The different faces of ‘Asura' through the generations
'This sister thing is so strange,' sighs Takiko (Yu Aoi), the bookish third daughter of the Takezawa family, in Netflix drama 'Asura.' 'The envy and jealousy can be so strong. Yet, when my sisters are unhappy, in the end, it's unbearable.'
Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda, 'Asura' takes its name from the demigods of Hindu mythology, whose virtuous appearance conceals a more volatile side. Such duality is a running theme in the series, as it surveys the ripples that spread after Takiko and her three sisters discover their father has been having an affair. This is a story in which public appearances seldom match what's happening behind closed doors, and even the most high-minded character is capable of scandalous behavior.
'Asura' itself has more than one face. The series has drawn admiring write-ups in
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Japan Today
a day ago
- Japan Today
What to stream: Dierks Bentley, Sydney Sweeney, Alex Cooper and 'Deep Cover'
Country superstar Dierks Bentley returning with the album 'Broken Branches' and Sydney Sweeney in the dark, dramatic thriller 'Echo Valley' are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you. Also among the streaming offerings worth your time, as selected by The Associated Press' entertainment journalists: 'Call Your Daddy' podcast host Alex Cooper is the subject of a new docuseries called 'Call Her Alex,' Bravo's 'The Real Housewives of Miami' returns for its seventh season and Netflix's documentary, 'Titan: The OceanGate Disaster' looks into the implosion of the submersible that killed five people in 2023. — Sydney Sweeney plays Julianne Moore's drug-addicted daughter in the dark, dramatic thriller 'Echo Valley,' which really tests how far a mother might go for her troubled kid. The movie was written by Brad Ingelsby, the man behind 'Mare of Easttown,' which had a similarly bleak tone. The stacked cast includes Kyle MacLachlan as the ex-husband and father, Fiona Shaw as a friend and Domhnall Gleeson as a pretty scary dealer. It begins streaming on Apple TV+ on Friday, June 13. — After an underwhelming run in theaters, the live-action 'Snow White,' starring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, is coming to Disney+ on Wednesday, June 11. In his review for The Associated Press, Film Writer Jake Coyle wrote that, 'presumably one of the reasons to bring actors into remakes of animated classics would be to add a warm-blooded pulse to these characters. Zegler manages that, but everyone else in 'Snow White' — mortal or CGI — is as stiff as could be. You're left glumly scorekeeping the updates — one win here, a loss there — while pondering why, regardless of the final tally, recapturing the magic of long ago is so elusive.' — Bryce Dallas Howard, Orlando Bloom and Nick Mohammed ('Ted Lasso') play struggling improv comedians recruited to go undercover for the police in the new action comedy 'Deep Cover.' Ian McShane, Paddy Considine and Sean Bean also star in the movie, which is streaming on Prime Video on Thursday, June 12. — Over on Netflix, a new documentary, 'Titan: The OceanGate Disaster,' looks into the implosion of the submersible that killed five people in 2023 on the way to view the wreckage of the Titanic. It begins streaming Wednesday, June 11. — Film Writer Lindsey Bahr — The country superstar Dierks Bentley returns with 'Broken Branches,' his 11th studio album, out Friday. It's a rocking good time, even when life's roads are bumpy, as evidenced across the release — from the jukebox stomp of the title track to the rowdy 'She Hates Me,' which includes a surprising interpolation of post-grunge band Puddle of Mudd's 2001 hit 'She (Expletive) Hates Me.' — Australian band 5 Seconds of Summer has transformed across their career, moving from pop-punk boy band in their teens to full-on arena rock giants. Now that each member of the quartet is endeavoring to release side projects, it's clear that they all have distinct, unique taste, too. Next up is bassist Calum Hood, with his debut solo album, 'Order Chaos Order,' out Friday. It's energetic, synth-y pop-rock from a matured musician; it's easy to imagine his band might be jealous of a song like 'Call Me When You Know Better,' with its lively production and earworm chorus. — Also on Friday, the Puerto Rican duo Luis Alfredo Del Valle and Raquel Berrios known as Buscabulla will release their sophomore album, 