Born December 7th, 1979, Ayako Fujitani grew up in Osaka, Japan, loving movies at a young age. Whether horror, science-fiction, or drama, it didn't matter so long as it delivered. Fast forward to her teens, following an opportunity to present renowned actor Hiroyuki Sanada with a bouquet at a local film festival, something stood out to director Shusuke Kaneko. Hence, he offered her an audition opportunity for a lead part in his film “Gamera: Guardian of the Universe.” Initially hesitant but curious, the youth went to the audition but walked away feeling unsatisfied with how they did. Then, she got the part. Following guidance during the movie's production and its preceding sequels, Ayako grew as an actor, pursued more challenging roles moving forward, and also became active as a writer. Since then, she frequently works internationally.
Ayako Fujitani is a terrific actress with a lot of range who can make her characters feel real.
Ayako Fujitani is a terrific actress with a lot of range who can make her characters feel real.
- 2/18/2024
- by Sean Barry
- AsianMoviePulse
Television has long ridden the coattails of cinema when coming up with new programming, serializing popular genres like Westerns and Crime Thrillers since its very inception. However, the obvious budgetary limitations of TV production mean that certain kinds of stories are less suited for the small screen. Thankfully, we’re lucky enough to live in a time when technology and the streaming wars have finally caught up to film when it comes to producing the type of long-form content we’ve always yearned for.
Case in point, Legendary and Apple TV’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters achieved the unthinkable by bringing blockbuster-worthy Kaijus to the small screen at a scale we’ve never seen before. And though the show has already aired its finale, I know that Kaiju fans are likely still clamoring for more TV-based monsters, so we’ve decided to come up with a list recommending six TV shows to watch after Monarch.
Case in point, Legendary and Apple TV’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters achieved the unthinkable by bringing blockbuster-worthy Kaijus to the small screen at a scale we’ve never seen before. And though the show has already aired its finale, I know that Kaiju fans are likely still clamoring for more TV-based monsters, so we’ve decided to come up with a list recommending six TV shows to watch after Monarch.
- 1/30/2024
- by Luiz H. C.
- bloody-disgusting.com
Nearing $35 million at the U.S. box office, besting the almost-$30 million it’s made internationally, it’s safe to say Takashi Yamazaki’s Godzilla Minus One is a monster hit. Now, following in the recent footsteps of George Miller, Bong Joon Ho, Guillermo del Toro, and more, a black-and-white version of the film titled Godzilla-1.0/C will be arriving in Japanese theaters starting January 12 and a new trailer and poster have arrived. While no U.S. release plans have been confirmed for this version, considering the success of the film here, expect news soon.
Ryan Swen said in his review of Godzilla Minus One, “For much of Takashi Yamazaki’s Godzilla Minus One, Toho Studios’ 33rd film in the beloved kaiju franchise, the iconic monster exists as an abstraction. After a brief, brutal rampage to start, he is kept offscreen, a shadow in the mind of our hero Kōichi...
Ryan Swen said in his review of Godzilla Minus One, “For much of Takashi Yamazaki’s Godzilla Minus One, Toho Studios’ 33rd film in the beloved kaiju franchise, the iconic monster exists as an abstraction. After a brief, brutal rampage to start, he is kept offscreen, a shadow in the mind of our hero Kōichi...
- 12/20/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Wake up, babe, Godzilla is pink now!
Yesterday's big reveals from Brazil's Comic Con Experience (Ccxp) included a first look at "House of the Dragon" season 2, but another powerful lizard stole the show today. The first trailer for upcoming MonsterVerse movie "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" teased a team-up between the two titular monsters, and both of them are sporting a hot new look.
King Kong acquires a mechanical brace on his arm, presumably due to a run-in with monster ape villain Skar King. But Godzilla won the prize for best-dressed kaiju by emerging from his frozen hibernation with pink energy lighting up his spines, gills, and eyes. Did Godzilla spend the summer watching "Barbie" and find himself infused with atomic Kenergy?
In combination with the blue that's also featured in the trailer," "Godzilla X Kong" continues the cinematic trend that's come to be known as "bisexual lighting" --...
Yesterday's big reveals from Brazil's Comic Con Experience (Ccxp) included a first look at "House of the Dragon" season 2, but another powerful lizard stole the show today. The first trailer for upcoming MonsterVerse movie "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" teased a team-up between the two titular monsters, and both of them are sporting a hot new look.
King Kong acquires a mechanical brace on his arm, presumably due to a run-in with monster ape villain Skar King. But Godzilla won the prize for best-dressed kaiju by emerging from his frozen hibernation with pink energy lighting up his spines, gills, and eyes. Did Godzilla spend the summer watching "Barbie" and find himself infused with atomic Kenergy?
In combination with the blue that's also featured in the trailer," "Godzilla X Kong" continues the cinematic trend that's come to be known as "bisexual lighting" --...
- 12/4/2023
- by Hannah Shaw-Williams
- Slash Film
For much of Takashi Yamazaki’s Godzilla Minus One, Toho Studios’ 33rd film in the beloved kaiju franchise, the iconic monster exists as an abstraction. After a brief, brutal rampage to start, he is kept offscreen, a shadow in the mind of our hero Kōichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki). To a certain extent, this entirely symbolic usage is nothing new: the deeply ingrained allegory for nuclear annihilation that Ishiro Honda’s 1954 original presented has persisted, and often been adapted to fit the times: the most recent Japanese live-action predecessor, Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi’s ferociously incisive Shin Godzilla, tackled the tangled bureaucracy ill-equipped to deal with the Fukushima disaster head-on.
But Yamazaki moves back before the source: his prologue begins at the end of World War II, on an island where Kōichi, a would-be kamikaze pilot, touches down after claiming to have technical issues. That night, a smaller-but-still-fearsome incarnation of...
But Yamazaki moves back before the source: his prologue begins at the end of World War II, on an island where Kōichi, a would-be kamikaze pilot, touches down after claiming to have technical issues. That night, a smaller-but-still-fearsome incarnation of...
- 11/30/2023
- by Ryan Swen
- The Film Stage
Monsters have been representing primal fears since time immemorial, and the best of them are capable of adapting to evolving societal fears. From werewolves occasionally becoming metaphors for puberty to zombies going from supernatural slaves to viral consumerism, there’s plenty of multifaceted creatures to choose from. That’s why it’s fitting that the King of the Monsters himself has seen so many wildly different variations over the years.
Originally a physical manifestation of the fear of the atomic bomb, with the first film being produced a mere 7 years after the nuclear destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Godzilla would end up spawning a multimedia franchise as the radioactive dinosaur accidentally became a national icon. Over time, toys, games and countless toned-down sequels ended up diluting the character’s original purpose: to terrify audiences as a giant monster inspired by real-world horrors.
While several of these sequels would attempt to...
Originally a physical manifestation of the fear of the atomic bomb, with the first film being produced a mere 7 years after the nuclear destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Godzilla would end up spawning a multimedia franchise as the radioactive dinosaur accidentally became a national icon. Over time, toys, games and countless toned-down sequels ended up diluting the character’s original purpose: to terrify audiences as a giant monster inspired by real-world horrors.
While several of these sequels would attempt to...
- 11/29/2023
- by Luiz H. C.
- bloody-disgusting.com
Takashi Yamazaki's latest feature, “Godzilla Minus One,” is a terrific new entry to the title monster's extensive franchise. Prior, the director had depicted the character in various media, most notably a cameo in the opening of “Always: Sunset on Third Street 2.” For “Minus One,” Yamazaki sets the story in postwar Japan and draws influence from the original “Godzilla” directed by Ishiro Honda, Shusuke Kaneko's “Gmk: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack,” and Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi's “Shin Godzilla.” After closing out the 36th Tokyo International Film Festival, the film opened strong for its theatrical release, becoming a financial and critical success.
Word War II closes, and traumatized kamikaze pilot Koichi Shikishima returns to a devastated Japan under American occupation and is further met with tragedy. Koichi is plagued with survivor's guilt while suffering Ptsd from a horrific encounter he experienced on Odo Island. Yet he finds comfort in...
Word War II closes, and traumatized kamikaze pilot Koichi Shikishima returns to a devastated Japan under American occupation and is further met with tragedy. Koichi is plagued with survivor's guilt while suffering Ptsd from a horrific encounter he experienced on Odo Island. Yet he finds comfort in...
- 11/15/2023
- by Sean Barry
- AsianMoviePulse
Takashi Yamazaki's "Godzilla Minus One" comes out just prior to the 70th anniversary of Ishiro Honda's 1954 original "Gojira," and audiences have been on quite a journey throughout those decades.
By the lore of Honda's film, Godzilla was a massive amphibious animal created by nuclear bomb test radiation. He was more than a dinosaur that could be defeated by weapons. He was a physical manifestation of post-war nuclear devastation, a monstrous legacy of what weapons of mass destruction have wrought. Mass destruction only leads to more mass destruction. The 1954 film's scientists ultimately have to invent an even more devastating weapon, the Oxygen Destroyer, to defeat the beast. It is a somber, sad movie about how Japan -- about how humanity -- is unable to break a cycle of wartime annihilation. It wouldn't be until 1995's "Godzilla vs. Destoroyah," however, that a monster would rise from the remnants of the Oxygen Destroyer.
By the lore of Honda's film, Godzilla was a massive amphibious animal created by nuclear bomb test radiation. He was more than a dinosaur that could be defeated by weapons. He was a physical manifestation of post-war nuclear devastation, a monstrous legacy of what weapons of mass destruction have wrought. Mass destruction only leads to more mass destruction. The 1954 film's scientists ultimately have to invent an even more devastating weapon, the Oxygen Destroyer, to defeat the beast. It is a somber, sad movie about how Japan -- about how humanity -- is unable to break a cycle of wartime annihilation. It wouldn't be until 1995's "Godzilla vs. Destoroyah," however, that a monster would rise from the remnants of the Oxygen Destroyer.
- 11/11/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The Japanese girl group Atarashii Gakko! has released their newest song, “Tokyo Calling,” a spectacular harmony with humorous lyrics about saving the citizens of Japan from being trapped in continuous monotony in their daily lives. It is a marvelous banger and is further enriched by its satirical commentary on Japanese society. Another appealing aspect of the song, in addition to the lyrics and the vocals of Mizyu, Suzuka, Rin, and Kanon, is the melody that blends modern J-pop and rap elements with traditional orchestral compositions in the same vein as composers like Akira Ifukube and Shiro Sagisu.
Uploaded on the YouTube channel of music company 88rising, Pennacky directs the official music video full of visual gags while also being a love letter to the art form of tokusatsu, prominently paying tribute to the “Ultraman” franchise and even with an added layer of film grain and camerawork reminiscent of filmmakers such...
Uploaded on the YouTube channel of music company 88rising, Pennacky directs the official music video full of visual gags while also being a love letter to the art form of tokusatsu, prominently paying tribute to the “Ultraman” franchise and even with an added layer of film grain and camerawork reminiscent of filmmakers such...
- 10/23/2023
- by Sean Barry
- AsianMoviePulse
Navigating the sprawling narrative of Attack on Titan can be as challenging as facing down a Titan in the heat of battle. With a multitude of seasons, Ova episodes, and manga chapters to consider, understanding the correct viewing sequence becomes essential.
In this blog post, we’re here to demystify the process and show you exactly how to watch Attack on Titan in order, whether you’re a seasoned fan seeking a chronological refresher or a newcomer eager to embark on this epic journey.
Related: 10 Best Animated Shows of All Time, Ranked by Viewers
We’ll provide you with a clear roadmap, ensuring that you can savor every moment of the story in its intended sequence. So, gear up like a member of the Survey Corps, sharpen your knowledge, and let’s dive into the world of Titans
1 ‘Attack on Titan’ (2013 – 2023)
IMDb: 9.1/10 432K | Popularity: 67 | Top 250: Top rated TV #24
Genres: Animation,...
In this blog post, we’re here to demystify the process and show you exactly how to watch Attack on Titan in order, whether you’re a seasoned fan seeking a chronological refresher or a newcomer eager to embark on this epic journey.
Related: 10 Best Animated Shows of All Time, Ranked by Viewers
We’ll provide you with a clear roadmap, ensuring that you can savor every moment of the story in its intended sequence. So, gear up like a member of the Survey Corps, sharpen your knowledge, and let’s dive into the world of Titans
1 ‘Attack on Titan’ (2013 – 2023)
IMDb: 9.1/10 432K | Popularity: 67 | Top 250: Top rated TV #24
Genres: Animation,...
- 9/7/2023
- by Israr Ahmed
- buddytv.com
Since it first terrorized Tokyo in Ishirō Honda’s 1954 film, Godzilla has faced off against nearly every single kaiju known to man—Mothra, Ghidorah, Megalon, Gigan, Biollante, etc.—like a champion boxer defending their belts. Its last bout was with King Kong in 2021, and its next will be a rematch against the same opponent in the 2024 Hollywood production Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. But before all that, director Takashi Yamazaki plans to take the monster back to its city-squashing roots with his highly anticipated Japanese production Godzilla Minus One.
Earlier this year, Yamazaki had this to say about what will be the thirty-seventh installment in the Godzilla franchise: “Postwar Japan has lost everything. The film depicts an existence that gives unprecedented despair. The title Godzilla Minus One was created with this in mind. In order to depict this, the staff and I have worked together to create a setting...
Earlier this year, Yamazaki had this to say about what will be the thirty-seventh installment in the Godzilla franchise: “Postwar Japan has lost everything. The film depicts an existence that gives unprecedented despair. The title Godzilla Minus One was created with this in mind. In order to depict this, the staff and I have worked together to create a setting...
- 9/4/2023
- by Oliver Weir
- The Film Stage
What’s most important to you in a superhero film – flawless special effects or having a good time? Hideaki Anno’s spirited take on the hit 1970s Japanese TV series (and later manga) Kamen Rider may look rough in places but the director knows exactly what he’s doing, and provided that you’re willing to roll with it, you’re bound to enjoy the ride.
The film belongs to the same universe as Shin Ultraman, which preceded it as a Fantasia selection, plus Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon A Time and fan favourite Shin Godzilla. Anno has been creatively involved in all four, co-directing the latter with Shinji Higuchi. There are no plans for a fifth instalment, though it seems likely that all these characters will return to the big screen sooner or later. Compared to its stablemates, Shin Kamen Rider has a distinctly low budget look about it, but it has benefited.
The film belongs to the same universe as Shin Ultraman, which preceded it as a Fantasia selection, plus Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon A Time and fan favourite Shin Godzilla. Anno has been creatively involved in all four, co-directing the latter with Shinji Higuchi. There are no plans for a fifth instalment, though it seems likely that all these characters will return to the big screen sooner or later. Compared to its stablemates, Shin Kamen Rider has a distinctly low budget look about it, but it has benefited.
- 7/21/2023
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
Asteroid City (Wes Anderson)
Wes Anderson has done it all: India by train, Rhode Island by foot, the Mediterranean by sub, France by bike, faux-Germany by hotel, apple-orchard America by fox, animated Japan by dog, motel Texas by friends, New York City by family. But––despite the feeling that this couldn’t possibly be true––he’s never told a story in western America. In setting he hasn’t gone further west than Houston. Until Asteroid City: Arizona desert by quarantine. – Luke H. (full review)
Where to Stream: VOD
Chile ’76 (Manuela Martelli)
Manuela Martelli’s debut film opens with a sequence that perfectly captures the tone and themes Chile ‘76 will explore. Carmen (played by Aline Kuppenheim) is at a paint shop,...
Asteroid City (Wes Anderson)
Wes Anderson has done it all: India by train, Rhode Island by foot, the Mediterranean by sub, France by bike, faux-Germany by hotel, apple-orchard America by fox, animated Japan by dog, motel Texas by friends, New York City by family. But––despite the feeling that this couldn’t possibly be true––he’s never told a story in western America. In setting he hasn’t gone further west than Houston. Until Asteroid City: Arizona desert by quarantine. – Luke H. (full review)
Where to Stream: VOD
Chile ’76 (Manuela Martelli)
Manuela Martelli’s debut film opens with a sequence that perfectly captures the tone and themes Chile ‘76 will explore. Carmen (played by Aline Kuppenheim) is at a paint shop,...
