SciFi Japan
    DOOMED MEGALOPOLIS: THE LAST MEGALOPOLIS is coming to Blu-ray in North America, courtesy of Media Blasters. The sleeve art is not final. Photo courtesy of Media Blasters, Inc. ©Kinema Junposh Source: Media Blasters, Inc. Special Thanks to Carl Morano Media Blasters will release DOOMED MEGALOPOLIS: THE LAST MEGALOPOLIS (帝都物語, Teito Monogatari, 1988) on Blu-ray in North America on September 26. Also known as TOKYO: THE LAST MEGALOPOLIS, this live-action, supernatural thrill-ride was directed by Akio Jissoji (ULTRAMAN, ULTRASEVEN, THIS TRANSIENT LIFE) and produced by Takashige Ichise, producer of classic J-horror hits such as RINGU, JU-ON and DARK WATER that spawned Hollywood remakes. The movie also features stunning creature designs by H.R. Giger of ALIEN fame. A psychic, Yasunori Kato, plots to destroy Tokyo and revert the city back to it's ancient origins as a desolate 'holy ground.' This leads Kato to resurrect Masadako, hoping that he

    The student filmmakers of the kaiju short film MIDNIGHT THE ERA have started a crowdfunding campaign. Photo courtesy of Studio Mujaku. ©Studio Mujaku Professional voice-over recording for independent animation! Film production combining animation and special effects! Source: Studio MujakuSpecial Thanks to Avery Guerra Last December, SciFi Japan ran an exclusive preview of MIDNIGHT THE ERA, an independent kaiju short film that was being created through a combination of  animation and traditional Japanese tokusatsu FX techniques. One notable aspect of MIDNIGHT THE ERA is that it is being produced by Studio Mujaku, a group of 30 university students who have split their time between their school duties and making this movie.  Led by director Hanasuke Okada and producer Kakeru Taiga, the team is striving for "the highest level of perfection" and have decided they need to hire professional voice actors and sound engineers to do the dubbing

    Photo courtesy of Netflix. © Eiichiro Oda © 2023 Netflix, Inc. Source: Netflix Official Site: https://www.netflix.com/title/80217863 Netflix has released additional photos from their live action adapatation of ONE PIECE. The 8-episode series premieres worldwide August 31, 2023 at 12:00 am PDT. For more on netflix's ONE PIECE please see the earlier coverage here on SciFi Japan.   Taz Skylar as Sanji, Mackenyu Arata as Roronoa Zoro, Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy, Emily Rudd as Nami, Jacob Romero Gibson as Usopp. Photo courtesy of Netflix. © Eiichiro Oda © 2023 Netflix, Inc. Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy. Photo courtesy of Netflix. © Eiichiro Oda © 2023 Netflix, Inc. (L to R) Vincent Regan as Vice-Admiral Garp, Morgan Davies as Koby, Aidan Scott as Helmeppo. Photo courtesy of Netflix. © Eiichiro Oda © 2023 Netflix, Inc.

    Source: Matsumoto City Museum of Art press release Official Site: https://www.yamazakitakashi-exhibition.com/ (Japan)   The Matsumoto City Museum of Art presents an exhibition of Takashi Yamazaki's works. Photo courtesy of Matsumoto City Museum of Art. © MATSUMOTO CITY MUSEUM OF ART All rights reserved. Director/screenwriter/FX director Takashi Yamazaki is currently generating a lot of attention, thanks to the announcement of his next movie, GODZILLA MINUS ONE (ゴジラ-1.0/ゴジラマイナスワン, Gojira Mainasu Wan)*. This weekend also sees the launch of an exhibition of Yamazaki's works in his hometown of Matsumoto in Nagano Prefecture, Japan.  Full details follow, courtesy of the Matsumoto City Museum of Art...     "The Visual World-crafting of YAMAZAKI Takashi, Film Director" (映画監督 山崎貴の世界, Eiga Kantoku Yamazaki Takashi no Sekai) Matsumoto native director Takashi Yamazaki (born 1964) makes masterful use of visual effects in such films as  ALWAYS -SUNSET ON THIRD STREET- (ALWAYS 三丁目の夕日,

    Photo courtesy of Fantasia. © Fantasia Source: Fantasia International Film Festival press releaseSpecial Thanks to Jacob Klemmer The Fantasia International Film Festival will be celebrating its 27th edition with a large and varied program of screenings, workshops, and launch events running from July 20 through August 9, 2023, taking place at the Concordia Hall Cinema, with additional screens at the Cinémathèque Québécoise and Cinéma du Musée. The festival’s complete lineup will be announced in early July. In the meantime, Fantasia is proud to reveal a selected wave of titles, along with a very special event.    BRIGHT SPOTLIGHTS ON SOUTH KOREAN CINEMA ILLUMINATE FANTASIA’s 27th EDITION   Photo courtesy of Fantasia. © Fantasia Since the selection of Kang Je-gyu’s GINGKO BED at Fantasia’s 1998 edition, the festival has become one of the premiere destinations for South Korean cinema. Over the years, Fantasia’s

