heartaem

I'm expecting a 7-8/10 more than something record breaking to be totally honest; with Japanese films, high regard in the West - as amazing as it is - doesn't always mean much for people who consume the content often

I totally agree with you to be honest. A lot of Miikes work is translating a novel or tome to the big screen which is fine but usually the message is lost and found in the original source, or he just wants to make a movie. Sometimes for the sake of it, sometimes I feel he just takes a movie he's offered based on the content of his past movies and I feel like some he just takes to fund movies he wants to make.

I adore special effects so for me, I do love that a lot of Miikes are gore. You can see most of the detailing in the work and how much he wants it present in his films which is something i can appreciate very much as someone who has studied it. He very much valued his SFX crews which isn't something that's inherently common in horror or movies as a whole (barring things like scifi, fantasy etc, but even then you can see in some that they don't really care about the effects of the artists they just Needed them)

Haha each to their own! Exte is very weird like it's a proper trashy cringey horror but at the same time he approaches it with such skill, for me and a lot of avid horror fans (like 1k movies watched and 60+% is horror type of avid) really enjoyed it. But curse films are very hit and miss and other than the curse and object itself I wouldn't say its inherently original. Exte is a very good first film for people discovering Sono I think, but from clips I've seen I think those who found him before seeing it might not enjoy it too much.

I am definitely looking into Sono! After seeing Exte and Suicide Club I'm very intrigued by him. I'm doing an article on The Chasing World series which has made me aware of Tag and I have to watch it for the piece but I am very much looking forward to it. I might end up doing a fan guide to him as well, he's a very curious man who somehow mixes bizarre and horror very well with a grace I haven't seen from any other director yet.

But yeah Miikes violence is definitely more for entertainment, like a good slasher film. I do like directors to be more finessed with their gore to a degree but I feel, as a gore horror fan, Miike has that love for it in his work and that shines through so for an entertainment piece for me it's done on a decent level. I am very curious to look into Sono's though, the man has definitely captured my attention.

I'd agree to a point. I feel like they get offered films based on type like a type cast of an actor sometimes and definitely, some of Mikkes films are a complete miss.
I wouldn't quite say Sion and Miike are similar. They both have obscene gore but Miike does it more to have content like that whereas Sion does so to make the audience feel, provoke them and convey a message. I wouldn't say a lot of Miikes do that inherently; the pondering of the audience tends to be on the audiences part rather than something Miike wanted.
First Love looks amazing, it's definitely my top anticipated for 2000!

Thank you!
I am as well, it looks so good and its been an absolute hit with the West! Something pretty promising for a subbed film

I think the thing that pushes them for me is because I have rarely ever seen the source content so it's a nice ease into the actual content. Seeing it from that perspective, and how often his work is a way for fans to discover the content, to me that's doing a LA very well. Usually people would watch the film and be done with it but a lot of Miike fans I know end up looking into the original pieces due to his film which I think definitely classes as making well developed ones. I for sure am looking into Jojo after seeing DIU. And Ichi is honestly probably the best LA I've personally seen. Miike didn't miss much out but still left enough of the original manga in the manga for people to discover it.
His action and more psych horror is definitely somewhat ahead of the game or at least top 20/10 of the genres themselves; I'm really excited to finish the crows zero series, the first took me completely by surprise. A bit on edge about the third but the third in most franchises is rarely at the same level as the first two.
His gore is quite disturbing and to be honest I have respect for him for that. Too many horror directors (in both Asian and western horror) tend to shy away from doing too much with their gore but Miike has never shied away. He said this is me this is my works and you'll deal with it and I have a high respect for that. Takes a brave man to go here's a seriously screwed up film and all the film festivals and critics are gonna see it straight away uncut.

I can't speak for others but for me, part of the appeal is he was one of the first Japanese directors I actually started watching so I do have the nostalgic edge to it for me. I think that definitely boosts him up a bit more for me than what some others would hold him at. I think for gore fans as well, his gore is somewhat top line. I adore Sion's films (just started getting into him as well, Exte left me with an actual fear of hair >< legendary director), I personally do find his gore a little over the top and a bit ridiculous. Miike has a more realistic type side to his gore, still exaggerated but it's realistic side is recognisable. For me, I prefer him more as a gore horror director but I do enjoy the rest of his stuff as well.

Crows Zero did surprise me actually; it's not my type of film at all and I did expect to be bored but I think it's pretty good. I think another part of Mike's appeal is the way he does quite a few adaptations; tomes, novels and anime/manga which does covet him a lot of fans thankful for the adaption and such and imo, he does these very well compared to a lot of other directors.

Ichi is really good, it is my favourite guilty pleasure film! I can DM you about the tws and where to watch and such if you'd like!

I somewhat agree; however as a non fan this was actually a very nice as over the top it could have been introduction to the franchise. Whilst from what I've seen some things held very strongly I definitely agree. Seeing josuke screenshots from the manga you can tell the bizarre/zany scales aren't the same when compared but for a LA I think it's done pretty well. Jojo has a LOT going on and I think Miike did a good job of corellating a few points onto the screen

I didn't get a chance to watch it before this article unfortunately! I have heard amazing things about it though and it is very high on my to watch next list!

Ah, I was relatively disappointed with sadako, but I am a die hard horror fan so it can be hard for me to enjoy a franchise after its gone on so long.
Hiroya is a stunning actor I cannot wait to see what else he's going to do. I hope he sticks in the horror genre, he's got real promise here

Brilliant ideas! I could use some of those hoodies... Now where's the article on how to convince your family :')
Jokes aside, brilliant article! Thank you, this is going to help me massively

Liverleaf was amazing, one of my only 10/10 from 2018. Both Anna and Hiroya have such amazing performances. Hiroya was picked up for the Sadako film this year, joining the Ring franchise under the original director. Both of them are definitely going to go on to amazing things

Not too sure how I feel on this... Sounds like a lot of other curse based horror films that diluted and took over the 2000s. Have to wait and see.

I just glanced at them and it is! Mine does too, it has 20 episodes for some reason with no indication some are a different series >< I'd have ignored them thinking it was an error

Oh has season 2 already come out??? I had no idea, thanks for that ^^ Can't wait to sit and binge through it

Half way through this atm and very glad to see people are enjoying this so much, makes me even more excited to finish it ^^

Omori Nao and Miike is a god tier pairing; I was already excited enough but after spotting that [eyes emoji]

Haha, nothing is better on a cold weekend than something that makes you hide under your blankets and get even warmer! Ichi the Killer, Lesson of the Evil... pretty much anything by Miike and I have a soft spot for Death Bell series too!

They're so good, you have so much skill! Can't wait to read over your previous articles ♥

I don't usually step out of horror films much unless they're short films, but I definitely want to give these a try!
Beautiful article and lovely graphics! Where did you make these, if I can ask?

Weekend pick would be the Crows Zero franchise; nothing beats a good action driven yakuza punch fest imo :')

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gknvV5XHL-s&t=3s

The short with English subs~

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7qxJV7tnmY

The short, with full English subtitles~