Yasuaki Kurata Movies
Hiroyuki Kitakubo's cult anime hit comes to life in this live-action adaptation starring Gianna Jun as Saya. Saya has been hunting demons and slaying vampires for 400 years. Now it's the 20th century, and Saya is working for a clandestine organization known only as the Council. She's the last of her kind, a half-vampire, half-human samurai dedicated to ridding the world of monsters. Now with the Vietnam War raging in the background, Saya is dispatched to an American military base to do battle with the most dangerous vampire of all. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gianna Jun, Koyuki, (more)
The anime fantasy opus Origin: Spirits of the Past commences with a backstory prologue set in an ancient era, when the moon awakened the forest and unleashed a terrible, destructive beast upon the Earth. As the story proper opens, the landscape of the world has changed immeasurably. Mankind is divided into two warring factions: one that seeks a peaceful, harmonious balance with the forest, and another that wishes to dominate and control it. Agito, the young hero of the story, unwittingly triggers the destruction of all that lies before him by awakening Toola from her slumber. Agitated at the degree to which civilization has changed, Toola summons an eons-old technology to rebuild the future based on the design of a past civilization. Agito then seeks the forest's blessing before attempting to rescue the girl from her own destructive desires. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
Japanese action icons Sonny Chiba and Yasuaki Kurata team up for the first time ever on the big screen in this supernatural thriller that finds two lone monks doing battle against an army of evil spirits. For 1400 years, the monks of Kikyo Temple have waged tireless war against the malevolent mountain entities that plague the Japanese wilderness. Over time, these brave monks were christened the "Seven Blue Dragons" for their valiant efforts to keep the world safe from a force that would consume the souls of every man, woman, and child on the planet. But centuries have passed since this battle was first waged, and now only two monks remain at Kikyo Temple. If Santoku and Genryu could just accomplish the Demon Seal Ritual mankind would be safe from the forces of darkness. But Santoku's life is in danger, and in order to save the world Genryu must first save an old friend. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sonny Chiba, Yasuaki Kurata, (more)
Directed by Giordano Gederlini and produced by the same folks who packaged Francois Ozon's 8 Women, Samourais gives martial arts movies a rarely seen French twist. Beginning in feudal Japan, a pregnant woman manages to escape persecution long enough to have her baby, Kodeni (Santi Sudaros), a human-looking demon whose bald head reveals the shape of a spider peaking up from beneath the skin. Fast forward to present day Japan, where the death of a video-game engineer is traced back to Kodeni's goons. Though Tokyo policeman Fujiwara (Yasuaki Kurata) manages to foil and temporarily kill Kodeni, he is visited by the spirit of an ancient warrior, who warns him that Fujiwara's daughter, Akemi (Mai Anh Le), will give birth to the reincarnation of Kodeni. In order to prevent Kodeni's return, Fujiwara must travel to France, where his daughter has been studying for two years, and kill her demonic unborn child -- the fate of the world depends on it. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cyril Mourali, Mai Anh Le, (more)
A high tech corporation is sent into turmoil when hackers demanding ransom break into their internal computer system with a powerful and apparently unstoppable virus. A mysterious, beautiful young woman who calls herself "Computer Angel" quickly saves the business. But when she requests a meeting with the company's shady CEO, he gets more than he bargained for. Lynn (Shu Qi of The Transporter) turns out to be a highly skilled assassin, who knocks off the CEO with the help of her rambunctious younger sister Sue (Zhao Wei of Shaolin Soccer). Sue uses a powerful computer program developed by the girls' murdered father, which uses satellites to tap into closed-circuit security cameras, enabling her to see where all the cannon fodder/guards are and direct Lynn's escape, while taking over the security team's audio system to pipe in a cover of the Carpenters' "(They Long to Be) Close to You." But things soon get dicey for Lynn and Sue. A brilliant, sexy forensics expert, Hong (Karen Mok, who also sings the film's theme song), is hot on their trail, and the creeps who hired the girls decide to cover their tracks by killing them. Complicating matters further, Lynn reunites with an old flame and contemplates giving up the business and settling down, much to Sue's chagrin. So Close was filmed in Mandarin, necessitating (reportedly poor) dubbing into Cantonese for the Hong Kong release. The film was directed by Corey Yuen, who made his Hollywood debut with The Transporter. Before that, he was best known for his fight choreography on many of Jet Li's films. So Close was shown at the Subway Cinema's 2003 New York Asian Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
Jet Li stars in this historical Hong Kong action film, as Chen Zhen, a Chinese student in Japan in the 1920s. When his master is killed during the Japanese occupation of China, he returns to avenge his teacher's death. Back in China, he finds himself caught in the escalating racial tensions between the Chinese and the Japanese. The martial arts sequences in this 1994 film are handled more seriously than flashy acrobatics of other kung fu epics of the time and are perhaps a better showcase for Li's awe-inspiring fighting abilities. This story is inspired heavily by Bruce Lee's classic Fists of Fury. ~ Jonathan E. Laxamana, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jet Li
Kickboxer Bolo Yeung is the star of Bloodfight. The scene is a major martial-arts tournament, ostensibly dedicated to fair play. But all good intentions are dashed when one of the contestants (Yeung) accidentally impugns the master's honor. The finale features a square-off between master and contestant. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bolo Yeung, Simon Yam, (more)
- 1985
- R
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In Paul Schrader's unusual biopic, Ken Ogata stars as Yukio Mishima, perhaps the most celebrated Japanese novelist of the last five decades. The film begins with Mishima's youth, then moves forward in episodic fashion to his 1970 suicide, symbolically committed at a military site. Originally titled Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters, the film is neatly divided into a quartet of acts, and the screenplay does not flinch in its depiction of Mishima's hyperactive sex life. Among the many neat directorial touches is the decision to offer the narrative in black-and-white, while depicting scenes from Mishima's novels in vibrant color. Written off as self-indulgent by those impatient with Schrader's fragmentary technique, Mishima was produced in Japan by Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas, an offshoot of Coppola's involvement with Japanese director Akira Kurosawa's Kagemusha. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ken Ogata, Masayuki Shionoya, (more)
When a Japanese Ninja master left for China, he had no idea of the dangers that lay waiting for him. A nearly endless series of fights and dangerous encounters challenge his skills and his very surival. A Life of Ninja was directed by Lee Tso-Nan and stars Yasuaki Kurata and Chen Kuan-Tai.
