Noticias

Boasting stunning cinematography, detailed character work, and an intricately layered plot that gets deep into the fog of war, FX's sweeping, feudal Japan-set epic Shōgun has been one of the great limited series of 2024. Or at least it was — because now it is a limited series no more! As reported by Deadline, the critically acclaimed adaptation of James Clavell's 1975 Asia Saga novel is set to return for Season 2 and 3 (and possibly more).

With reports emerging last week that series star Hiroyuki Sanada had inked a deal to return as Lord Yoshii Toranaga, and the show gearing up for a big Emmys campaign in the Drama rather than Limited series categories, news of the historical epic's renewal comes as no surprise. Also unsurprising to learn is that, as well as Sanada's commitment to the show's future, series co-creators and writers Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo — as well as...

Shogun's story ends perfectly in season 1, making a sequel risky. Season 2 may struggle to match the greatness of the first season. Japan's peaceful era post-Sekigahara may not offer compelling content.

FX's Shogun has garnered so much popularity that talks are being held about bringing the miniseries back for another season, but there are eight big reasons that Shogun season 2 would be a bad idea. Shogun is based on James Clavell's 1975 novel of the same name, which was also adapted into a miniseries in 1980. Shogun's excellent cast and masterful production has helped it eclipse the 1980 version, launching Clavell's story back into the public eye in stunning fashion.

By the end of Shogun, it's natural for fans to immediately want another installment. The miniseries is so engrossing and addictive that it's nearly impossible not to reach the end and be desperate for another season to materialize. However, despite the brilliance of Shogun,...

One thing that Japanese cinema seems to lack particularly lately is tension, with the majority of movies going out of the country following the calm and smooth road the festival-darling directors have paved for the most part. As such, it is always a pleasure to watch movies that do bring much tension in the narrative, with Masato Harada proving once more, after “Hell Dogs” and “Sekigahara”, that knows how to handle the particular aspect. Let us see how the rest of the film fares though.

Click the image below to follow our Tribute to Netflix

Adapted from Hiroyuki Kurokawa's 2015 novel, “Keiso” (“Weeds”) the story focuses on Neri, a swindler who works for Takagi, a local mafia boss with ties to the political world, conning elderly with her group of ragtag “catchers”, as she calls them probably in “underground” slang. Neri tries to lay low as much as she can,...

Japanese director Masato Harada most recent project “Moeyo Ken” is set for release on May 20th 2020. The film is based off of the real life historical figure Toshizo Hijikata. Actor Junichi Okada who previously worked with Harada on “Sekigahara” plays the role of Toshizo Hijikata. A trailer for the production has been made available and can be viewed below.

Synopsis

Set in the 19th century, “Moeyo Ken” follows the life of Toshizo Hijikata (Junichi Okada). He was the vice-commander of the Shinsengumi and fought against the Meiji Restoration. (AsianWiki)...

Little ForestThe New York Asian Film Festival, now in its 17th year, has become the premiere showcase for East and Southeast Asian cinema in North America. From a modest selection of a mere eleven films in its first year (2002), the festival has grown in both size and scope: this year’s selection includes 58 films from across the continent, an eclectic mix of arthouse and grindhouse, a bold survey of popular and independent cinema from one of the most vibrant and exciting corners of the world. While most of the films are new, including several North American premieres, the festival includes some archival films, including mini-retrospectives on the work of directors Masato Harada and Dante Lam. Thanks to the magic of the Internet and online screeners, I was able to sample a handful of titles from this year’s Nyaff from my home, thousands of miles away from Lincoln Center. I...

The Japanese film industry, whose idea of an “international co-production” was once a shortish shoot in Los Angeles, is now freeing itself from an almost exclusively local focus.

Fresh from his Palme d’Or victory in Cannes with “Shoplifters,” Hirokazu Kore-eda recently confirmed that he will be returning to France to make his next film. His “The Truth About Catherine,” starring Catherine Deneuve and Juliette Binoche, according to sales agent Wild Bunch, will be shot mostly in France, starting this fall.

Binoche also stars in “Vision,” Naomi Kawase’s drama about a French journalist who journeys to Nara Province to research a mysterious herb. Released on June 8 in Japan, the film is a co-production between Kawase’s own Kumie production cooperative and Paris-based Slot Machine.

Another much-lauded veteran, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, made his 2016 horror/drama “The Woman in the Silver Plate” in France, with French, Belgian and Japanese backing. Since May,...

Probably one of the most anticipated Japanese films of the year, “Sekigahara” deals with the homonymous battle that took place in 1600, and ended the Warring States era, establishing the Tokugawa shogunate.

Sekigahara is screening at the Toronto Japanese Film Festival

The movie is split in two parts. The first one narrates the events that brought the Western and the Eastern Army facing each other, and established the two main opponents on a personal level, Mitsunari Ishida, who defended the rights of Hideyori, son of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu, who wanted the shogunate for himself. Through a number of political movements, treacheries and cunningness, we watch the desperate efforts of the two men to secure as many allies as possible, since the inevitable civil war was looming over the country.

The second part deals with the battle itself, examining the various stages that occurred and the constant change of allies...