This one is arguably Kimutaku's best performance in the last 10 years, even better than that in Grand Maison Tokyo. I was glued at the edge of my seat whenever he's on scene, can't think anyone can pull that character better than him. Moka is the standout among the student's cast (who are already excellent, save for a botched and out-of-place comic relief), her acting in the last act is just impeccable. Give her more meaty roles like this, JMovie-Drama gods!
And that post credit scene...perhaps the next installment will be more brutal than the previous two?
I see they will undertake a different approach on the original material compared to the 2007 version. The thing that makes that previous version great is that they had three leads with very imposing screen presence (Kimutaku, Kitaoji, Suzuki Kyoka) which fits the theme of the show like a glove amongst other factors, such as production value and insanely grandiose soundtrack. TBS really went all out to make it work. Their counterparts in this version (Mukai, Nakai, and Uchida Yuki respectively) are great or at least competent actors, but they aren't even close to that of the 2007 version in term of presence and charisma.
Furthermore, a decision to cast an out-right incompetent actor, namely Fujigaya, could defeat the entire purpose of the show like a proper impostor (yeah I'm referring to Among Us lol). Unless they decrease his screen time massively that he doesn't need to show up often, although ironically this is kinda hard considering in the 2007 version Ginpei (portrayed by ever-reliable Yamamoto Koji) was the most important character outside from the three leads. Don't understand why WOWOW cast some very poor actors like him and Hashimoto Kanna (in the upcoming 'Influence') recently.
But I'm not tired of seeing Suda Masaki's face tho XD P/S: yeah,somehow I agree with you that they need to cast…
Sorry for hijacking the topic, but is it only me who sees the stakeholders in mainstream Japanese cinema/TV increasingly becoming elitist nowadays? Like, going as far as actively preventing new faces in getting substantial roles. Just look at the drastic heroine casting policy change of NHK's Asadora.
Recently Japanese indie scene, which is receptive to new names and the 'unknowns', is getting better and better (in the recent years there has been always at least one hit from the indies), but I'm afraid it could be too little, too late. They need something more to foster these talents.
Just-slightly-above-average-LA with some typical missing details, which perhaps due to fact they tried to cram multi-volume manga into a 2 hour movie. It's not necessarily a bad movie per se, but I glad I didn't spend my hard-earned money to watch it in cinema. Some scenes are very well shot and sequenced though. lil Riko's acting stands out of the four leads, her transition from a shy super meek to a more mature girl is on point and believable.
I managed to understand most of the main plot. It's just that ending scene with Ryotaro that had me confused,…
I concur with the time slip, that might be the correct assumption and this trick has been used time and time again in the genre (most recently in Netflix's Ju-on 2020). However, it still fails to explain the existence of Ryotaro's biological mother. A more plausible explanation is that the baby wasn't the only villager who escaped the massacre (the lady came from other lineage related to the village). Perhaps unbeknownst to everyone Yai had another offspring aside from Kanade's mother, which later bore the Ryotaro's biological mother? Or it simply has nothing to do with the occurrence in Inunaki Mura, i.e. Kanade's sixth sense was awakened sometime after Akina's incidence so that she can see the ghost of the lady (although this argument can be refuted by the fact Ryotaro has werewolf trait like Kanade's family)?
I'm still not dismissing it as plot hole, perhaps there could be some hints or even explanations in the upcoming sequel (Jukai Mura).
Beautifully yet unassumingly shot, this movie is as slice as life as it gets. The nostalgic feeling, both in Mio's hometown (I think it's set somewhere in Hiroshima) and East Tokyo's working class Shitamachi district, is so overwhelming especially towards the end of the movie. It also carries very strong and impactful message of the soul of such rustic and somewhat forgotten but colorful neighborhood, juxtaposed with gentrification in the name of 'progress'.
On side note, I like that they incorporate a bit of elements of diversity through portrayal of Ethiopian immigrant community in the Shitamachi area. This movie might raise the issue as well, especially when more and more people from different backgrounds move and live in Japan (or Tokyo in particular). I think 8.75/10 is a fair score for me.
PS: There is also a commercial/video clip style spin off of the movie. This time around, it shows the aftermath of the main movie from different perspective.
It's been 7-8 years since I wrote my opinion on her career (you can scroll down this page to find it). Glad to see her finally gets her acts together and becomes such an irreplaceable and indispensable actor in very dark, gritty roles (such as that of WOWOW projects). She basically goes into beast mode in Eerie, Plage, Nigeru Onna, and her bits in Cold Case season 1.
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And that post credit scene...perhaps the next installment will be more brutal than the previous two?
Furthermore, a decision to cast an out-right incompetent actor, namely Fujigaya, could defeat the entire purpose of the show like a proper impostor (yeah I'm referring to Among Us lol). Unless they decrease his screen time massively that he doesn't need to show up often, although ironically this is kinda hard considering in the 2007 version Ginpei (portrayed by ever-reliable Yamamoto Koji) was the most important character outside from the three leads. Don't understand why WOWOW cast some very poor actors like him and Hashimoto Kanna (in the upcoming 'Influence') recently.
Recently Japanese indie scene, which is receptive to new names and the 'unknowns', is getting better and better (in the recent years there has been always at least one hit from the indies), but I'm afraid it could be too little, too late. They need something more to foster these talents.
Been eyeing to watch Itomichi btw, I hope it'll be good and do Ren-chan justice. She's so underrated.
I'm still not dismissing it as plot hole, perhaps there could be some hints or even explanations in the upcoming sequel (Jukai Mura).
On side note, I like that they incorporate a bit of elements of diversity through portrayal of Ethiopian immigrant community in the Shitamachi area. This movie might raise the issue as well, especially when more and more people from different backgrounds move and live in Japan (or Tokyo in particular). I think 8.75/10 is a fair score for me.
PS: There is also a commercial/video clip style spin off of the movie. This time around, it shows the aftermath of the main movie from different perspective.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKOZAfeSwWI