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Dave Boyle's Netflix series “House of Ninjas” is a show that balances action-packed spectacle with witty, humorous fun while diving nose-deep into the underground reality of shinobi from the point of view of a dysfunctional family. Audiences may know him best for his film “Man from Reno,” starring Ayako Fujitani. For his newest developed project, director Boyle brings the secretive world of shinobi operations to modern Japan through a script based on a story by Kento Kaku, Yoshiaki Murao, and Takafumi Imai, with additional directorial support from Murao and Tomoyuki Takimoto. With production helmed at Toho, the martial arts TV series boasts an all-star cast and features impressive work led by action/stunt director Keiya Tabuchi, known for his involvement in the live-action “Attack on Titan” movies, “Shin Ultraman,” and “Shin Kamen Rider.”

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The Tawaras, a shinobi family descended from the samurai Hattori Hanzo,...

It’s been a while since I’ve gotten excited about a Japanese movie that didn’t involve things like bodily fluids, ass-obsessed zombies, and creatures emerging from otherwise ordinary vaginas. Director Tomoyuki Takimoto’s “Brain Man,” while demented in its own way, looks pretty darn swift judging from the trailers embedded below. The film is based on the novel “No Otoko” by author Urio Shudo, who won the 46th Edogawa Rampo Award for the effort. Since I’m lazy and pressed for time, chances are I’ll skip the novel and simply watch the movie. Writers are encouraged to shake their fists and curse my name. Before doing so, read this synopsis: In a small town in Japan, a series of seemingly random explosion cases occur. Ichiro Suzuki knowns as “Brain Man” is fingered as an accomplice. Midorikawa works on the explosion case. The mysterious man known as “Brain Man” has outstanding memory,...

Toho has released a new teaser and this full trailer for Tomoyuki Takimoto’s Hoshi Mamoru Inu via their video channel on Yahoo! Japan.

Based on a manga by Osakan cartoonist Takashi Murakami (not to be confused with the contemporary artist), the film begins as the body of a man (Toshiyuki Nishida) is found near a small town in Hokkaido. He’s believed to have been dead around six months, and the remains of a dog are found nearby which has been dead about one month. A local civil servant named Okutsu (Tetsuji Tamayama) discovers the purchase receipt for an abandoned car left in field, leading the reluctant detective to retrace the final steps of a mysterious middle-aged man and his loyal dog.

“Hoshi Mamoru Inu” will be released in Japan on June 11, 2011.

Thanks to logboy for the heads up.

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Based on the best selling manga series written and illustrated by Motoro Mase, Tomoyuki Takimoto’s dystopian future feature Death Notice: Ikigami (aka Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit) is up for release on UK DVD. Taking elements from “Logan’s Run” and “Battle Royale” Death Notice paints a dark, chilling picture of a future Japan where citizens are routinely killed, by law, “for the good of the nation.” Death Notice streets on March 7th. Synopsis: If you had only 24 hours left to live, how would you spend it? To encourage productivity among citizens, the Japanese government has introduced its own process of unnatural selection: all people between the ages of 18 and 24 are eligible for a death lottery. Those deemed unproductive for the common good are chosen to die and served an "ikigami", or death notice, 24 hours before their end. Ikigami follows the story of some of the victims, but also that of Matsuda,...

Based on the best selling manga series written and illustrated by Motoro Mase, Tomoyuki Takimoto’s dystopian future feature Death Notice: Ikigami (aka Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit) is up for release on UK DVD. Taking elements from “Logan’s Run” and “Battle Royale” Death Notice paints a dark, chilling picture of a future Japan where citizens are routinely killed, by law, “for the good of the nation.” Death Notice streets on March 7th. Synopsis: If you had only 24 hours left to live, how would you spend it? To encourage productivity among citizens, the Japanese government has introduced its own process of unnatural selection: all people between the ages of 18 and 24 are eligible for a death lottery. Those deemed unproductive for the common good are chosen to die and served an "ikigami", or death notice, 24 hours before their end. Ikigami follows the story of some of the victims, but also that of Matsuda,...

