[new/upcoming movies] UDON, Boku wa Imoto ni Koi wo Suru …
an interesting list of new and upcoming releases.
notable names are in bold.
UDON Premium Edition (DVD)
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Price: Yen- 6800, US$(56.7) Release Date: 07-Mar-2007
Yusuke Santamaria and Manami Konishi star in this amazing film about
soul food from the minds of the “Bayside Shakedown” team! Kosuke comes
to hate small town life and moves to New York after a fight with his
father. However, he meets frustration after frustration, and on the
verge of ruin from loans decides to return back to his small town.
But when he returns, he finds nothing has changed, his sister still
worries about him, his father is still pounding away at noodles, his
friends are the same, and there’s still a bowl of udon waiting for
him when he gets home. But once Kosuke learns to love udon, he finds
a will and a way of his own! Premium edition includes two bonus discs
(details subject to change)
http://cdjapan.jp/d.html?KEY=PCBC-51095&MAIL=MOVIE
“Boku wa Imoto ni Koi wo Suru navigate DVD” (DVD)
Price: Yen- 2900, US$(24.18) Release Date: 22-Dec-2006
http://cdjapan.jp/d.html?KEY=GNBD-7366&MAIL=MOVIE
starring Matsumoto Jun.
“Atarashi Koi no Hajimari making of BOYS LOVE Yoshikazu Kotani x Takumi Saito x Hiroya Matsumoto no Michi naru Miryoku” (DVD)
Price: Yen- 2500, US$(20.85) Release Date: 22-Dec-2006
http://cdjapan.jp/d.html?KEY=ADE-711&MAIL=MOVIE“Tada, Kimi wo Aishiteru Special Edition (Title subject to change)” (DVD)
Price: Yen- 6000, US$(50.03) Release Date: 16-Mar-2007
DVD release of the hit film romance film “Tada, Kimi wo Aishiteru” starring Hiroshi Tamaki and Aoi Miyazaki and featuring theme song “Renai Shashin” by Ai Otsuka. Limited edition includes bonus disc with making-of footage, theatrical introduction, unreleased scenes, and the music video for “Renai Shashin.”
http://cdjapan.jp/d.html?KEY=AVBF-26177&MAIL=MOVIE
scowls.
why do we have to wait so long for the DVD release when you can already watch it on a plane ride to Tokyo?
“Rough Special Edition” (DVD)
Price: Yen- 6000, US$(50.03) Release Date: 23-Mar-2007
DVD release of the hit poolside love movie from the creator of “Touch,” starring Masami Nagasawa and Mokomichi Hayami, directed by “NANA” director Kentaro Otani,” and written by “Densha Otoko” writer Arisa Kaneko. Special edition includes bonus disc with “Masami Nagasawa in Rough” special feature, “Mokomichi Hayami in Rough” special feature, interviews, unreleased scenes, “Rough – Mo Hitotsu no Sekai” special feature, comparison to the comic, 24-page booklet, and more!
http://cdjapan.jp/d.html?KEY=SDV-17109D&MAIL=MOVIE“Nada Soso Special Edition” (DVD)
Price: Yen- 5800, US$(48.37) Release Date: 23-Mar-2007
DVD release of the hit film “Nada Soso.” Special edition includes bonus disc with special drama, music videos for the songs “Nada Soso,” “Sansen no Hana,” and “Naakuni,” live footage, Okinawan theatrical introduction, and more!
http://cdjapan.jp/d.html?KEY=ASBY-3740&MAIL=MOVIE
starring Satoshi Tsumabuki.
“Tenshi no Tamago Collector’s Edition” [Limited Release] (DVD)
Price: Yen- 5800, US$(48.37) Release Date: 28-Mar-2007
Manami Konishi, Hayato Ichihara, and Erika Sawajiri star in the new film based off of Naoki Prize winning book “Tenshi no Tamago.” Shota has a thing for beautiful girls. Though he has a girlfriend, he just can’t get his mind off of the lovely women he saw on the train. Sometime later he goes to visit his father in the hospital . . . where he meets the train girl again, and this time she’s in charge of his father. He talks to the girl, only to discover that not only is she eight years older than him, she’s also the sister of his current girlfriend! Collector’s edition includes bonus disc, Shota sketch book (30-pages), photo card,and more!
http://cdjapan.jp/d.html?KEY=DB-48&MAIL=MOVIE
frankly, i don’t really like Erika Sawajiri.
not from what i’ve heard about what she is like in real life.
mind, those’re rumors still, but apparently her personality is quite contrary to the one she portrayed in the Japanese drama, 1 Litre of Tears.
but i’ve also heard that Hayato Ichihara’s (All About Lily Chou-Chou, Rainbow Song) not that pleasant in reality either.
