon on April 10th.
Photo courtesy of VIZ Media. © Sotsu, Sunrise

April welcomes Spring, and VIZ Cinema, the nation’s only movie theatre dedicated to Japanese film, celebrates the season of the sakura (cherry blossom) with a colorful – and tasty – schedule of films and fun events.

Don’t miss a very rare personal appearance by Director Yuri Nomura for the U.S. premiere of her acclaimed documentary film about gastronomy, EATRIP. Known widely in Japan as a chef, author and teacher, and also for her Food Creative Team, “Eatrip,” that takes ‘eating’ to the next level. EATRIP created a buzz in film festivals worldwide and now comes to San Francisco!

Nomura will attend the U.S. premiere of EATRIP at VIZ Cinema on April 10th as part of the 43rd annual Cherry Blossom Festival in San Francisco’s Japantown. Tickets are available to attend a unique dinner and discussion with the Nomura, hosted in association with Sylvan Mishima Brackett, owner of PEKO-PEKO and the former creative director at the world-renowned restaurant, Chez Panisse, in Berkeley, CA. VIP tickets are $50.00 and include dinner and reception (April 10th, 7:00pm) and are now available for purchase online.

Other new films opening in April include SAKURAN, GRAVITY’S CLOWNS and a special GUNDAM Forever Movie Marathon! Science fiction fans can also look forward to the next installment of TokyoScope: The Wild and Crazy World of Japanese Cult Films Vol. 2, which this month focuses on MECHA MANIA: Four Decades of Slam-Bang Sci-Fi Robot Anime, and a special screening of K-20: THE FIEND WITH 20 FACES to celebrate the release of the film on DVD by VIZ Pictures on April 20th.
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Remake of Ray Harryhausen Classic Opens In Theatres Friday, April 2
Source: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
Official Website: clash-of-the-titans

Perseus defeats Medusa. ©2010 Warner
Bros. Entertainment Inc.

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

In “Clash of the Titans,” the ultimate struggle for power pits men against kings and kings against gods. But the war between the gods themselves could destroy the world. Born of a god but raised as a man, Perseus (Sam Worthington) is helpless to save his family from Hades (Ralph Fiennes), vengeful god of the underworld. With nothing left to lose, Perseus volunteers to lead a dangerous mission to defeat Hades before he can seize power from Zeus (Liam Neeson) and unleash hell on earth.

Perseus sets off on a perilous journey deep into forbidden worlds, leading a daring band of warriors, including Draco (Mads Mikkelsen), an experienced soldier who encourages the defiant Perseus to make use of his god-given abilities. Battling unholy demons and fearsome beasts, they will only survive if Perseus can accept his power as a god, defy his fate and create his own destiny.

Propelling audiences into a mythological world of epic action and adventure, “Clash of the Titans” will be presented in 3D, making the gods even more formidable, the creatures even more fearsome, and taking audiences even deeper into the mythological realm of Perseus’ quest.
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