Tag Archives: japanese
The Science of Anime: Mecha-Noids and AI-Super-Bots – Review
Anime, the name given to Japanese superhero animation, has swept the United States. More than two-dozen Japanese cartoon series already appear on U.S. television, with more on the way. And with the vast leaps being made in animation technology, the anime explosion shows no sign of abating. One of the main topics of anime is advanced technology and how it will affect the human race. READ MORE
Monkey Business: New Writing from Japan – Review
Monkey Business: New Voices from Japan is the first annual English-language edition of the acclaimed literary magazine. Edited by Motoyuki Shibata (curator, along with Roland Kelts) and Ted Goossen. READ MORE
Outrage – Review
In the Tokyo underworld, dominated by the Sanno-kai crime organization & ruled by Chairman Sekuichi, rival clans clash for dominance while temporal alliances and betrayals become indistinguishable. Kato, the underboss of the Sanno-kai group, warns regional crime boss Ikemoto about his increasingly friendly dealings with rival regional crime boss Murase. In order to appease Chairman Sekuichi’s suspicions of any type of planned coup, Ikemoto orders Otomo, crime boss for the smaller Otomo group, to take action against the Murase group. What follows is a brutal game of retaliation as the three rival clans battle each other for control over territory. READ MORE
Departures – Review
Departures follows Kobayashi Daigo, a man unsure of what to do with his life. Having lost his job as cellist in an orchestra, Daigo and his wife leave Tokyo and move back to his hometown in order to restart their lives. Daigo answers an ad for what he believes is a travel agency, but turns out to be an encoffinment agency. Taking the job anyway, he begins a new life as an encoffinment specialist under the austere owner Sasaki. READ MORE
Sankaku – Review
Momose, a 30-year-old who is somewhat of a deadbeat, is currently living with his girlfriend Kayo. Their relationship is not exactly where they would like it to be though, and they find themselves growing distant from one another as the days pass. Things suddenly change when Kayo’s 15-year-old sister Momo comes to stay with them during her summer vacation. While exciting for everyone at first, Momose and Momo slowly begin to express feelings for one another without the knowledge of Kayo. What soon develops is a love triangle that will put to the test their relationships with one another and question the boundaries of family and love. READ MORE
Death Tube – Review
One day, Inoue Satoshi stumbles upon a supposedly popular video site named “Death Tube”. The site apparently showcases real people playing games in order to survive, and if they fail, certain death is the outcome. Viewers of the site can also comment on the atrocities seen onscreen in real time. After viewing one such situation, Inoue thinks nothing of it and passes it off as simply a fake. The next day, Inoue wakes up to find himself within the very game he viewed earlier, this time vying for his own life. He meets other contestants as well, and they must cooperate to escape the game or die trying. READ MORE
Shibyo Osen – Dead Rising – Review
Viewed as a side-story to the Dead Rising 2 video game, Shibyo Osen – Dead Rising takes place within a world where a destructive virus has infected a majority of the population. Areas of extreme infection are sectioned off from the remainder of the world, leaving the uninfected residents to battle the vicious hordes of the infected—otherwise known as zombies. The story follows two brothers by the name of George and Shin who happen to find themselves within one of the infected areas within Japan. As they plan their escape, they deal with both the dead and undead in a reluctant game for survival in a chaotic world. READ MORE
Parade – Review
Based on the novel by Shuichi Yoashida, Parade follows four roommates: Naoki, who works in a movie distribution company, Mirai, a illustrator, Ryosuke, a college student and Kotomi, who is unemployed. With four of them sharing an apartment together, they see one another everyday but know little of each other’s personal life. Never something to consider important, the four seemingly believe they know each other on a personal level. This is called into question though when a stranger by the name of Satoru mysteriously begins sleeping and using the apartment all of a sudden, which prompts the four roommates to question why he’s there. When the truth is discovered, they decide let him stay with them, but disturbing reports of local murders around the vicinity of their apartment brings into the question who Satoru truly is—as well as their own relationships with one another. READ MORE
My Darling is a Foreigner – Review
When aspiring manga artist Saori and writer Tony decide to go out with one another, things apparently seem to be on the right path. In love, moving in with each other, and considering the notion of getting married, the two feel as though they are on the right path towards happiness. This suddenly changes when Saori’s father expresses his distaste for their relationship, with the primary motive being that Tony is a gaijin—a foreigner within Japan. This in turn creates an uneasy foundation between Saori and Tony, both who want to love one another, but are in dispute over their cultural backgrounds. How will this relationship development if Saori’s father doesn’t approve of Tony, and even worse, will it last? READ MORE
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