might be a falsehood too, who cares knows? xD
“June Bride Special Box” (DVD)
Price: Yen- 6800, US$(56.7) Release Date: 23-Feb-2007
Prince of Tennis actor Yuu Shirota. stars with Aki Kawamura in the release of “Jun Bride.” DVD includes the film “Jun Bride,” “Zoku Jun Bride,” plus bonus photo book and special features disc.
http://cdjapan.jp/d.html?KEY=FDFD-14&MAIL=MOVIE
(source: CDJapan Movie Newsmail)
[upcoming music] ART-SCHOOL
ART-SCHOOL is releasing a new album! ♥
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PCCA-2398
ART-SCHOOL/UNTITLED (4th Album)[w/ DVD, Limited Edition] CDA
3500 yen US$30/118.1 Release Date:2007/02/28
Description:Fourth full-length album from rock band ART-SCHOOl includes their single “Tupero Honey” and more for 15 songs total. Limited edition includes bonus DVD with the music videos for “Missing,” “Tupero Honey,” “and the album lead track. *Unless otherwise indicated, DVDs are region-2 encoded (Japan, Europe, and Middle East), and carry no subtitles.
URL – http://cdjapan.jp/d.html?KEY=PCCA-2398
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PCCA-2399
ART-SCHOOL/UNTITLED (4th Album)[Regular Edition] CDA
2900 yen US$25/118.1 Release Date:2007/02/28
Description:Fourth full-length album from rock band ART-SCHOOl includes their single “Tupero Honey” and more for 15 songs total.
URL – http://cdjapan.jp/d.html?KEY=PCCA-2399
(source: CDJapan Artist Newsmail)
[movie] Boys Love
Boys Love is an original video which came out on DVD on 24 November 2006. I believe it was not released in theatres, due to its possibly sensitive subject apparent in its very title. As CDJapan puts it, it is “a story of male love” and a “great introduction to the world of BL”. But I don’t quite agree that is all to the film itself.
The film stars Takumi Saito and Yoshikazu Kotani, both who appeared in The Prince of Tennis movie as well as its musicals (participating in the successive generations of TeniMyu). The plot is relatively simple.
The movie tells the story of Akira Mamiya, a magazine editor who meets and interviews a young model, Noeru Kisaragi, and becomes sinfully attracted by him. Their love, however, is forbidden. Just doing his job, magazine editor Akira Mamiya (Yoshikazu Kotani) interviews high school model Noeru Kisaragi (Takumi Saito). Despite Noeru’s bad attitude, an enchanting picture of the ocean he draws leads Mamiya to invite him out for dinner afterwards. They connect at the restaurant, but while in the bathroom there Noeru solicits Mamiya sexually. The next morning, Noeru’s office calls the magazine office where Mamiya works. “Your editor was rude. Have him come and apologize.” When Mamiya goes to Noeru’s house to deliver the apology, he sees Noeru with a dirty-looking man. Mamiya is shocked to discover at that moment that his interest in Noeru goes beyond article research–he truly wants to know more about him.
(source: Wikipedia article)
It probably isn’t entirely fair for me to post about the movie when I couldn’t exactly understand 6/7 of the Japanese dialogue in the first place, thus possibly missing out on important points and references that were made in the film. However, if I consider what I can observe alone anyway, I would say that the film left me feeling quite let down.
All in all, the film basically discusses the subject of forbidden love between two males, and often exploits blatant displays of decadence to emphasize the undesirable nature of mere physical liaisons. This somtimes borders on misleading viewers to believe that sex is all there is to homosexual ‘love’. Yet on the other hand, it also juxtaposes the emotional relationship shared between the two male leads, in an apparently hopeful bid to offset the negative picture it had painted earlier. While it may be heartwrenching in some sense – pro-homosexuality/yaoi/slash audience is likely easily led to sympathize with the main characters, the film lacks an overall sense of completeness and beautiful melancholy which I must admit I expected and would have appreciated.
This is not to say it does not reach a decisive conclusion, because the eventual ending is without doubts. However, I still ended up feeling less than convinced. The actors’ performance contributes to this lack of conviction, as sympathy does not exactly develop into empathy, or is simply not given enough time to. While there were nuances of subtlety, other points in the film were either over- or under-stated, in a mocking myriad of inconsistency. A sense of detachment permeated my mind throughout, thus not triggering any major emotional reaction when I finally reached the end of the film. Additionally, the setting of the film is severely limited, the scenes bouncing between overused locations – the school rooftop, their apartments, the swimming pool. The plot is then compelled to unfold within such constraints and it is difficult to imagine it relating to a world beyond what has been concocted. Hence, once again, the notion of detachment. This quite disappointed me, because I believe that the film has undermined its own potential.
The trailer is available on YouTube, while the raw of the film has been uploaded here.
Additionally, the movie is also being uploaded by a few users, unsubbed, on YouTube.
A more detailed plot breakdown and review can be found here.