'Se Amaba Así' (which roughly translates to 'The Way Love Was'). The electronic Caribbean pop group has long been celebrated for combining genre in inventive ways, effortlessly including salsa, reggaeton, bachata and more into their indie sound. That spirit continues, and in new shapes: 'El Camino' is futuristic disco; 'Te Fuiste' is danceable, atmospheric synth-pop. — Music Writer Maria Sherman — 'Call Your Daddy' podcast host Alex Cooper is the subject of a new docuseries called 'Call Her Alex,' out Tuesday on Hulu. Cameras rolled as Cooper debuted the first leg of her 'Unwell' tour but she also gets personal. She recounts experiencing sexual harassment by a soccer coach at Boston University, and the early days of her podcast when it was a part of Barstool Sports. She also goes into how she transitioned from a shock-jock persona focused only on sex and dating to an advocate for female empowerment who interviewed Vice President Kamala Harris on the presidential campaign trail. The series also interviews Cooper's family and friends. — Another new Hulu offering out Tuesday is 'The Kollective,' a drama series inspired by the investigative journalism group Bellingcat. With a cast that includes Natascha McElhone and Gregg Sulkin, 'The Kollective' follows a group of citizen journalists investigating a global network of political corruption. — Tyler Perry expands his popular 'Sistas' universe with 'Divorced Sistas' for BET. LeToya Luckett leads a cast about five female friends navigating marriage, divorce and dating. It premieres Monday on BET and streams on BET+ beginning Tuesday. — Bravo's 'The Real Housewives of Miami' returns for its seventh season on Wednesday. Miami is the seventh city in the 'Housewives' franchise. The cast includes Scottie Pippen's ex Larsa Pippen, former Russian beauty queen Julia Lemigova (married to Martina Navratilova), and event planner Guerdy Abraira. 'RHOM' streams on Peacock. — 'The Chosen: Last Supper' will air in three parts beginning Sunday, June 15, on Prime Video. It follows Jesus (played by Jonathan Roumie) who has reached cult status in Jerusalem as other religious leaders try to quell his influence. Aware of his impending fate, Jesus shares one last meal with those closest to him. — Alicia Rancilio — It gets lonely in outer space, especially when your boss leaves you marooned on a hostile planet. All is not lost, however, for space miner Jan Dolski, who can clone himself to create The Alters he needs to get off this blasted rock before the radiation kills him. So we get Jan Scientist, Jan Technician, Jan Botanist and so on. The bad news is that each alter has his own set of personality traits, so a depressive Jan may need to figure out how to cope with an abrasive Jan. Poland's 11 Bit Studios built its reputation on the grueling survival games Frostpunk and This War of Mine, and The Alters adds a dose of 'Mickey 17'-style black comedy. All the Jans arrive Friday, June 13, on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC. — Lou Kesten © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Japan Today
2 days ago
- Japan Today
Studio Ghibli marks 40 years, but future looks uncertain
Studio Ghibli, the name behind the Oscar-winning 'Spirited Away', has become a cultural phenomenon By Natsuko FUKUE Japan's Studio Ghibli turns 40 this month with two Oscars and legions of fans young and old won over by its complex plots and fantastical hand-drawn animation. But the future is uncertain, with latest hit "The Boy and the Heron" likely -- but not certainly -- the final feature from celebrated co-founder Hayao Miyazaki, now 84. The studio behind the Oscar-winning "Spirited Away" has become a cultural phenomenon since Miyazaki and the late Isao Takahata established it in 1985. Its popularity has been fuelled of late by a second Academy Award in 2024 for "The Boy and the Heron", starring Robert Pattinson, and by Netflix streaming Ghibli movies around the world. In March, the internet was flooded with pictures in its distinctively nostalgic style after the release of OpenAI's newest image generator -- raising questions over copyright. The newly opened Ghibli Park has also become a major tourist draw for Aichi Prefecture. Julia Santilli, a 26-year-old from Britain living in northern Japan, "fell in love with Ghibli" after watching the 2001 classic "Spirited Away" as a child. "I started collecting all the DVDs," she told AFP. Ghibli stories are "very engaging and the artwork is stunning", said