A single mother and her son face the myriad injustices of the modern society with dignity and grace in Yuya Ishii’s quietly seething pandemic-era social drama.
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Baby Assassins (ベイビーわるきゅーれ, Yugo Sakamoto, 2021)
A pair of mismatched high school girls raised as elite assassins get swept into gangland conflict while forced to live together to learn how integrate into society in…


Dear Etranger / 幼な子われらに生まれ
It’s no secret that divorce is messy and complicated, particularly when children are involved. From the child’s perspective, it may be the moment that you realize your parents…
Nettaigyo ha Yuki ni Kogareru, Volume 5 (熱帯魚は雪に焦がれる)
Here we are at Nettaigyo ha Yuki ni Kogareru, Volume 5 (熱帯魚は雪に焦がれる) and Honami Koyuki is putting the brakes on her almost-not-even moving-life. Why would she do that?…
Nettaigyo ha Yuki ni Kogareru, Volume 7 (熱帯魚は雪に焦がれる)
The connection between Konatsu and Koyuki is extremely tenuous. They both are aware of this, but whenKonatsu begins to avoid club…and Koyuki it comes to a head. Nettaigyo…
Nettaigyo ha Yuki ni Kogareru, Volume 8 (熱帯魚は雪に焦がれる)
As we reach Nettaigyo ha Yuki ni Kogareru, Volume 8 (熱帯魚は雪に焦がれる), we’ve hit what I tend to call the “storm before the calm.” Summer is winding down and…


~ni naru ~になる - Meaning in Japanese
The meaning in Japanese of ni naru になる. Grammar and examples.


~ni suru ~にする - Meaning in Japanese
What ni suru にする means in Japanese. Grammar and examples.
出る釘は打たれる – Hoshiai no Sora Episode 9 Review
This is a review of Hoshiai no Sora, or Stars Align episode nine.


Manga de Wakaru LGBQ+ (マンガでわかるLGBTQ+)
I follow a number of Japanese sexual and gender minority groups on Twitter. I’ve even created a Twitter list with all the JP groups I follow, knowing that…
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Boy, Sprouted 少年、なにかが発芽する Director: Yuko Watanabe [Osaka Asian Film Festival 2022]
Boy, Sprouted is an off-beat family film that everyone can watch. 少年、なにかが発芽する Director: Yuko Watanabe [Osaka Asian Film Festival 2022]


Touching the Skin of Eeriness 不気味なものの肌に触れる (2014) Dir: Ryusuke Hamaguchi
“Touching the Skin of Eeriness” turns from coming-of-age drama to supernatural mystery and is packed full of absorbing physical performances. 不気味なものの肌に触れる (2014) Dir: Ryusuke Hamaguchi…


Touching the Skin of Eeriness 不気味なものの肌に触れる (2014) Dir: Ryusuke Hamaguchi
“Touching the Skin of Eeriness” turns from coming-of-age drama to supernatural mystery and is packed full of absorbing physical performances. 不気味なものの肌に触れる (2014) Dir: Ryusuke Hamaguchi…


~koto ni naru ~ことになる - Meaning in Japanese
The meaning of ~koto ni naru ~ことになる in Japanese. Examples and grammar.


~koto ni suru ~ことにする - Meaning in Japanese
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Why You Can’t Be Prime Minister (なぜ君は総理大臣になれないのか, Arata Oshima, 2020)
Arata Oshima follows idealistic politician Junya Ogawa over 17 years in order to explore why his goal of becoming prime minister remains forever elusive
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A Madder Red (2021) review [Nippon Connection 2022]
Machiko Ono and Yuki Katayama breathe extra-ordinary life and realism into the pain, the hopes, the white lies, the tears, the smiles, and the anger of contemporary female…


Green Jail (綠色牢籠, Huang Yin-Yu, 2021)
Huang’s elegiac documentary juxtaposes the idyllic scenery of Iriomote island with the traumas of the colonial past through the stories of an elderly woman remaining behind alone