    Photo courtesy of Netflix. © Eiichiro Oda © 2023 Netflix, Inc. Source: Netflix press releaseOfficial Site: https://www.netflix.com/title/80217863 Photo courtesy of Netflix. © Eiichiro Oda © 2023 Netflix, Inc. The 8-episode live action series ONE PIECE  premieres worldwide on Netflix on August 31, 2023 at 12:00 am PDT. Based on Japan’s highest-selling manga series in history by Eiichiro Oda, ONE PIECE is a legendary high-seas adventure unlike any other. Monkey D. Luffy is a young adventurer who has longed for a life of freedom since he can remember. Luffy sets off from his small village on a perilous journey to find the legendary fabled treasure, ONE PIECE, to become King of the Pirates! But in order to find the ultimate prize, Luffy will need to assemble the crew he’s always wanted before finding a ship to sail, searching every inch of the vast blue seas, outpacing

    Photo courtesy of Japan Society. ©ISHIMORI PRODUCTION INC. TOEI COMPANY, LTD. /2023 Shin Kamen Rider Film Partners Japan Society to Host Screening in Celebration of Upcoming Nationwide Theatrical Release from Fathom EventsSource: Japan Society press release Special Thanks to Allison Rodman   Photo courtesy of Japan Society. ©ISHIMORI PRODUCTION INC. TOEI COMPANY, LTD. /2023 Shin Kamen Rider Film Partners   Japan Society (New York)  is ecstatic to announce the North American premiere of Hideaki Anno’s SHIN KAMEN RIDER on May 23, 2023. Japan Society is a 116-year-old nonprofit organization focused on growing the connections between the U.S. and Japan, and we are deeply honored to present the big screen evolution of one of Japan’s most iconic heroes in the biggest city in America. This premiere event is held in partnership with Fathom Events and Toei Co. Ltd., who will bring the film

    Source: Diamond Select Toys press release Special Thanks to Zach Oat Wednesday is New Toy Day at a comic shops and toy stores nationwide, and the latest Diamond Select Toys lineup includes Minimates and action figures from Power Rangers and Pacific Rim. Find a store near you at comicshoplocator.com, or order online at diamondselecttoys.com!   Photo courtesy of Diamond Select Toys. TM & © 2023 SCG Power Rangers LLC and Hasbro Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers Minimates Series 2 Box Set A Diamond Select Toys release! It’s Morphin’ Time again! Series 2 of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Minimates completes the team, with the Red Ranger, Black Ranger, Yellow Ranger and White Ranger! Each Minimate features 14 points of articulation, interchangeable parts, removable helmets and multiple heads to depict different cast members! Plus an array of weapons! All four come packaged in a full-color window

    Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd. ©2023 TOKYO MER the Movie Production Committee Source: Toho Co., Ltd., TBS Official Site: https://tokyomer-movie.jp/ (Japan)   Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd. ©2023 TOKYO MER the Movie Production Committee The HEROs (medical team) will return to save all lives! Toho has provided information and images for TOKYO MER: Mobile Emergency Room - THE MOVIE (劇場版『TOKYO MER~走る緊急救命室~』, Gekijōban “ TOKYO MER ~ Hashiru Kinkyū Kyūmeishitsu ~”). The movie opens in Japanese cinemas this Friday, March 28th. The movie is a spinoff from the TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting System) television series, TOKYO MER: Mobile Emergency Room, which premiered on July 4, 2021. The main character is Kota Kitami (Ryohei Suzukii), a brilliant young ER doctor, who has been handpicked by Mayor Azusa Akatsuka (Yuriko Ishida) to head a new emergency response team dubbed TOKYO Mobile Emergency

    Photo courtesy of Netflix. TM & © 2023 SCG Power Rangers LLC and Hasbro Source: NetflixOfficial Site: https://www.netflix.com/title/81586552 The anniversary movie MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS: ONCE & ALWAYS will premiere on Netflix on April 19th, 2023 at 12:00am PDT. Synopsis Thirty years after the wise and powerful Zordon formed the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, the team comes face to face with a familiar threat from the past. In the midst of a global crisis, they are called on once again to be the heroes the world needs. This 30th Anniversary Special is inspired by the legendary mantra from the franchise “Once a Ranger, Always a Ranger,” meaning once you become part of the Ranger family, you are always welcome back.   David Yost as Blue Ranger Billy CranstonPhoto courtesy of Netflix. TM & © 2023 SCG Power Rangers LLC and Hasbro

