Tag - yu-aoi

 
 

YU AOI

Netflix series “Asura,” directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda, is a remake of a classic TV drama (known as “Like Asura” in English), created by Kuniko Mukoda and broadcast by NHK between 1979 and 1980.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Feb 12, 2025
The different faces of ‘Asura’ through the generations
While Hirokazu Kore-eda’s new series meticulously remakes a classic NHK drama, this reinterpretation tweaks the story to give its female characters more agency.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jan 21, 2021
Race back to anime’s halcyon days with 'Redline'
The action-packed film about adrenaline-chasing racers in a distant galaxy draws fervent fans for its 10th anniversary.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Nov 5, 2020
‘Ora, Ora Be Goin’ Alone’: Grandma isn’t done living life to the fullest
Shuichi Okita's film about a lonely elderly woman searching for meaning in her life presents old age with humor and pathos.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 14, 2020
‘Wife of a Spy’: Gripping drama lays bare wartime atrocities
Fresh off a win for best director at the Venice International Film Festival, Kiyoshi Kurosawa's masterful look at war heroes is out in Japan.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jan 23, 2020
'Romance Doll': A mature take on guys and dolls
The premise for Yuki Tanada's film about a sex doll designer gets laughs, but also offers sharp insights into human issues.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jan 22, 2020
'Romance Doll' shows there's a fine line between sex and love
Yuki Tanada's latest film, an adaptation of one of her own novels, looks at the use of dolls as substitutes for humans in relationships.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Aug 15, 2018
'Penguin Highway': What goes up must come down ... in penguin form
There's something about the playful, magical realist novels of Tomihiko Morimi that seems to lend itself to animated adaptations. Those adaptations include TV series like "The Tatami Galaxy" ("Yojohan Shinwa Taikei") and "The Eccentric Family" ("Uchoten Kazoku"), plus last year's film "The Night is Short,...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 25, 2017
'Birds Without Names': Strong acting gets us through a couple's bad romance
If you're in the mood for a pleasant love story, avoid "Birds Without Names" like the plague. On the other hand, if you're cursing the idea of another Christmas alone, revel in the hope that all relationships may be as bad as the ones in this film.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Dec 8, 2016
Ishizaki switches guitars for scripts in his on-screen debut
Making his on-screen debut in Daigo Matsui's multistranded, disorderly and, at times, moving film "Japanese Girls Never Die" ("Azumi Harako wa Yukie Fumei"), singer Huwie Ishizaki admits that he was nervous prior to stepping in front of the cameras. The 32-year-old solo artist is used to putting on intense...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Nov 30, 2016
'Japanese Girls Never Die': They want to have more than just fun
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said he wants to build a society in which "all women can shine." But as Daigo Matsui graphically shows in his new film "Japanese Girls Never Die," women in Japan are still living in a male-dominated society that, in everything from unequal pay to blatant sexual harassment,...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 19, 2016
Japan's eclectic collection of choice
The Tokyo International Film Festival offers a great once-in-a-year opportunity to see new and classic Japanese films with English subtitles. The sheer quantity on offer — more than 50 titles in the main sections alone — can be overwhelming, though. Here are samples from my own must-see list.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Aug 3, 2015
World Heritage site tourism; visualizing Hiroshima's bombing; CM of the Week: Mitsui Real Estate
Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Hakubun Shimomura takes time away from dealing with the new national stadium to make a guest appearance on the travel program "So da, Dokka ni Ikko?" ("Well, Where Shall We Go?"; TV Tokyo, Tues., 6:57 p.m.). Shimomura is there to introduce...

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji