SciFi Japan

    AJIN: DEMI-HUMAN. Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd. © 2017 TOHO / DENTSU / AMUSE / KODANSHA / JR Kikaku / KDDI / NIPPAN / Hikari-TV / Lawson HMV Entertainment / LINE / GYAO

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    Author: Keith Aiken Source: Fantasia Festival Special Thanks to Nicole Richardson and Ted Geoghegan The 33nd Fantasia International Film Festival kicks off today (July 12) and runs through August 1 at the Concordia Hall Cinema, the Cinémathèque québécoise and the McCord Museum in Montreal. With more than 130 feature films to choose from, there`s something for cinephiles of every tastes. Here are some of the Japanese movies sure to interest readers of SciFi Japan... AJIN: DEMI-HUMAN (??, Ajin, 2017) 9:40 PM Friday, July 27, Auditorium des diplômés de la SGWU (Théâtre Hall) Kei (Takeru Satoh, RUROUNI KENSHIN Trilogy, INUYASHIKI) becomes a medical intern in order to save his ill sister, Eriko (Minami Hamabe, YO-KAI WATCH THE MOVIE 2016). One day he is killed in an accident, but as an immortal human known as an Ajin, he comes back to life immediately afterward. Chased by the government

    VIZ Media has licensed the live-action film JOJO`S BIZARRE ADVENTURE: DIAMOND IS UNBREAKABLE. © 2017 Jojo`s Bizarre Adventure DU Movie Project © LUCKY LAND COMMUNICATIONS/SHUEISHA

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    GOLDEN WIND, New Season of the Anime,and DIAMOND IS UNBREAKABLE Live-Action Film Join VIZ Media’s Catalog Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media, LLC, a premier company in the fields of publishing, animation distribution, and global entertainment licensing, announced the latest additions to the multi-generational action adventure property with the JOJO`S BIZARRE ADVENTURE: GOLDEN WIND anime and the JOJO`S BIZARRE ADVENTURE: DIAMOND IS UNBREAKABLE live-action film. VIZ Media has secured the home media, online rights and TV broadcast rights for both properties. VIZ Media is the North American-based master distributor for the JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE anime series and also publishes print and digital editions of the JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE manga series (rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens). VIZ Media is also the North American master merchandise licensee for the anime series. JOJO`S BIZARRE ADVENTURE: GOLDEN WIND (?????????? ????, JoJo

    Photo courtesy of Japan Society.

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    12th Edition Includes Over 30 Films Never Before Seen in NYC, With Unprecedented Number of Special Guests Source: Japan Society press release Official Site: japan-cuts-2018 Special Thanks to Shannon Jowett, Michele Debreceni and Caitlin Hughes Japan Society announces the full lineup of the 12th annual JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film. Described by The New York Times as “meticulously curated” and “an annual highlight of New York’s film calendar,” the summer festival brings a wide range of the best and hardest-to-see films made in and around Japan today -- from blockbusters, independent productions and anime, to documentaries, avant-garde works, short films, and new restorations. This year’s edition spans ten days -- from July 19 through July 29 -- and features 28 feature-length films and 9 short films across the Feature Slate, Classics: Rediscoveries and Restorations, Documentary Focus, and Experimental Spotlight sections. Among

    Bandai Namco President and CEO Mitsuaki Taguchi, Sunrise President and CEO Yasuo Miyakawa, Legendary Pictures Vice President of Production Cale Boyter and Legendary Comics Senior Vice President of Publishing Robert Napton at the Anime Expo GUNDAM panel announcing the live-action GUNDAM movie. Photo courtesy of Andrew Nguyen.

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    Photos: Andrew Nguyen On July 5th, Legendary and Sunrise announced at Anime Expo 2018 their plans to co-produce the first-ever live-action feature film version of Sunrise hit mecha anime, MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM. SciFi Japan`s Andrew Nguyen attended the Sunrise GUNDAM panel and has shared some photos from the event. For more information on the live-action GUNDAM please see Legendary`s press release.

