Minami Ichikawa Movies
Based on actual events that served as the inspiration for the 1963 film of the same name, Takashi Miike's 13 Assassins follows a group of noble samurai as they seek to slay a tyrannical, politically connected lord before he seizes control of the entire country. Japan, 1844: as the era of the samurai winds to a close, a sadistic young lord uses his powerful political ties to commit heinous atrocities against the common people. Recognizing the dangers to both his country and its citizens should the lord manage to gain any more power, a concerned government official secretly recruits 13 of the most skilled swordsmen he can find to defeat the evil lord once and for all. But reaching their target won't be easy, because the elusive lord is constantly flanked by legions of fearless bodyguards. Realizing that the bodyguards would decimate his modest task force in a traditional battle, the assassins' leader (Koji Yakusho) lays an ingenious trap that will give his men the upper hand, and waits patiently for their prey to take the bait. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Koji Yakusho, Takayuki Yamada, (more)
Reflecting the Japanese fascination with western culture, this musically-charged comedy concerns Souichi, a sweet natured, slightly backward pop fan who aspires to recording stardom. He naively moves to the city of Tokyo expecting to hit the charts overnight as a pioneer of soft, sentimental romantic ballads. Naturally, that doesn't happen, but Souichi encounters even greater success with an oddball gig that involves donning demon makeup and a black cape as a front man for the band Detroit Metal City. By day, Souichi remains the ineffectual and timid young man well-liked by everyone; by night, he's a crass, loud, frightening monster named Johannes Klauser II who earns his paycheck screaming rants onstage about rape and murder, to the delight of thousands of shrieking goth metal fans, some of whom actually believe he is a demon incarnate. His life grows problematic when he reencounters and falls hard for a university crush, Ms. Aikawa (Rosa Kato) - an equally timid, beautiful young pop critic who will almost certainly disapprove of his lifestyle after dark - if she ever finds out. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kenichi Matsuyama
- 2007
An intimate journal serves as the nexus between two otherwise disconnected lives in Isao Yukisada's romantic drama Kurosudo Nooto. As the story opens, co-ed Kae (Erika Sawajiri) - who is undergoing training to become a teacher - moves into a new flat and happens upon a strange diary, stored in a compartment in the room. Upon reading it, she discovers that it belonged to Ibuki (Yukio Takeuchi), the previous tenant and also a nascent teacher, employed at a local primary school. As this occurs, Ibuki's story is told in flashback; we see that she consistently inspired all of her students (with the exception of one boy, who couldn't be helped), and meanwhile pined for a gentleman she knew in college, named Takashi. Because this story is visually filtered through Kae's imagination as she reads, she instinctively pictures Takashi as screen idol Tetsuji Tanaka (who, conveniently, plays the part). Meanwhile, events from Kae's life unfold; using a job in a fountain pen shop to pay for her education, she begins to romantically yearn for a quirky artist, Ryu (Yusuki Iseya), even as she spurns the inappropriate advances of her girlfriend's beau. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- Starring:
- Erika Sawajiri, Yusuke Iseya, (more)
- 2006
Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald director Koki Mitani continues to hone his screwball skills with this crowd-pleasing comedy about a hapless hotel accommodations manager juggling multiple responsibilities in preparation for the forthcoming New Year's Eve celebrations set to take place in the lavish Hotel Avanti. New Year's eve has arrived, and as the clock ticks towards midnight detail oriented accommodations manager Shindo (Koji Yakusho) prepares the Hotel Avanti for the Stage Director's Association's Man of the Year award ceremony, a press conference for a respected politician, and, of course, the massive bash that will ring in the new year. As things turn hectic and former theater director Shindo's ex-wife Yumi (Meiko Harada) turns up on the arm of the soon-to-be-honored Man of the Year, the whirlwind energy also sweeps up such quirky characters as Shindo's loyal debuty (Keiko Toda), a platinum-wigged prostitute (Ryoko Shinohara), a crooning bellhop (Shingo Katori), a deeply depressed entertainer (Toshiyuki Nishida), and a chambermaid (Takako Matsu) who is mistaken as the mistress of a wealthy guest. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Koji Yakusho, Takako Matsu, (more)
- 2005
Independent Japanese filmmaker Isao Yukisada collaborates with screenwriters Chihiro Ito and Shinsuje Sato to adapt author Yukio Mishima's sexually tinged tale of obsession and intrigue in Taisho era Japan. The year is 1912, and as Emperor Taisho takes power the Japanese upper class begins mirroring the refined social graces of European aristocrats. Noble bloodline youngsters Kiyoaki Matsugae (Satoshi Tsumabuki) and Satoko Ayakura (Yuko Takeuchi) are two such citizens, and though Satoko harbors feelings for Kiyoaki that run much deeper than friendship, the girl's disapproving father (Kenjiro Ishimaru) fears that the Kiyoaki's lecherous father (Takaaki Enoki) has passed his unchaste manners on to the next generation. Having fallen from grace with the rise of Emperor Taisho, the families of both children must struggle simply to stay afloat financially. Even as she enters into her final year of high school a decade later, Satoko still longs to be with her childhood sweetheart. In order to sidestep the romance, Kiyoaki ponders the prospect of setting Satoko up with his high-strung military school pal Shigekuni Honda (Sosuke Takoaka). Later, when Kiyoaki forces sex on Satoko and the teen becomes pregnant, she furtively plans to have an abortion before traveling to Nara to become a nun. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Satoshi Tsumabuki, Yuko Takeuchi, (more)
- 2005
Isao Yukisada directed and co-wrote this romantic melodrama, based on a best-selling novel by Katayama Kyoichi. A typhoon is approaching town when Ritsuko (Kou Shibasaki, who also starred in director Yukisada's Go) discovers a mysterious old cassette tape that leads her to abruptly abandon her fiancé, Sakutaro (Takao Osawa of All About Lily Chou-Chou). When Sakutaro realizes where she's gone, it leads him to take a journey of his own. Sakutaro (played by Mirai Moriyama as a teen) goes into a deep reverie, thinking back to his high school years (which are shown in flashback), when he developed a powerful crush on a classmate, Aki (Masami Nagasawa). Aki was beautiful, poised, and athletic, and seemed on the verge of escaping their small town. With the encouragement of his best friend Ryunosuke (Issei Takahashi) and his uncle (Tsutomu Yamazaki, who also starred in Go), a wedding photographer, Sakutaro pursues Aki. She's drawn to him, and encourages him to open up to her in cassette recordings that they exchange. Their romance is blossoming when Sakutaro learns that Aki is gravely ill. As he relives his past, it becomes unclear whether their respective journeys will reunite Sakutaro and Ritsuko. Crying Out Love in the Center of the World was shown at the 2005 Asian American International Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi
- Starring:
- Takao Osawa, Masami Nagasawa, (more)
- 2003
Yoshimitsu Morita's comedy drama Ashura No Gotoku (Like Ashura) tells the story of what happens to four sisters when they discover a secret their father has been keeping. The film opens with third sister Takiko (Eri Fukatsu) revealing to the others that dad has been having an affair that has produced an illegitimate child. While all the women react in their own way, each has also been keeping secrets. Takiko becomes involved with the private eye she hired to snoop on her father. Tsunako (Shinobu Otake), the oldest, is a widow who has been carrying on with a married man. Second oldest Makiko (Hitomi Kuroki) is too dense to see that her husband has been cheating on her. The situation grows more complicated when a mysterious letter that may have been written by one of the sisters is printed in the newspaper. Like Ashura was screened at the 2003 Montreal World Film Festival. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- Starring:
- Shinobu Otake, Hitomi Kuroki, (more)
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