another fan, Margot Divall, 26. "I probably watch 'Spirited Away' about 10 times a year still." Before Ghibli, most cartoons in Japan -- known as anime -- were made for children. But Miyazaki and Takahata, both from "the generation that knew war", included darker elements that appeal to adults, Miyazaki's son Goro told AFP. "It's not all sweet -- there's also a bitterness and things like that which are beautifully intertwined in the work," he said, describing a "whiff of death" in the films. For younger people who grew up in peacetime, "it is impossible to create something with the same sense, approach and attitude", Goro said. Even "My Neighbor Totoro", with its cuddly forest creatures, is in some ways a "scary" movie that explores the fear of losing a sick mother, he explained. Susan Napier, a professor at Tufts University in the United States and author of "Miyazakiworld: A Life in Art", agrees. "In Ghibli, you have ambiguity, complexity and also a willingness to see that the darkness and light often go together" unlike good-versus-evil U.S. cartoons, she said. The post-apocalyptic "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind" -- considered the first Ghibli film despite its release in 1984 -- has no obvious villain, for example. The movie featuring an independent princess curious about giant insects and a poisonous forest felt "so fresh" and a change from "a passive woman... having to be rescued", Napier said. Natural world Studio Ghibli films also depict a universe where humans connect deeply with nature and the spirit world. A case in point was 1997's "Princess Mononoke", distributed internationally by Disney. The tale of a girl raised by a wolf goddess in a forest threatened by humans is "a masterpiece -- but a hard movie", Napier said. It's a "serious, dark and violent" film appreciated more by adults, which "was not what U.S. audiences had anticipated with a movie about a princess". Ghibli films "have an environmentalist and animistic side, which I think is very appropriate for the contemporary world with climate change", she added. Miyuki Yonemura, a professor at Japan's Senshu University who studies cultural theories on animation, said watching Ghibli movies is like reading literature. "That's why some children watch Totoro 40 times," she said, adding that audiences "discover something new every time". Miyazaki and Takahata -- who died in 2018 -- could create imaginative worlds because of their openness to other cultures, Yonemura said. Foreign influences included writer Antoine de Saint-Exupery and animator Paul Grimault, both French, and Canadian artist Frederic Back, who won an Oscar for his animation "The Man Who Planted Trees". Takahata studying French literature at university "was a big factor", Yonemura said. "Both Miyazaki and Takahata read a lot," she said. "That's a big reason why they excel at writing scripts and creating stories." Miyazaki has said he was inspired by several books for "Nausicaa", including the 12th-century Japanese tale "The Lady who Loved Insects", and Greek mythology. Studio Ghibli will not be the same after Miyazaki stops creating animation, "unless similar talent emerges", Yonemura said. Miyazaki is "a fantastic artist with such a visual imagination" while both he and Takahata were "politically progressive", Napier said. "The more I study, the more I realize this was a unique cultural moment." "It's so widely loved that I think it will carry on," said Ghibli fan Divall. "As long as it doesn't lose its beauty, as long as it carries on the amount of effort, care and love." © 2025 AFP
Japan Today
3 days ago
- Japan Today
Cloudy skies can't dim joy as thousands fill Washington for World Pride parade
By CHRISTINE FERNANDO, JACQUELYN MARTIN and GARY FIELDS Gray skies and drizzle gave way to sunshine, multicolored flags and celebrations as the nation's capital held the World Pride parade Saturday. Tens of thousands of people participated in parades and other festivities, in defiance of what activists say is an unprecedented assault on the LGBTQ+ community that challenges the rights many have fought for over the years. A rainbow flag the length of three football fields flowed through the streets, carried by 500 members of the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, D.C., to kick off the parade. Behind them, people waved Pride flags and flags representing the transgender, asexual and bisexual communities from atop a bus. Singer-songwriter and actor Reneé Rapp laughed and blew kisses from the back of a pickup truck draped with a transgender flag while Laverne Cox, a transgender actress and activist known for her role in Netflix's 'Orange is the New Black,' waved from an open convertible. 