Born September 1, 1973, in Tokyo and raised in Saitama, Koba is known for his unique blend of comedy, sci-fi, and fantasy. He launched his feature film career with Tsumugi’s Radio (2019) and has since continued to craft distinctive films that have received numerous awards at festivals both domestica
News - Chicago Japan Film Collective
21 days ago • Subscribe
More like this
Good Bye Summer!
Summer is starting to fade away. The blistering heat of the day is tempered little by little by the clear, chilly nights. Leaves on the trees have begun…
Director Spotlight #4: “Hoarder on the Border”
Dir. KAYANO Hirotaka (Hoarder on the Border) Kayano graduated from the Department of Image Design, Faculty of Arts and Engineering…
The Disowned Queen’s Consulting Detective Agency
By Sasara Nagase and Hatipisuwan. Released in Japan as “Kandō Sareta no de Tantei-ya Hajimemasu! Jitsu wa Bōkoku no Joōda Nante Naisho Desu” by Earth Star Novels. Released…
Director Spotlight #13:
Dir. SHIOTA Akihiko (The World of You) Born in Maizuru City, Kyoto Prefecture in 1961, Shiota has been a regular participant in the…
Director Spotlight #12:
Dir. NISHIKORI Yoshinari (The Takatsu River) Film director and screenwriter. Born in January 1962 in Izumo, the birthplace of Kabuki, Sake and Sumo…
News - Chicago Japan Film Collective
Izumo, Nichijou - My Ordinary Life: Episode 0, Nichijou - My Ordinary Life
Director Spotlight #11:
Dir. SATO Yoshinori (Shinjuku Tiger) Yoshinori Sato was born in Aichi, Japan on February 1975. After graduating high school, he went to the…
Good Bye, “Ruby” Tuesday
Life can be a complicated mess, as there is just so much going on that you are not prepared for when the worst happens, which is what goes…
The Disowned Queen’s Consulting Detective Agency Review
Unfortunately, though, The Disowned Queen's Consulting Detective Agency is one where the characters don't get into enough antics.
Director Spotlight #10: “Underdogs”
Dir. KUMETA Tsuyoshi (Underdogs) Born in Aichi Prefecture in 1969. Graduated from the Department of Sociology and Cultural Anthropology at…
Director Spotlight #7: “Resonance”
Dir. TANAKA Toshinori (Resonance) Born in 1981 in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima, Japan, Tanaka is a Filmmaker, a Lecturer at Fukuyama University, and the…
Director Spotlight #2: “Backlight”
Dir. SUDO Ren (New Director) (Backlight) Born in Tokyo in 1996. While studying law at Keio University, he began working as a…
Director Spotlight: Takayuki Hirao
One of the most promising young anime directors that has come on the scene during the last decade is Takayuki Hirao [平尾隆之], who first came into my…
Director Spotlight #10: “Qualia”
Born in 1980, he first gained recognition as a finalist in the 1996 Junon Super Boy Contest, leading to work primarily as a model in advertising. In 2001,…
Director Spotlight #3: “Cafune”
Dir. KINEMURA Haruki (New Director) (Cafune) Born in Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture in 2001, Japan. After enrolling in Osaka University…
The Disowned Queen's Consulting Detective Agency Novel 1
Octavia de Reine is a stellar heroine is this gaslamp mystery but its many elements might be overwhelming to readers jumping in.
Advanced Update: Bye Bye For A While
I’ll be back soon! This going to seem sudden but important update. Before you start reading Lita is not leaving the blog world okay.
First Impression: Good Bye, Dragon Life
Dolan is a regular young peasant who works hard and is respected by his loved ones. There’s one thing they don’t know about him though: he was an…
A Sad Good Bye to 2022!
The year is finally coming to a close. It’s time to say good bye to all the wacky weirdness that this year brought, and ring in the new…
Director Spotlight #8: “Toward Zero”
Dir. ITO Takashi (Toward Zero) ITO was born in Fukuoka in 1956. While studying in university, his experimental film SPACY(1981), premiered at MATSUMOTO…
Director Spotlight #6: “NOT BEER”
Dir. NAKAGAWA Hirotaka (NOT BEER) Hirotaka Nakagawa was born in Aichi Prefecture and studied film production at university in Japan. He has worked…
Director Spotlight #1: “Angry Son”
Dir. IIZUKA Kasho (Angry Son) Born in 1990 in Gunma Prefecture. He studied under film director NEGISHI Yoshitaro and screenwriter Masato Kato while…
Director Spotlight #5: “The Girls”
Born on April 20, 1984, in Tokyo, the director debuted with Dynamite Graffiti (2016), exploring Japan’s GAL culture. His next feature, Goodbye Silence (2018), depicts young people discovering…
News - Chicago Japan Film Collective
Nichijou - My Ordinary Life, Nichijou - My Ordinary Life: Episode 0
"Bye-Bye, Bye-Bye My Youth"
My Journey with Wienners’ Music, Part 1: 'Best New Retakes'
Searching for the Perfect 'Beginner' Manga
Answering the question, "What is the best manga for beginners?"