- 7/14/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
By Corey Kirby
Tokusatsu and Kaiju, what better a combination? Shin Ultraman, part of the Shin Japan Heroes Universe Project, is the third film in a series that takes classic Japanese media and brings it to the modern big screen. Hideaki Anno co-directed this film alongside Shinji Higuchi, as well as serving as the script writer, co-producer, and co-editor. As a result, just as with the pair’s previous project together (Shin Godzilla), this has Anno’s aesthetic and sensibilities all over it; this being evident in terms of cinematography, philosophical themes, and the score. Speaking of the score, Shiro Sagisu did an excellent job with the material used for the film. The musical score includes original material composed by Shiro Sagisu as well as reused material from previous Ultraman series such as the 1965 series Ultraman Q, along with several unused tracks from previous projects that were composed by Shiro...
Tokusatsu and Kaiju, what better a combination? Shin Ultraman, part of the Shin Japan Heroes Universe Project, is the third film in a series that takes classic Japanese media and brings it to the modern big screen. Hideaki Anno co-directed this film alongside Shinji Higuchi, as well as serving as the script writer, co-producer, and co-editor. As a result, just as with the pair’s previous project together (Shin Godzilla), this has Anno’s aesthetic and sensibilities all over it; this being evident in terms of cinematography, philosophical themes, and the score. Speaking of the score, Shiro Sagisu did an excellent job with the material used for the film. The musical score includes original material composed by Shiro Sagisu as well as reused material from previous Ultraman series such as the 1965 series Ultraman Q, along with several unused tracks from previous projects that were composed by Shiro...
- 7/10/2023
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Shin Ultraman Watch The Trailer: youtu.be/U6AphAYe4WU Distributor Cleopatra Entertainment Directed by Shinji Higuchi Starring Takumi Saitoh, Masami Nagasawa, Daiki Arioka, Akari Hayami, Tetsushi Tanaka, Hidetoshi Nishijima, with Anno and Bin Furuya as Ultraman As Shin Ultraman begins, we learn the appearance of giant unidentified life forms known as “S-Class Species (Kaiju)” has become commonplace …
The post Shin Ultraman: On VOD July 4, On Blu-ray & DVD July 11 appeared first on Horror News | Hnn.
The post Shin Ultraman: On VOD July 4, On Blu-ray & DVD July 11 appeared first on Horror News | Hnn.
- 6/9/2023
- by Janel Spiegel
- Horror News
Cleopatra Entertainment have announced the US home entertainment release of Shin Ultraman, directed by Shinji Higuchi, next month.
As Shin Ultraman begins, we learn the appearance of giant unidentified life forms known as “S-Class Species (Kaiju)” has become commonplace in Japan. The Japanese Government formed a Kaiju defense taskforce known as the Sssp, led by Kimio Tamura (played by Drive My Car’s Hidetoshi Nishijima). After a particularly challenging encounter, a silver giant descends from the sky to rescue the country. Dubbed Ultraman, this giant’s identity and purpose are a mystery. Shin Ultraman is a delightful reimagining of one of Japan’s classic superheroes, full of cosmic twists, charismatic villains, and giant Kaiju, leading Variety to declare that “the mix of styles and moods works wonderfully, raising Shin ‘Ultraman’ into the top rank of superhero movies!”
Starring Takumi Saitoh, Masami Nagasawa, Daiki Arioka, Akari Hayami, Tetsushi Tanaka, Hidetoshi Nishijima,...
As Shin Ultraman begins, we learn the appearance of giant unidentified life forms known as “S-Class Species (Kaiju)” has become commonplace in Japan. The Japanese Government formed a Kaiju defense taskforce known as the Sssp, led by Kimio Tamura (played by Drive My Car’s Hidetoshi Nishijima). After a particularly challenging encounter, a silver giant descends from the sky to rescue the country. Dubbed Ultraman, this giant’s identity and purpose are a mystery. Shin Ultraman is a delightful reimagining of one of Japan’s classic superheroes, full of cosmic twists, charismatic villains, and giant Kaiju, leading Variety to declare that “the mix of styles and moods works wonderfully, raising Shin ‘Ultraman’ into the top rank of superhero movies!”
Starring Takumi Saitoh, Masami Nagasawa, Daiki Arioka, Akari Hayami, Tetsushi Tanaka, Hidetoshi Nishijima,...
- 6/9/2023
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
The live-action comic book reboot of Ultraman, titled Shin Ultraman will be released on Blu-ray and DVD this July!
Synopsis: As Shin Ultraman begins, we learn the appearance of giant unidentified life forms known as “S-Class Species (Kaiju)” has become commonplace in Japan. The Japanese Government formed a Kaiju defense taskforce known as the Sssp, led by Kimio Tamura (Hidetoshi Nishijima). After a particularly challenging encounter, a silver giant descends from the sky to rescue the country. Dubbed Ultraman, this giant’s identity and purpose are a mystery. Shin Ultraman is a delightful reimagining of one of Japan’s classic superheroes, full of cosmic twists, charismatic villains, and giant Kaiju, leading Variety to declare that “the mix of styles and moods works wonderfully, raising Shin Ultraman into the top rank of superhero movies!”
About The Film
Starring: Takumi Saitoh, Masami Nagasawa, Daiki Arioka, Akari Hayami, Tetsushi Tanaka, Hidetoshi Nishijima, with...
Synopsis: As Shin Ultraman begins, we learn the appearance of giant unidentified life forms known as “S-Class Species (Kaiju)” has become commonplace in Japan. The Japanese Government formed a Kaiju defense taskforce known as the Sssp, led by Kimio Tamura (Hidetoshi Nishijima). After a particularly challenging encounter, a silver giant descends from the sky to rescue the country. Dubbed Ultraman, this giant’s identity and purpose are a mystery. Shin Ultraman is a delightful reimagining of one of Japan’s classic superheroes, full of cosmic twists, charismatic villains, and giant Kaiju, leading Variety to declare that “the mix of styles and moods works wonderfully, raising Shin Ultraman into the top rank of superhero movies!”
About The Film
Starring: Takumi Saitoh, Masami Nagasawa, Daiki Arioka, Akari Hayami, Tetsushi Tanaka, Hidetoshi Nishijima, with...
- 6/8/2023
- by Editor
- CinemaNerdz
"As Shin Ultraman begins, we learn the appearance of giant unidentified life forms known as “S-Class Species (Kaiju)” has become commonplace in Japan. The Japanese Government formed a Kaiju defense taskforce known as the Sssp, led by Kimio Tamura (played by Drive My Car’s Hidetoshi Nishijima). After a particularly challenging encounter, a silver giant descends from the sky to rescue the country. Dubbed Ultraman, this giant’s identity and purpose are a mystery. Shin Ultraman is a delightful reimagining of one of Japan’s classic superheroes, full of cosmic twists, charismatic villains, and giant Kaiju"
Distributor Cleopatra Entertainment
Directed by Shinji Higuchi
Starring Takumi Saitoh, Masami Nagasawa, Daiki Arioka, Akari Hayami, Tetsushi Tanaka, Hidetoshi Nishijima, with Anno and Bin Furuya as Ultraman
On VOD July 4, On Blu-ray & DVD July 11
The post Shin Ultraman Arrives on VOD July 4th, Blu-ray & DVD July 11th appeared first on Daily Dead.
Distributor Cleopatra Entertainment
Directed by Shinji Higuchi
Starring Takumi Saitoh, Masami Nagasawa, Daiki Arioka, Akari Hayami, Tetsushi Tanaka, Hidetoshi Nishijima, with Anno and Bin Furuya as Ultraman
On VOD July 4, On Blu-ray & DVD July 11
The post Shin Ultraman Arrives on VOD July 4th, Blu-ray & DVD July 11th appeared first on Daily Dead.
