A small family finds itself contending with social stigma and a changing Japan in Shohei Imamura’s harrowing exploration of the legacy of the atomic bomb
Dec 26, 2021 • Subscribe
More like this
Black Rain (1989) review
Imamura’s ‘Black Rain’ is, without a doubt, one of the most important films about the atomic bomb ever made and should be mandatory viewing for anyone who holds…
Endless Desire (果しなき欲望, Shohei Imamura, 1958)
A gang returning to dig up the stolen morphine they buried at the end of the war is slowly torn apart by their greed in Shomei Imamura’s darkly…
Green Rain (草雨 / 초우, Chung Jin-woo, 1966)
The false promises of the post-war era are brought home to two romantic youths dreaming of an illusionary future in Chung Jin-woo’s anti-romantic melodrama.
白と黒~Black & White~, Volume 3
In Volume 1 we met Shirakawa, top of her department in her office and Kuroda, a promising up-and-comer who threatens to take everything Shirakawa has built. They briefly…
白と黒~Black & White~, Volume 1
Content warning: The plot here is 100% manipulation, violence and sexual violence. Shirakawa Junko is beloved in her office. The younger employees look up to her with deep…
白と黒~Black & White~, Volume 2
In Volume 1, we met Shirakawa Junko and Kuroda Kayo two high-spec, elites in an international sales department, who are natural enemies. They don’t just fight…in fact, they…
Visual Kei in the Rain: Kizu’s “Black Rain”
Welcome back, to the fourth and final installment of “Visual Kei in the Rain”. Yes, we are still in a bit of doom and gloom with rain to…
Shrieking in the Rain (雨に叫べば, Eiji Uchida, 2021)
A female director struggles to make a mark in the midst of sexist crew members, the absurdity of the censors board, and the commercial concerns of the industry…
Akudama Drive Episode 8 Review: Black Rain
At the end of last week’s episode, we all watched in incredulous marvel as Sister and Swindler rocketed off to the moon. They don’t make it very far…
Rain rain rain
Man, weve gotten so much rain around here its not even funny. I hope it goes away soon.
The Thief in Black (黒の盗賊, Umetsugu Inoue, 1964)
Twins separated at birth kick back against the samurai corruption and growing Tokugawa authoritarianism i Umetsugu Inoue’s politically charged jidaigeki.
Forget Shohei, Here's Japan's REAL Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani may very well be the greatest baseball player of all time. But he's not even the best Ohtani to come out of Japan. That honor goes…
Darkness in the Light (日本の黒い夏ー冤罪, Kei Kumai, 2001)
Idealistic teen reporters have some questions to ask of mass media and the police in Kei Kumai’s true life drama.
Akudama Drive – 7-8 [The City of Lost Children/Black Rain]
It’s difficult to follow an all-star episode like “Brothers,” as this doubleheader can attest. My disappointment with “The City of Lost Children” was so great, in fact, that…
いい歳
How to Know You're in the Good Old Days - How to Japanese - May 2021
Rain Princess
I just finished watching Soredemo Sekai wa Utsukushii / The World is Still Beautiful on VRV / Hidive. I like Princess Nike. She’s authentic, funny, feisty, positive,…
Uyanotsuki, Volume 1 ( 雨夜の月)
Saki loves piano. Or does she? She loves taking lessons with her teacher, she’s sure of that. But her teacher is leaving… In Uyanotsuki, Volume 1 ( 雨夜の月),…
The Storm (大雨, Yang Zhigang, 2024)
A cosmic storm is likened to the chaos of life in Busifan’s beautifully drawn but narratively obscure family animation.
Rain Boy v2
One of Orphan's earliest Tezuka Osamu projects was the set of six OVAs known as the Lion Books: 1 The Green Cat 1983 2 Rain Boy 1983 3…
Fire Emblem, GeGeGe no Kitaro, Chinpui, A Time Slip of 10000 Years: Prime Rose, Fireball
Cipher - The Animation (1989)
https://nyaa.si/view/1592610 Fansub credits can be found in the link above. This is a short OVA from 1989 based off the manga of the same na...
