JAPANESE FILMS

The First Japanese Film List at the 21 Shanghai International Film Festival 

“Sleeping Bride” (Director: Takahisa Zeze)

“Korou No chi” (Director: Kazuya Shiraishi)

“Morikazu Kumagai” (Director: Shûichi Okita)

“Inuyashiki” (Director: Shinsuke Sato)

“Tire in the Air” (Director: Katsuhide Motoki)

“Laplace's Witch” (Director: Takashi Miike)

Sleeping Bride

Style: Story/Love

Director: Takahisa Zeze

Scriptwriter: Yoshikazu Okada

Staring: Satoh Takeru/ Tsuchiya Tao/ Kitamura Kazuki/ Kenta Hamano/ Nakamura Yuri

The film's story comes from a video “The Wedding across 8 Years” on a foreign video website in February 2015, which is about the story of a couple of lovers from Okayama, Japan. The film is deeply touching, moving countless audiences in the theater to tears.

Film Introduction

Shanti and Mai are a love couple admired by many. However, just three months before their wedding, Mai suddenly suffered from a rare disease called "anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis" and fell into a continuous coma. The doctor was not sure whether she could wake up. The fiancé determined not to give up and care his love under various pressure.

A few years later, Mai finally waked up miraculously, but at the same time suffering from amnesia, she completely forgot Shanti, which was blow to the soulful fiancé. So, we will wondering whether the two can eventually have the rebirth of their love?

 It is the first time that Satoh Takeru and Tsuchiya Tao, both with outstanding appearance and acting skills, act as lovers in a film. But what attract films fans is the ordinary but touching love story instead of the cast. The story of Shanti and Mai is the screen version of the true life experience of a couple of lovers from Okayama, Japan. Their story caused a sensation on Japan’s social network, making the “Miraculous Wedding across 8 years” the social network topic of the year.

The film was launched in Japan at the end of last year, setting a reality film record of being ranked top in Japan's top box office list for the third consecutive week, winning fans' tears and praise.

Korou No chi 

Style: Story/Crime

Director: Kazuya Shiraishi

Scriptwriter: Jun'ya Ikegami

Staring: Koji Yakusho/Tori Matsuzaka/ Yoko Maki / Kenichi Takitoh/ Tomorou Taguchi/ Yosuke Eguchi

This film stars many actors and actresses with genuine acting skills, such as Koji Yakusho and Tori Matsuzaka. The intense and exciting story that the role played by Tori Matsuzaka is involved in the “No Mercy Battle” arouses extremely people’s expectation in particular.

Film Introduction

The story of“Korou No chi” is set in Hiroshima in 1988 when the “Gangdom Action Policy” was implemented. Natsumi Shuuichi together with Shogo, a local police believed to be in league with gangdom, were responsible for investigating the missing of a financial company employee. Natsumi was confused about Shogo’s unusual investigation methods. At the same time, since the missing case occurred, conflicts between gangs sharpened, and at that time, Shogo came up with a bold plan... 

Yuzu Yuko, the writer of the original work of this film, has been honored the 69th Mystery Writers of Japan Award. And this fiction has been titled the “Police Fiction X ‘No Mercy Battle’”. The experienced actor Koji Yakusho and the popular young actor Tori Matsuzaka act Shogo and Natsumi respectively in the film. The police team acted by both well-experienced and young actors is quite of highlights, let alone the costarring of Yosuke Eguchi and Yoko Maki and other famous figures. 

Morikazu Kumagai 

Style: Biography

Director/Scriptwriter: Shûichi Okita

Starring: Tsutomu Yamazaki/ Kirin Kiki/ Ryo Kase/ Kaito Yoshimura/ Ken Mitsuishi

This film records the life of Morikazu Kumagai and his wife in their advanced years, which should not be missed by audiences loving art, especially fans of this Japanese art master.

Film Introduction

The film tells the twilight-year life experience of the Japanese art master Morikazu Kumagai, who never gets out of his house but indulged in creating “Master’s World” by painting yards until he passes away at the age of 97. In those years, he lives together with his wife and is visited by different people every day: a young photographer, keen on taking pictures of Morikazu Kumagai, hopes Morikazu Kumagai could help to paint the spring inn owner and the neighbor saiki couple, etc.

Morikazu Kumagai is a key fauvism painter in Japan’s art history, whose style grows simple in his late years and features mainly abstract works. Though born in a rich family, he is willing to live a simple life and devotes himself in art creating.

