Interview with Helen McCarthy

Recently I came across the knowledgeable writer and public figure Helen McCarthy, she had a talk about Hyper Japan 2014 Christmas market about her latest book - A Brief History Of Manga, the most concise and detailed book to educate the biggest of noobs.

She gave a brief introduction about anthology anime before the screening of Short Peace at the ICA as part of the touring film festival by the Japan Foundation UK and how this was a chance for directors to do something creative and with a large budget as long as they incorporated a theme or product. this also meant you could have a selection of artists and animators collaborating. She speaks in more depth below in an interview.

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It Only Happens in the Movies? Japanese Cinema and Encounters: A Letter to Momo

After mentioning on all my feedback forms last year previously writing in capitals 'More anime please' I was pleased to see two on the line up for the touring film festival from the Japan Foundation. The ICA is a great choice of venue in the heart of the West End holding a cosy hide away for Japanese enthusiasts.

A Letter to Momo (Momo e no tegami in Japanese) follows a 11-year-old girl called Momo who ='s world is turned upside down by the recent death of her father. Growing up in Tokyo her whole life and then being up rooted to the country was already a shock to her system. At first we see Momo as a shy and bewildered child, constantly hiding behind her mother and barely saying a word. As they are ferried to their new home she is hit by three water drops on a sunny day, this is not mere water, these drops hold the form of Yokai (demons).

They move to the old family house with an uncle and aunty on a remote island where time has stopped living in old fashioned sliding door wooden buildings with holy shrines on every road and no shopping centers around. Momo is constantly thinking about her father due to having an argument the day he died and finding an unfinished letter from him addressed to her...which she keeps close to her at all times reading over and over again the words “Dear Momo.” Her aunty tries to entertain her by showing her the attic and her uncles prized Yokai picture books. One is particular in a box becomes prey to the water demons.

Directed by Hiroyuki Okiura (Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade). Seven years in the making and supported by a top-class team of skilled creators, A Letter to Momo uses traditional hand drawn animation fused with a simple story. Often compared to Spirited Away this story has similar aspects but is completely different in  everyday. Here we find the three demons are there ona  mission to keep Momo and her mother safe till the father reaches the afterlife. We aren't given much more information about the mission or the other spirits that Maade makes friends with.

Alongside the trials of stopping the demons from stealing items and ran sacking crops to feed their never ending hunger she also has a sort of love interest in local boy Yota. She's scared to make friends or dive off the bridge same as she is to move on and let the painful memories of her father go. Her relationship with her mother is also strained due to miscommunications. Sadly the mum thinks Momo is lying when confronted about the stolen items mysteriously appearing in the attic and they argue which triggers off an asthma attack.

The mothers illness turns out to be quite severe and she requires medical assistance but guess what there's only one doctor on the Island and he's off on a house call on another Island. At the same time the weather worsens and well Momo has to take some drastic measures. We see only one part of the journey where she and Iwa (Momo's mother's old school friend) travel with spiritual assistance to sheld them from the rain and wind and miraculously her mother is cured.


The demons are funny and only stay for a span for a few days and it is quite sad to see them leave after finishing there mission. However do they fulfill Momo;s last request about sending her letter to her father? You will just have to see for yourself.  There is also an American dub version of this film.

Buy tickets to watch it now.
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Aisha Anime ^_^

It Only Happens in the Movies? Japanese Cinema and Encounters: A Bolt from the Blue

A time travelling magician? A great addition to the Japan foundation's touring film festival at the ICA London.

A Bolt from the Blue also known as Seiten no hekireki was a hit in Japan from 2014 due to being directed by a famous comedian, Hitori Gekidan. Based on Hitori’s own novel, it was a huge box office success in Japan. However there us more to the movie than meets the eye.

A movie following a dead beat magician with the skill but nothing to motivate him. Begrudging his parents for all his failures he lives by himself after leaving his dad after college. Resentful about his mother leaving him, he watches younger magicians get fame for his tricks.

One day after his flat is flooded he receives a call that his father is dead. He goes to the place where his body is found and discovers he had been homeless and living in a cardboard hut. In the hut he finds a photo of his father holding him as a baby, then like magic a both of lightening hits him and he is taken back in time to the year 1973.

Asakusa is the a place to launch stage performers and with help from a kid he is accepted as a trainee magician. It is here where he crosses paths with his young father to be.

With all the indications of his fathers faults and his birth nearing - will he find out the truth about his mother? Will he carry on to live life so bitterly. A great film to take inspiration from. Shape your life as you want do not run away and make excuses.

Buy tickets to the next showing (Jan 30-March 2015): https://www.ica.org.uk/whats-on/seasons/japan-foundation-touring-film-programme

It Only Happens in the Movies? Japanese Cinema and Encounters: Nobody to Watch Over Me

My favourite genre in Japanese film is Horror/thriller so I was excited to see 'Nobody to Watch over me' part of the Japan Foundation's touring film festival at London ICA.

Nobody to Watch Over Me (also known as Dare mo mamotte kurenai in Japanese) was a particularly interesting film directed and written by Ryoichi Kimizuka. It looks at crime through a different perspective. After watching Lady Vengeance you get an insight into the police force and how they humiliate the perpetrators on TV and seek out revenge. Nobody to watch over me follows the sister of an alleged killer. 

