Category Archives: News
Pre-order Directory of World Cinema: Japan 2!
Building on and bringing up to date the material presented in the first installment of “Directory of World Cinema: Japan”, this volume continues the exploration of the enduring classics, cult favorites, and contemporary blockbusters of Japanese cinema with new contributions from leading critics and film scholars. READ MORE
Our podcast series has moved to a new site!
Just wanted to let everyone know that iSugoi.com’s podcast series “Visual Nippon” has grown quite well over the past year. We have a lot more listeners now, and we have made the decision to move the podcast to its own website. READ MORE
Shadows of the Rising Sun: Cinema and Empire [with Caterpillar NY premiere]
This winter, a new Japan Society film series tells the multifaceted story of Japan’s quest for Empire and its tragic downfall, as seen through the eyes of filmmakers from Japan and China. READ MORE
Bay Area Superfrog Gallery Opens LOVE MOVEMENT Pop Art Exhibit in December
NEW PEOPLE‘s SUPERFROG Gallery is proud to announce the opening of a brand new pop art exhibit – LOVE MOVEMENT – opening on Saturday, December 11th. LOVE MOVEMENT is an inventive art show utilizing vinyl toys to deliver universal messages about love. READ MORE
Viz Cinema to premiere “Cast Me If You Can”
A Thoroughly Enjoyable Love Story Between Two Unlikely Characters Is Treated With Savvy And Sophistication By Director Atsushi Ogata; Film Opens At VIZ Cinema In December. READ MORE
Viz Cinema explores Japan’s underground music scene
VIZ Cinema, the nation’s only movie theatre dedicated to Japanese film, takes audiences on a sonic tour through Tokyo’s vibrant and varied underground music culture in LIVE FROM TOKYO, a new documentary directed by Lewis Rapkin. READ MORE
Themes of passion & prowess at Viz Cinema
VIZ Cinema makes November’s cinema programming about the theme of prowess. Passion turns into expertise as one’s art and expression matures. It could simply save a soul, become a powerful weapon, or even lead a popular movement. READ MORE
Interview: Abe Spiegel – director of The Nujabes Documentary
I recently got the opportunity to have a chat with Abe Speigel, who is directing The Nujabes Documentary: An Eternal Soul. The documentary chronicles the life of DJ/Producer Seba Jun “Nujabes”. Nujabes was one of the most prolific contributors to the background music and soundtracks of Samurai Champloo, and created a unique musical style that established him as one of the most original producers within Japan and throughout the world. On February 26, 2010, Nujabes was involved in a traffic accident in which he passed away. This documentary is a tribute to his life and talent within music. READ MORE
Evangelion: Explanation of religious references
Contributor Blake Zahari has constructed perhaps the most comprehensive listing of every religious reference found within the 1995 Japanese animated series “Neon Genesis Evangelion”. While a difficult subject to tackle for sure, Blake has outlined and described some of the most fundamental notes concerning the series, as well as provided some excellent commentary on their sources. Very insightful for sure, we present to you the video in its entirety. READ MORE
ZEN & ITS OPPOSITE: Essential (& Turbulent) Japanese Art House
Coming up at New York’s Japan Society, the 2010-2011 Monthly Classics series peers into the dark side of the classical repertoire of the late 1950s and 1960s: from Masaki Kobayashi’s Kwaidan (1965), Kon Ichikawa’s Fires on the Plain (1959), Kaneto Shindo’s Onibaba (1964) to Nobuo Nakagawa’s Hell (1960) and Kihachi Okamoto’s Sword of Doom (1966). READ MORE
The Death of Satoshi Kon (1963 – 2010)
As an avid fan of Satoshi Kon’s work, I’m deeply saddened by his recent passing. He was one of my favorite directors from the Japan and I truly enjoyed the creative attitude he always integrated within his works. To state that Kon was a great artist is quite an understatement–he embodied every facet of what I felt an animation director should be. READ MORE
JAPAN CUTS Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema
As a fan of Japanese cinema, I feel it’s essential to support those who continually support the community in enriching and exposing Japanese cinema to an ever-increasing spectrum of viewers. With that in mind, the Japan Society in New York is going to be putting on their “Japan Cuts” Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema–which is now in their fourth consecutive year! READ MORE
Kirsten Dunst in Akihabara Majokko Princess video
The final video for the cover song “Turning Japanese” has arrived from director McG (Terminator Salvation) and Takashi Murakami (advocate for the Superflat Japanese art style). The original song was released in 1980 by the band “The Vapors”, but what’s so unique about this cover song/video is that is has American actress Kirsten Dunst (Spiderman, Marie Antoinette) in a sailor-suit costume and a blue wig in Tokyo’s Akihabara otaku shopping district! While I’ll restrain from commenting on Dunst’s singing (you can be the judge), it’s a wonderfully creative and colorful video that really brings to life the atmosphere of Akihabara! READ MORE
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