    Concept art from the upcoming kaiju short film, MIDNIGHT THE ERA. Photo courtesy of Studio Mujaku. ©Studio Mujaku Author: Keith AikenSource: Studio MujakuSpecial Thanks to Avery Guerra  A SCIFI JAPAN EXCLUSIVE Photo courtesy of Studio Mujaku. ©Studio Mujaku   SciFi Japan is pleased to present an exclusive preview of MIDNIGHT THE ERA, an upcoming kaiju short, created by an exceptional team of university students, that combines animation with traditional Japanese tokusatsu FX techniques. MIDNIGHT THE ERA is being produced by the independent film studio, Studio Mujaku. Established in Noivember 2021, Studio Mujaku is fully staffed by college students, mainly those studying art. The movie is being financially backed through a fundraising campaign, with a tentative completion date of July 2023. Unlike many student works, MIDNIGHT THE ERA will not be released on YouTube. Instead, it is scheduled to premiere at the Summer 2023

    Photo courtesy of Shout! Factory. © Delightful Love Letter to Japanese Pop Culture  Debuts Everywhere on Digital and  On Demand October 11, 2022 Source: Shout! Factory press release Special Thanks to Eric McEver, Jeff Hammer, Bob Eggleton and Sarah J. De Bruin IKÉ BOYS key art by award-winning artist, Bob Eggleton. Photo courtesy of Shout! Factory. ©   A charmingly offbeat fantasy adventure that mixes live action, original animation, and tokusatsu special effects, the new feature film IKÉ BOYS will debut on Digital and On Demand on all major platforms October 11, 2022 from Shout! Studios. Heart-warming yet comedic, IKÉ BOYS is a coming-of-age story of adventure and friendship set amongst high school friends in late ’90s Oklahoma who escape the dull reality of daily life via a shared obsession with all things Japanese. A love letter to kaiju, anime

      Photo courtesy of Diamond Select Toys. © SCG Power Rangers LLC. Source: Diamond Select Toys press release Special Thanks to Zach Oat It’s nearly October, which means it’s almost time for the October issue of Diamond Comics’ Previews catalog to hit stores! And in its pages you’ll find a variety of new products from Diamond Select Toys and Gentle Giant LTD, all of which will hit stores in spring of 2023! The lineup includes the first in a Power Rangers Gallery Diorama series. Read on for details, then pre-order through your local comic shop or favorite online retailer. Or visit diamondselecttoys.com and gentlegiantltd.com! Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers Gallery Green Ranger PVC Diorama A Diamond Select Toys release! Time to go Green! The first-ever Power Rangers Gallery Diorama is a sculpture of none other than Matthew Cook, the new Green Ranger! Based on

    Source: MVD Entertainment Group Special Thanks to Clint Weiler Photo courtesy of MVD. Unearthed Films and MVD Entertainment are offering SciFi Japan readers a chance to win their new Blu-ray of the Japanese horror classic EVIL DEAD TRAP ( 死霊の罠, Shiryō no wana, 1988). Directed by Toshiharu Ikeda (MERMAID LEGEND) and originally produced by Japan Home Video, the movie features special effects created by Shinichi Wakasa, monster-suit maker for several Godzilla, Gamera and Ultraman films. A TV station employee takes a camera crew out to an abandoned factory to investigate a purported snuff film that was made there, only to end up running for her life. Nami hosts a late night home video program. She receives a tape which appears to be a real snuff film. She and her crew investigate the location where she meets a man looking for his brother who warns her to

    Source: Toei Co., Ltd. Official Site: http://movie-rider50-ranger45.com (Japan) Special Thanks to Alicia Ashby A SCIFI JAPAN EXCLUSIVE  Toei Co., Ltd. has provided SciFi Japan with press notes and promotional art for their new movie, KAMEN RIDER SABER + ZENKAIGER SUPERHERO SENKI (セイバー+ゼンカイジャー スーパーヒーロー戦記, Seibā + Zenkaijā Sūpāhīrō Senki). Description To this very day, as the era changes from Showa to Heisei to Reiwa, the much-admired Kamen Rider series and Super Sentai series continue to inspire dreams, courage, hope, and the spirit of justice. In 2021, these two great heroic lineages, treasured by young and old alike, will celebrate twin anniversaries: 50 years of Kamen Rider and 45 years of Super Sentai. This celebration is the film KAMEN RIDER SABER + ZENKAIGER SUPERHERO SENKI, which will bring together Kamen Rider and Super Sentai to