- 6/8/2023
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Shin Ultraman, from Shin Godzilla filmmaking duo Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi, finally dates a home release after a limited theatrical release earlier this year.
Look for the live-action comic book reboot to arrive on Digital on July 4 before heading to Blu-ray and DVD on July 11. No box art or special features have been revealed at this time.
In Shin Ultraman, “we learn the appearance of giant unidentified life forms known as ‘S-Class Species (Kaiju)’ has become commonplace in Japan. The Japanese Government formed a Kaiju defense taskforce known as the Sssp, led by Kimio Tamura (played by Drive My Car’s Hidetoshi Nishijima). After a particularly challenging encounter, a silver giant descends from the sky to rescue the country. Dubbed Ultraman, this giant’s identity and purpose are a mystery.”
Takumi Saitoh is playing the main character. In addition, Masami Nagasawa, Daiki Arioka, Akari Hayami, and Tetsushi Tanaka star in Shin Ultraman.
Look for the live-action comic book reboot to arrive on Digital on July 4 before heading to Blu-ray and DVD on July 11. No box art or special features have been revealed at this time.
In Shin Ultraman, “we learn the appearance of giant unidentified life forms known as ‘S-Class Species (Kaiju)’ has become commonplace in Japan. The Japanese Government formed a Kaiju defense taskforce known as the Sssp, led by Kimio Tamura (played by Drive My Car’s Hidetoshi Nishijima). After a particularly challenging encounter, a silver giant descends from the sky to rescue the country. Dubbed Ultraman, this giant’s identity and purpose are a mystery.”
Takumi Saitoh is playing the main character. In addition, Masami Nagasawa, Daiki Arioka, Akari Hayami, and Tetsushi Tanaka star in Shin Ultraman.
- 6/8/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Fatally, perhaps, I went into Shin Kamen Rider as a Hideaki Anno fan first and a Kamen Rider fan… not so much. I knew about it, of course: the iconography of the motorbike-riding superhero with his bug-eyed grasshopper mask is as thoroughly ingrained into Japan’s pop-cultural consciousness as any Marvel or DC character in the States, having been a staple of TV, film, manga, and young boys’ imaginations for over half a century. Consume enough Japanese pop culture, and some exposure to Kamen Rider––his bike, his mask, his kabuki-like battle poses––is inevitable. Having seen barely one of the hundreds of hours of Kamen Rider content out there, however, I could not fill you in on the finer points of its character names, relationships, or plotlines––meaning that when Anno’s latest, allegedly standalone film stopped for regular applause lines and deep-cut lore references that received whooping ovations...
- 6/6/2023
- by Eli Friedberg
- The Film Stage
When looking at some special effects-heavy films that have come out of Japan in recent years, the “Shin Japan Heroes Universe” has graced audiences with some of the more unique and higher-quality tokusatsu titles in a long time. In particular, the live-action movies from this ongoing collaborative series are more than just standard reboots of long-existing franchises. “Shin Godzilla” and “Shin Ultraman” were clever reimaginings that modernized their respective franchises while preserving the themes each one embodied. Hideaki Anno celebrates the legacy of yet another groundbreaking series for the latest installment of these reboots as he delivers a spectacular action-packed emotional rollercoaster of a feature with his new film “Shin Kamen Rider.”
“Shin Kamen Rider” is the 50th-anniversary celebration of the classic 1970s television series “Kamen Rider” and its manga counterpart of the same name, both created by legendary manga artist and writer Shotaro Ishinomori. This time, Anno directs solo...
“Shin Kamen Rider” is the 50th-anniversary celebration of the classic 1970s television series “Kamen Rider” and its manga counterpart of the same name, both created by legendary manga artist and writer Shotaro Ishinomori. This time, Anno directs solo...
- 6/4/2023
- by Sean Barry
- AsianMoviePulse
Toronto-based genre specialist plans summer release.
Toronto-based genre specialist Raven Banner has acquired Canadian rights to Japanese box office smash Shin Ultraman, the latest incarnation of the Japanese superhero franchise from Tsuburaya Productions.
The latest Ultraman adventure grossed more than $30m at the Japanese box office and opened theatrically in the US through Fathom Events in January.
Raven Banner plans a summer release on Shin Ultraman, which takes place as Japanese authorities respond to the appearance around the country of giant unidentified life forms known as S-Class Species (Kaiju), when a silver giant descends from the sky to save the country.
Toronto-based genre specialist Raven Banner has acquired Canadian rights to Japanese box office smash Shin Ultraman, the latest incarnation of the Japanese superhero franchise from Tsuburaya Productions.
The latest Ultraman adventure grossed more than $30m at the Japanese box office and opened theatrically in the US through Fathom Events in January.
Raven Banner plans a summer release on Shin Ultraman, which takes place as Japanese authorities respond to the appearance around the country of giant unidentified life forms known as S-Class Species (Kaiju), when a silver giant descends from the sky to save the country.
- 5/19/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
It is the perfect time to reflect on some of the essential works of filmmaker Hideaki Anno (b. 1960) in culmination with the recent release of his latest feature, “Shin Kamen Rider.” From his days as an animator to becoming one of Japan's most renowned directors working today, the postmodernist auteur has captivated and certainly polarized moviegoers with his unique line of work both in animation and live-action filmmaking. Taking influence from his favorite pieces of entertainment and his personal life experiences, Anno has become widely recognized for his extraordinary visual style, superb editing, and nonconformist approach to storytelling with the mental deconstruction and psychological examination of his characters. Anime fans likely know him best for his hit series “Neon Genesis Evangelion,” a show that has since then become a recognizable staple of Japanese media culture that would spawn numerous movies. Recently, he contributed as the screenwriter and producer of the spectacular superhero flick “Shin Ultraman,...
- 4/9/2023
- by Sean Barry
- AsianMoviePulse
The Japan Academy Film Prize Association held the 46th edition of its awards ceremony on March 10, 2023. The nominees are selected by industry professionals from the pool of film releases between January 1 and December 31, 2022 which must have screened in Tokyo cinemas. Award categories are modelled after Hollywood's Academy Awards®.
Following its success at the recent Blue Ribbon Awards, and leading with 13 nominations in 12 categories, Kei Ishikawa's “A Man” walks away with 8 Japan Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress. The full list of winners is described below.
Picture of the Year
A Man
Shin Ultraman
Phases of the Moon
Anime Supremacy!
Wandering
Team from A Man Animation of the Year
Inu-Oh
Lonely Castle in the Mirror
Suzume
One Piece Film Red
The First Slam Dunk
Director of the Year
Kei Ishikawa – A Man
Takashi Koizumi – The Pass: Last...
Following its success at the recent Blue Ribbon Awards, and leading with 13 nominations in 12 categories, Kei Ishikawa's “A Man” walks away with 8 Japan Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress. The full list of winners is described below.
Picture of the Year
A Man
Shin Ultraman
Phases of the Moon
Anime Supremacy!
Wandering
Team from A Man Animation of the Year
Inu-Oh
Lonely Castle in the Mirror
Suzume
One Piece Film Red
The First Slam Dunk
Director of the Year
Kei Ishikawa – A Man
Takashi Koizumi – The Pass: Last...
- 3/15/2023
- by Suzie Cho
- AsianMoviePulse
Being a Kaiju fan wasn’t always this easy. Not only were dubbed and subtitled copies of Japanese monster movies hard to come by before the advent of online streaming and boutique Blu-rays, but it was also hard to find other cinephiles with the same taste for rubber-suits and cardboard destruction. Fortunately, times have changed, with the rise of internet culture allowing what were once niche interests to find their way into mainstream culture.
However, while general audiences are now mostly aware of Godzilla and his titanic rogues’ gallery, there’s still a whole world of untapped kaiju flicks out there, just waiting to be discovered by a new generation of fans. And with the internet making even the most obscure creature features more accessible, we’ve decided to come up with a list celebrating six Kaiju movies that aren’t Godzilla-related.
While we obviously have nothing against everyone’s favorite radioactive lizard,...
However, while general audiences are now mostly aware of Godzilla and his titanic rogues’ gallery, there’s still a whole world of untapped kaiju flicks out there, just waiting to be discovered by a new generation of fans. And with the internet making even the most obscure creature features more accessible, we’ve decided to come up with a list celebrating six Kaiju movies that aren’t Godzilla-related.
While we obviously have nothing against everyone’s favorite radioactive lizard,...
- 3/2/2023
- by Luiz H. C.
- bloody-disgusting.com
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI, and sign up for our weekly email newsletter by clicking here.NEWSSpencer Bell, Nobody Knows My Name.Sight & Sound have shared the eclectic results of their annual video essays poll. The top pieces from 2022 "range from exceptional TikTok content (which doesn’t even take the title for brevity—competing against a 30-second montage) to short or feature-length essay films, documentaries, as well as art museum/gallery installations and live performances in academic contexts."The Berlinale has announced their Forum lineup, including world premieres from Claire Simon, Burak Çevik, and more.Recommended VIEWINGA24 have shared a trailer for Ari Aster’s new film Beau is Afraid ahead of an April US release. Joaquin Phoenix will star as the neurotic lead of the surrealist horror comedy from the “ingeniously depraved” mind behind Hereditary (2018) and Midsommar (2019).Third...
- 1/18/2023
- MUBI
Four decades ago—before he worked with Hayao Miyazaki, before the young artists’ collective he co-founded changed their name from “Daicon Films” to “Studio Gainax,” before Neon Genesis Evangelion shook the medium of anime to its foundations, and before Shin Godzilla affirmed his worldwide recognition as a major figure of contemporary Japanese cinema—a brilliant and unapologetically geeky college student helmed one of the most striking fan films in history. Return of Ultraman, Hideaki Anno’s 1983 directorial debut, is on its surface nothing more or less than a painstakingly exact tribute to the early-70s tokusatsu superhero TV series of the same name: a half-hour “lost episode” indulging the show’s standard dramatic plotline of a Japanese paramilitary group battling monstrous kaiju invaders, with one of their members concealing and frequently angsting over his secret identity as a part-man, part-alien super-savior. Despite its amateur production and shoestring resources, the film...
- 1/13/2023
- by Eli Friedberg
- The Film Stage
The critic Viktor Shklovsky once described the durability of certain poetic images as a kind of immortality, for it’s as if they were never created, but constantly being found, in new but recognizable forms. The poetic image of the Japanese superhero Ultraman is now in its 56th year of rediscovery, with over a half-century of revival and reconfiguring amounting to a vast constellation of TV series, one-off specials, films, manga and video games. This enormous store of moving images is a testament to not only the popularity of Ultraman the character, but to several generations of artists, of many stripes, who’ve sculpted this franchise in an ever-changing flow of new styles and ideas. Shinji Higuchi and Hideaki Anno make their own addition with Shin Ultraman (2022), the second film in their series of reimagined classic tokusatsu (special effects) films. It follows Shin Godzilla (2016), a restoration of the Godzilla film...
- 1/12/2023
- MUBI
The wait for “Shin Ultraman’s” U.S. release is finally over, but for now, you’ve got a very limited window to catch it in theaters. Following a blockbuster May 2022 debut in Japan, the reimagining of the iconic “Ultraman” franchise is getting a special engagement release in limited theaters, for two days only.
If you weren’t able to catch the film during its festival run, this might be the last chance to see it in theaters. And If you’re an “Ultraman” fan, you’ll definitely want to catch the Kaiju-packed, crowd-pleasing film on the big screen, so we’ve put together all the need-to-know details so you don’t miss your shot.
When Is “Shin Ultraman” Getting a U.S. Release?
“Shin Ultraman” will finally arrive in U.S. theaters on Wednesday, Jan. 11 and Thursday, Jan. 12, via Fathom Events.
Screenings on Jan. 11 will have subtitles, while the Jan.
If you weren’t able to catch the film during its festival run, this might be the last chance to see it in theaters. And If you’re an “Ultraman” fan, you’ll definitely want to catch the Kaiju-packed, crowd-pleasing film on the big screen, so we’ve put together all the need-to-know details so you don’t miss your shot.
When Is “Shin Ultraman” Getting a U.S. Release?
“Shin Ultraman” will finally arrive in U.S. theaters on Wednesday, Jan. 11 and Thursday, Jan. 12, via Fathom Events.
Screenings on Jan. 11 will have subtitles, while the Jan.
- 1/11/2023
- by Haleigh Foutch
- The Wrap
Shinji Higuchi’s fantastic new film “Shin Ultraman” elicits a sensation that other blockbusters, huge and popular blockbusters, have often neglected: In these worlds where larger-than-life, godlike beings traipse around like they own the place, people wouldn’t just feel small — we’d be completely confused. How inconsequential are we? How oblivious have we been to the rest of this incredible universe? What is our purpose? What’s the freakin’ point?
“Shin Ultraman,” an adaptation of an immensely popular and long-running tokusatsu/kaiju multimedia franchise that began way back in 1966, captures all the ecstatic joy of giant monsters fighting a giant alien and breaking buildings and blowing up mountains. But the screenplay (by “Neon Genesis Evangelion” creator Hideaki Anno) also captures the episodic quality of the “Ultraman” series, leaving audiences overwhelmed by how multifaceted this fantasy truly is and how existentially challenging it would be simply to live in a world that’s this weird.
“Shin Ultraman,” an adaptation of an immensely popular and long-running tokusatsu/kaiju multimedia franchise that began way back in 1966, captures all the ecstatic joy of giant monsters fighting a giant alien and breaking buildings and blowing up mountains. But the screenplay (by “Neon Genesis Evangelion” creator Hideaki Anno) also captures the episodic quality of the “Ultraman” series, leaving audiences overwhelmed by how multifaceted this fantasy truly is and how existentially challenging it would be simply to live in a world that’s this weird.
- 1/11/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- The Wrap
As the threat of giant unidentified lifeforms known as "S-Class Species" worsens in Japan, a silver giant appears from beyond Earth's atmosphere. If you're unable to get out to cinemas to catch special event screenings of Shinji Higuchi's As the threat of giant unidentified lifeforms known as "S-Class Species" worsens in Japan, a silver giant appears from beyond Earth's atmosphere. this week there is a consolation prize coming this Spring. Cleopatra Entertainment has acquired the U.S. rights for the Japanese superhero box office hit. They will release Shin Ultraman on VOD and give it a deluxe home entertainment Blu-ray and DVD release. The official announcement follows and we've included a Japanese trailer below that. Cleopatra Entertainment has acquired U.S. territory rights...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 1/11/2023
- Screen Anarchy
Cleopatra Entertainment has acquired U.S. territory rights to the latest incarnation of the Japanese Superhero franchise Ultraman from Tsuburaya Productions. Entitled Shin Ultraman, this new Ultraman adventure was the sixth-highest grossing Japanese feature film of 2022 and will hit U.S. theaters – via Fathom Events – on January 11th and 12th, 2023.
Written by Hideaki Anno (Shin Godzilla) and directed by Shinji Higuchi, the film stars Takumi Saitoh, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Masami Nagasawa (Before We Vanish, Mother), Daiki Arioka (Innocent Curse), and Akari Hayami (Gintama, Forget Me Not).
As Shin Ultraman begins, we learn the appearance of giant unidentified life forms known as “S-Class Species (Kaiju)” has become commonplace in Japan. The Japanese Government formed a Kaiju defense taskforce known as the Sssp, led by Kimio Tamura (played by Drive My Car’s Hidetoshi Nishijima). After a particularly challenging encounter, a silver giant descends from the sky to rescue the country. Dubbed Ultraman,...
Written by Hideaki Anno (Shin Godzilla) and directed by Shinji Higuchi, the film stars Takumi Saitoh, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Masami Nagasawa (Before We Vanish, Mother), Daiki Arioka (Innocent Curse), and Akari Hayami (Gintama, Forget Me Not).