    © Sotsu, Sunrise

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    Multi-platform Animated Juggernaut to be Translated into Live-Action Film for the First Time Source: Source: Legendary Entertainment press release Special Thanks to Sheana Knighton Legendary and Sunrise announced today at Anime Expo 2018, plans to co-produce the first-ever live-action feature film version of GUNDAM, based on Sunrise’s massively popular Mecha anime and science fiction media franchise. The billion dollar property was created in 1979 and has spawned a multi-platform universe encompassing televised anime, manga, animated films, video games, plastic models, toys, and novels among other media. GUNDAM continues to dominate master toy licensee Bandai Namco’s earnings almost forty years after its inception. The original GUNDAM series is set in the Universal Century, an era in which humanity`s growing population has led people to emigrate to space colonies. Eventually, the people living in the colonies seek their autonomy, and launch a war of independence against the people living

    Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures Japan. © Tite Kubo / SHUEISHA © 2018 Movie

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    Director Shinsuke Sato To Introduce Premiere Event At NYC’s Japan Society Source: Anime NYC press release Official Site: bleach-movie.jp (Japan) Special Thanks to Peter Tatara Anime NYC powered by Crunchyroll and Japan Society have announced that the live-action BLEACH feature film, adapted from the bestselling manga and anime series by Tite Kubo, will have its U.S. Premiere on July 28th at JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film at New York’s Japan Society shortly following its release in Japanese theaters. BLEACH, which tells the story of a supernaturally gifted teenager who trains to battle evil spirits, is one of the year’s most anticipated films in Japan and for manga and anime fans around the world, with the original manga series having sold over 120 million copies worldwide since it was first published in 2001. BLEACH director Shinsuke Sato will make a rare appearance at Japan Society, introducing

    New KAMEN RIDER BUILD THE MOVIE: BE THE ONE / LUPINRANGER VS PATRANGER EN FILM key art courtesy of Toei Co., Ltd. © “Build · LupinPato” Movie Production Committee © Ishimori Pro · TV Asahi · ADK · Toei © 2018 TV Asahi · Toei AG · Toei

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    New Promo Art For Upcoming Double Feature Source: Toei Co., Ltd. Official Site: build-lupin-vs-pato.jp (Japan) A SCIFI JAPAN EXCLUSIVE Toei Co., Ltd. has provided SciFi Japan with high-res images of the new posters and key art for their 18th annual Super Sentai/Kamen Rider theatrical double feature, KAMEN RIDER BUILD THE MOVIE: BE THE ONE / LUPINRANGER VS PATRANGER EN FILM (??? ??????????Be The One?????????????VS????????????en film, Gekijooban Kamen Raidaa Birudo Be The One/ Kaitoo Sentai Rupanrenjaa VS Keisatsu Sentai Patorenjaa en film). The movies open in Japan on August 4. About Toei Company, Ltd. Established in 1951, Toei is one of the Japanese majors in cinema, covering production, distribution and exhibition through its own theater chains. The company owns two film studios located in Tokyo and Kyoto.

    Sota Fukushi stars as the Soul Reaper Ichigo Kurosaki in the live action movie adaptation, BLEACH. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures Japan. © Tite Kubo / SHUEISHA © 2018 Movie

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    Source: Warner Bros. Pictures Japan Official Site: bleach-movie.jp (Japan) A SCIFI JAPAN EXCLUSIVE Warner Bros. Pictures Japan has provided information and large, high-res photos from BLEACH (????, Buriichi), the live-action feature film based on the hit supernatural manga by Tite Kubo. The serialized manga debuted in Shueisha`s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in 2001, with the 74 collected volumes having sold more than 120 million copies worldwide. BLEACH is co-written and directed by Shinsuke Sato. Sato has a history of successfully adapting manga for the big screen; his credits include the movies GANTZ (??, Gantsu, 2011), GANTZ II: PERFECT ANSWER (?? PERFECT ANSWER, Gantsu Pafekuto Ansaa, 2011), DEATH NOTE Light up the NEW world (????? Light up the NEW world, Desu Noto Light up the NEW world, 2016) and INUYASHIKI (?????, 2018). The main character, Ichigo Kurosaki, is played by Sota Fukushi.

    THE GREAT BUDDHA ARRIVAL (DAIBUTSU KAIKOKU). ©2018 3Y Film.