      Official Site: https://yousayouji2021.pal-ep.com/ (Japan) Special Thanks to Avery Guerra The makers of PLANET PRINCE 2021 (遊星王子2021, Yūsei Oji 2021) have launched the official website for the film and released the first poster and trailer. PLANET PRINCE 2021 is a reboot of the tokusatsu classic PLANET PRINCE (known in America as PRINCE OF SPACE). The film is directed by Minoru Kawasaki, the filmmaker behind special effects comedies such as EVERYTHING SINKS EXCEPT JAPAN, EARTH DEFENSE WIDOW and MONSTER SEAFOOD WARS. © 2021 Planet Prince 2021 Production Committee        

    Source: Toei Co., Ltd. Official Site: movie-ranger.com (Japan) Special Thanks to Alicia Ashby A SCIFI JAPAN EXCLUSIVE Toei Co., Ltd. has provided SciFi Japan with a gallery of photos from SUPER SENTAI MOVIE RANGER 2021 (スーパー戦隊MOVIEレンジャー2021, Sūpā Sentai Mūbī Renjā 2021), the latest entry in their "Super Sentai Movie Party" series. The film was released in Japanese theaters on February 20, 2021. SUPER SENTAI MOVIE RANGER 2021 is divided into three chapters. The first is MASHIN SENTAI KIRAMAGER THE MOVIE: BEE-BOP DREAM (魔進戦隊キラメイジャー THE MOVIE ビー・バップ・ドリーム, Mashin Sentai Kirameijā Za Mūbī: Bī-Bappu Dorīmu) , which was originally intended to be paired with KAMEN RIDER ZERO-ONE THE MOVIE: REAL × TIME (劇場版 仮面ライダーゼロワン REAL×TIME, Gekijō-ban Kamen Raidā Zero Wan REAL×TIME) for a Super Sentai/Kamen Rider double feature scheduled for July 23, 2020. That release was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with KAMEN

    Source: Avery Guerra and Minoru Kawasaki Official Twitter: @yousayouji2021 @yousayouji2021 Translation: Benjamin Chaffins A SCIFI JAPAN EXCLUSIVE The classic special effects TV series PLANET PRINCE (遊星王子, Yūsei Ōji) aired on the NTV (Nippon Television) network from November 4, 1958 to October 6, 1959. Now, a remake of PLANET PRINCE is being developed. The original PLANET PRINCE was produced by Nippon Gendai and Senkosha, and distributed by Toei. It became popular as Japan`s first alien super hero TV program, and had a lot of influence on many subsequent special effects works. In 1959, Toei also released two theatrical movies -- PLANET PRINCE and PLANET PRINCE: THE TERRIFYING SPACESHIP (遊星王子 – 恐怖の宇宙船, Yūsei Ōji - Kyōfu no Uchūsen) -- which were edited together into the 1962 English dubbed feature, PRINCE OF SPACE. In the new reboot, tentatively titled PLANET PRINCE 2021 (遊星王子2021, Yūsei Ōji

    Source: Toei Co., Ltd. Official Site: TBA (Japan) A SCIFI JAPAN EXCLUSIVE Toei Co., Ltd. has provided SciFi Japan with promotional art and information for SUPER SENTAI MOVIE RANGER 2021 (スーパー戦隊MOVIEレンジャー2021, Sūpā Sentai Mūbī Renjā 2021), the next entry in their “Super Sentai Movie Party” series. The film will be released in Japanese theaters in February 2021. SUPER SENTAI MOVIE RANGER 2021 is divided into three chapters. The first is MAJIN SENTAI KIRAMAGER THE MOVIE (魔進戦隊キラメイジャー THE MOVIE, Mashin Sentai Kirameijā THE MOVIE), which was originally intended to be paired with KAMEN RIDER ZERO-ONE THE MOVIE: REAL × TIME (劇場版 仮面ライダーゼロワン REAL×TIME, Gekijō-ban Kamen Raidā Zero Wan REAL×TIME) for a Super Sentai/Kamen Rider double feature scheduled for July 23, 2020. That release was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with KAMEN RIDER ZERO-ONE THE MOVIE eventually shown alongside KAMEN RIDER SABER THE

    Source: TOKU press release Special Thanks to Jesús Piñango TOKU, the 24/7 live and on-demand television network dedicated to eye-catching anime, popular live-action titles, cult classics, fan-favorite Asian movies and series subtitled and dubbed into English, premieres on November 3rd at 7:30 pm KAMEN RIDER AGITO (仮面ライダーアギト, Kamen Raidā Agito), which is considered to be the 30th anniversary creation of the Kamen Rider series. The 51 episodes (30 mins each) TV series was a co-production deal between Ishimori Productions and Toei, and aired on TV Asahi in 2001 as the eleventh season of the popular Kamen Rider franchise. However, according to a comment made by producer Schinichiro Shiracura from TV-Asahi on Agito production website: “It is not a sequel to KUUGA, so take to the show with that in mind.” The tagline of the TV series is “Awaken the soul,” which characterizes

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