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Japan Today
an hour ago
- Japan Today
Horror master Kiyoshi Kurosawa to bring eerie storytelling to his first samurai film
By Yuri Kageyama Japanese director Kiyoshi Kurosawa, known as a master of horror films set within the neurotic realism of the modern day, will bring his signature edge-of-your-seat storytelling to a genre he has never tackled before: the samurai movie. 'I do want to do it once, and it looks like it might be really happening, although things are still uncertain. I may finally be able to make my samurai film,' he told The Associated Press, noting he couldn't give much detail just yet. His upcoming samurai film will not have sword-fight scenes or action-packed outdoor shots that characterize the genre, known as jidaigeki. Instead, it will be the same creepy quiet narrative of Kurosawa movies, where the action takes place almost claustrophobically, in this case, in a castle that just happens to be set in the samurai era. That concept alone is enough to pique a movie lover's interest. The horror master was just honored at this year's Japan Cuts film festival in New York. The festival presented him the Cut Above award, international recognition that follows the Silver Lion at the 2020 Venice Film Festival for 'Wife of a Spy,' centered around a troubled married couple during World War II. Kurosawa, who is not related to 'Seven Samurai' and 'Rashomon,' director Akira Kurosawa, said period pieces are difficult to make due to the extraordinary costs of sets, props and costuming. He also made it clear he isn't interested in directing science fiction, but rather pursues realism. However, he readily acknowledged that his films are all made up, in fact, 'a lie.' 'Maybe this is my weakness, or my characteristic; I want to tell my stories in a setting of a very real modern-day society, yet I want to entertain," he said. "And so it's a contradiction that I aim for every time," 'You create a lie, like a horrific character (in a realistic framework),' he said. Kurosawa, who has managed to produce a film a year over his 40-year career, invests a lot of time researching the setting and backdrop of his films, including much reading, to make it as realistic as possible. In his most recent thriller, 'Cloud,' a man who is down on his luck, portrayed by Masaki Suda, makes dubious profits by reselling items he finds online at far higher prices. It starts harmless enough, except, as the plot thickens, the protagonist is confronted by victims out for revenge. Kurosawa is not one to hold back on violence, often gory and extreme but beautifully shot, sometimes almost comical in its bizarreness. 'Cure,' a 1997 film about a police detective investigating a series of gruesome murders, starring Koji Yakusho, uses continuous shots purposely without cuts to bring out the varied emotions, and the coldness of the characters, sometimes changing viscerally within the same scene, to explore madness. Despite his insistence on realism, Kurosawa, who counts Alfred Hitchcock among his influences, doesn't rule out the addition of tiny unreal elements for that perfectly subtle and eerie effect. But his movies are never happy-go-lucky, he said. 'Everything being happy is not possible if you start with the realism of modern-day Japan,' said Kurosawa. Kurosawa believes that while filmmaking is usually a giant confusing project where multiple players must work together, producers worrying about the box office and actors concerned about their roles, it is ultimately about dealing with what feels right to your deepest self. 'In the end, it all boils down to: I understand there are many opinions, but we must choose what is right. What does being right mean? To figure that out is the creator's job,' he said. © 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Japan Today
2 hours ago
- Japan Today
Godzilla fans fete the monster as it turns 70
By Paula RAMON Godzilla has morphed over the years, but one constant is the devotion of its fans, who celebrated the Japanese monster's 70th anniversary at the pop culture convention Comic-Con. The Japanese studio Toho, which created Godzilla, maintains a calendar of events to celebrate the beast often called the king of monsters, and Comic-Con is on the agenda. Godzilla was born on November 3, 1954 with the launch of the first movie about it, directed by Ishiro Honda. "I am a very big fan of Godzilla," said Angela Hill, a teacher who traveled from Arizona to take part in Comic-Con, which this year featured events and displays celebrating Godzilla. One of the world's largest celebrations of pop culture, Comic-Con brings together 130,000 people, many of whom come dressed as wizards, princesses or characters from movies, games or TV series. As the story of Godzilla goes, a prehistoric amphibious beast is awakened and mutated by nuclear bomb testing in the Pacific. It emerges from the sea and attacks Japan in a rage, symbolizing the deadly power of nukes. "I think because he came from such a historic event -- like, a lot of other monsters are just interesting creatures, but they don't hold the grief of a nation," Hill said, referring to the US nuclear bomb attacks against Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War II. At the pop culture watering hole in San Diego, people lined up to shoot pictures and video with an image of Godzilla, which was also the theme of a panel discussion on Friday that featured Shinji Higuchi, who co-directed a reboot in 2016 called "Shin Godzilla." The movie franchise includes nearly 40 films and has spawned hundreds of animated productions about the monster as well as TV series and graphic work. 