Anime Blog Tracker

Gotō-san (Japan, 2020) [OAFF 2021]

Jason Maher reviews Hiroshi Gokan's capitalist critique Gotō-san.

VCinema

Apr 9, 2021 • Subscribe

Interview with JOINT Director Oudai Kojima [OAFF 2021]

Jason Maher talks to JOINT Director Oudai Kojima.

VCinema

Apr 7, 2021 • Subscribe

Among Four of Us (Japan, 2020) [OAFF 2021/JAPAN CUTS 2021]

Jason Maher reviews Mayu Nakamura’s short Among Four of Us.

VCinema

Aug 30, 2021 • Subscribe

Melting Sounds (Japan, 2021) [OAFF 2022]

Jason Maher reviews Kahori Higashi's debut feature Melting Sounds.

VCinema

Jul 7, 2022 • Subscribe

JOINT (Oudai Kojima, 2020)

A gangster in search of reform finds himself caught between old school organised crime and the shady new economy in Kojima’s noirish take on yakuza decline

Windows on Worlds

Mar 20, 2021 • Subscribe

The Slug (South Korea, 2020) [OAFF 2021]

The Slug (South Korea, 2020) [OAFF 2021]

VCinema

Mar 7, 2021 • Subscribe

Keep Rolling (Hong Kong, 2020) [OAFF 2021]

Keep Rolling (Hong Kong, 2020) [OAFF 2021]

VCinema

Mar 6, 2021 • Subscribe

Joint (2021) review [The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme]

Oudai Kojima proves, once again, that the yakuza genre is not dead and that, given the current societal constellation and the various currents within, engaging crime narratives can…

psycho-cinematography

Feb 2, 2023 • Subscribe

Joint ジョイント Director: Oudai Kojima (2020) [Osaka Asian Film Festival 2021]

Joint ジョイント Director: Oudai Kojima (2020) [Osaka Asian Film Festival 2021] is a refreshing take on the yakuza genre thanks to the depth of its world building and…

Genkinahito

Mar 7, 2021 • Subscribe

Goto-san (2021) review [OAFF 2021]

“Gokan expertly reveals the position of the freeter as an attempt to escape the capitalistic machinery but also as a position that most easily falls prey to the…

psycho-cinematography

Apr 24, 2021 • Subscribe

Howling (Japan, 2022) [OAFF 2022]

Jason Maher reviews M Haris Sheikh's neo noir Howling.

VCinema

Apr 18, 2022 • Subscribe

Sweet Bitter Candy (2021) review [OAFF 2021]

“An amazing exploration of the clash between a sweet youthful romantic desire and the bitter urge of a wounded subject to defend his subjective wounds.”

psycho-cinematography

Apr 30, 2021 • Subscribe

It’s a Summer Film! (Japan, 2020) [JAPAN CUTS 2021]

John Atom reviews Soushi Matsumoto's teen comedy It's a Summer Film.

VCinema

Sep 5, 2021 • Subscribe

Summer Wedding (Japan, 2022) [OAFF 2022]

Jason Maher reviews Azusa Hieda’s short film Summer Wedding.

VCinema

Jun 24, 2022 • Subscribe

Random Call (Japan, 2022) [OAFF 2022]

Jason Maher reviews Riki Ohkanda's comedy-drama Random Call.

VCinema

Apr 3, 2022 • Subscribe

Bagmati River (Japan, 2022) [OAFF 2022]

Jason Maher reviews Yusaku Matsumoto's short film Bagmati River.

VCinema

Apr 7, 2022 • Subscribe

Charlotte

A New Wind Blows (2021) review [OAFF 2021]

A great film that shows that the madness of the male subject is often function of a woman, of a woman that unknowingly puts the by a man…

psycho-cinematography

Apr 20, 2021 • Subscribe

Short Movie Review: Natsuko (2020) [OAFF 2022]

“A splendid debut by Shuna Iijima.”

psycho-cinematography

Mar 27, 2022 • Subscribe

An Interview with Mayu Nakamura, Director of Among Four of Us [OAFF 2021/JAPAN CUTS 2021]

An Interview with Mayu Nakamura, Director of Among Four of Us [OAFF 2021/JAPAN CUTS 2021]

Genkinahito

Sep 23, 2021 • Subscribe

Town Without Sea (2020) review [Japan Cuts 2021]

“A visually engaging narrative about the nature of happiness and the importance of desire that is highly relevant for Japanese youth.”

psycho-cinematography

Sep 15, 2021 • Subscribe

North Shinjuku 2055 (Japan, 2022) [OAFF 2022]

Jason Maher reviews Daisuke Miyazaki's sci-fi short North Shinjuku 2055.

VCinema

Apr 18, 2022 • Subscribe

The Real Thing (Japan, 2020) [SDAFF Spring Showcase 2021]

Jason Maher reviews Koji Fukada's television series The Real Thing.

VCinema

Apr 28, 2021 • Subscribe

Episode 540: Joint Machiavellianism

The first official episode of Anime Pulse for the 2018 year, and what an episode it is! Firstly we talk about what's been going on in our lives,…

Anime Pulse

Jan 13, 2018 • Subscribe

Armed Girl's Machiavellism, Fire Emblem

New Joint Custody in Japan Law Worries Child, DV Victims Advocates

In a major shift, Japan plans to introduce joint custody post-divorce. Critics worry domestic violence victims and kids may be left behind.

Unseen Japan

Feb 26, 2024 • Subscribe

Out of TOKYO 202x (Japan, 2022) [OAFF 2022]

Jason Maher reviews Akinori Ikuse's short film Out of TOKYO 202x.