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    Authors: Avery Guerra and Bob Johnson Sources: GREAT BUDDHA ARRIVAL Website, Facebook Page Official Kickstarter Page: help-actress-peggy-neal-return-in-new-kaiju-film A SCIFI JAPAN EXCLUSIVE Being a fan of certain genres can sometimes be a full-time endeavor. When people get really serious about their interests, then activities elevate beyond just watching movies or starting collections. Many start writing about or reviewing films/TV. Others get to a position where they can author books. It is special though, when you can actually create a film within the genre you love. This is something that Avery Guerra is endeavoring to do now. Below is his story, including information about how other fans can help make this dream come true. Avery has assembled a talented crew and a cast that reads like a who’s who of Japanese kaiju cinema. Including an actress who has been in retirement from film for years. Now he

    Photos courtesy of Bluefin. © 2018 DreamWorks Animation LLC. TM World Events Productions, LLC.

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    Legendary “Defender Of The Universe” Debuts In A Compact New Super Mini-Pla Kit Featuring 5 Fully Articulated Lions That Combine To Form The Iconic Giant Robot Source: Bluefin Corp., MediaLab press release Special Thanks to Erik Jansen Bluefin, the leading North American distributor of toys, collectibles, and hobby merchandise from Japan and Asia, announces an exciting new release for pop culture, giant robot and anime fans as it opens pre-orders for the Voltron Super Mini-Pla from Bandai Shokugan brand. Voltron is the newest addition to the Super Mini-Pla product line from Bandai Shokugan and is set for release in September by authorized Bluefin retailers nationwide and also from select leading online outlets. Pre-orders are available now; MSRP will be $62.00. Bluefin is the official North American master distributor for Bandai Shokugan. The legendary hero from one of the greatest giant robot anime action series of the 1980s

    Contents of the MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS: The Complete Series (25th Anniversary Edition Steelbook). © SCG Power Rangers LLC.

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    Collectible 20-Disc Set Includes MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS: THE MOVIE Debuting for the First Time on Blu-ray! Source: Shout! Factory press release Special Thanks to Shannon Meehan In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the multi-generational pop culture phenomenon, Shout! Factory, in collaboration with Saban Brands, is proud to announce a stunning Power Rangers collection, MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS: The Complete Series (25th Anniversary Edition Steelbook). Spanning the first 3 seasons of the Power Rangers television series and spotlighting MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS: THE MOVIE for the first time on Blu-ray, this home entertainment collection features over 60 hours of action-packed entertainment across 19 DVDs and 1 Blu-ray, including hours of bonus content with brand-new interviews specific to the movie. A must-have for the most dedicated Power Ranger fans, return to where the series began and re-live these thrill-packed adventures on August 7,

    The Fantasia International Film Festival 2018 lineup will include the International Premiere of BLEACH. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures Japan. © Kubo / Shueisha © 2018 Movie “BLEACH” Production Committee

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    Source: Fantasia Festival press release Special Thanks to Ted Geoghegan The Fantasia International Film Festival will be celebrating its 22nd Anniversary in Montreal from July 12-August 1, once again returning to the mammoth Concordia Hall Cinema as its main base, with additional screens at the Cinémathèque québécoise and the McCord Museum. Its Frontières International Co-Production Market and Industry Rendez-Vous Weekend will be held July 19-22. The festival’s full lineup of over 130 feature films will be announced in early July, with ticket sales commencing shortly afterwards. A newly redesigned website will be launching in June. In the meantime, Fantasia is excited to reveal a carefully selected first wave of titles, along with several special happenings. INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE OF BLEACH HIGHLIGHTS A TRIO OF BLOCKBUSTER MASTERPIECES BY PROLIFIC DIRECTOR SHINSUKE SATO The most anticipated Japanese film of 2018 will have its International Premiere at Fantasia 2018

    TIGER & BUNNY artwork courtesy of Bandai Namco Pictures. © BNP/T&B PARTNERS. © BNP/T&B MOVIE PARTNERS