'Rooting for him' On Saturday the writers Ed Godziszewski and Steve Ryfle signed autographs of their book "Godzilla: The First 70 Years," which sold out at Comic-Con. "It's a rich history," Ryfle told AFP. "This is the longest running feature film franchise in cinematic history that's focused on a single, continuous character. It's been around longer than James Bond." He said the key to its longevity is that Godzilla has evolved over time but stayed faithful to its origins. "Godzilla has been serious, it's been scary, it's been heroic, it's been funny. But at the same time this is a movie character that's rooted in something that's very real," Ryfle said. "And that's the trauma that Japan experienced, both during World War II, and also the trauma of the aftermath of World War II, the aftermath of Hiroshima and Nagasaki," he added. He said Honda, who directed the first Godzilla movie, was a veteran who used the film to send a message against war and in particular against nuclear weapons. Michelle Pena, a Godzilla fan who waited in line to get the autograph of the two writers, said part of the monster's charm is how it has changed over the years. "Good, bad, hero, anti-hero, you know. And I like that," she said. "He's not, like, lovable," she added. "He's a big dinosaur-looking thing, you know. He's scary. But, like, you really, really find yourself rooting for him." © 2025 AFP
SoraNews24
8 hours ago
- SoraNews24
This Japanese cafe for stuffed animals is a sweet day out for nuikatsu fans
Plushies are the VIP guests at this cafe, complete with tiny menus and mini desserts. Scrolling through your social media feed, you might stumble across an image of a beautiful vista that has a stuffed animal thrust into the frame. Searching further you might discover that the person who took that photo is sure to include their stuffed animal in every single shot from their vacation. This is just one example of the hobby nuikatsu, taken from nuigurumi (stuffed toy) and katsu (activity). The hobby isn't limited to travel photos at famous sightseeing spots, though. It's also about snapshots of partner plushies living their everyday lives to the fullest. A common activity is to go out for a simple meal together, showing off their plushie pals alongside delicious food and drink. For those who want to enjoy this aspect of the hobby to the fullest, there's wandering pop-up restaurant Little Lou's Cafe that has been making rounds in Tokyo; a dedicated nuikatsu cafe where you can enjoy tea and sweets with your little friend without needing to feel self-conscious about the gazes of non-nuikatsu fans. While we'd usually send one of our crack reporters to cover this intriguing location, we felt it deserved a more special treatment, given its targeted clientele, so please welcome our temporary reporter: Luu-chan. Luu-chan is a cat that has kept our Japanese-language reporter Mariko Ohanabatake company ever since she was 9 years old. Even to this day, they still share the same bed, so you know that the bond between them is both a strong and deep one, despite Mariko getting married and the family of stuffed animals increasing. ▼ Luu-chan has a great relationship with her friends. Dressing up in her favorite outfit, Luu-chan set out to explore this amazing cafe for plushies and their guardians. Arriving at the time of her reservation, she immediately noticed that the entrance had a photo spot opportunity, and couldn't resist striking a pose. Walking through the door, she was greeted by the fox manager and pastry chef, Lou-san. ▼ Luu-chan 'I've been looking forward to my first cafe visit!' Upon giving her name, she was directed to her seat, which had her own name written there. ▼ Luu-chan 'My name is here. Such amazing hospitality!' The cafe even provided a plushie-sized menu, while including an enlarged version for their guardians to peruse at the same time. It's such a warm and considerate establishment, where the guardians can feel like their plushies are truly valued. After all, they are important friends and family members. Looking through the menu, Luu-chan opted for the two sweets and one drink set for 2,300 yen (US$15.67), plus an extra 200 yen to upgrade to an ice cream float. Thinking about her beloved partner, Luu-chan selected Mariko's personal favorites of pudding, banana cake, and a melon soda