Facing Conflict and Grief With The Boy and The Heron
From Spirited Away to My Neighbor Totoro, Studio Ghibli has...
03
Nov
TV & Film
17
Oct
A Look Into the World of Tokyo Through ‘Lost in Translation’
Do you recall your first trip to a different country,...
20
Sep
The London Film Festival 2023: Celebrating Japanese Cinema
The 67th BFI London Film Festival is set to captivate...
07
Sep
BFI celebrates the Movies of Yasujirō Ozu
This year marks the 120th anniversary of the birth of...
17
Jul
8 Best Japanese Romance Movies To Watch Now
Aishiteru. That's how you say "I love you" in Japanese,...
13
May
10 Studio Ghibli Locations You Can Actually Visit!
Have you ever watched an anime and thought to yourself,...
20
Feb
The Hidden Fortress: Star Wars with Samurai
The films of Akira Kurosawa are no stranger to reinterpretation....
30
Jan
High and Low: Heaven and Hell
“Success isn’t worth losing your humanity,” proclaims Reiko (Kyōko Kagawa)...
18
Jan
The Duality of Power & Illusion in Kurosawa’s Kagemusha
“Life is but a dream, a vision, an illusion,” sings...
28
Dec
Tokyo Jazz Joints: Documenting A Vanishing World of Japanese Jazz Culture
TOKYO JAZZ JOINTS is an ongoing, self-funded photographic research project,...
29
Nov
BFI celebrates the Movies of Akira Kurosawa
We're thrilled to announce BFI's celebration of Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998),...
30
Sep
Shunkinsho: Okoto to Sasuke – A dark yet tender ‘love’ story
Shunkinsho: Okoto to Sasuke (1935, Japan) directed by Yasujiro Shimazu...
28
Sep
Cyberpunk Edgerunners Review: Cyberpunk 2077 Done Right
Much doubt and scepticism filled the air leading up to...
26
Sep
The Moon Has Risen – A Female Focused Comedy of Errors
The Moon Has Risen (Tsuki wa noborinu, Japan 1955) is...
20
Sep
Forever a Woman (aka The Eternal Breasts): A Dedication to Womankind
Forever a Woman (aka The Eternals Breasts) (Chibusa yo eien...
15
Sep
Top 10 Japanese Movies for Foodies
Food is arguably the main draw of Japanese culture to...
14
Sep
The Best Places to Watch Attack on Titan
“Attack on Titan” gets the multitude of anime viewers pumped...
24
Aug
Love Letter film review: A Kinuyo Tanaka Masterpiece?
As part of BFI's Kinuyo Tanaka: A Life in Film
Japanese...
17
Aug
Top 10 Japanese Stereotypes in Bullet Train
Based on Maria Beetle's 2010 action-comedy novel, Bullet Train is...
04
Aug
BFI Presents, Kinuyo Tanaka: A Life in Film
The BFI has announced the full schedule for a two-month...
20
Jul
10 Signs You’re Watching a Takeshi Kitano Film
As a popular figure in Japan, Takeshi Kitano started out...
06
Jun
Summer Ghost – A Sparkling Debut
Inspired by one illustration, the remarkable directorial debut from the...
06
Jun
Maquia – A Testament to Female Spirit
Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms (or Sayonara no Asa...
19
May
Tokyo Vice: A Refreshing Neo-noir take on the Yakuza
More often than not, the Japanese Yakuza is displayed as...
12
May
Midnight Diner: Food, Love and Melancholy
In the heart of Shinjuku lies a small 12-seat izakaya...
10
May
Bubble – A Dystopian Reimagining of The Little Mermaid
The original fairy tale from Hans Christian Andersen (first published...
08
May
The Evolution of Godzilla in the Shōwa Era (1954 – 1975)
A monster movie (also known as The Kaijū Eiga) was...
06
May
The Environmental Messages in Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli Movies
You’ve no doubt heard of Studio Ghibli and their remarkable...
29
Apr
Why Sailor Moon is a Pop Culture Icon Across Generations
After almost 30 years since its release, why is Sailor...
25
Apr
Japan’s Invaluable Contribution to Pop Culture
Japan has contributed a lot to the world of art...
24
Apr
Ghost in the Shell and the Sea of Information
In celebration of the British Film Institute’s (BFI) anime season,...
22
Apr
Taking in Makoto Shinkai’s Fantastical Worlds
Makoto Shinkai seems to have nailed the formula for creating...
16
Apr
A Taste of Life in 1980s Japan
Events and trends from the 1980s transformed Japan into the...
31
Mar
The American Occupation and the Rise of Japanese Cinema
For a full picture of how far the Japanese cinema...
29
Mar
Princess Mononoke & The Human-Nature Relationship
One of the most popular animated films of all time,...
25
Mar
Batman: Gotham Knight (A Not So Retro Revisit)
Batman: Gotham Knight is a deft exploration of the DC...
18
Mar
The 2022 BFI Anime Season
Finally, BFI's two-month ANIME season is here to entertain and...
17
Mar
Akira: A Masterpiece of Animation & Worldbuilding
Like a Studio Ghibli film gone rogue, “Akira” (1988) is...
14
Mar
Belle – A Touching Metaverse Fairy Tail
In Mamoru Hosoda's inventive take on the Disney classic, Beauty...
08
Mar
Celebrating the Strong Women of Studio Ghibli Films
2022 marks 36 years since Studio Ghibli was first founded...
25
Feb
Cyberpunk Cities in Anime: High Tech, Low Life
Cyberpunk and anime: an artistic mashup that has led to...
23
Feb
Drive My Car – A Quiet, Subtle Triumph
As the first Japanese film nominated for an Academy Award,...
19
Feb
Jidaigeki: Exploring the Timeline of Kurosawa’s Historical Dramas
An adventurous spirit in the unfamiliar past, action, suspense, romance,...