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    BASED ON WILDLY POPULAR JAPANESE ANIME TELEVISION SERIES Source: Global Road Entertainment, Principal Communications Group press release Special Thanks to Hans-Dieter Kopal Global Road Entertainment is partnering with Bandai Namco Pictures, Imagine Entertainment, and Weed Road Pictures to produce and distribute the film project TIGER & BUNNY based on the hit Japanese anime television series. The futuristic live action feature film is being written by Ellen Shanman, and produced by Bandai Namco Pictures’ Masayuki Ozaki, Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Erica Huggins, and Weed Road Pictures’ Akiva Goldsman. The announcement was made today by Lynn Harris, Global Road Entertainment’s President of Worldwide Production. Harris stated, “We are thrilled to partner with Imagine, Bandai Namco and Weed Road on TIGER & BUNNY. Mr. Ozaki and his team’s globally recognized story and beloved characters provide us with the potential to not only produce a feature film

    SciFi Japan has a photo gallery from the insane new manga adaptation, INUYASHIKI. Photo courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd. © 2018

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    Press Notes For New Live-Action Manga Adaptation From The Director of GANTZ Source: Toho Co., Ltd., Fuji TV Official Site: inuyashiki-movie.com (Japan) A SCIFI JAPAN EXCLUSIVE Toho Co., Ltd. has provided information and high-res photos from their upcoming release, INUYASHIKI (?????). Described as the “sensational new virtual movie”, the live-action adaptation of Hiroya Oku`s remarkable sci-fi action manga opens in Japanese cinemas on April 20th. INUYASHIKI is also being offered to foreign distributors by sales agent Fuji TV Motion Picture. INTRODUCTION Super geezer takes you on a mind-bending “aerial experience”! INUYASHIKI is a collaboration between Hiroya Oku, creator of the blockbuster manga Gantz which sold over 20 million copies, and director Shinsuke Sato (DEATH NOTE Light up the NEW world), who brought the work to the big screen as a two-part live-action film which recorded box office sales of 6.3

    The Jaeger mechs battle the Mega-Kaiju in Tokyo in PACIFIC RIM UPRISING. Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures and Toho-Towa. © 2018 Universal Studios. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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    Source: Universal Pictures, Toho-Towa Co., Ltd. Official Site: pacificrimmovie.com (US), pacificrim.jp (Japan) #JoinTheUprising #PacificRimUprising SciFi Japan is pleased to share Japanese publicity materials and photos for PACIFIC RIM UPRISING, courtesy of Universal Pictures International and Toho-Towa, the film`s theatrical distributor in Japan. A Legendary Pictures/DDY production, presented by Universal Pictures, PACIFIC RIM UPRISING is directed by Steven S. DeKnight (Netflix`s DAREDEVIL, STARZ`s SPARTACUS) and stars John Boyega, Scott Eastwood, Jing Tian, Cailee Spaeny, Rinko Kikuchi, Burn Gorman, Adria Arjona and Charlie Day. The movie opens in Japan on April 13, 2018. About Universal Pictures Universal Pictures is a division of Universal Studios, part of NBCUniversal. NBCUniversal is one of the

    Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. © 2018 WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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    Source: Warner Bros. Pictures Official Site: rampagethemovie.com (US), rampagemovie.jp (Japan) SPOILER WARNING: This article contains plot details and images from an upcoming movie. In 1993, a breakthrough new technology, known as CRISPR, gave scientists a path to treat incurable diseases through genetic editing. In 2016, due to its potential for misuse, the U.S. Intelligence Community designated genetic editing a “Weapon of Mass Destruction and Proliferation.” Global icon Dwayne Johnson headlines the action adventure RAMPAGE, directed by Brad Peyton. Johnson stars as primatologist Davis Okoye, a man who keeps people at a distance but shares an unshakable bond with George, the extraordinarily intelligent, incredibly rare albino silverback gorilla who has been in his care since he rescued the young orphan from poachers. But a rogue genetic experiment gone awry mutates this gentle ape into a raging creature of enormous size. To make

