The Denshi Jisho Forum is a place for people to help each other with Japanese, and a great way for users to get together and socialize.
Vanilla 1.1.4 is a product of Lussumo. More Information: Documentation, Community Support.
Don't you just hate those awkward silences? We've all introduced ourselves, we've talked about the weather, and now... we're just looking at each other and smiling, slightly embarassed :)
Since everybody is so awfully quiet lately, I thought about opening this thread. So, WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE JAPANESE MOVIE? Or movies, if the case be. And, of course, why.
I started with Takashi Miike's films, the first one being Ichi the Killer, since I'd heard so much about it. (Frankly, I think it's the only movie where Tadanobu Asano does any playing at all. But that's just me.) I've seen much of Miike's work, and my loyalties remain with Ichi and Gozu. Then, I discovered Takeshi Kitano, only to be pleasantly shocked by his Takeshis'. I've seen many other J-flicks, not all worth mentioning.
And then, there was Zatoichi. I find the series (with very few exceptions) not only a masterpiece, but a lesson in film-making and coolness. A role-model, indeed.
Well, I can talk about this for hours. But let's see what your favorites are!
Obey the penguin.I like the idea :)
I am not a huge movie buff, but one of the few I have bought on DVD is Takeshi's Zatoichi movie, which I find very relaxing. I especially like the mood and stellar soundtrack. Of his other works I quite enjoyed Hana-bi, but didn't take a liking to Dolls, finding it too slow (ironic since 2001 A Space Odyssey is one of my all time favouritme movies). But it was a long time since I saw Hana-bi and Dolls, so my opinion might change if I were to see them again.
I also have a soft spot for the original Ghost in the Shell movie since it was one of my first encouters with any kind of Japanese cinema.
I make Denshi Jisho.I really liked Mononoke-hime, it's a very good animated movie ;P
たそがれ清兵衛（せいべい）aka The Twilight Samurai - A very realistic story from a poor, but content, samurai's life from the pre Meiji Restoration period (mid 19th century). This movie is not about samurai 'action', it's about a samurais daily life. Wonderful acting, very touching--I really enjoy Hiroyuki Sanada's films, but this one in particular. A must see for anyone at all interested in Japan. http://www.shochiku.co.jp/seibei/
誰も知らない（だれもしらない）aka Nobody Knows - Sad sad sad movie about four young children abandoned by their mother in a Tokyo apartment. The mother sends money at first, but soon leaves the kids to fend for themselves completely. They find various ways to cope, but things turn out for the worse. The worst part of the movie is that it is based on a true story. Again really excellent casting, very powerful story. Anybody with any amount of compassion whatsoever needs to see this movie. http://www.kore-eda.com/daremoshiranai/#
GO - about a Korean youth living in Japan. I like the way this movie was made. It has some good messages and it was an interesting story. http://www.cinematopics.com/cinema/works/output2.php?oid=988
火垂るの墓（ほてるのはか）aka Grave of the Fireflies (animation). I think that Kanji is correct but not sure. Anyway this is about a young boy and his younger sister making a living after losing both parents due to the war. The young boy has too much pride to stay with relatives that don't treat him and his sister particularly well, and they end up living in an old war bunker on the side of a hill. It's extremely sad, and happy endings need not apply here. Yet, it's one of the most powerful films I've ever seen. If you don't feel a little like changing the world after you see this film you have not heart :P Highly recommended.
The entire Ghibli series. I'm a big fan of movies like Nausicaa, Castle in the Sky, Totoro, Kiki's etc. I think they are really classic, appropriate for all ages, can be liked by anyone kind of films. All of the Ghibli films have great things to say, and if you have children I highly recommend these films for you and your family. They are loved throughout Japan and for very good reason. http://www.ghibli.jp/
Kikujiro - Beat Takeshi film. I don't know exactly how to describe this movie, only to say that you should watch it. It's unlike ay other film I've seen :) A man played by Beat Takeshi takes a young boy who lives with his Grandma on a search to find the boys mother. Great innocence, fun, and just.. well. it's different! Take a look at the website (english version here) http://www.sonypictures.com/classics/kikujiro/
花火（はなび）aka Fireworks - another Takeshi film. I need to watch this one again, but I remember really liking it for its dramatic play, and upside-down message. It's similar to other Takeshi films in that way. Got a bit of a surprise ending too (at least it surprised me). Recommended ^_^
Lol looks to me like you're blackmailing us here. So, if we don't watch the above, then:
1) we have no interest in Japan
2) we have no compassion whatsoever, and
3) we are heartless
You should be in the movie business ;)
For anyone interested in gory stuff, there's the Guinea Pig collection and the very rare Men Behind the Sun collection. Both cult-ish and considered very violent at the time.
