Haruki Kadokawa Movies

A Japanese-Mongolian co-production, Genghis Khan: To the Ends of the Earth and Sea explores the myth behind the man known as "The Blue Wolf," and who built history's greatest empire. Haunted by the mystery of his origins and betrayed by his most trusted friend, the Mongolian leader wrestles with conflicting feelings of love and hate for the son who bears the same burden. Concealed by history for centuries, the true story of Genghis Khan can finally be told. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

E.T. meets Jurassic Park by way of Hello Kitty with this tale about a young girl and her baby T-Rex. Though she lives in an idyllic farm in rural Hokkaido with her scientist dad (Tsunehiko Watase), Chie (Yumi Adachi) is unhappy. Instead of taking care of her at home, her heartless mother (Shinobu Otake) had the gall to pursue a career as a geneticist -- in New York. One day, a kindly old Ainu -- the Japanese equivalent of Native Americans -- shows Chie and her father a dinosaur egg in a remote rock crevasse. Later as her father and mother scratch their heads about this bizarre prehistoric discovery, Chie inadvertently hatches the thing by playing a flute given to her by the old Ainu. Instead of being a sharp-toothed bloodthirsty maul of death, the T-Rex proves to be downright cute. Soon its following her around like a puppy, as she teaches it to eat and poo like a human. Soon the press and a band of baddies get wind of Chie's adorable find and seek to do nefarious things. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

An epic war between the Kingdoms of Parse and Lusitania is at the center of this original animated video series from Japan. It is the year 320, and the zealous forces of Lusitania, aided by sorcerers and a sinister, mysterious figure named Silver Mask, have conquered the valiant army of Parse. King Andragoras, the ruler of Parse, is overthrown, but Prince Arslan survives the battle, and goes into hiding with his friend and fellow warrior Baron Daryoon. The Arslan and Daryoon are given refuge by the royal advisor Narsus, and the three begin to plot the liberation of their kingdom. ~ Jonathan E. Laxamana, All Movie Guide

Japan's answer to Don Simpson -- a flamboyant and brash producer drawn to make flamboyant and brash films -- Haruki Kadokawa takes a turn at the director's chair with this sprawling historical epic featuring a massive budget: a record-breaking five billion yen, and thousands of extras comprising most of the student population from the University of Calgary. Set during the Warring States era (1482-1558), the film opens on the real-life rivalry between feuding warlords Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin. The latter (Takaaki Enoki) begins the film as Nagao Kagetora, the younger brother of the lord of Echigo Province. Encouraged by court retainer Usami Tadayuki (Tsunehiko Watase), he challenges his inept brother for the reigns of power and kills him in an ensuing duel. Soon after becoming lord of the province, he faces a new threat with Takeda Harunobu (Masahiko Tsugawa), lord of the neighboring Kai province. Both have grand dreams of uniting their war-torn land and ruling from the imperial capital of Kyoto. Ultimately, this clash of egos, personalities, and ambitions leads to the cataclysmic 1561 battle of Kawanakajima. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

In this run-of-the-mill romantic drama, Shibuki Ogasawara (Hiroko Yakushimaru) is a young kindergarten teacher who develops a passion for the divorced father of one of her students, only to discover that a travelling magician has a stronger attraction for her, an appeal that is definitely not illusory. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

As might be gathered from its title, The Legend of the Eight Samurai is set in feudal Japan. Princess Hiroku Yokoshimaru's family is wiped out, along with her bodyguards. All that stands between the princess and certain death is an inexperienced young samurai played by martial-arts expert Sonny Chiba. Armed with little more than determination, Chiba must battle an octet of phantom warriors, a witch, and a killer centipede! The Legend of the Eight Samurai is as good as anything else of its type, sometimes a little better. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Akio Kitano (Masao Kusakari) is a road racer who has nightmares about going up in flames, but these fears are alleviated by a luxurious lifestyle, thanks to his generous love interest, Azusa Ogata (Atsuko Asano). She is a successful fashion designer and businesswoman who keeps Akio in a two-story apartment with a swimming pool and mini-gym on the first floor, and elegant digs on the upper floor that include a closet full of expensive Armani suits. With these material attributes, one would think that Akio and Atsuko should have unbridled happiness, but in the end, the fast track to success lies along a two-way road. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

A double disaster film with both an American and a Japanese cast, Virus presents some pretty wild probabilities to viewers. First of all, a virus has been developed that gets loose and starts to destroy humanity on a grand scale. The only people who are remotely safe are a group of eight hundred men and eight women on Antarctica. Since the President of the United States warns them by radio communications not to accept anyone into their area who has been contaminated, the men and women are somewhat prepared. That does not mean they are ready to handle the crew of a Russian submarine that seeks refuge with them. The second disaster is nuclear, and part of the suspense lies in whether or not it will be ultimately averted -- and who, if any, will survive all this. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Sachine (Atsuko Asano) is a young woman working in a bar who is caught between two lovers: one a jazzy biker and the other, an older and wealthier man. The latter has a live-in relationship with two women. This is complicated by the fact that he has a roommate with the same live-in relationship, with same two women. One of these women complains about the situation, the other has a baby whose paternity, naturally, is in doubt. If Sachine decides to take up permanently with the older man, her life style would certainly change. Her own foibles and strengths supply much of the film's content, more a study of the distaff side of human nature than the complexities of numerically elevated relationships. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Kosuke Kindaichi is a popular detective found in Seishi Yokomizo's novels, and this is one of several movies that have been made based on his character. Yokomizo's plots have more twists and turns than Japanese calligraphy and loudly invite parody. This film is not an RSVP to that invitation. Director Nobuhiko Obayashi has not parodied Yokomizo's style so much as imitated it. Kindaichi (Ikko Furuya) is called in to discover who has decapitated a precious statue and to find the missing head so it can be reattached. With this simple premise, a long series of circumstances lead the detective into many blind alleys as corpses litter the landscape and inept policemen bungle their jobs. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Ajisawa (Ken Takakura) is a mysterious warrior in a secret Japanese paramilitary group who, while on a training exercise in the woods, stumbles into a group of rural party-makers. In the ensuing conflict he kills everyone except one young teenaged boy. The boy was wounded in the conflict, but Ajisawa adopts him and nurses him back to health. A year later, he returns to the scene of the crime in his job as a claims adjuster, investigating the death of a newswoman who was digging into the story of the woodland killings. Police detective Kitano (Isao Natsuki) has been looking into the killings also, as well as the death of the woman. He believes that these crimes have something to do with the gangster Ochi (Ryoko Nakano), and that Ajisawa is responsible. When he arrests Ajisawa, the paramilitary group decides to execute its own man because he showed "softness" in adopting the boy. The boy and the policeman also become targets, and the three become allies in their attempts to escape death. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide