Boys on the Run

One of my favourite series at the moment is Kengo Hanazawa's (花沢健吾) I Am A Hero. And since I'm waiting for issue 12 to be released in the next month or two, I thought I'd check out some of Hanazawa's earlier work.

Boys on the Run tells the story of average guy Toshiyuki Tanishi, and his quest for the love of the new office girl, Chiharu Uemura. Tanishi's rather awkward sexual advances, leads him on mission to win the love of Chiharu by promising to physically beat a more sophisticated rival, Takahiro Aoyama.

The manga also found a movie adaption in 2010, directed by Daisuke Miura (三浦大輔). The movie stars Kazunobu Mineta (峯田和伸) as Tanishi who fills the role perfectly as he has adapted to the niche role of a young guy who overcomes his nerdiness to reach popularity. He played a similar role in 2009's Shikizoku Generation (色即せねれいしょん). Chiharu is played by Mei Kurogawa (黒川芽以). The ever mysterious Ryuhei Matsuda (松田隆平) also perfectly captures the arrogant and self confident Aoyama.

The movie also features music by lead actor Kazunobu Mineta's band, Ginnan BOYZ (銀杏BOYZ).

A TV drama of the series was also released in 2012, but it's heavy reliance on more fashionable actors, pop stars, and models in the main roles, would possibly detract from the charm provided by the actors of the movie.

2013 Cannes Film Festival

The Cannes film festival starts up this weekend, and there are two Japanese films in the official selection competing for the Palme d'Or.

The first is Shield of Straw (藁の楯) by Takashi Miike (三池崇史). Prolific and hard working, it's hard to describe the work of Miike, as there is no comparable directors in the world of cinema. From the surealism of David Lynch, the violence of Tarantino, it was the shockingly graphic films like Audition and Ichi the Killer that helped develop his cult following in the west.

Miike's latest film features Tatsuya Fujiwara (藤原竜也) of Battle Royale and Death Note fame, Nanako Matushima (松島奈々子) from Ring, Ring 2, the Japanese remake of Ghost (Yes, the Patrick Swayze/Demi Moore Ghost), and a long list of Japanese TV dramas, and stage, TV and movie star Takao Osawa (大沢たかお) who recently featured in the main role in the TV adaption of JIN (仁).

The other film up for the Palme d'Or is Like Father, Like Son (そして父になる). Directed by Hirokazu Koreeda (是枝裕和) who has previously featured at Cannes with Air Doll (空気人形), Nobody Knows (誰も知らない), and Distance (ディスタンス). Staring Japanese musician, actor, entertainer, heartthrob, Masaharu Fukuyama (福山雅治), it also features Machiko Ono (尾野真千子), Yoko Maki (真木よう子), and Lily Franky(リリー・フランキー).

Both films will hit cinemas in Japan later in the year.

Links:
Shield of Straw (Cannes Film Festival Summary)
Like Father, Like Son (Cannes Film Festival Summary)

Kirishima Quit Club Activities

It's difficult to capture the nuance of the title in English. The original Japanese title "桐島、部活やめるってよ"  is an unusual title that uses a casual form of Japanese as spoken by the high school students around which the drama unfolds.

The original novel by Ryo Asai released in 2010, features 6 intertwined short stories following 6 students and their inter-relationships. It is probably one of the most accurate depictions of social hierarchy of Japanese high school, and highlights the importance of club activities in defining a students self worth, and sense of belonging.

Hiroki who is close friends with Kirishima, a gifted athlete and popular student. Apathetically avoids training, or being a member of the baseball club, even though he would be the first student picked for the team. Fusuke is the reserve ribero (defensive position in volleyball) who is unexpectedly thrown into the spotlight when Kirishima is absent during an important tournament game. Aya is the leader of the brass band as the band prepares for a big recital. Ryoya is the head of the movie club which commands little respect from the other students begins to gain some recognition after winning a local film award. Mika is a member of the softball club, she is dealing with the death of her father and the effect this has on her and her step mother.

Quite often through out the novel references to music (aiko, Chatmonchy), movies (All About Lily Chou-Chou), fashion and current trends really seems to ground the novel in reality.

The novel was re-released in 2012 with an additional chapter from the point of Kasumi about her relationship with Ryoya, when they were junior high school students. The relationship forms an integral part of Ryoya's story earlier in the novel.

I wrote about the movie adaptation back in March. Directed by Daihachi Yoshida (吉田大八) , it won Best Picture and Best Director at the 36th Japanese Academy Awards. Featuring a superb cast of young actors and actresses including Ryunosuke Kamiki (神木隆之介) as Ryoya, head of the movie club, and Ai Hashimoto (橋本愛) as Kasumi, a member of the badminton club who was the subject of the added chapter in the 2012 re-release of the book. Some of the relationships in the movie have changed from the book, due to pacing. But I think the changes that have been made improve the cohesion of the story as a movie, even if I do prefer the additional insight provided by the more in depth back story in the novel.

The movie adaptation is most noticeable for changing the focus from the characters, to the pacing of the story. The same day's story is told from several characters' point of view before moving on to the next day's events. The complete story builds up slowly as the individual character's motivations and relationships are uncovered. This unusual telling of the story makes this a deserved winner of the Japanese Academy Award.

A Girl By The Seaside

There is a unique combination of honesty and innocence, beauty and strength of character in the work of Inio Asano.  The two volume series A Girl By The Seaside (うみべの女の子) is published under the Erotic Fx label.

