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Kyoto, 1461. On the eve of the Onin War, the capital is a city in collapse. Famine and plague have claimed tens of thousands, with the dead lining the Kamo River, while human trafficking and forced labor thrive under the noses of a ruling class more interested in decadence than duty. Amid this backdrop, a lone ronin named Hasuda Hyoe moves through the chaos. An outlaw by choice, Hyoe relies on his skill and cunning to navigate a broken society—burning down checkpoints, killing corrupt officials, and gradually attracting a ragtag band of drifters and misfits. Among them is Saizo, nicknamed Frog, a starving youth with raw talent in staff combat, whom Hyoe trains into a formidable fighter.

Together with a sword master, a giant with an iron club, and a Korean archer, they plot an uprising against the shogunate. Their main obstacle is Hyoe’s former friend turned adversary, Doken Honekawa,...

You can always count on Japanese stories to create some wild settings, but Cells At Work! caught the world off guard. The story showcases a society in which individuals from different sectors often band together in order to fight a common enemy, and the twist is that all of that takes place... inside your body. The manga series was adapted into a Japanese live-action movie, and Netflix announced this week that you will be able to check it out on the platform starting on June 13.

Much like Inside Out personifies the emotions of its main character, Cells At Work! takes the story to the microscopic level and showcases the daily battles that white blood cells and red blood cells fight in order to keep us healthy and defeat body invaders. The fun part is that the movie transforms it all into a massive action flick, with a Power Rangers vibe...

Japan’s Toei Company has closed key deals on Muromachi Outsiders, a historical action adventure by Yu Irie, which it will showcase at AFM ahead of a local release in January.

The film has been sold to Well Go USA for North America, Splendid Film for German-speaking territories and Pro Films for Bulgaria. A release in Japan through Toei is set for January 17.

Set in 1461, the story takes place when the elite of Kyoto were enjoying their wealth while allowing their subjects to die of plague and famine. Incensed, a vagrant named Hasuda Hyoe rallies a group of outlaws – including...

In comparison to other Asian countries, Japan is relatively progressive when it comes to the recognition of LGBT rights, with the March 2021 district court ruling in favor of same-sex marriage being one of the latest developments in that regard. At the same time, as in many other countries and cultures, theory is one thing, but practice is something entirely different, and it might take quite a while before a society which traditionally favors conformism realizes that a same-sex couple not only has the same right, but can be parents just as much. In the past, Japanese director Rikiya Imaizumi has repeatedly discussed the theme of love and social traditions within his home country, for example in his aptly named feature “What is Love?” which talks about how love can possibly bridge prejudices and norms. In “his” the director tackles the issue of same-sex couples, about parenthood and images of gender within his home country.

The official website for for the upcoming film trilogy in the Cho Den-o series entitled Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider The Movie: Cho Den-o Trilogy was recently updated with a new full trailer. The three films, titled simply “Episode Red”, “Episode Blue”, and “Episode Yellow”, will be released separately by Toei over the summer.

“Episode Red”, directed by Osamu Kaneda, will be released on May 22nd. In the film, the time-traveling train, “DenLiner”, becomes impossible to control. A young version of protagonist Yuto Sakurai (Yuichi Nakamura) is forced to preserve the screwed up timeline when a rival attempts to woo his future wife, Airi Nogami (Wakana Matsumoto). Meanwhile, Momotaros also requires his assistance.

“Episode Blue”, directed by Kenzo Maihara, will be released on June 5th. Kotaro (Dori Sakurada) must deal with family issues and later sees his friendship with Teddy (Daisuke Ono) tested as they attempt to regain control of the DenLiner.