Kazuya Shiraishi proves that the frame of the samurai and the Edo society can still be utilized to deliver refreshing narratives.
Category: Action
Shinobi no Mono: Band of Assassins (1962)
Yamamoto expertly utilizes the game of disguises, traps, gadgets, concealed passages, hidden stairs, and trapdoors, to offer an allegorical tale of the post-war subject’s conundrum
Baby Assassins: Good Days (2024) review [Fantasia Film Festival]
Yugo Sakamoto successfully mixes up the formula that structured his previous two action narratives. Highly Recommended.
Kizumonogatari – Koyomi Vamp – (2024) review [Fantasia Film Festival 2024]
An evocative experience that succeeds in giving the vampire and the well-explored themes a fresh coat of drama and sexiness.
Tokyo Revengers 2: Bloody Halloween – decisive battle (2023) review
Hanabusa can finally do what he does well: deliver dramatic moments whose origin lie in narrative twists or in unexpected turns in the bursts of violence.
Yin Yang Master Zero (2024) review [Nippon Connection 2024]
A fantastical visual experience like no other.
Tokyo Revengers 2: Bloody Halloween – Destiny (2023) review
A prime example of a cinematic narrative that is solely made for the fans of the manga and the anime.
Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters (1968) review [The Godzilla Project]
Honda delivers another narrative in which Otherness is feared and a deceptive imaginary sense of societal harmony is subtly celebrated.
Kingdom III: Flame of Destiny (2023) review
A straightforward action-epic that delivers everything fans of the manga and the anime desire.
The Execution Game (1979) review
A satisfying and stylish conclusion full of captivating action-sequences.
Kingdom 2: Far and Away (2022) review
An epic and quite emotional experience that sadly fails to reach it full potential by holding on too tight to its shonen-roots.
Man Who Causes A Storm (1957)
Inoue’s rags-to-riches narrative might not escape the territory of predictability, but he puts enough thematical meat on the table so that the spectator, in full knowlegde of how the narrative will unfold, still comes away fully satisfied.
Pure Japanese (2022) review
Matsunaga’s narrative lacks the glue that would put all the parts fluidly together and create a truly impactful action experience.
Violent Streets (1974)
A nihilistic and violent yakuza classic.
The Killing Game (1978) review
Murakawa delivers a satisfying sequel.
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