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Family dramas revolving around a family funeral are quite common in Japanese cinema. Toshiyuki Teruya, however, manages to distinguish himself from the plethora of similar productions by using Senkotsu (bone washing) as his base theme. Senkotsu is an Okinawan local ritual, during which involves taking the dead body out of the tomb, after all the flesh is gone, and after being cleaned by his/her close relatives, the bones are again buried in the tomb, which allows the soul to finally leave “this world”.

“Born Bone Born” is screening at Five Flavours Asian Film Festival

Takashi comes back to his hometown in Aguni island, Okinawa for his mother’s Senkotsu. His father Nobutsuna is living alone after his wife’s death, and he has succumbed to alcoholism, an ailment that had troubled him and his family before. Takashi blames Nobutsuna for his mother’s death, since she worked very hard...

Family dramas revolving around a family funeral are quite common in Japanese cinema. Toshiyuki Teruya, however, manages to distinguish himself from the plethora of similar productions by using Senkotsu (bone washing) as his base theme. Senkotsu is an Okinawan local ritual, during which involves taking the dead body out of the tomb, after all the flesh is gone, and after being cleaned by his/her close relatives, the bones are again buried in the tomb, which allows the soul to finally leave “this world”.

Born Bone Born is screening at Japan Cuts 2018

Takashi comes back to his hometown in Aguni island, Okinawa for his mother’s Senkotsu. His father Nobutsuna is living alone after his wife’s death, and he has succumbed to alcoholism, an ailment that had troubled him and his family before. Takashi blames Nobutsuna for his mother’s death, since she worked very hard to pay the debt for his company.

Lemon Tree acquires the coming-of-age tale set in 1941 Japan.

Japan’s Free Stone Production has sold Hanagatami – the last film in director Nobuhiko Obayashi’s “wartime trilogy” after Casting Blossoms To The Sky (2012) and Seven Weeks (2014) – to China (Lemon Tree).

Based on a script Obayashi wrote prior to his 1977 debut feature House, Hanagatami is set in spring 1941 when Toshihiko, played by Shunsuke Kubozuka, shows up at the home of his aunt (Takaki Tokiwa) in Karatsu, Saga Prefecture. Entertaining a crush on his tubercular cousin Mina (Honoka Yahagi), while reveling in his “depraved” adolescence with other girls, he indulges in courage-testing...

Cast: Anne Watanabe, Michitaka Tsutsui, Yutaka Matsushige, Kumiko Asô, Shion Shimizu, Gaku Hamada, Kengo Kôra | Written by Miho Maruo | Based on the manga by Hinako Sugiura | Directed by Keiichi Hara

Choosing to depict an artist’s life in a form close to their own can be a tightrope walk. Miss Hokusai dares to examine the work and lives of two Japanese artists in the form of anime, but this turns out to be a natural fit: the broad brushstrokes of its principals stand in harmonious contrast to the considerably less stylised but no less lovely animation of the film. It’s a shame that this is the only aspect of the film that really strikes a chord.

Set in 19th-century Edo (later known as Tokyo), Miss Hokusai centers on talented young artist O-Ei and her father, the Hokusai of the film’s title, also a painter but with far greater success.

This is the full trailer for Japan's live-action big screen adaptation of of the anime film Kiki's Delivery Service. I have to admit the trailer put a smile on my face. It looks like it will be an adorable film. The story follows "a young girl named Kiki who must leave her home for a year to begin training in witchcraft. After saying goodbye to her friends and family Kiki leaves on her broom and begins her new life in the town of Koriko seaside with her trusted cat Jiji."

Anime fans, there will be slight changes from the story told in the anime as the live-action Kiki's Delivery Service will be based on Kadono's first two volumes while the 1989 anime from Studio Ghibli only covered the first. There are six collected volumes in total that chronicle the tales of Kiki and her black cat Jiji so it seems likely...

Anime fans, there will be slight changes from the story told in the anime as the live-action "Kiki's Delivery Service" will be based on Kadono's first two volumes while the 1989 anime from Studio Ghibli only covered the first. There are six collected volumes in total that chronicle the tales of Kiki and her black cat Jiji so it seems likely that if the first film is successful, a trilogy will be created adapting two books at a time. Takashi Shimizu (The Grudge) directs and newcomer Fūka Koshiba plays the titular lead. Ryōhei Hirota, Machiko Ono, Hiroshi Yamamoto, Miho Kanazawa, Rie Miyazawa and Michitaka Tsutsui also star. Satoko Okudera (Wolf Prince) penned the film's script. Filming began on May 23, 2013 and recently wrapped for a Japanese release on March 1, 2014. Related Content: Anime: Second Teaser Trailer For Live-Action Kiki's Delivery Service Anime: First Teaser Trailer...

We have the second teaser trailer for the live-action remake Kiki's Delivery Service, based on the popular anime. F&#251ka Koshiba stars in this fantasy comedy about a young witch who sets out to make it on her own, along with her talking black cat Jiji.

Kiki's Delivery Service comes to theaters in 2014 and stars Rie Miyazawa, Machiko Ono, Fûka Koshiba, Michitaka Tsutsui, Hiroshi Yamamoto, Ryohei Hirota, Miho Kanazawa. The film is directed by Takashi Shimizu.

There will be slight changes from the story told in the anime as the live-action "Kiki's Delivery Service" will be based on Kadono's first two volumes while the 1989 anime from Studio Ghibli only covered the first. There are six collected volumes in total that chronicle the tales of Kiki and her black cat Jiji so it seems likely that if the first film is successful, a trilogy will be created adapting two books at a time. Takashi Shimizu (The Grudge) directs and newcomer Fūka Koshiba plays the titular lead. Ryōhei Hirota, Machiko Ono, Hiroshi Yamamoto, Miho Kanazawa, Rie Miyazawa and Michitaka Tsutsui also star. Satoko Okudera (Wolf Prince) penned the film's script. Filming began on May 23, 2013 and recently wrapped for a Japanese release on March 1, 2014. Related Content: Anime: First Teaser Trailer For Live-Action Kiki's Delivery Service First Image From Live-Action Kiki's Delivery...

The first trailer and poster have arrived for the live-action adaptation of Kiki's Delivery Service, based on the 1989 anime. F&#251ka Koshiba stars as Kiki, a young witch who must use her powers to earn a living out in the cruel world, away from her herbalist mother. She is accompanied by her pet and best friend, the very talkative black cat Jiji. Kiki's Delivery Service will open in Japan on March 1, 2014. We are awaiting news of an American release date.

Kiki's Delivery Service comes to theaters in 2014 and stars Rie Miyazawa, Machiko Ono, Fûka Koshiba, Michitaka Tsutsui, Hiroshi Yamamoto, Ryohei Hirota, Miho Kanazawa. The film is directed by Takashi Shimizu.