~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
Soon after the legendary Shaw Brothers Studio stopped producing kung-fu flicks, director and martial arts master Philip Kwok Tsui raised money from Taiwan to make this spirited period kung-fu flick. Set during the Ming Dynasty when Japanese pirates were looting, raping, and ransacking towns along the Chinese coast, the imperial authorities grow increasingly alarmed when a band of ninja show up looking to take out General Chi (Ti Lung), the head of the Chinese military. The only person who could save the general is the Master of the Three Arts, who possesses a rare book on the deadly ninjitsu techniques. He offers his three crack students -- Chau (Chiang Sheng), Mao (Philip Kwok Tsui), and Tung (Lu Feng) -- to take on the fight. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chiang Sheng, Yasuaki Kurata, (more)
- 1984
Though they're currently not "PC" in American films, World War 2 Japanese soldiers have always been convenient villains in Chinese martial-arts films. Such is the case with 1984's Kung Fu Inferno. The hero, a Mainland patriot, represents a one-man resistance force against the invading Japanese hordes. Don't you dare yell "Banzai" around this guy. Yasuaki Kurata, Chen Kueng and Tim Yen star. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A Chinese kung-fu master is put in the precarious position of having to salvage his honor after inadvertently insulting the family of his new Japanese bride. His loyalty on the line, the dishonored martial artist attempts to regain his in-laws' trust by dueling with seven Japanese ninjas. With each round, the stakes get higher, the fighting styles alternate, and his opponents grow increasingly fierce. Which style will ultimately prove more effective, and what will it take for the hapless groom to admit that he's finally met his match? ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gordon Liu
This exciting action film from prolific director Teruo Ishii stars Sonny Chiba as Kouga, a descendant of a long line of ninja warriors who has put his amazing physical abilities behind him and lost his way. Eventually, however, Kouga teams up with a hitman named Sakura (Mitsuru Sato) and his friend Hayato (played by former world lightweight boxing champion Shozo Saijo) to rip off the Japanese mob. Yutaka Nakajima co-stars in this gritty martial arts film, followed by a sequel, Executioner 2: Karate Inferno (Chokugeki Jigokuhen: Dai Gyakuten)(1975), also directed by Ishii. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sonny Chiba, Makoto Sato, (more)
- 1974
Produced shortly after Sister Street Fighter was in the can, and by much of the same crew, Sister Streetfighter: Hanging by a Thread follows Koryu Lee (Etsuko Shihomi) as she attempts to blow the whistle on a lucrative diamond smuggling ring while simultaneously investigating the disappearance of a close family friend. Before long, Koryu discovers that the missions she once believed to be unrelated may ultimately lead her to the same violent underworld gang. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Etsuko Shihomi, Yasuaki Kurata, (more)
In this vintage martial arts adventure, Huo-shan (Jimmy Wang Yu) is a cabbie in Hong Kong who needs to raise money to pay for a medical treatment that could restore his sister's sight. While Jimmy's father tries to help, he often causes more trouble than he's worth, especially when he attempts to defend his hot-headed son. One day, dad manages to anger the wrong people, and three brothers with excellent fighting skills are demanding to even the score with Jimmy. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jimmy Wang Yu, Yasuaki Kurata, (more)
Martial arts legend Chen Sing stars in this classic action-drama. A lawman is assigned to break open a Chinese kidnapping ring, but his investigation uncovers something much bigger -- a plot by Japanese forces (masterminded by Kurata Yasuaki) to invade and overtake China. The lawman must organize a fighting force to take on the Japanese insurgents, leading to a epic battle eye of kung-fu warriors versus karate experts. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
