News

Influential electronic musician, producer and filmmaker Flying Lotus has signed on to the soundtrack of Asian action showstopper film “The Furious.”

The film, from Japanese director Tanigaki Kenji, is written by Mak Tin Shu and follows a simple tradesman (portrayed by mainland Chinese star Xie Miao) who fights his way through a complex web of criminals and evil agents in a frantic attempt to win back his kidnapped daughter by any means necessary.

Produced by the region’s top producer Bill Kong (“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” “Hero”), Frank Hui and Shan Tam, the film features a pan-Asian cast that also includes Indonesian’s Joe Taslim, Thai star Jeeja Yanin (“Chocolate”), Yang Enyu, Brian Le, Joey Iwanaga and Yayan Ruhian.

Michael J. Werner, former principal at Fortissimo Films, and Todd Brown and Aram Tertzakian of XYZ Films serve as executive producers. Kong’s Edko Films is financing the movie and will distribute in Hong Kong,...

The official website for Badboys The Movie , an new upcoming live-action film adaptation of Hiroshi Tanaka's motorcycle gang-themed manga Badboys , released a main trailer and a poster visual today. The clip features the film's theme song "Be brave!" performed by Japanese boy band JO1. The group's youngest member Issei Mamehara also stars in the film as the protagonist, Tsukasa Kiriki. Badboys The Movie Main Trailer Poster Visual JO1 member Junki Kono, who co-wrote the lyrics of the song along with group member Sukai Kinjo, shared the following comment on the film's website : I worked on the lyrics of "Be brave!," the theme song for the movie "Badboys" starring our member Issei Mamehara. As I got to know the story, the main character, Tsukasa Kiriki, who aims to become a "Man" and goes straight to his dream, really resembles Mame (Mamehara), so I wrote the lyrics with a straight...

An upcoming action thriller could very well be what every action movie fan has been waiting for. Sounding like the perfect cross between Liam Neesons 2008 hit Taken and director Gareth Evans The Raid, the movie boasts an incredible cast of martial arts actors with enviable action movie pedigree, a filmmaker with a penchant for stunts, and an exquisitely no-nonsense plot that should allow for the punches, kicks, and everything else in between to fly hard and fast.

Titled The Furious (which should tell you everything you need to know about what were in for), the action outing is all set to be helmed by Tanigaki Kenji, who is best known for his stunt work in the likes of the Donnie Yen movie Raging Fire, G.I. Joe spin-off Snake Eyes, and this years martial arts hit Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In. Without further ado, you can check out the synopsis for The Furious below,...

Japanese director Tanigaki Kenji has completed production in Bangkok, Thailand, on his upcoming film “The Furious,” intended as an elite-level Asian martial arts actioner.

Written by Mak Tin Shu, the film follows a simple tradesman (portrayed by mainland Chinese star Xie Miao) who fights his way through a complex web of criminals and evil agents in a frantic attempt to win back his kidnapped daughter by any means necessary.

(For full Bangkok set report see here.)

Produced by the region’s top producer Bill Kong, Frank Hui and Shan Tam, the film features a pan-Asian cast that also includes Indonesian’s Joe Taslim, Thai star Jeeja Yanin (“Chocolate”), Yang Enyu, Brian Le, Joey Iwanaga and Yayan Ruhian.

Michael J. Werner, former principal at Fortissimo Films, joins Todd Brown and Aram Tertzakian of XYZ Films as an executive producer.

Kong’s Edko Films is financing the movie and will distribute in Hong Kong,...

Stars: Tori Griffith, Tomoki Kimura, Derek Mears, Damian Toofeek Raven, Joey Iwanaga, Matt Standley, Shelby Lee Parks, Stefanie Estes | Written and Directed by Kurando Mitsutake

Lion-Girl was written and directed by Kurando Mitsutake based on characters created by famed manga author and artist Go-Nagai who also created Devilman, Cutie Honey and Mazinger Z among others and produced by Toei Video. If that sounds like a recipe for a whole lot of weirdness, then you’re right.