As Shin Ultraman begins, we learn the appearance of giant unidentified life forms known as “S-Class Species (Kaiju)” has become commonplace in Japan. The Japanese Government formed a Kaiju defense taskforce known as the Sssp, led by Kimio Tamura (played by Drive My Car’s Hidetoshi Nishijima). After a particularly challenging encounter, a silver giant descends from the sky to rescue the country. Dubbed Ultraman,...
- 1/11/2023
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Blue An, Film.UA & Zdf Team On Zelenskyy Doc ‘Citizens At War’
Canada’s Blue Ant International has struck a distribution and co-production financing deal for six-part doc series Citizens at War: A Year in Ukraine. The doc will include exclusive, personal interviews with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his wife, Olena, and details how the lives of people in Ukraine were turned upside down by the Russian invasion. Stories include intervies with a Ukrainian beauty queen turned sniper, a Russian soldier terrified by unexpected resistance to his convoy and the sole survivor of a mass execution in Bucha. Blue Ant’s Global Head of Acquisitions and Partnerships Lilla Hurst struck the deal for the series with leading Ukrainian studio Film.UA, Australia’s Tilt Media and Gtv Docs in London. Germany’s Zdf is attached as the commissioning broadcaster and the show is expected to debut on the one-year anniversary...
Canada’s Blue Ant International has struck a distribution and co-production financing deal for six-part doc series Citizens at War: A Year in Ukraine. The doc will include exclusive, personal interviews with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his wife, Olena, and details how the lives of people in Ukraine were turned upside down by the Russian invasion. Stories include intervies with a Ukrainian beauty queen turned sniper, a Russian soldier terrified by unexpected resistance to his convoy and the sole survivor of a mass execution in Bucha. Blue Ant’s Global Head of Acquisitions and Partnerships Lilla Hurst struck the deal for the series with leading Ukrainian studio Film.UA, Australia’s Tilt Media and Gtv Docs in London. Germany’s Zdf is attached as the commissioning broadcaster and the show is expected to debut on the one-year anniversary...
- 1/11/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Rebooting a vintage superhero for modern audiences is never easy, but Shinji Higuchi and Hideaki Anno were not only up to the challenge, they pulled it off with zeal and respect. With Shin Ultraman, the creative duo behind Shin Godzilla carve out another considerable and clever update of a beloved Japanese icon. The towering, humanoid superhero from another galaxy doesn’t receive a significant physical makeover in this new big-screen adventure, however his origin story is retooled with fantastic results.
Ultraman has never been off the air or out of the public eye for too long since his debut in 1966; Earth’s utmost extraterrestrial guardian has, in some form or another, been featured in a number of TV series, films, anime and video games. And to say Japan is well aware of Ultraman’s presence is an understatement. He is as famous as he is ubiquitous. Shin Ultraman, on the other hand,...
Ultraman has never been off the air or out of the public eye for too long since his debut in 1966; Earth’s utmost extraterrestrial guardian has, in some form or another, been featured in a number of TV series, films, anime and video games. And to say Japan is well aware of Ultraman’s presence is an understatement. He is as famous as he is ubiquitous. Shin Ultraman, on the other hand,...
- 1/10/2023
- by Paul Lê
- bloody-disgusting.com
Fathom Events, Tsuburaya, and The Exchange are partnering to bring the iconic Japanese superhero Ultraman to theaters nationwide this coming January for a two night engagement. January 11 will have English subtitles while January 12 will be dubbed in English.
The film, Shin Ultraman turns the Japanese icon Ultraman – first broadcast on television in 1966 – into a full-length feature film, written and produced by Hideaki Anno – a self described Ultraman fan – and directed by Shinji Higuchi. The film is set in modern Japan – depicting a world where Ultraman is witnessed by human eyes for the first time, ever!
View trailer with a special message from Takumi Saitoh Here.
Tickets for Shin Ultraman can be purchased at Fathom Events or at participating theater box offices. For a complete list of theater locations visit the Fathom Events website (theaters participants are subject to change). Please contact your local theater for individual safety precautions.
There’s...
The film, Shin Ultraman turns the Japanese icon Ultraman – first broadcast on television in 1966 – into a full-length feature film, written and produced by Hideaki Anno – a self described Ultraman fan – and directed by Shinji Higuchi. The film is set in modern Japan – depicting a world where Ultraman is witnessed by human eyes for the first time, ever!
View trailer with a special message from Takumi Saitoh Here.
Tickets for Shin Ultraman can be purchased at Fathom Events or at participating theater box offices. For a complete list of theater locations visit the Fathom Events website (theaters participants are subject to change). Please contact your local theater for individual safety precautions.
There’s...
- 1/6/2023
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Tongue-in-cheek but never campy, “Shin Ultraman” is an object lesson in how to reboot a superhero franchise for modern times. Cannily making its CGI resemble the aesthetic of Japanese monster movies from yesteryear, this all-new Ultraman adventure has been lovingly assembled to enthrall viewers with no prior knowledge and satisfy fans who’ve been cheering for the giant red-and-silver humanoid since he first saved Japan and the world in a 1966-67 children’s television series. The sixth-highest grossing Japanese feature of 2022, “Shin Ultraman” will fly into U.S. cinemas for an initial two-days-only release on January 11 and 12.
Reuniting after their hit 2016 reboot “Shin Godzilla” (shin translates as “new”), director Shinji Higuchi (“Attack on Titan” Parts 1 and 2) and writer-producer-editor Hideaki Anno (the “Evangelion” anime series) have again woven smart political commentary and meaningful ruminations on human existence into a screenplay otherwise dedicated to delivering marvelously entertaining silliness with an immaculately straight face.
Reuniting after their hit 2016 reboot “Shin Godzilla” (shin translates as “new”), director Shinji Higuchi (“Attack on Titan” Parts 1 and 2) and writer-producer-editor Hideaki Anno (the “Evangelion” anime series) have again woven smart political commentary and meaningful ruminations on human existence into a screenplay otherwise dedicated to delivering marvelously entertaining silliness with an immaculately straight face.
- 1/3/2023
- by Richard Kuipers
- Variety Film + TV
Hideaki Anno has a reputation for weird endings. His magnum opus, "Neon Genesis Evangelion," frustrated its audience by retreating into the main character's psyche for the last two episodes. "End of Evangelion" channeled the rage of that audience into 87 minutes of apocalyptic spectacle that was even meaner (if more literal) than the original. The "Rebuild of Evangelion" films promised a final ending to the franchise, but took 14 years to wrap up. In the seven years between the third movie and fourth (and final) entry, Anno starred in a Ghibli movie and made the first great modern Godzilla film. The experience of slowly growing older, waiting patiently for the last of the "Evangelion" films to be made, is in itself a part of the final "Evangelion" ending.
The ending of Anno's "Shin Godzilla" is simple compared to the tangled mess that is "Evangelion." Of course, simple is relative. Countless critics have...
The ending of Anno's "Shin Godzilla" is simple compared to the tangled mess that is "Evangelion." Of course, simple is relative. Countless critics have...
- 11/6/2022
- by Adam Wescott
- Slash Film
Today is Godzilla Day, a day to remember those who were lost to the mighty kaiju who just loves to destroy Tokyo, a day to celebrate and be thankful for the giant lizard monster that has saved Tokyo and the world just as many times as he's destroyed it, and a day to re-watch the original "Godzilla" film, released this day in 1954.
Though Godzilla has never really gone away, he is enjoying a bit of a resurgence. There are the new American films that expanded the world of Toho's kaiju in baffling, but also exhilarating ways, and also what may very well be the best "Godzilla" movie in decades: "Shin Godzilla." That movie in particular — the third reboot of the franchise — co-directed by Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi, brought a level of human perspective, political and social commentary, and satire we hadn't seen in a long time, plus a new...
Though Godzilla has never really gone away, he is enjoying a bit of a resurgence. There are the new American films that expanded the world of Toho's kaiju in baffling, but also exhilarating ways, and also what may very well be the best "Godzilla" movie in decades: "Shin Godzilla." That movie in particular — the third reboot of the franchise — co-directed by Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi, brought a level of human perspective, political and social commentary, and satire we hadn't seen in a long time, plus a new...