[upcoming music] ENDLICHERI ENDLICHERI, Straightener
ENDLICHERI ENDLICHERI/Soora ga Nakukara[Limited Edition] CDA
952 yen US$8/117.48 Release Date:2007/02/07
Description:Third single release from Tsuyoshi Domoto’s solo project ENDLICHERI ENDLICHERI! Features Japanese-taste funky ballad. The lylics of the third track differ from the regular edition’s. The artwork of the booklet is also differs from that of regular edition.
URL – http://cdjapan.jp/d.html?KEY=JECR-1*********************************************
Straightener/Train CDA
762 yen US$7/114.32 Release Date:2007/02/14
Description:New single release from Straightener features a driving, pulsing sound performed by the band’s three-piece live line-up.
URL – http://cdjapan.jp/d.html?KEY=TOCT-40092
(source: CDJapan Jpop/Artist Newsmail)
[upcoming movie] 46 Oku Nen no Koi (Big Bang Love, Juvenile A)
46 Oku Nen no Koi (Big Bang Love, Juvenile A) Deluxe Edition
(Title subject to change) (DVD)*************************************************************
Price: Yen- 5800, US$(48.91) Release Date: 23-Feb-2007
Director Takashi Miike returns with his latest tale starring
actors Masanobu Ando and Ryuhei Matsuda, already making waves
at the Berlin and Toronto Film Festivals. At the end of their
vacant, destructive lives, two boys meet when they are both
incarcerated for murder. With exactly opposite personalities,
the two boys share only their instincts, but this is enough for
them to discover the emotion of love. However, at the end of
their love lies another murder, with one boy the accused and one
the victim. Deluxe Edition includes bonus disc with behind-the-scenes
video, director’s interview, theatrical introduction, and more.
Box includes two DVDs, photobook, and portrait postcard (subject
to change).
http://cdjapan.jp/d.html?KEY=DB-43&MAIL=MOVIE
(source: CDJapan Movie Newmail)
[song] Domoto Tsuyoshi – Devil
this post is solely dedicated to the song, ‘Devil‘, written entirely by Domoto Tsuyoshi.
i first heard it on a blog of a Yamapi fan and thought (along with many other readers of that blog) it was an incredibly haunting song.
it reminds me of hide’s ‘goodbye’ (the song can be found here; lyrics and translation here).
but i digress.
anyway, it’s from Domoto Tsuyoshi’s second album, [si:].
and apparently whenever he performs it live, he always looks like he’s going to cry.
i found a Chinese-subbed video of his live perfomance on YouTube.
i uploaded the song via 4shared (which is pretty fast).
and here’re the translated lyrics of the song:
Ai o shiteru
Ai o shitai
Ai o shiteru
Ai o shitaiI am loving
I want to love
I am loving
I want to lovePyua o batsu suru debiru ga
futari niramitsuketa nara
mayowazu kitto boku wa
kou iu darou
kimi kara boku e boku kara kimi e
rabu nado tokku ni kieshisseta to…If the devil that punishes purity
glares upon us
Without hesitating surely I
will say like this
From you to me, from me to you
Love and so on especially, we forgot to erase and …Pyua o batsu suru debiru ga
futari niramitsuketa nara
mayowazu kitto boku wa
kou iu darou
heiki na soburi de engi de soburi de
yasashii sono te harau darou sa…If the devil that punishes purity
glares upon us
Without hesitating surely I
will say like this
In a nonchalant manner, in a false manner
Gentle, those hands, brush them away…
[movie] Shining Boy & Little Randy / Hoshi Ni Natta Shonen
Shining Boy & Little Randy / Hoshi ni Natta Shonen 星になった少年 tells the true story of Tetsumu Sakamoto, who left for Thailand at an early age to train to become an elephant trainer, or a mahout. In doing so, he learned to overcome obstacles such as language and culture; and to better communicate with elephants. He eventually returned to become Japan’s first Thai elephant trainer, and dreamed of creating a paradise or refuge for elephants in Japan. Unfortunately, he died when he was only 20, in a traffic accident.
The movie is based on the book writen by Tetsumu Sakamoto’s mother. It stars Yuya Yagira (Nobody Knows / Daremo Shiranai 誰も知らない) who won the Best Actor award in 2004’s 57th Cannes Film Festival for Nobody Knows. It also features Yu Aoi (All About Lily Chou-Chou) and Takako Tokiwa. What I also loved in the movie was the music that was composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto. I can’t seem to find the OST anywhere; but the music can be sampled with iTunes Music Store.
Watch the movie trailer on YouTube or Apple. Live performances by Ryuichi Sakamoto of the title song can be found on YouTube.
As many scenes in the movie were filmed in Thailand, the Randy Foundation was set up in aid of the tsunami event that hit several countries on 26th December 2004. A portion of proceeds from movie ticket sales were donated to UNICEF. It also struck me that today (26th December 2006) happens to be exactly two years after the unfortunate event.
