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Japanese indie record label Kakubarhythm's official YouTube channel has started streaming a music video for a newly-recorded 2024 version of "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind" sung by actor Narumi Yasuda . In 1983, Yasuda won the grand prize out of 7,500 applicants in the image girl contest for the 1984 anime film of the same name directed by Hayao Miyazaki. The opportunity to sing the image song for the film was a side prize for the grand prize. The song was originally composed by acclaimed Japanese artist Haruomi Hosono . It was released as Yasuda's debut single on January 25, 1984, and peaked at #10 in Oricon's weekly single charts, becoming the biggest hit in her singing career. Though the song was not used in the film, it was recognized as one of the most well-known anime songs of the year. On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the song's release this year, Yasuda...

Within Shinji Somai's esteemed cinematic repertoire, revered for masterpieces like “Typhoon Club” (1985) and “Moving” (1993), lies a lesser-known gem awaiting rediscovery: “Luminous Woman” (1987). Previously elusive and commanding exorbitant prices for out-of-print, unsubtitled copies, the film now emerges revitalized. Scheduled for release on May 20, 2024, this renaissance of “Luminous Woman” boasts not only a new 2K remaster sourced from the original negatives but also an array of supplementary features. Audiences now have a rare opportunity to delve into this enigmatic, unconventional surrealist and romantic tale.

on Terracotta by clicking on the image below

In “Luminous Woman”, Sensaku, a hulking figure portrayed by pro-wrestler Keiji Mutô, embarks on a fervent quest from the rustic landscapes of Hokkaido to the dilapidated outskirts of Tokyo to reunite with his beloved fiancée, Kuriko (Narumi Yasuda). His journey leads him to an unusual nightclub, where he encounters Shiriuchi (Kei Suma), who agrees to provide...

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Synopsis via Nippon Cinema:

The film stars Riisa Naka as Akari, the 18-year-old daughter of the protagonist of the original novel, Kazuko Yoshiyama (played by Narumi Yasuda). When Kazuko is injured in a car accident and falls into a coma, Akari leaps back in time to the 70s to seek out her mother’s first love, Kazuo Fukamachi. Instead, she meets a college student named Ryota (Akiyoshi Nakao) who helps her with her search.

[via Nippon Cinema]...