VCinema

May 15, 2022 • Subscribe

Japan Sinks: 2020

Visit the post for more.

https://standingonmyneck.com/feed/

Jul 14, 2020 • Subscribe

Japan Sinks: 2020

Short Movie Time: Born Pisces (2020) review [Japan Cuts 2021]

“Yamanaka does not only reaffirm that she has talent but also that she improved her compositional style and her storytelling.”

psycho-cinematography

Jan 14, 2022 • Subscribe

Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland

2020 the Anime: Japan Sinks-2020

Greetings, fabulous people of the Internet! Hanime on Anime here, and some part of me wants to remember 2020 before moving on with the new year. And what…

Hanime on Anime

Jan 3, 2021 • Subscribe

Park Chanwook: Joint Security Area

This episode, Chris (@antoniuspius) leads Kory (@taiikumenco) and Chris (@gokuffy) through Park Chanwook’s “first” movie, Joint Security...

Taiiku Podcast

Feb 9, 2025 • Subscribe

Interview with Satoko Yokohama, Director of Ito [OAFF 2021]

Jason Maher talks to Ito director Satoko Yokohama.

VCinema

Apr 16, 2021 • Subscribe

Films: Japan 2021

by Jeremy Clarke. So, Scotland Loves Anime is over (save a few stragglers at the Film House) and you’re wondering where you can see more Japanese movies. Today,…

All the Anime

Oct 18, 2021 • Subscribe

Japan Diary: October 2020

After September saw my routine almost return to ‘normal’, October was spent trying to find the right balance.

IGIRISUJEN (AGAIN)

Nov 1, 2020 • Subscribe

Japan Diary: December 2020

So… I’m going to be honest. The first two weeks of December were a complete write-off.

IGIRISUJEN (AGAIN)

Jan 3, 2021 • Subscribe

Japan Diary: November 2020

After an October which felt like it lasted all of five minutes, November came around much quicker than I’d anticipated.

IGIRISUJEN (AGAIN)

Dec 13, 2020 • Subscribe

Double Layered Town / Making a Song to Replace Our Positions (Japan, 2020) [JAPAN CUTS 2021]

Jason Maher reviews Haruka Komori and Natsumi Seo's documentary Double Layered Town / Making a Song to Replace Our Positions.

VCinema

Sep 15, 2021 • Subscribe

Goodbye 2020! Hello 2021!

Despite the rollercoaster of a year we all had, I’m focusing on the future. Everyone has probably published their own review posts of a similar vein, but I’ve…

A Girl & Her Anime

Jan 6, 2021 • Subscribe

2020-2021 Top 10

Between the start of July 2020 and the end of June 2021, I watched 64 anime series/movies. Here are my top 10 from those, as well as some…

At a Glance Anime

Jul 3, 2021 • Subscribe

Joint Security Area (2000) [Film Review]

Joint Security Area; or, Incident at a Frontier      Three minutes into the war, both countries would be destroyed. Joint Security Area is ...

Watching Asia Film Reviews

Nov 20, 2021 • Subscribe

Short movie time: North Shinjuku 2055 (2021) review [OAFF 2022]

“A pleasant experimental short.”

psycho-cinematography

Mar 30, 2022 • Subscribe

The Girl on a Bulldozer (South Korea, 2021) [OAFF 2022]

John Atom reviews Park Ri-Woong's social drama The Girl on a Bulldozer.

VCinema

Mar 31, 2022 • Subscribe

School Radio to Major Tom (Japan, 2021) [JAPAN CUTS 2021]

Jason Maher reviews Takuya Chisaka's short film School Radio to Major Tom.

VCinema

Aug 31, 2021 • Subscribe

Kiba: The Fangs of Fiction (Japan, 2021) [JAPAN CUTS 2021]

Arthi Vasudevan reviews Daihachi Yoshida’s workplace comedy Kiba: The Fangs of Fiction.

VCinema

Sep 5, 2021 • Subscribe

Kiba

Farewell: Comedy of Life Begins with a Lie (Japan, 2020) [JFTFP 2021]

Farewell: Comedy of Life Begins with a Lie (Japan, 2020) [JFTFP 2021]

VCinema

Feb 23, 2021 • Subscribe

Japan Diary: August 2021

After a few days in Shizuoka Prefecture, I returned to Kanagawa with a vast stretch of summer holiday ahead of me.

IGIRISUJEN (AGAIN)

Sep 26, 2021 • Subscribe

Japan Diary: July 2021

I started this month with the mindset that I would treat myself more.

IGIRISUJEN (AGAIN)

Aug 8, 2021 • Subscribe

Japan Diary: December 2021

In the start of December, it was time for me to get organised. Yes, I’d barely slowed down since October, but I still had one last push before…

IGIRISUJEN (AGAIN)

Jan 30, 2022 • Subscribe

Japan Diary: February 2021

When I said I didn’t see much changing this month, I was swiftly proven right with an extension to the State of Emergency. After already spending a month…

IGIRISUJEN (AGAIN)

Feb 28, 2021 • Subscribe

Japan Diary: September 2021

While the first of September saw the kids go back to school, it wasn’t exactly the return we’d imagined.

IGIRISUJEN (AGAIN)

Oct 3, 2021 • Subscribe

Japan Diary: June 2021

After a pretty uneventful May, I was determined to make June busier, even if just a little.

IGIRISUJEN (AGAIN)

Jul 4, 2021 • Subscribe

Japan Diary: October 2021

In my last diary post, I predicted that October was going to be busier and I was certainly right. However, a lot of that ‘busy-ness’ was behind the…

IGIRISUJEN (AGAIN)

Nov 28, 2021 • Subscribe