float. When the plate arrived, Luu-chan was impressed once again. Not only did they include a guardian-sized portion for Mariko, but they were sure to add in a plushie-sized portion for herself, both of which were entirely edible. Sitting next to the melon soda float, Luu-chan looked down at her light green tutu and cherry-patterned bib, and remarked that she looked like a melon soda float fairy. Luu-chan was having a great time at the cafe, and was thrilled to be spending some valuable time with her guardian. Photos taken care of, she turned her attention to the food. She already rated them highly just based on the appearance, but the taste? Well, they were absolutely delicious. The firm pudding was especially amazing. The scent of egg and the gentle sweetness made them both reminisce on their time together as children. Fully immersed in a world full of kindness, cuteness, and deliciousness, the two of them couldn't wipe the smiles off of their faces. Being in such an atmosphere, it made striking up conversation with other patrons very easy. Another visitor was a rabbit named Nana-chan, who came all the way to Tokyo from the island of Shikoku with her guardian. Luu-chan could tell that they too had built a relationship full of love. They decided to take a commemorative photo together, to mark their meeting, creating a very special memory. Within the cafe, there also happened to be a little shop selling stuffed animal clothes and accessories, from tiny sizes to large. They even had a mirror just for the plushies, so they could check out how they looked. Luu-chan couldn't resist herself and tried on straw hats, sailor hats, and little purses. Everything was just too cute, but she eventually whittled the selection down to her favorite items and made her purchases. ▼ She chose a mint-colored sailor hat and a little pouch. She even decided to pick up some souvenirs for her friends waiting back at home. There was also an event where the guardians could write a message to their plush pals, which when folded form a bouquet. ▼ 'To Luu-chan, thank you for always being with me. From Mariko.' Finally, Luu-chan managed to squeeze in an interview with Lou-san, the fox patissier and creator of this wonderful cafe. Luu-chan: This cafe is so lovely. When did you start it? Lou: We started the stuffed animal cafe in 2022. Since it operates as a pop-up, it's only open a few days at a time, but recently we've been running it about two to three days a month. However, we can sometimes get so many reservations that we often have to use a lottery system to determine who can visit. Luu-chan: Wow, it's so popular! What's the hardest part about running a cafe for plushies? Lou: Due to the sweets being different sizes for the guests and their guardians, the molds and baking times are different, so that is probably the trickiest part. Luu-chan: How did you decide on the menu? Lou: The first thing I consider is whether I can make a version for plushies. As it is always their satisfaction that comes first, I always try to consider it from the perspective of other plushies when designing the menu. Luu-chan: That's the hallmark of a true plush patissier. Everything tasted amazing, and we were both completely satisfied. I'll definitely bring my friends along next time, too. As Luu-chan made her way back home, she couldn't help, but reflect on her life. When she and Mariko were younger, they would always go out together, but after Mariko left her behind once, the traumatic memory caused her to become a stay-at-home friend. So, for Luu-chan, this outing was very special for her, becoming an irreplaceable memory. In every photo, she's looking straight at the camera, posing perfectly, and radiating happiness. Luu-chan hopes that she and Mariko will continue to share beautiful memories together for many years to come. She also didn't forget to brag about her trip out to her friends when she got home. ▼ 'I went to a cafe!' Little Lou's Cafe is a pop-up store that opens irregularly, so if you and your beloved plushies want to visit, you will need to check out the next event dates on their social media accounts. However, it is reservation only, so unfortunately you can't walk in if you happen to pass by. The store will next open on August 12, 13 and 17 at Una Camera Livera in Tokyo. Even if you don't get a chance to visit the cafe, it shouldn't stop you from creating wonderful memories with your own childhood friends. Sure it might feel a little awkward at first, but remember that even the Japanese ambassador to the UK is getting in on the nuikatsu action, so you should relax and treasure the time you have with someone you have spent so many years loving deeply. Shop information Little Lou's Cafe Address and opening times are non-fixed. Refer to the shop's social media pages: Instagram; Twitter Reservations are open for a 24-hour period that will be announced on the Instagram page. Reservations for August are finished. Website Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]