I've seen neither Kikujiro nor Dolls, but I prolly should, since Kitano clearly has something to say.
Obey the penguin.lol, didn't mean to be overly enthusiastic or pushy about it ;) but I do hope you watch and enjoy them ^_^
I really enjoyed too the Takashi Miike movies and Takeshi Kitano. But, the Japanese movie which touched me the most was The taste of Tea (茶の味) from katsuhito ishii. Another movie with Tadanobu Asano, I like his charisma. Anybody else saw that movie?
Well I watch a lot of anime and read a lot of manga. I haven't seen any J-Movies but I have watched a few J-Dorama's.
Hanazakari no Kimitachi E - Oguri Shun is one of my favs and since its based on one of my all time fav manga's I enjoyed it. I thought it was short though. Has a lot of bishies in it, which I liked ^_^
Hana Yori Dango 1 and 2 - Also based on the manga and I enjoyed it coz of the actors and story. I havent read the manga fully, but I'm quite fond of the series. Apparently there's going to be a movie coming up soon, I can't wait.
Kimi Wa Petto - From a first glance it looks like it has a lot of potential to be really dirty, but its actually very innocent and has a dramatic storyline. Captured my interest with Matsumoto Jun, but then I just fell in love with the interaction the lead actors had with each other and the story they portrayed.
Most anime/drama that I see is what inspired me to learn Japanese in the first place, and now I'm quite confident about my understanding of the language. There's so much more I'd like to learn, with all the culture references etc.
I like Always (3丁目の夕日). It's a good, non-violent story with some interesting dialect in it.
I have watched many J-Movies either, but the ones I have watched are magneficent. I'm a huge fan of all the Ghibli films. Besides animation though, I really enjoy Akira Kurosawa films. Most notably, Seven Samurai and Yojimbo. The cinematography is spectacular, especially for the time. I'm an old spaghetti western type of guy so it's interesting to see the same concept in the east (what would you call them? Easterns? lol). Great storylines and characters. Truly remarkable films.
Yeah, I'm pretty much just a SPOONY BARD! ^.^I've never been a big Kurosawa fan, although I've watched a number of his films. I found Kagemusha and Ikiru quite digerable though, and Yojinbo and Rashomon were ok (although the idea in the latter is by no means new). Mifune is pretty damn good. I've watched them a few years ago however, so my opinions may be different now.
Speaking of the Seven Samurai, and considering your tastes, I suppose you couldn't have missed The Magnificent Seven, right? :P
Obey the penguin.**To antinomic
No I haven't oddly enough. I have seen and heard of it, but definitely want to see it. It is directed by John Sturges I do believe. It's based after Seven Samurai right? I might just buy it...
Yeah, I'm pretty much just a SPOONY BARD! ^.^ShiriruBBoy: Yes, i've seen 茶の味 and think too it's a wonderful movie. I recommend too all of Hirokazu Koreeda films. The most famous is 誰もしらない、but his other movies like 花よりもなほ and アフターライフ are little pieces of art. 幻の光 it's also good but i didn't like it so much.
Akira. Akira is definitely one of the best works I have ever seen.
~Fumoffu! 世界にようこそNice! I love that movie! The animation is beautiful and the plot has a lot of important underlying themes. Although, I have to say the manga is better (haha, everyone says that.)
Yeah, I'm pretty much just a SPOONY BARD! ^.^Yeah, that's true....
~Fumoffu! 世界にようこそ1 to 16 of 16