Blog Archives

Sword of the Stranger (2007)

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Posted on April 5, 2010 by Deni

Patrick Galloway’s excellent book Samurai films: Stray Dogs & Lone Wolves has this to say about the prerequisites of any self respecting Samurai film:

  • The hero is probably a swordsman
  • He’s a samurai, or an ex-samurai (or yakuza) and he’s usually motivated by either:
    • Revenge
    • Loyalty
    • Self-interest
    • The desire to protect innocents
    • A combination of 2 or more of the above
  • He has a mission
  • He has an enemy (who likely has a lot of sword-wielding henchmen)
  • There will be
    • … (read more)
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    Air Doll (Kuki Ningyo) (2009)

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    Posted on February 5, 2010 by Elizabeth Kerr

    We all know the story of Pinocchio, the wooden puppet who longed to be a real boy. When he finally got his wish, things didn’t go quite to plan and at one point he burns his feet off. There’s also that whole lying/long nose thing … The gist of the story is that Pinocchio is an inanimate object that is defined by his maker until he finds the gumption to go out and define himself.

    Well, flash forward to 2000 … (read more)

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    Disgaea (2006)

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    Posted on January 9, 2010 by Tom

    Ever have one of those experiences where you’ve read a book or watched a film and you can see all the parts that should make it good and enjoyable but for some reason you can’t put your finger on why it just doesn’t work for you? That is my current predicament with Disgaea (pronounced: Dis-Guy-Ah).

    Based on, what sounds like, a really epic Tactical RPG, Disgaea follows a trio of characters, Flonne a angel in training who was sent to … (read more)

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    Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory (1991)

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    Posted on January 1, 2010 by Samson

    Over its 30 year history, Gundam has become so popular that I would not think much of an introduction is necessary. The giant robot is featured in anime series and movies, mangas and video games, and models of Gundams are owned and treasured by many. If you happen to be a fan of mecha animes, you would have seen quite a few, if not most or all, of the Gundam animes. Even if you are not, chances are that you … (read more)

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    Goemon (2009)

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    Posted on December 19, 2009 by Samson

    Over the past few years, the Japanese Film Festival has emerged as one of the best film festivals for Asian film lovers across Australia. Goemon was the fifth and last film that I saw at the 2009 Festival, and I continued to be impressed by the variety and quality of films showcased. Many of you would have read my short reviews of some of those films, and here I want to share with you my thoughts on Goemon.

    Goemon … (read more)

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    Tetsuo: The Bullet Man (2009)

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    Posted on December 2, 2009 by Elizabeth Kerr

    Where to start when discussing Tetsuo: The Bullet Man? Does one begin with the no-longer-ahead-of-the-curve self-parody the Tetsuo franchise has become with this instalment? Or does one start with the wealth of truly wretched, nigh unwatchable ‘acting’ that recalls high school drama class – only not quite that good? Maybe one should begin with the completely and utterly pointless nature of the whole endeavour? It doesn’t matter because anyone familiar with Tetsuo will be furious at the cynicism that … (read more)

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    The Warrior and the Wolf (Lang Zai Ji) (2009)

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    Posted on December 2, 2009 by Elizabeth Kerr

    Wolves have a storied place in mythology and folklore ranging from reverence to revulsion. Wolves tend to be venerated in Native American cultures – but it’s just a tendency. Romulus and Remus were wolves and they founded Rome. We’ve all been warned to ‘beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing’, and we know how poor Red Riding Hood fared. And, uh, hello … werewolves? Based on a story by Akutagawa-winner Inoue Yasushi, The Warrior and the Wolf is a three-part meditation … (read more)

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    Kanikosen (2009)

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    Posted on December 2, 2009 by Elizabeth Kerr

    Given the current socio-economic climate in Japan and the industry’s ability to push a film from conception to release much quicker than their Hollywood counterparts, it’s no shock to discover that proletarian writer Kobayashi Takiji’s pre-Second World War agitprop novel has gained some new traction. Kanikosen – literally The Crab Cannery Boat – is the best-known work by the writer who died in police custody, and the story’s fundamental anti-capitalist diatribe has an eerie relevancy that’s difficult not to empathise … (read more)

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