14
Feb
Killer Kids and the High Concept of Battle Royale
The death game subgenre has been one that has been...
12
Feb
Top 10 Japanese Movies that Inspired Hollywood
Hollywood is known to rip off stories, but when it...
08
Feb
Top 5 Recurring Shōnen Anime Tropes
It has gotten harder and harder to create a fresh...
03
Feb
‘What Lies Beneath’ UK-wide Japanese Film Festival
For its UK-wide Japanese film festival dubbed "What Lies Beneath,"...
28
Jan
Top 10 Cyberpunk Anime You Should Know
The Cyberpunk genre is a classic, and since its humble...
21
Jan
Japan Nakama X Kumagumi: The Eiga Collection
Japan is well-known for its distinct culture, particularly its cinema....
17
Jan
The Forgotten Spider-Man: Japanese Spider-Man
First, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse introduced popular audiences to the...
05
Jan
The Chaos of Sion Sono’s Love Exposure
The best way to describe Sion Sono’s cult film is...
27
Dec
The Evolution of ChilledCow & Lofi Girl
Lofi beats — the music genre associated with chill and...
16
Dec
Filmmaking from Japan: The Golden Age of Japanese Cinema
Japan has a storied film history. Not only has it...
13
Dec
The Cowboy Bebop Live Action Remake: An Honest Review
Live-action anime adaptations have seemingly always been criticized in their...
07
Dec
MilkTea presents This is What a Family Looks Like
MilkTea, a screening label specialising in East and Southeast Asian...
03
Dec
The 10 Best Anime to Watch in 2021
2021 saw the release of some of the most highly...
28
Nov
Matchbox Cine presents The New Morning of Billy the Kid by Naoto Yamakawa
Matchbox Cine is re-releasing Naoto Yamakawa's cult masterpiece The New...
26
Nov
10 Reasons to Watch My Hero Academia
If you are still deciding on an anime to see...
18
Nov
Japan reDiscover with Picturehouse
Experience Japanese film masterpieces with the maestro of action Akira...
08
Nov
Tokyo Story: An Unflinching portrayal of life in post-war Japan
Elegantly subtle and terrifyingly direct, these are words I would...
07
Oct
BFI Japan 2021: 100 Years of Japanese Films
We're thrilled to announce BFI: Japan 2021, the UK's largest...
15
Sep
Mr O’s Book of the Dead: Movement As Language
Mr O’s Book of the Dead it's the last movie...
15
Sep
The Portrait of Mr O: The Groundwork Of An Art Form
Revisiting older forms of media can often be a challenge....
11
Sep
The Boxer: A Nuanced Take on Boxing Movies
Some people may be quick to point out the release...
04
Sep
Announcing JAEFF 2021: Bodies
In partnership with the Japan Foundation, we’re super excited to...
28
Aug
The Wind Rises: Miyazaki at Plane Sight
Historical fiction has always had a tricky role to play....
17
Aug
Satoshi Kon: An Introduction To His Timeless Films
Satoshi Kon is regarded as one of the most groundbreaking...
07
Jul
Why You Need a Japanese Movie Poster
When you sprinkle a pinch of Japanese flair over movie...
27
Jun
Japan Poster Shop: Vintage Japanese Movie Poster Shop & Gallery
We chat with Max, the creator of Japan Poster Shop,...
13
Jan
Demon Slayer: Japans Highest Grossing Film of 2020
It's no secret Japan goes crazy for anime and manga,...
10
Sep
Yojimbo: Akira Kurosawa’s Samurai Swan Song
The Auteur
Yojimbo (Bodyguard)
A Samurai’s Swansong
A Fistful of Copyright
Sayonara, Samurai
The Auteur
Coinciding...
05
Sep
Seven Samurai and The Importance of Being Earnest
In our last film review, we discussed the transcendent efforts...
20
Aug
Rashomon and the Search for Truth and Truthfulness
Akira Kurosawa is arguably the most well-known and celebrated filmmaker...
05
Aug
BFI Japan 2020: Jaw-dropping Japanese Films
With an endless array of captivating cinema dating back to...
24
Jul
Family Rental – how much would you pay?
In the UK, owning a car is overrated. Why would...
04
Jul
10 Most Memorable Terrace House Cast Members
The Netflix series “Terrace House: Tokyo 2019-2020” along with its...
18
Jun
Best Tokyo International Film Festival Movies
With the shutters of our favourite places firmly locked over...
04
Apr
Memoirs of a Murderer | Film Review
A remake of the 2012 Korean film ‘Confessions of a...
02
Nov
Why I love Japan: Amélie Ravalec Photographer & Documentary Film Maker
Next up in our Why I Love Japan series, which...
24
Oct
JAEFF: The Tremors of Japanese New Wave Cinema
Last week I explored Japanese avant-garde cinema at Barbican. JAEFF...
23
Oct
JAEFF: Bad Boys & Studio Sunrise, Japanese New Wave Cinema
After the talk on the Tremors of the Japanese New...
19
Sep
UMMMI Interview: Avant-Garde Cinema, Audience Freedom & Tokyo’s Best Nightclubs
Inside the belly of Pirate Studios in Bristol, I connect...
04
Jun
Vaporwave on Screen
Beyond the cracked marble hotel lobby fountains and abandoned shopping...
19
Mar
Japanese Girls Never Die | Review
On a rainy day near Buckingham Palace, I went to...
05
Mar
Initiation Love Review
Split between 1980’s Tokyo and Shizuoka, Yuhihiko Tsutsumi’s 2015 romantic...
19
Feb
7 Japanese Comedy Prank Shows That’ll Bring You to Tears
We've gathered some of the funniest moments from Japanese Comedy...