SHOWBIZ: Gem of a festival

Get ready for a feast of top Japanese films that will be screened in Kuala Lumpur and Penang, writes Subhadra Devan

WITH a wide variety of themes and genres, the 12 films at the Japanese Film Festival 2012, promises six-days of non-stop entertainment.  

Here are the films that will be screened from Sept 13 in the Klang Valley and Sept 20 in Penang.

A Good Husband (2009)
The story is about lazy womaniser Shunsuke who is thrown off balance when his health-conscious wife, Sakura, tells him she is leaving him. Directed by Yukisada Isao and starring Toyokawa Etsushi, Yakushimaru Hiroko and Mizukawa Asami.

Always — Sunset On Third Street 3 (2012)
It’s 1964. With Tokyo preparing to host the Olympics, buildings and highways are being constructed at a feverish pace, and excitement fills the air. The people of Third Street carry on with their lives, as colourful and vibrant as ever. Directed by Yamazaki Takashi, with Yoshioka Hidetaka, and Tsutsumi Shinichi.

Death Of A Japanese Salesman (2011)
After working for the same company for 40 years as a sales representative, Sunada Tomoaki retires at 67. He is diagnosed with cancer. In order to sum up his whole life and to leave a message to his family, he works on a last project. Directed by Sunada Mami.

Hayabusa (2011)
Aspiring astronomer Mizusawa Megumi is scouted by Dr Matoba of the Institute Of Space And Astronautical Science, and joins the team Hayabusa, which aims to reach the asteroid Itokawa. Soon, she begins writing the Adventure Diary Of Hayabusa. Directed by Tsutsumi Yukihiko, and starring Takeuchi Yuko, Nishida Toshiyuki and Takashima Masahiro.

I Wish (2011)
When sixth grader Koichi’s parents divorce, he and his mother move from Osaka to Kagoshima. He has difficulty adjusting to his new surroundings, and begins formulating a plan with his younger brother, Ryunosuke, who lives in Fukuoka with their father, to bring about a miracle. Directed by Kore-eda Hirokazu. Cast includes Maeda Koki, Maeda Ohshiro, Odagiri Joe, and Ohtsuka Nene.

Ninja Kids!!! (2011)
Rantaro is the son of a ninja  family. In the hope that their son will become an elite ninja, his parents send him to Ninja Academy where Rantaro befriends Shinbei and Kirimaru. School is fun with its eccentric teachers and pretty girl ninjas. However, the results of their school tests aren’t good at all. Directed by Miike Takashi, with Kato Seishiro, Hayashi Roi, Kimura Futa and Hira Mikijiro.

Permanent Nobara (2010)
Naoko returns home with her young daughter. Her mother, Masako, runs the only beauty salon in town where the local women gather to pass the time, lament their bad luck with men and laugh over dirty jokes. Meanwhile, Naoko has been secretly seeing her former teacher, Kashima. Directed by Yoshida Daihachi. Cast: Kanno Miho, Eguchi Yosuke and Koike Eiko.

Rebirth (2011)
Kiwako, who has fallen in love with a married man, impulsively abducts his infant daughter. She is later arrested after four years on the lam, and the child, Erina, returned to her true parents. When she grows up, Erina also finds herself in a relationship with a married man. Directed by Narushima Izuru, with Inoue Mao, Nagasaku Hiromi and Koike Eiko.

Someday (2011)
Zen, who runs an eatery serving deer meat in Oshika village, is also a top-billed kabuki star.One day in autumn as the villagers are preparing to put on a show, Zen is thrown for a loop when he is visited by his wife Takako and his childhood friend Osamu who ran away together 18 years ago. Directed by Sakamoto Junji, it stars Harada Yoshio, Kusunoki Michiyo, Kishibe Ittoko and Matsu Takako.

The Last Ronin (2011)
Sixteen years after 47 ronin (masterless samurai) made history by avenging their lord’s death in a heroic raid and then committing ritual suicide, the sole survivor of the tragedy, Kichiemon Terasaka (Koichi Sato), travels the land on a mission to find the families of the fallen warriors. He unexpectedly comes across his close and long-time friend Magozaemon Senoo (Koji Yakusho), who ran away the day before the ronin uprising, betraying his comrades.

Wonder Child (2006)
Wao, a piano student, practises at home, much to the consternation of his neighbours. Uta is also a pianist, but unlike Wao she is a genius who could read music before she could speak. Lately, however, Uta has come to doubt if she wants to spend her life playing the piano. Directed by Hagiuda Koji. Starring Narumi Riko and Matsuyama Kenichi.

A scene from The Last Ronin

Ninja Kids!!! is a hilarious take on social class

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