'Pride means us looking out for each other no matter what,' she declared to the crowd as the convertible rolled to a stop. 'We know how to be there for each other.' Many LGBTQ+ travelers have expressed concerns or decided to skip World Pride due to anxieties about safety, border policies and a hostile political climate that they say hearkens back to another time. But that did not keep international travelers and other participants away, with groups visible from Iran, Namibia, Kenya and Russia. Along the parade route, hundreds gathered outside the National City Christian Church as rainbow flags and balloons lined its steps and columns. A child with rainbow face paint blew bubbles at the base of the steps while Whitney Houston's 'I Wanna Dance with Somebody' blared from loudspeakers. 'D.C. is already one of the biggest cities in the country for celebrating Pride,' said Cheo White, 33, from Annapolis, Maryland. 'But we are all collectively more united and turning out more because of what's happening in the White House.' Many have said the gathering has taken on a new meaning amid the Trump administration's aggressive policies against protections for transgender Americans and diversity, equity and inclusion programs. White's partner, Nick Kerver, 26, who was visiting from Toledo, Ohio, said Pride has 'always been a political tool' but has taken on more importance this year amid mounting threats to the LGBTQ+ community, especially transgender and nonbinary Americans.' 'It feels more important than ever,' Kerver said while wearing a rainbow hat, sunglasses and a T-shirt. 'But we also have to get involved in our local communities, too.' David Begler, a 58-year-old gay man from Philadelphia, expressed disappointment that many international travelers felt unsafe visiting the District of Columbia for World Pride but said he appreciates its presence in the city during this political climate. 'It's the perfect time to have World Pride in D.C.,' Begler said. 'We need it right now. I want us to send a message to the White House to focus on uplifting each other instead of dividing.' Stay DeRoux, 36, usually plans a day trip to D.C. Pride from her home in Fredericksburg, Virginia. But this year, she and her wife, Deenie DeRoux, planned a full weekend. 'This is a really big year,' Stay DeRoux said. 'There's been a lot of turmoil. So it's an amazing thing to be among allies, among people who love because we've experienced so much hate on a daily basis.' For the day, the idea of threats and opposition took a backseat to the celebration. Streets were closed, but filled with floats, and impromptu parties broke out with music and food in streets adjoining the parade route. Johnny Cervantes Jr., dressed in a black suit and top hat, headed to a grandstand at a church themed float to marry his partner of 28 years, Freddie Lutz, owner of Freddie's Beach Bar and Restaurant in Arlington, Virginia. Events culminate Sunday with a rally and protest march and a giant street party and concert covering a multi-block stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue. 'This is World Pride in the best city in the world,' D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser declared as she walked the parade hand-in-hand with her daughter, Miranda. Late Saturday, the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department reported on its X site, formerly Twitter, that two men were stabbed and another was shot near Dupont Circle, one of the areas of celebration during Pride. A police spokeswoman said it was two incidents. The conditions of the victims were unknown, and there were no other details available. It was not known if the incidents were related to the celebration or to one another. Michael Williams, security at the Madhatter Restaurant, said he heard a loud pop that sounded like a gun shot then saw dozens of people running away from Dupont Circle along Connecticut Avenue, one of the city's main north-to-south thoroughfares. He said police were following behind. 'I just stepped out of people's way. And it looked like police had it under control.' Despite the police presence in the area afterwards, revelers continued flooding nightspots. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