    Photos courtesy of Bluefin. © 2018 Universal Studios. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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    Visit Bluefin during WonderCon 2018 at Booth #1037 Source: Bluefin Corp., MediaLab press release Special Thanks to Erik Jansen Bluefin, the leading North American distributor of toys, collectibles, and hobby merchandise from Japan and Asia, heads to Anaheim, CA for WonderCon to showcase a wide variety of upcoming products and also offer a selection of items for purchase. WonderCon is an annual comic book, science fiction, and film and pop culture convention and takes place March 23rd to 25th at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA. Tickets and full details are available at comic-con.org/wca. Bluefin will be located on the main convention floor in Booth #1037. This year, Bluefin’s presence will be highlighted by a must-see display of new and upcoming merchandise, including model kits and collectible figures for a variety of fan-loved brands such as Bandai and Bandai Hobby, Storm Collectibles, Iron Studios, Sen-Ti-Nel, Beast

    Sota Fukushi stars in the live action manga adaptation, LAUGHING UNDER THE CLOUDS. Photo courtesy of Shochiku. © 2018 “Laughing Under the Clouds” Film Partners

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    Source: Shochiku Co., Ltd. Official Site: donten-movie.jp (Japan) A SCIFI JAPAN EXCLUSIVE Distributor Shochiku Co. has provided SciFi Japan with information and photos for LAUGHING UNDER THE CLOUDS (?????, Donten ni Wwarau), a live action adaptation based on Karakarakemuri`s popular manga, which has sold over 1.2 million copies. The manga was previously adapted as an animated feature film and TV anime series. LAUGHING UNDER THE CLOUDS is directed by Katsuyuki Motoshi (WHEN THE CURTAIN RISES, AJIN: DEMI-HUMAN) an stars Sota Fukushi (KAMEN RIDER FOURZE, SAY “I LOVE YOU”, BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL, BLEACH), Yuma Nakayama (HAUNTED CAMPUS) and Yuki Furukawa (MISCHIEVOUS KISS: LOVE IN TOKYO, POISON BERRY IN MY BRAIN). STORY Otsu in Shiga Prefecture after the Meiji Restoration. This is the year for the resurrection of Orochi, the multi-headed snake demon that wreaks havoc on mankind every 300 years. The three

    Image courtesy of Mike Bogue. © Mike Bogue

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    Source: McFarland & Company, Inc. press release Special Thanks to Mike Bogue Publisher McFarland & Company, Inc. is offering SciFi Japan readers a chance to win a copy of the book Apocalypse Then: American and Japanese Atomic Cinema, 1951–1967 from author Mike Bogue (G-FAN, Scary Monsters Magazine). The United States, the only country to have dropped the bomb, and Japan, the only one to have suffered its devastation, understandably portray the nuclear threat differently on film. American science fiction movies of the 1950s and 1960s generally proclaim that it is possible to put the nuclear genie back in the bottle. Japanese films of the same period assert that once freed the nuclear genie can never again be imprisoned. In this book, Bogue examines genre films from the two countries released between 1951 and 1967 -- including GODZILLA (1954), THE MYSTERIANS (1957), THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN (1957),

    (L to R) Jaeger mechs Saber Athena, Bracer Phoenix, Gipsy Avenger and Guardian Bravo in PACIFIC RIM UPRISING. Photo courtesy of Legendary Pictures/Universal Pictures. © 2018 Universal Studios. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    Tokusatsu - FX

    Photos and Information for Upcoming "Mechs vs. Giant Monsters" Movie Source: Universal Pictures, Legendary Pictures Official Site: pacificrimmovie.com #JoinTheUprising #PacificRimUprising SPOILER WARNING: This article contains plot details and images from an upcoming movie. The globe-spanning conflict between otherworldly monsters of mass destruction and the human-piloted super-machines built to vanquish them was only a prelude to the all-out assault on humanity in PACIFIC RIM UPRISING. JOHN BOYEGA (STAR WARS series, DETROIT) stars as the rebellious Jake Pentecost, a once-promising Jaeger pilot whose legendary father gave his life to secure humanity’s victory against the monstrous “Kaiju.” Jake has since abandoned his training only to become caught up in a criminal underworld. But when an even more unstoppable threat is unleashed to tear through our cities and bring the world to its knees, he is given one last chance to live up to his father’s

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