A police officer part of the case is sent to protect her from the media, stalkers and committing suicide. Whilst he does so and out of sympathy goes back to the family home to retrieve her mobile her mother has had enough of the allegations and hangs herself. The case is now point towards the police force for neglecting to save the public and protecting the 'killers' family.

Strange thing is we are never really sure if the boy killed the sisters or not, seeing as the only possible person to have interacted with him on the day was the sister and she refuses to talk.


Sadly the 15year old is hounded by friends, Internet and general weirdos. At the same  time you do start to question the police officer who chooses to hide her at a former victims hotel by the sea.

Needless to say this is a dark psychological movie with some action scenes to compare driving to the fast and furious Tokyo drift. Loving how versatile Ryuhei Matsuda (actor from Otakus in Love) is playing partner Misima giving the odd comedy moments.

A film to make to think of your family and appreciate all those precious moments before they are gone.

To buy tickets to the next screening as part of the touring film festival (30th Jan-March) use this link:
http://www.jpf-film.org.uk/venues/ica

It Only Happens in the Movies? Japanese Cinema and Encounters: My Little Sweet Pea

 I began to see the genre Japan Foundation chosen for this years film festival at ICA London- loss of family and had a great sadness watching the protagonist fight her emotions on whether to accept her estranged mother or not.

Catch another showing of this film:

Filmhouse
26 February 2015

Tyneside Cinema
2 March 2015

mac birmingham
3 March 2015

My little Sweetpea

A contemporary film set in current Kapan where Meguka lives a life of struggle with her brother ( Ryûhei Matsuda also starred in Otaku's in Love). Their father dies 3 years ago and lives on her Brothers wages or so she thinks.

Her world is turned upside down when a woman turns up on there  doorstep claiming to be her mother. Abandoning them as children due to their fathers infidelity Megu and her brother find it hard to forgive her.

However out of greed then agree yo her living with them as she had been sending them rent money regularly but was now unable to afford it. Megu is forced to lice with her mother Saiko as the brother decides to move out out of irritation.

She cannot tolerate the molly codelling and invasion of privacy, after her manga is thrown out and her application to voice acting school opened she lashes out at Saiko. Soon after she passes away from advanced liver cancer.

The story takes a strange detour where Megu travels to her mothers home town to bury her. Here us stared at and treated like a celebrity as she is the spitting image of her mum. Saiko was the high flyer and beauty queen of town.

Megu begins to learn more about her mother and the hardships of divorce. Did she come to stay with her knowing these were the last moments of her life? She didn't become the rich singer she dreamed of being but she was happy to have her kids. Through meeting the people in the village especially Saiko's friend Micheru she forgives her mother.

This film covered a lot of life's hardships, people are complex and not always clear. Also it was great to see hard working adults indulging in past times such as manga. Parents overall shape our behavior and way of living. Also was nice to see the curators choose a film looking at Otaku culture and having the actor Matsuda re appear after being show in Otaku's in Love at the last years touring film festival.

Eastside stories: Love Strikes

Where: ICA London/ Belfast/Bristol/Dundee/Edinburgh/Newcastle upon Tyne/Nottingham/Sheffield
When: 31 January to 27 March 2014

Set one year after the drama series 'Moteki'. Hitoshi Ohne's romantic comedy, based on a hugely popular manga and TV series, became a massive hit in Japan and was selected for the Top Films of 2011 by The Japan Times, Kinema Jumpo and Eiga Geijutsu. The Japan Foundation chose this film to be part of their East side stories: Youth culture touring film festival.

Set one year after the conclusion of the Japanese drama series 'Moteki', the film Love Strikes! continues to follow 31-year-old Yukiyo Fujimoto. Following Yukiyo’s feelings remaining somewhat unresolved after the mini series. Love Strikes! retains the elements of comedy and honesty that were present in both the manga and drama series, all the while delving deeper into the emotional obstacles faced by the protagonist Yukiyo.

Yukiyo, a man with no aim in life starts a new chapter in his life by working as a writer for a news site. Suddenly, Yukiyo experiences 'moteki' – a period when a man becomes suddenly popular with woman. Magazine editor Miyuki, who he talks to on twitter, one day initaites a meet up. Miyuki turn's out to a be woman rather than a geeky bloke. Then Miyuki's friend Rumiko, beautiful shop assistant Ai and beautiful, but tough co-worker named Motoko all become interested in Yukiyo. He tries to calm down, but is shaken by the interests of these women.  So many women but who is the one for Yukiyo?

The idea of one man simply attempting to lose his virginity is hilarious. Director Hitoshi Ohne brings the same charm as he did from the series. Using elements of musical sequences, slapstick moments, and some tense scenes of Yukiyo’s interaction with women. The film pokes fun at Yukiyo’s circumstances as well as showing his gradual growth as an individual, with each womanly encounter he begins to understand people better.

Mirai Moriyama holds the film together, without his exceptional acting as well as flamboyant dancing to rival or better that of guest star's Perfume. he encompasses the sexually frustrated Yukiyo perfectly. His execution of internal dialogues really make the film brilliant. Considering the length of the film you get a glimpse into the love affairs he has. Nagasawa’s character of Miyuki is cute, and mysterious giving Yukiyo mixed signals constantly. Whereas Aso’s character of Rumiko is shy and confident at the same time.

Love Strikes! presents a hysterical look into one man’s journey to find that special someone whilst dabbling in moteki. The Japan Foundation did a great job with the selection and getting q&a's with the directors and actors.