The story deals with two young introverted kids who have trouble connecting emotionally with their peers and family. They find solace in their mutual antagonism, and find an outlet for their sexual curiosities and frustrations.

As I mentioned earlier, the honesty with which Asano deals with teenage sexuality is courageous. It is a great contrast to the rows and rows of exploitative, juvenile and adolescent manga at the bookstore.

The first time I noticed the work of Inio Asano was the ongoing series Goodnight, Pun Pun (おやすみプンプン). Aside for the fact that the main character is a boy sized bird by the name of Pun Pun, and chronicles his growing pains into adolescence. The real emotion of his struggle and pains is not lessened by Pun Pun's non-human form.

Even if the story lines were not some of the most unique, beautiful and honest stories that I've ever read, the artwork alone would be enough to keep me reading the work of Inio Asano. The city landscapes, the innocent faces, seductive artwork.

Although better known for the 2010 movie adaptation of Solanin, which the 2005 manga is probably the best place to start for anyone looking to jump into his work.

Inio Asano on Twitter: https://twitter.com/asano_inio
Erotic Fx website: https://twitter.com/asano_inio

April Round-Up

I hope everyone enjoyed their spring break. It's been a busy April, and I've been side tracked by work and spring break. But there were some notable releases in the past few weeks.

Haruki Murakami's latest book, Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage (色彩を持たない田崎つくると、彼の巡礼の年) has stormed up the best seller list. I haven't picked up a copy yet, but the books release highlights the reluctance of the Japanese publishing industry to move to digital distribution, as I haven't been able to find it in epub format.

Kentaro Miura's Berserk volume 37 was released. I'm still back in volume 11, but slowly catching up when I have some spare time.

And Takehiko Inoue's samurai masterpiece Vagabond is up to volume 35, which is a series that is on my to-read list. I'm a huge fan of the annually released wheelchair basketball series, Real.

Billy Bat #11

The catch copy on the sleeve of the latest Billy Bat (ビリーバット) release says, "Will the scroll that controls time finally shed like on the true identity of Billy Bat?!" And since Naoki Urasawa's (浦沢直樹) manga are known for their multi-layered twists and turns I was a bit skeptical of the claim. And here I should also point out the excellent work of Takashi Nagasaki (長崎尚志) who writes a lot of the stories with Urasawa including the past series of Monster, 21st Century Boys, Master Keaton, and Pluto to just name a few.

I won't give anything away about the latest story line, but I finally feel like the puzzle is starting to be solved. After I was a bit frustrated with the previous volume, volume #11 steps up an delivers some answers. Einstein and Saint Frances Xavier pop in for some more flashback cameos and shed light onto the origins of the scroll that everyone is in a mad scramble trying to track down, and Billy Bat.

But as the story takes a small step toward it's conclusion, a new 1981 story line is introduced which references the space shuttle Columbia, and new Kevin. Could this be Kevin Yamagata's son? I guess we'll have to tune in same bat time, same bat channel. Until next time.

36th Japanese Academy Awards

Best Picture: Kirishima Quit Club Activites (桐嶋、部活やめるってよ)

Best Director: Daihachi Yoshida (吉田大八)

Based on the best selling teen fiction by Ryo Asai (朝井リョウ), and directed by Daihachi Yoshida who also won best director. It features Ryunosuke Kamiki (神木隆之介) who I know from the Otsuichi short film So-far, Ai Hashimoto (橋本愛) who was in Confession (告白) . Both up and coming actors that you should keep an eye on.

Best Animation: Wolf Children Ame and Yuki (おおかみこどもの雨と雪)

Directed by Mamoru Hosoda (細田守), and co-produced by Madhouse. Hosoda has found recent acclaim for Summer Wars, an adaptation of The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, as well as working one many well known series such as One Piece, Dragonball Z, Digimon, and Slam Dunk.

Best Actor: Hiroshi Abe (安部寛)

for Thermae Romae (テルマエ・ロマエ)

Based on the popular manga by Mari Yamazaki (ヤマザキ マリ). Starring Hiroshi Abe who is an extremely prolific Japanese actor who has started in countless movies and TV dramas.

Best Actress: Kirin Kiki (樹木希林)

for Wagaha no Ki (わが母の記)

Based on the autobiographical novel by highly acclaimed author Yasushi Inoue (井上靖). This is Kirin Kiki's 5th Academy Award. Her second for Best Actress, and she has won Best Supporting Actress 3 times including 2011's Villain (悪人). After a long and distinguished career, Kirin shocked everyone during her acceptance speech by announcing her cancer diagnosis. In good humor she joked that she may not make it to next year's awards ceremony. Let's hope we can see her in several more features during the next year.

Best Supporting Actor: Hideji Otaki (大滝秀治)

Best Supporting Actress: Kimiko Yo (余貴美子)

for To You (あなたへ)

To You is based on the novel by Akio Morisawa (森沢明夫). The best supporting actor award was posthumously awarded to Hideji Otaki who died in October last year. An extremely prolific actor of both stage, TV and screen. This is first academy award. Kimiko Yo is also extremely prolific, also appearing in Hoshi Mamoru Inu and Akunin in a supporting role. The film features a large ensemble cast including Ken Takakura (高倉健), Yuko Tanaka (田中裕子), Koichi Sato (佐藤浩市), Tsuyoshi Kusanagi (草彅剛), and Beat Takeshi (ビートたけし).