A 34-second teaser has been released for Tomoyuki Takimoto’s Hoshi Mamoru Inu, a film adaptation of a manga by Takashi Murakami (the cartoonist from Osaka, not the contemporary artist from Tokyo).

In the film, a man’s remains are found near a small town in Hokkaido. He’s believed to have been dead around six months, and the remains of a dog are found nearby which has been dead about one month. A local civil servant named Okutsu (Tetsuji Tamayama) discovers the purchase receipt for an abandoned car left in field, leading the reluctant detective to retrace the final steps of a mysterious middle-aged man and his loyal dog.

Toho will be releasing “Hoshi Mamoru Inu” in Japan on June 11, 2011.

Source: Yahoo! Eiga...

The official website for Tomoyuki Takimoto‘s Soup Opera has been updated with a new full trailer. The film is based on a book by Sawako Agawa of the same title and stars Maki Sakai (40) in her first lead role since announcing her marriage to 28-year-old photographer Shin Suzuki late last year.

Sakai plays Rui, a 35-year-old single woman forced to live alone after the aunt who raised her suddenly decides to get married and move out. Through an unexpected set of circumstances, she winds up becoming roommates with an aging ladies’ man named Tony (Tatsuya Fuji) and a timid younger man named Kosuke (Takahiro Nishijima of the pop group Aaa). Mariko Kaga, Kimiko Yo, and Masato Hagiwara also star.

Prénom-h will be releasing “Soup Opera” in Japan on October 2, 2010.

The official website for Tomoyuki Takimoto‘s Soup Opera has been updated with a new full trailer. The film is based on a book by Sawako Agawa of the same title and stars Maki Sakai (40) in her first lead role since announcing her marriage to 28-year-old photographer Shin Suzuki late last year.

Sakai plays Rui, a 35-year-old single woman forced to live alone after the aunt who raised her suddenly decides to get married and move out. Through an unexpected set of circumstances, she winds up becoming roommates with an aging ladies’ man named Tony (Tatsuya Fuji) and a timid younger man named Kosuke (Takahiro Nishijima of the pop group Aaa). Mariko Kaga, Kimiko Yo, and Masato Hagiwara also star.

Prénom-h will be releasing “Soup Opera” in Japan on October 2, 2010.

Some details and a teaser trailer were finally released today for Tomoyuki Takimoto‘s Soup Opera, months after its official site was first launched. The film is based on a book by Sawako Agawa of the same title and stars Maki Sakai (40) in her first lead role since announcing her marriage to 28-year-old photographer Shin Suzuki late last year.

Sakai plays Rui, a 35-year-old single woman forced to live alone after the aunt who raised her suddenly decides to get married and move out. Through an unexpected set of circumstances, she winds up becoming roommates with an aging ladies’ man named Tony (Tatsuya Fuji) and a timid younger man named Kosuke (Takahiro Nishijima of the pop group Aaa). Mariko Kaga, Kimiko Yo, and Masato Hagiwara also star.

Prénom-h will be releasing “Soup Opera” in Japan sometime this fall.

Sources: Cinema Today, Official website...

It’s always a good day when almost at random a Japanese movie title we’ve been itching to see, suddenly appears on English subtitled Hong Kong DVD. Latest to come at us out of the Blue is Tomoyuki Takimoto’s dystopian thriller Ikigami (Death Notice). Based on Mase Motoro's popular manga, Ikigami portrays a Japan where Big Brother is always watching. Synopsis: If you had only 24 hours left to live, how would you spend it? To encourage productivity among citizens, the Japanese government has introduced its own process of unnatural selection: all people between the ages of 18 and 24 are eligible for a death lottery. Those deemed unproductive for the common good are chosen to die and served an "ikigami", or death notice, 24 hours before their end. Ikigami follows the story of some of the victims, but also that of Matsuda, whose grim and reluctant task it is to deliver notice of impending doom.