Manga Review | Good-Bye, Heron by ymz
Soji lives with Mika, the man he loves, but they’re not together. They do have a physical relationship, one where Mika and Soji have sex, Mika asks for…
Director Spotlight #3: “Copo a Copo”
Born in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture. After working as an assistant director for notable productions, including the TV dramas like From the North Country '98, Private Detective Mike…
Director Spotlight #6: “House of Sayuri”
Born on June 1, 1973, in Fukuoka Prefecture, Shiraishi made his mark on the film scene with Violent Man (1997), co-directed with Akihiro Kasai, which won the Screenplay…
Director Spotlight #2: “Bring Minyo Back!”
Born in 1982, Moriwaki began his career in advertising after graduating from Waseda University and later moved into production editing, establishing his independent career in 2011. Based in…
Director Spotlight #9: “Not Born Yesterday”
Born in Niigata Prefecture in 1949, FUKUMA Kenji was a widely active poet, critic, and translator. He became engrossed in cinema during middle school, influenced by directors such…
Director Spotlight #9: “Twilight Cinema Blues”
Dir. JOJO Hideo (Twilight Cinema Blues) Born in 975 in Hachioji City, Tokyo. Jojo graduated from Musashino Art University and accumulated a career…
Director Spotlight #1: “99% Cloudy... Always”
SANAGOUMI Midori is an actor and voice actor who began studying filmmaking in 2020. Her short film Under the Bridge won the newly introduced Special Jury Award at…
Director Spotlight #7: “Leave in Summer”
Born in Hokkaido in 1996. “Tokeru” (2016) which Igashi made in college was officially selected for the 70th Cannes Film Festival, Cinéfondation category. She made her theatrical debut…
Director Spotlight #5: “I Quit Being “Friends””
Dir. IMAMURA Ayako (I Quit Being “Friends”) From Nagoya/President of Studio AYA Graduated from Aichi Education University, Faculty of Education/Studied film…
Spy x Family episode 23 – Private Family Collection
I was already a big fan of the manga, who wasn't? So I won't pretend that I wasn't extra excited about the Spy x Family anime!
Spy X Family – 6 [Uncle the Private Tutor]
Welcome everyone, to a late episode of SpyXFamily! You may have noticed a few things being late recently, well that’s just because a lot of reviews are comin…
“Collection” Agency
As with any movie that comes from a successful series, I am leery that it might be just might be a recap of the series, put in movie…
Takashi Miike - A "Bloody" Good Director
Takashi Miike is a truly one-of-a-kind film director, not only in terms of the outrageous and freaky films that he makes, but also the asto...
Director Spotlight #8: “New Nemuro Pro Wrestling Story”
Born in 1976 in Sapporo, Hokkaido, he graduated from the Nihon University College of Art, majoring in film directing. He has directed a wide range of television programming,…
Bye Bye, Mr. Zetsubou Guy
Now this is a story all about how my neck got cracked, turned upside down. And I'd like to take a minute, just sit right there, I'll tell…
First Impressions – Bye Bye, Earth
Bye Bye, Earth for all the world reminds me of a throwaway show from I.G. (who specialize in them) or even Bones.
Bye-bye, all of EVANGELION.
Since Neon Genesis Evangelion dropped back in 1995, a heft of the commentary around the series has been centered around the personal feelings of its key creative lead, Anno Hideaki,…
Bye Bye, All of Monogatari
More than three years along, and twenty separate blu-ray/DVD sets down, in June 2022 I finally reviewed Zoku Owarimonogatari, the…
First Impression: Bye Bye, Earth
A monstrous sea flower is growing in the lake and it has the animal villagers all in a tizzy. At this rate, it will turn the water salty!…
Bye Bye, Earth – Episode 1
One good scene and pretty visuals can't make up for clunky fantasy racism and buckets of exposition.
Anime Like Bye Bye, Earth
In a world of anthropomorphic animals, Belle Lablac feels isolated as the only human. With no fur or fangs, she decides to become a nomad in order to…
The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash, Bye Bye, Earth, Flip Flappers, Humanity Has Declined, ISHURA
The Final Stage: “Good-Bye.” Edens Zero Chapter 168 BREAKDOWN
I have nothing but praise for Hiro Mashima after this chapter. The art is top tear; the emotional pay off is incredible; and the set up is HYPE-…
Oh Me, Oh My, OVA! ε: Thank You! Good Bye!!
Born on April 5, 1955 in Kiyosu , Aichi, Akira Toriyama was your normal, everday child growing up, outside of his fondness for drawing, espe...
Pick of the Week: Searching for My Perfect Manga
ASH: Blade of the Immortal certainly isn't a new series, the deluxe edition being at least the fourth time it's been released in English, but this is probably(?)…
Manga Spotlight | SPY X FAMILY vol. 2
Is the second volume as good as the first? Stay Toon'd!
Indie Spotlight: The Good People (Na Daoine Maithe)
Lose yourself in The Good People (Na Daoine Maithe), a lore-rich visual novel inspired by Irish myths & Celtic folklore from Moirai Myth.