What lies behind the Majora’s Mask? – Interview with Takaya Imamura
An interview with Takaya Imamura, the Character Designer of many famous Nintendo franchises such as Star Fox and F-Zero.
いろいろ December 2023
I ran out of space over at the newsletter this month, so I thought I’d share the いろいろ section on the blog instead. Podcast link at the bottom!…
Between the White Key and the Black Key (白鍵と黒鍵の間に, Masanori Tominaga, 2023)
A jaded bar musician is confronted by his younger, more idealistic self in 1980s Ginza in Masanori Tominaga’s surrealistic adaptation of the memoirs of jazz musician Hiroshi Minami.
い Particle
The i い particle in Japanese, found in phrases like nandai なんだい, sou kai そうかい, ganbaru zoi がんばるぞい, and akireta wai 呆れたわい.
Baka and Test - Summon the Beasts, The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.
Wolf’s Rain – 23/24 [Heartbeat of the Black City/Scent of a Trap] – Throwback Thursday
Welcome all, to what may be the best week of Wolf’s Rain… well ever. We have a lot to talk about this week, and basically all of it…
After Rain Comes Sunshine
Finally making a start on writing those posts in my blog notebook that never made it to the computer screen and shine some rays on a series that…
Protocol: Rain – Episode 1
A mid-tier but enjoyably (e)sports anime with a few rough edges.
First Impression: Protocol: Rain
Shun works as a part-timer at an Internet cafe, along with his friend and former gaming teammate Nozomi, while another one of his former teammates, Akito, visits the…
Initial Results: Wolf’s Rain
The opening episodes to Wolf’s Rain are a treat.
Protocol: Rain Review — D
Kids take video games way too seriously.
LA Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani Enters Field to JoJo’s “il vento d’oro”
In the Dodgers vs. Giants MLB game on July 23, 2024, Shohei Ohtani entered to JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind's theme "il vento d'oro".
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind
Jungle Emperor (1989) Episode 27
Episode 27: Parting Sorrow N yaa! Email | Discord
Akuma-kun (1989) - Episode 06
Episode 6: Why Are You Here, King of the Ancient Magical World?! Email | Discord Download it on Nyaa !
Akuma-kun (1989) - Episode 04
Episode 4: Bat-Cat's Trap Email | Discord Download it on Nyaa !
Akuma-kun (1989) - Episode 12
Episode 12: The Beautiful Girl's Secret Hidden in the Portrait Email | Discord Download it on Nyaa!
Akuma-kun (1989) - Episode 11
Episode 11: The Beautiful Girl's Secret Hidden in the Portrait Email | Discord Download it on Nyaa!
Jungle Emperor (1989) Episode 23
Episode 23: Migration Nyaa! Email | Discord
Akuma-kun (1989) - Episode 03
Episode 3: From the Magic Circle Comes my Twelve Apostles Email | Discord Download it on Nyaa !
Jungle Emperor (1989) Episode 31
Episode 31: Trust N yaa! Email | Discord
Sweet Home (1989) [LD] + Extras
https://nyaa.si/view/1786505 Fansub credits can be found in the link above. Subbed version of a 1989 JP horror film that's currently stuck...
Akuma-kun (1989) - Episode 14
Episode 14: The King of Hell! The Twelve Apostles wounded by Enma's Wrath! There won't be a normal episode next month, as we're a third of t...
Akuma-kun (1989) - Episode 10
Episode 10: Legend of the Witch! Fear Will Ambush You in the Manor of Illusions! Email | Discord Download it on Nyaa !
Untamagiru (ウンタマギルー, Go Takamine, 1989)
A day labourer becomes a revolutionary figure on the eve of Okinawa’s reversion to Japan in Go Takamine’s magical realist fable
Akuma-kun (1989) - Episode 09
Episode 9: The 12 Apostles of My Dreams are All Here! Email | Discord Download it on Nyaa !
Jungle Emperor (1989) Episode 30
Episode 30: Adventure N yaa! Email | Discord
Akuma-kun (1989) - Episode 15
Episode 15: The Slumbering Fairy Queen - Titania's Wish Happy Halloween! Email | Discord Download it on Nyaa!
Jungle Emperor (1989) Episode 22
Episode 22: Reunion Nyaa! Email | Discord