Marking 30 years since Takeshi Kitano's debut feature, 'Violent Cop'
On Aug. 12, 1989, "Beat" Takeshi Kitano's debut as a director, "Violent Cop," was released in Japan. Kitano was already famous here as a TV comic and emcee, and was known abroad for his role as a brutal POW camp guard in Nagisa Oshima's ...
Japan 1919: Women go on strike for first time in Japan
100 YEARS AGO Wednesday, Aug. 13 1919 First women's strike in Japan THE JAPAN TIMES Over 100 female workers employed at a silk reeling factory in Maebashi struck, demanding a 50 percent increase in wages, on Friday. Owing to the absence of the proprietor, the foreman promised to ...
Takeshi Kitano to abandon his 'army' of talent
There's a tired adage that goes, "Behind every great man is a great woman." In Japan, you could amend it to: "Behind every great older man is a great woman making sure he stays relevant, especially if he's in show business." The tabloid press ...
'Outrage Coda': Takeshi Kitano's kill count climbs high for trilogy's finale
In his nearly three decades as a director, "Beat" Takeshi Kitano has won many critical plaudits and prizes abroad. But in Japan he is best known as a TV personality and comedian. These two strands of his artistic personality — master director and mass ...
Kings of comedy yuck it up on April Fools
While satire isn't a staple among Japanese humorists, two kings of comedy are leading the way.