- 11/3/2022
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
"Ultraman" is a franchise that has deep roots dating back to the mid-'60s with the original series that birthed the giant Japanese superhero. We've had several iterations of the character since but now, it's radical reinvention time: "Shin Ultraman" arrives from Toho and director Shinji Higuchi to give us an Ultraman for modern times. Much like "Shin Godzilla," "Shin Ultraman" very much succeeds in providing an update to the franchise that can stand up to modern scrutiny. But, in many ways, that's where the similarities stop with this absolutely insane, visually delightful, and downright haphazard reboot. What begins, instead, is something hard to classify but also impossible to look away from.
The movie takes place after Japan experiences a rapid growth in kaiju attacks. So, the Sssp kaiju defense task force is established to help deal with these monstrous threats. The group is led by Kimio Tamura (Hidetoshi Nishijima...
The movie takes place after Japan experiences a rapid growth in kaiju attacks. So, the Sssp kaiju defense task force is established to help deal with these monstrous threats. The group is led by Kimio Tamura (Hidetoshi Nishijima...
- 9/28/2022
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
Shin Ultraman Director Shinji Higuchi On Reinventing The Iconic Superhero [Fantastic Fest Interview]
Shinji Higuchi is a storyboard artist, VFX artist, and director who has worked on plenty of iconic projects, from "Neon Genesis Evangelion," to "Gamera" and "Attack on Titan" (the live-action movies). He has often collaborated with Hideaki Anno, with the two co-directing the fantastic "Shin Godzilla," a reinvention of the iconic character.
Now, the two are teaming up again for another reinvention of a Japanese icon — Ultraman. With "Shin Ultraman," director Higuchi and writer Anno bring the '60s character to the modern era with a film that works as both an introduction to a decades-old franchise for newcomers, and also a fan-service fest for longtime fans of the silver hero. Like "Shin Godzilla," expect a focus on human characters and rapid-fire dialogue, but where that film had a bit of a cynic tone, "Shin Ultraman" is about pure, relentless optimism and hope. There are plenty of stunning kaiju fights,...
Now, the two are teaming up again for another reinvention of a Japanese icon — Ultraman. With "Shin Ultraman," director Higuchi and writer Anno bring the '60s character to the modern era with a film that works as both an introduction to a decades-old franchise for newcomers, and also a fan-service fest for longtime fans of the silver hero. Like "Shin Godzilla," expect a focus on human characters and rapid-fire dialogue, but where that film had a bit of a cynic tone, "Shin Ultraman" is about pure, relentless optimism and hope. There are plenty of stunning kaiju fights,...
- 9/26/2022
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
I knew nothing about Ultraman when I sat down to watch "Shin Ultraman," and I'll be perfectly honest: when the credits rolled, I still didn't know much about Ultraman.
The new film from director Shinji Higuchi is a modernized update of the classic Japanese character, a skyscraper-sized alien who defends the Earth from various threats, both internal (those blasted kaiju just keep emerging from the ground) and external (our planet is apparently on the radar of every scheming alien in the galaxy). When he's not punching giant monsters in the face, Ultraman lives among us as a (regular-sized) blank-faced government bureaucrat. And as the film makes clear, he has many, many problems to deal with — "Shin Ultraman" resets itself with a new evil plot every 30 minutes or so, with each solved problem escalating into a new crisis.
I'd be lying if I said I could follow it all. This is...
The new film from director Shinji Higuchi is a modernized update of the classic Japanese character, a skyscraper-sized alien who defends the Earth from various threats, both internal (those blasted kaiju just keep emerging from the ground) and external (our planet is apparently on the radar of every scheming alien in the galaxy). When he's not punching giant monsters in the face, Ultraman lives among us as a (regular-sized) blank-faced government bureaucrat. And as the film makes clear, he has many, many problems to deal with — "Shin Ultraman" resets itself with a new evil plot every 30 minutes or so, with each solved problem escalating into a new crisis.
I'd be lying if I said I could follow it all. This is...
- 9/25/2022
- by Jacob Hall
- Slash Film
Beyond Fest, the highest attended genre festival in the United States, is returning to Los Angeles for its tenth anniversary edition, which will be held from September 27th through October 11th. Beyond Fest screenings will be taking place at Hollywood Legion Theatre, Aero Theatre, Los Feliz 3, the legendary IMAX at the Tcl Chinese, and IMAX headquarters. All ticket sales will be going to the 501c3 non-profit film institution.
The full line-up for Beyond Fest 2022 has now been announced, including ten world premieres, three US premieres, and twenty-five west coast premieres. There will be two free screenings of Smile (which is getting a theatrical release on September 30th), a free screening of the Amazon release My Best Friend’s Exorcism, two screenings of Hulu’s Hellraiser reboot, 35mm screenings of The Devil’s Rain and Kingdom of the Spiders, the west coast premiere of V/H/S/99, and – on the closing night – the world premiere of Halloween Ends!
The full line-up for Beyond Fest 2022 has now been announced, including ten world premieres, three US premieres, and twenty-five west coast premieres. There will be two free screenings of Smile (which is getting a theatrical release on September 30th), a free screening of the Amazon release My Best Friend’s Exorcism, two screenings of Hulu’s Hellraiser reboot, 35mm screenings of The Devil’s Rain and Kingdom of the Spiders, the west coast premiere of V/H/S/99, and – on the closing night – the world premiere of Halloween Ends!
- 9/13/2022
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
The Exchange has acquired the sales rights for North America, Europe, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand and other remaining territories for superhero movie “Shin Ultraman,” a blockbuster hit in Japan when it was released on May 13. The Exchange is introducing the movie to buyers at the Toronto Film Festival.
The movie, produced by Tsuburaya Productions, Toho and Khara, grossed 31.2 million in Japan, building on the fanbase of the “Ultraman” TV series, which was first broadcast in 1966.
The movie was directed by Shinji Higuchi and was written by director and screenwriter Hideaki Anno, who also acted as producer alongside Takayuki Tsukagoshi and Minami Ichikawa.
“Shin Ultraman” stars Hidetoshi Nishijima, who was in the Academy Award winning movie “Drive My Car,” Takumi Saitoh, and Masami Nagasawa. The cast also includes Daiki Arioka (“Innocent Curse”), Akari Hayami (“Forget Me Not”), and Tetsushi Tanaka.
In the movie, the appearance of giant unidentified life forms,...
The movie, produced by Tsuburaya Productions, Toho and Khara, grossed 31.2 million in Japan, building on the fanbase of the “Ultraman” TV series, which was first broadcast in 1966.
The movie was directed by Shinji Higuchi and was written by director and screenwriter Hideaki Anno, who also acted as producer alongside Takayuki Tsukagoshi and Minami Ichikawa.
“Shin Ultraman” stars Hidetoshi Nishijima, who was in the Academy Award winning movie “Drive My Car,” Takumi Saitoh, and Masami Nagasawa. The cast also includes Daiki Arioka (“Innocent Curse”), Akari Hayami (“Forget Me Not”), and Tetsushi Tanaka.
In the movie, the appearance of giant unidentified life forms,...
- 9/12/2022
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
“Shin Ultraman” wouldn’t be the first time filmmakers Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi reimagined a popular tokusatsu character. A few years prior, they gave audiences “Shin Godzilla,” an alternate title for the feature being “Godzilla Resurgence.” It is a film that is not only an entertaining monster flick but a suspenseful political thriller with clever commentary. Also reinstated are the themes of the original “Godzilla” directed by Ishiro Honda on the horrors of nuclear warfare. In conjunction with that is satire inspired by the Japanese government’s poor handling of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami and the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011.
Japan is thrust into panic and chaos when a giant creature appears and starts causing destruction. The beast is referred to as Godzilla, and it is constantly evolving. The government works to prevent further catastrophe while overcoming bureaucratic red tape. The story is simple but engaging, balancing humor...
Japan is thrust into panic and chaos when a giant creature appears and starts causing destruction. The beast is referred to as Godzilla, and it is constantly evolving. The government works to prevent further catastrophe while overcoming bureaucratic red tape. The story is simple but engaging, balancing humor...
