Sazen and Sazen

Again I post about a film and a remake, actually about two films in my recommended title lists that themselves are excellent, and very different, remakes of an earlier film.

These are two Tange Sazen films released on DVD as Sazen and The Secret of the Urn. The first of these two is out of print in Japan and has yet to be released in the U.S. The second is still available on DVD in the U.S.

Both films are highly enjoyable and are different enough from each other to be both worth watching as well as buying.

Sanjuro and Sanjuro

I have added two new films to my recommended title lists.

The first is Kurosawa Akira's classic lone swordsman film Sanjuro with Mifune Toshiro in the title role. The second is the 2007 remake of the same film, Tsubaki Sanjuro, with Oda Yuji playing the title role. The remake is very much a scene for scene redoing of the film, it uses the same script by Kikushima Ryuzo, Oguni Hideo, and Kurosawa Akira. This fidelity to the original film works rather well.

Scrambled Recommendations

I have added a three film science fiction anime feature series and the three novels it was based on to my recommended titles listings.

These are for the Mardock Scramble novels, released in English as one large volume, and the three animated features of the same name.

An interesting read and viewing, plus Hayashibara Megumi does a great playing the main role in the anime. I hope folks will find these interesting.

Dora-Heita

I have added another recommended title to my live action movie recommendation lists. This one is Dora-Heita, directed by Ichikawa Kon. If you are looking for a fun character driven film set in the Edo Period this is a good choice.

Still not convinced? Check out who co-wrote the screenplay: Ichikawa Kon, Kinoshita Keisuke, Kobayashi Masaki, Kurosawa Akira.

Japanese Animation Guide: The History of Robot Anime

Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs has published a report on super robots written by nime critic Ryusuke Hikawa. An English translation was done by Matt Alt.

The original and translation are available at:

http://mediag.jp/project/project/robotanimation.html

I've downloaded it an put it on my iPad for commute reading.

A Scoundrel of a Barber

I have just added a new title to my recommended live action movie page. This one a recording of a kabuki play Tsuyu Kosode Mukashi Hachijō - Kamiyui Shinza.

Nakamura Kanzaburō XVIII, one of my favorite actors in kabuki and movies, is so good as the villainous main character that you want to grab the nearest stick and smash him on the head with it. The play was written by Kawatake Mokuami  who also scripted the masterpiece Shiranami Gonin Otoko 

Mizuki x 4

I have added four manga by Mizuki Shigeru to my recommended manga page.

These are:
Kitaro
NonNonBa
Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths
Showa 1926-1939: A History of Japan
It is good to finally be getting works in English by this modern giant of the manga world.