Teiji ni Ageretara, Volume 4 ( 定時にあがれたら)
As Teiji ni Ageretara, Volume 4 ( 定時にあがれたら) opens, we find ourselves in a story that is so grounded in reality that it seems almost magical.^_^ Kaori and…
Teiji ni Ageretara, Volume 3 (定時にあがれたら)
Romance is hard, especially when you aren’t really sure if she feels as intensely about you as you do about her. Or so Kayoko believes. To make things…
[Translyrics] Madoka Magica: Eternal ED “Hikari Furu” (ひかりふる) by Kalafina
Back when Kalafina disbanded, I wrote a series of tribute posts, and opened up an opportunity for people to request my translyrics of any Kalafina song. For whatever…
How to Japanese Podcast – S02E12 – かもしれない and 食中毒
かもしれない (kamoshirenai, may/might) has subtle nuances, and it can be easy to overuse. I talk about a time when I did, and how many years later that mistake…


First Impressions – Mars Red (2021)
Mars Red is a newly released adaptation of the 2019 manga of the same name and is brought to life by the Signal.MD studio. New episodes are formally…


Kita no Onna ni Tamesaretai (北の女に試されたい)
Hokuryuu Aya, who is a tall, cool woman, meets Kuromizu Suzuka who is also a tall, cool woman and both are surprised that the other is as tall…
Kaijuu-iro no Shima, Volume 1 (かいじゅう色の島), Guest Review by Mariko S.
It is Wednesday and you know what that means! It is indeed a Guest Review Wednesday here on Okazu. Today we welcome back Mariko S. (whose compelling review…


Living on the River Agano (阿賀に生きる, Makoto Sato, 1992)
Makoto Sato takes a lyrical journey along the Agano River where the traditional way of life is fast disappearing
Yuri Manga: Teiji ni Ageretara, Volume 2 (定時にあがれたら)
In Volume 1, we met Yukawa, who became friendly, then friends, then lovers with her coworker, Mizuki. Now, in Volume 2 of Teiji ni Ageretara (定時にあがれたら), they are…
SQ Kimi no Namae kara Hajimaru (SQ 君の名前から始まる)
SQ: Begin With Your Name by Tanjiu is an absolutely delightful webcomic that runs on Chinese social platform Weibo. I’d heard about it some some time ago but,…


The Asian Angel (アジアの天使, Yuya Ishii, 2021)
The lonely souls of Japan and Korea are brought together by angelic intervention in Yuya Ishii’s wistful drama


Spring 2021 First Impressions – Mars Red
Streaming: Funimation Episodes: 13 Source: Stage Production Story Summary: Major Maeda returns to Tokyo after several months and is assigned to the task of interpreting whether a captured…


Odoriba ni Skirt ga Naru, Volume 1 (踊り場にスカートが鳴る)
Haruma Kiki is part of ballroom dance club, with dreams of being a champion and leading her school’s famous Quadrille. Tall and stately, she’s always assigned the part…
Yuri Manga: Yagate Kimi ni Naru, Volume 8 (やがて君になる)
Since I cracked open the fantastic Bloom Into You Premium Box Set earlier this week, and plan on finishing it up tomorrow (except for the cheesecake, which will…


Angry Son (世界は僕らに気づかない, Kasho Iizuka, 2022)
A resentful young man comes to a better understanding of his place in the world while searching for his estranged father in Kasho Iizuka’s sensitive coming-of-age drama


Japan Stories それぞれの日本
A beautifully written patchwork of stories of contemporary Japan each of which focuses on and mainly revolves around one person with associated minor characters who, though obviously less…


A restrospective on Red Moon
Firstly, I’d like to thank all the people who responded to my previous article for your kind words. Writing on an old-fashioned style blog makes you wonder “is…


To Be Killed by a High School Girl (女子高生に殺されたい, Hideo Jojo, 2022)
A high school teacher hides a dark secret behind his handsome facade in Hideo Jojo’s outlandish giallo-esque mystery thriller


Day Twenty: Three Colors: Red (MotM 2021)
Fun fact: Red is my favorite color. Does that mean anything to the quality of this film? Not really. Nevertheless, it’s a good omen. Probably.