- 8/13/2022
- by Sean Barry
- AsianMoviePulse
Translation by Koichi Mori
Shinji Higuchi is a filmmaker and storyboard artist. At a young age, he was taken on a tour by his aunt to Toho Studios, where he saw the making of tokusatsu in action, which greatly inspired him. He would get his big start as an assistant modeler for the production of “The Return of Godzilla” and further advance career-wise with his collaborations with the studio Daicon. During that period, he would meet fellow filmmaker Hideaki Anno, who would become a close friend and frequent collaborator. Higuchi’s recognition would peak for his phenomenal work directing the special effects for the “Heisei Gamera Trilogy” directed by Shusuke Kaneko. Since then, he has been hailed both natively and internationally for his exceptional work as a special effects director and his movie directorial career. Higuchi’s latest film is “Shin Ultraman” the newest entry in the long-running “Ultra” franchise...
Shinji Higuchi is a filmmaker and storyboard artist. At a young age, he was taken on a tour by his aunt to Toho Studios, where he saw the making of tokusatsu in action, which greatly inspired him. He would get his big start as an assistant modeler for the production of “The Return of Godzilla” and further advance career-wise with his collaborations with the studio Daicon. During that period, he would meet fellow filmmaker Hideaki Anno, who would become a close friend and frequent collaborator. Higuchi’s recognition would peak for his phenomenal work directing the special effects for the “Heisei Gamera Trilogy” directed by Shusuke Kaneko. Since then, he has been hailed both natively and internationally for his exceptional work as a special effects director and his movie directorial career. Higuchi’s latest film is “Shin Ultraman” the newest entry in the long-running “Ultra” franchise...
- 8/6/2022
- by Sean Barry
- AsianMoviePulse
The psychological effect war has on the human mind is unimaginable. Following the end of World War II, many anti-war projects would come out of the Japanese entertainment industry from visionaries like Kon Ichikawa, Kaneto Shindo, and Masaki Kobayashi. Jingoistic propaganda was no longer as common and wasn’t being forced upon artists anymore by militarists. Many post-war Japanese war films stand by a humanist nature while reminding audiences how horrific errors should not be repeated. A notable reminder of evolving from past mistakes in history is the superb political thriller “Japan’s Longest Day.”
Based on the non-fiction book of the same name by Kazutoshi Hando and Soichi Oya, this haunting recollection of disturbing events would kickstart the “Toho 8.15 series,” a collection of war movies that recreate Japan’s war history. Fittingly, nihilistic filmmaker and anti-war advocate Kihachi Okamoto would be appointed as the movie’s director and frequent...
Based on the non-fiction book of the same name by Kazutoshi Hando and Soichi Oya, this haunting recollection of disturbing events would kickstart the “Toho 8.15 series,” a collection of war movies that recreate Japan’s war history. Fittingly, nihilistic filmmaker and anti-war advocate Kihachi Okamoto would be appointed as the movie’s director and frequent...
- 8/3/2022
- by Sean Barry
- AsianMoviePulse
Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi are living the tokusatsu dream. Both grew up loving “Godzilla,” “Ultraman,” and “Kamen Rider,” and here they are adapting films of their favorite childhood properties while adding their unique stamps to them. But, of course, being a fan of something does not automatically guarantee quality content. One’s admiration for a franchise is acknowledgeable, but the feature can fail as a solid piece of entertainment and feel like an overproduced fan project lacking substance. Yet, if “Shin Godzilla” proved anything, directing a solid movie comes first for Anno and Higuchi, as not only was that a fantastic reboot of a long-running franchise but an excellent film on its own merits. Moreover, considering both directors’ outspoken love for “Ultraman,” especially the classic 1966 television show, one can only assume their love letter would be a fun feature without feeling too on the nose with fan service. Thankfully,...
- 7/24/2022
- by Sean Barry
- AsianMoviePulse
Stars: Takumi Saitoh, Masami Nagasawa, Kenjirô Tsuda, Kôji Yamamoto | Written by Hideaki Anno | Directed by Shinji Higuchi
Shin Ultraman is, for those unaware of it, a reboot of the original 1966 TV show Ultraman. That show launched a massively popular franchise in its native Japan and, reruns of the dubbed American version helped launch my love of kaiju films and eventually science fiction and horror in general. So you can understand I sat down to watch the film with both anticipation and worry about how well it would live up to my memories.
The film opens with a fast explanation of how the Sssp came to be as we see several rampaging creatures in the background. And when I say a fast explanation I mean fast, by ten minutes into the film Ultraman is on Earth and battling an energy-eating kaiju. One of the Sssp team Shinji Kaminaga is caught in...
Shin Ultraman is, for those unaware of it, a reboot of the original 1966 TV show Ultraman. That show launched a massively popular franchise in its native Japan and, reruns of the dubbed American version helped launch my love of kaiju films and eventually science fiction and horror in general. So you can understand I sat down to watch the film with both anticipation and worry about how well it would live up to my memories.
The film opens with a fast explanation of how the Sssp came to be as we see several rampaging creatures in the background. And when I say a fast explanation I mean fast, by ten minutes into the film Ultraman is on Earth and battling an energy-eating kaiju. One of the Sssp team Shinji Kaminaga is caught in...
- 7/22/2022
- by Jim Morazzini
- Nerdly
37th film in the Ultraman franchise and the second reboot of a tokusatsu series to be adapted by script writer Hideaki Anno and director Shinji Higuchi after “Shin Godzilla”, “Shin Ultraman” proves that the team behind the two movies (including Toho and Cine Bazar) have found the perfect recipe (and the money) for these relaunches.
Shin Ultraman is screening at Neuchatel International Fantastic Film Festival
In a style very similar to “Shin Godzilla”, the movie jumps right into the action, as a number of giant creatures, classified as “S-Class Species” have appeared throughout Japan, with the government establishing the S-Class Species Suppression Protocol to eliminate further threats. Shortly thereafter, the Sssp addresses Neronga’s attack, when a silver extraterrestrial giant dubbed “Ultraman” appears to defeat the monster and save humanity. However, he inadvertently kills Sssp member Shinji Kaminaga during his battle with the monster. He subsequently takes Shinji’s appearance and place,...
Shin Ultraman is screening at Neuchatel International Fantastic Film Festival
In a style very similar to “Shin Godzilla”, the movie jumps right into the action, as a number of giant creatures, classified as “S-Class Species” have appeared throughout Japan, with the government establishing the S-Class Species Suppression Protocol to eliminate further threats. Shortly thereafter, the Sssp addresses Neronga’s attack, when a silver extraterrestrial giant dubbed “Ultraman” appears to defeat the monster and save humanity. However, he inadvertently kills Sssp member Shinji Kaminaga during his battle with the monster. He subsequently takes Shinji’s appearance and place,...
- 7/3/2022
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Tickets go on sale July 1 for the fully in-theater 20th anniversary edition of the New York Asian Film Festival (Nyaff), presented by the New York Asian Film Foundation and Film at Lincoln Center (Flc), running from July 15–28, 2022 at Flc, as well as on July 23 and July 28–31 at Asia Society, which will be co-presenting a selection of key films and a Hong Kong marathon day. International stars and acclaimed filmmakers will return in-person to grace the Nyaff red carpet at Flc, receive awards, speak at Q&a sessions, and impart wisdom during masterclasses and special talks.
Hong Kong cultural icon Josie Ho will headline Nyaff 2022 with her latest project as producer of the inspiring musical documentary Finding Bliss: Fire and Ice—The Director’s Cut, in which she travels with musicians and students from Hong Kong to Iceland for a transcendent collaboration. As a tribute to the acting superstar, the festival...
Hong Kong cultural icon Josie Ho will headline Nyaff 2022 with her latest project as producer of the inspiring musical documentary Finding Bliss: Fire and Ice—The Director’s Cut, in which she travels with musicians and students from Hong Kong to Iceland for a transcendent collaboration. As a tribute to the acting superstar, the festival...
- 7/1/2022
- by Grace Han
- AsianMoviePulse
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