The film opens in a Tokyo bathhouse with several nude people staring at a young woman named Botan. After, she refuses to be scared by their threats, they begin to transform. They sprout horns and fangs, their faces become brightly coloured kabuki masks as they snarl in anger. A glowing tattoo appears on her back as she turns to face them.

At which point Lion-Girl goes into exposition mode as the viewer learns how...

"Anoroc are the true enemy of humankind!" Cleopatra Ent. has revealed the official US trailer for an indie sci-fi action film titled Lion-Girl, made by Japanese genre filmmaker Kurando Mitsutake. This premiered at Australia's Fantastic Film Festival earlier in the year, and it's landing on VOD & Br to watch in November. It was shot entirely in Los Angeles during the height of the Covid lockdown. Based on characters created by Japanese manga legend Go Nagai. "Thought you had enough superhero movies? Think again." In the year 20Xx, mysterious meteors bombard the Earth, starting an age of horrific beasts known as 'Anoroc', hunting and killing humans for their life force. The Earth has one last defender against them; her name is 'Lion-Girl'. Here we go! Get ready to meet your next favorite hero! The film stars Derek Mears, Tori Griffith, Damian TooFeek Raven, David Sakurai, Shelby Lee Parks, Matt Standley, Joey Iwanaga.

Hot off the Japanese action-comedy hijinks of 2021's "Baby Assassins" is writer and director Yugo Sakamoto's "Baby Assassins 2" (alternately titled "Baby Assassins: 2 Babies"). No, this isn't about toddlers with katanas accepting mercenary contracts. Sakamoto continues his story about an odd couple of trained assassins who'd rather be gorging on ice cream sundaes than pulverizing gangsters with a very slacker-humor vibe. Action can feel like an "afterthought" earlier on, but that's not a forever choice nor a detriment. "Baby Assassins 2" is as much a commentary about Japanese youths struggling to find work and nonsense bureaucracy as a flurry of furious fists, both of which find their place in this offbeat, uptempo, and quite funny sequel.

Returning as Sakamoto's "Babies" are Chisato (Akari Takaishi) and Mahiro (Saori Izawa), roommates with contradictory personalities shaped into expert killers. The excessively cutesy and squee Chisato discovers they haven't paid their gym membership in roughly four years,...

Cleopatra Entertainment has secured the North American and U.K. distribution rights for Japanese superhero film “Lion-Girl.”

The film is written and directed by cult Japanese director Mitsutake Kurando (“Samurai Avenger: The Blind Wolf”) and based on characters created by prolific manga artist Go Nagai. The story revolves around survivors of a meteor shower who find themselves locked in a battle against each other and a group of creatures called Anoroc, monsters who hunt and kill humans to extract their life force.

The cast includes Tori Griffith as the titular Lion-Girl, Derek Mears, known for his roles in comic book adaptations such as The CW’s “Swamp Thing” series, Damian TooFeek Raven (“The Chadwick Journals”), David Sakurai (“Fantastic Beasts”), Shelby Lee Parks (“Good Trouble”), Matt Standley (“Fairyland”), and Joey Iwanaga (“Enter the Fat Dragon”).

Shot entirely in Los Angeles during the height of the Covid-19 lockdown, the film was produced in collaboration with Toei Video.

Highly skilled assassins lying in wait and trying to live a normal life have recently been portrayed to commercial success in cinema of late. When it comes to Japanese cinema, two such recent productions that immediately come spring to mind are “The Fable” and “Baby Assassins”. Since the former did get a sequel, which was also well received by the audience, it was only a matter of time that Yugo Sakamoto's action comedy about two young female assassins also got a sequel of its own. Two years since the release of the first and we are back in the world of our awkward but highly skilled pair of killing machines.

Tokyo Uber Blues is screening at Nippon Connection

Since we last saw them fighting and winning against the Yakuza, Mahiro and Chisato have become elite, high-ranking killers within the Guild but most importantly, they have learnt to live with...