Skeleton Flowers (かそけきサンカヨウ, Rikiya Imaizumi, 2021)
A pair of preoccupied teens learn to work through their difficulties with maturity and empathy in Rikiya Imaizumi’s wholesome coming-of-age drama
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Remain In Twilight (くれなずめ, Daigo Matsui, 2021) [Fantasia 2021]
A group of high school friends is forced to confront unresolved grief while rehearing for a wedding in Daigo Matsui’s moving metaphysical drama
アイマス15周年記念 – 過去から未来へ、「アニマス」から受け継がられた思いと意志
15年の時を経て、『アイドルマスター』は様々な業界にその名を轟かせてきた。その記念として、2011年にアニメ化された『アニマス』が大ヒットになるまでの道のりだけではなく、それを可能にした情熱と、それがシリーズの未来とどう繋がるのかを振り返ってみたいと思います。…
Majuu Sensen, Sound of the Sky Specials, Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt, Jinsei - Life Consulting, Gurren Lagann
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To Sleep So as to Dream 夢みるように眠りたい (1986) Director: Kaizo Hayashi [Japan Cuts 2021]
To Sleep So as to Dream 夢みるように眠りたい (1986) Director: Kaizo Hayashi [Japan Cuts 2021]


Farewell: Comedy of Life Begins with a Lie (グッドバイ~嘘からはじまる人生喜劇~, Izuru Narushima, 2019)
A womanising magazine editor gets more than he bargained for when he hires a beautiful woman to pose as his wife in order to break up with his…


Kono Naka ni Hotori, Imouto ga Iru! この中に1人、妹がいる!
Mikadono Shougo, son to a rich and powerful company chairman, has to attend school to find a girl he is serious on before he can inherit the company.…


Between Us (藍に響け, Yasuo Okuaki, 2021)
A sullen young woman learns how to connect through the power of taiko in Yasuo Okuaki’s intense manga adaptation


Sora-iro Melancholic, Volume 1 (空色メランコリック )
Fumino, known to her friends as Bun-chan, is really irritated by that cool, mischievous Kiko-sempai. For on thing, she’s pretty sure that, while her best friend Mahiro really…
Yagate Kimi ni Naru Saeki Sayaka ni Tsuite, Volume 3 (やがて君になる 佐伯沙弥香について)
Saeki Sayaka, very serious, prone to overthinking things, has met someone who will change her life. Edamoto Haru, first year in college has confessed to liking Sayaka, and…


Farewell: Comedy of Life Begins with A Lie グッドバイ 嘘からはじまる人生喜劇 Dir: Izuru Narushima (2020)
Farewell: Comedy of Life Begins with A Lie グッドバイ 嘘からはじまる人生喜劇 Dir: Izuru Narushima (2020)
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A Rainbow-colored Trip にじいろトリップ Dir: Shinji Imaoka (2021) [Osaka Asian Film Festival 2021]
A Rainbow-colored Trip にじいろトリップ Dir: Shinji Imaoka (2021) [Osaka Asian Film Festival 2021]
Kimi no tame ni Sekai ha Aru (きみのために世界はある)
As you may remember, I’m a huge fan of Usui Shio’s series Kaketa Tsuki to Donuts. So when a collection of Usui-sensei’s work came out from Ichijinsha, I…
Kimi to Shiranai Natsu ni Naru, Volume 1 (君としらない夏になる)
Kimi to Shiranai Natsu ni Naru, Volume 1 (君としらない夏になる), subtitled in English “Throw away the suit together,” is one of my favorite reads currently in Comic Yuri Hime…


Domains 王国 (あるいはその家について) (2019) Dir: Natsuka Kusano
Domains is a thoroughly absorbing drama thanks to excellent performances and its unique structure. Domains 王国 (あるいはその家について) (2019) Dir: Natsuka Kusano