Monday, September 12, 2011

Stepping back

I'm going to slow down on posting new entries for the Anime Companion Supplement and new recommended titles.

I have some projects that must be given priority for the next several months. Some of of the time is to be devoted to getting ready for my vacation (and enjoying it), the rest for writing.

I will make an effort to occasionally post, just not the weekly schedule I have followed until now.

Monday, September 5, 2011

Gun controller

This week I add another Edo Period administrative post. These are often not easy to find information on in English, it took some digging to find just a little on this one, but enough for an entry.

This week I present the:

Teppō Bugyō (Commissioner of Firearms) 鉄砲奉行

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Breaking Rules, Breaking Faces.

My newest addition to my Recommended Japanese Live Action Cinema page is:

Drop
Director: Shinagawa Hiroshi
Screenplay: Shinagawa Hiroshi
Based on a work by: Shinagawa Hiroshi (story) Suzuki Dai (art)
 
Drop is the first film by comedian turned manga writer, turned director Shinagawa Hiroshi. This is an autobiographical work based on Shinagawa's middle school days as a delinquent, which he had previously documented in a manga drawn by Suzuki Dai. I had to wait a couple of years for this film to get a US release after I read Mark Schilling's review in the Japan Times.
The Hiroshi of the film is portrayed as a naive fan of bad boy manga who grows up to be a self confident, if brawling and often irresponsible, teen with the help of his new delinquent friends. Much of the humor is low key and shows up in the dialogue, some of it will go over the heads of those not familiar with Japanese popular culture, however anime fans will easily catch most, if not all of the references.
 
Order Drop from The Right Stuf