Inuyashiki 

Style: Action/ Science Fiction

Director: Shinsuke Sato

Scriptwriter: Hiroshi Hashimoto/ Hiroya Oku

Starring: Noritake Kinashi/ Satoh Takeru/ Kanata Hongo/ Fumi Nikaidou/ Ayaka Miyoshi

In this film, it is the first time that Satoh Takeru acts the villain, and whether he will be recognized by audiences will be the biggest suspense and highlight of the film.

Film Introduction

The nearly 60 years old ordinary white collar Inuyashiki lives a very ordinary life, who is not respected by his families, can’t his goal of living and is told his life is going to end by the doctor. This frustrated man is hit by a creature from another planet together with a teenager and his body is totally destroyed. 

In order not to influence the earth rule, the unidentified creature brings Inuyashiki and the teenager to life again. However, they become superman with mighty powers, who is man’s appearance without but mechanical within. What will these two “mechanical humans” with self-will do with their mighty power?

The film is adapted from Hiroya Oku’s comic book bearing the same name. The Japanese veteran comedian Noritake Kinashi playes middle-aged white collar who has been transformed into a powerful weapon. The “Rurôni Kenshin” Satoh Takeru, however, challenges the villain for the first time and becomes a madness murderer as a high school student. The two will stage a big show in the film.

Tire in the Air 

Style: Story/Suspense

Director: Katsuhide Motoki

Scriptwriter: Tamio Hayashi/ Jun Ikeido

Starring: Tomoya Nagase / Tatsuo Dean Fujioka /Takahashi Issei/ Kyôko Fukada/ Ittoku Kishibe

This film has converged popular film stars such as Tomoya Nagase, Tatsuo Dean Fujioka, Takahashi Issei, Kyôko Fukada and others star who frequently appear in Japanese dramas and films. The confrontation between Akamatsu and the powerful company with absolute authority is also extremely exciting and expected.

Film Introduction

Akamatsu was the owner of a small transportation company, who worked down-to-earth to maintain business. One day, the tires of the company's trucks were off, leading to the death of a young mother. When both the police and the media thought he was the killer, Akamatsu found out that similar accidents had happened across the country, and all vehicles involved in such cases were made by “Hope Automobile Company”, a large auto company. To prove his innocence, Akamatsu had no choice but challenge challenged big companies.

The author of the original novel of “Tire in the Air” is Jun Ikeido, who has created best-selling works such as “Rikuou”, “Shitamachi Rocket” and “Hanzawa Naoki”. All films and television dramas adapted from these works have achieve great success. The cast of “Tire in the Air” is more than spangled. In addition to Tomoya Nagase's starring roles, Tatsuo Dean Fujioka, Takahashi Issei, Kyôko Fukada, Ittoku Kishibe, Takashi Sasano, and Yasufumi Terawaki are all expressive film stars presenting fascinating elements.

It is worth mentioning that although the film plot basically follows the same pattern of the author's another popular work,“Hanzawa Naoki”, the director Katsuhide Motoki has a style completely different from that of“Hanzawa Naoki”, which makes people curious about what are the new highlights in the film.

The film will be released simultaneously at the Shanghai International Film Festival and in Japan. And Chinese audiences will have the opportunity to enjoy this new work for the first time.

Laplace's Witch

Type: Suspense/Mystery

Director: Takashi Miike

Scriptwriter: Hiroyuki Yatsu/ Keigo Higashino

Starring: Sakurai Sho/ Suzu Hirose/ Sôta Fukushi/ Tao Okamoto/ Masanobu Takashima

Reasoning master’s Keigo Higashino's new master piece, Sakurai Sho, Suzu Hirose and other popular stars “detect cases” in the film. So, could they find out the truth?

Film Introduction

In the film adapted from Keigo Higashino's novel “Laplace's Witch”, Shusuke Aoe, the university professor and geochemical researcher, is entrusted by the police to investigate two mysterious cases and encounters the girl Uhara at the crime scene who can predict future events. The two then try to find the other key figure ---- the missing young man Hisone. Just at that time, there is another case happens……..

 “Laplace's Witch” is the memorial work for Keigo Higashino's 30-year career. And the style still features “mystery” and “humanity”, which is what he good at. And this film is directed by talented director Takashi Miike.

The Japanese popular star Sakurai Sho plays the lead professor Aoe, the first lead by him after his four-year screen departure. And “Demon” and “witch” are acted respectively by Sôta Fukushi and Suzu Hirose. Also, there are many skillful actors among costars, such as Hiroshi Tamaki and Etsushi Toyokawa.