Nana (2005)

In search of the Nana:

Remembering Your Future, Yesterday.

http://manga.about.com/od/moviereviews/gr/NanaMovie.htm

http://www.midnighteye.com/reviews/nana/

http://www.tohokingdom.com/reviews/driscoll/nana.html

http://myac.asia/j-movie-nana-2005/

http://asianmovie-reviews.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/nana-japanese-movie-part-i-2005.html

http://purisukareviews.wordpress.com/2010/02/02/j-movie-nana-2005/

http://nana.wikia.com/wiki/Nana_Wiki

After watching Nana the live action film, It seemed appropriated to watch the Anime also, the Film is enjoyable but there was a lot of moment when I felt there was suggestions throughout the plot that the Anime may explain a bit more. After Kamikaze Girls (2004) and Sakuran (2006) were released which Anna Tsuchiya stars in both of them; Anna Tsuchiya is not just a Actress, She is a Model and rock star from Japan ( Which You Probably know already But I am trying to explain the my interest in the film), Anna Tsuchiya has released songs for Nana, Now when A film has good actors interested in the film and acting in the film it makes perfect sense that it is going to be a good film, right  :) Now they have a second film but I have no interested in watching that, for one thins they changes the actress who played Nana Komatsu ( Aoi Miyazaki) and secondly because I am more interested in the Anime now. Nana Komatsu's character in the film seemed unexplained, And in the Anime it explains that there is more to a person that there appearance, Nana Is not just a Typical innocent Lolita character and Nana Osaki just a rock chick. The film reminded me of  Kamikaze Girls or even Cutie honey (2004), In regards of the two female characters being so different in personality but they learn to accept each others personality's in the end.Now what is appealing about the film , is the rock elements and the fact it is about an unusual friendship and it would be boring if the characters where exactly the same as each other. It is not what your expecting and it is light hearted like Kamikaze Girls.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_based_on_manga

Time Traveller: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2010)

If your going to watch the film, Watch the Anime as well:

So near but so far and beyond our reach or understanding..

http://www.isugoi.com/time-traveller-the-girl-who-leapt-through-time-review/
http://asianwiki.com/Time_Traveller:_The_Girl_Who_Leapt_Through_Time
http://atemporarydistraction.com/2011/05/dvd-review-time-traveller-the-girl-who-leapt-through-time/
http://opionator.wordpress.com/2010/12/17/time-traveller-the-girl-who-leapt-through-time/
http://www.dvdactive.com/reviews/dvd/time-traveller-the-girl-who-lept-through-time.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2008/sep/19/animation.worldcinema
http://letterboxd.com/symonymm/film/the-girl-who-leapt-through-time/
http://www.thenerdcabinet.com/?gamepress_reviews=the-girl-who-leapt-through-time-anime-review
http://asianwiki.com/Riisa_Naka

The film and the anime are enjoyable for different reason and even though the concepts are the similar idea but the outcome is very different; now according to the Wikipedia page there is also a Manga and a book by Yasutaka Tsutsui which have been adapted into television series and films. Now the Anime version could be explained but the only thing being is there is slight difference in the names and the event that take place like the differences that Battle Royale has in its media platforms. Indeed the story is about a girl how leaps through time but for example in the Anime the who leaps through time has no idea how she achieves it until the end of the film when things are explained to Her but in the film She drinks a formula that allows Her to time travel. So the Anime can't be compared to the film but both should be watched to get a greater understanding to the over theme of the film, Now the main actress in this film (Riisa Naka) is also the Japanese voice actress for the Anime.

Now Akari Yoshiyama travels into the year 1974 after Her mother is hospitalized because She walk in to a car, which is a very bizarre concept to begin with and then Akari follows Her mothers instructions to go back to the past but Akari doesn't question Her mothers sanity at this point. Akari goes to the past, crashing into Ryota Mizorok who is a science-fiction freak and proves She is from the future by flashing Her mobile and He soon believes Her. Akari then makes it Her mission to track down Her mother from the past and the boy in the photo She has of Her mother. This is not really explained clearly as far as i am aware because it is interfering with past events and on top of that Her mother past self in disturbed by a random stranger asking Her personal questions. Her introduction when a little like " hello, I have a photograph of you and this boy, who is he? You don't know, I will follow you till you tell me who this guy is". Now for the rest of the film Akari follow Her mother around, Her friendship with Ryota changes to something else but the film has a tragic ending and Akari has Her memories erased so She can't remember or going to the past. but never the less the ending is sad and even though She can't remember Ryoka , She still cries when She watches His film that the produced together. Also look out for Mitsuko Delivers(2011), Cafe Isobe (2008), Summer wars (2009) and Love Strikes (2011) which Riisa Naka also stars in.

Love Strikes (2011)

http://asianwiki.com/Love_Strikes!
http://www.isugoi.com/love-strikes-review/
http://twitchfilm.com/2012/08/fantasia-2012-love-strikes.html
http://www.flixist.com/japan-cuts-review-love-strikes--211292.phtml

How stupid can you be ? 

Love strikes repeatedly with some cheese, but that was some good cheese.

The main concept of the film is that love is not perfect, it's crazy, bizarre  weird and takes us to places that we don't want to be but we are drawn to do so and for what? our main character, Yukiyo Fujimoto is looking for love but bites off more than he can chew when He meets Miyuki and His world changes for ever. It sounds like a simple love story but you would be wrong because His journey is more complicated than that. Yukiyo seems to have very bad luck in His life, No one respect's Him at work and everyone points out His false  At first you think that they are bullying Him but as you watch the film you can see that Yukiyo isn't as nice as He first appeared and His work mates are trying to knock some sense in to Him. Now as soon as Yukiyo meets Miyuki, He pretty much becomes obsessed with Her even though it is clear to everyone else that She has no real desire to be with him. Yukiyo ignores all ( She has a Boyfriend) logic and becomes ever so more captivated with Her. Even though it is obvious to the viewer and the people on the film that Miyuki is not interested in Him. The love element in the film are not glamorous at all, even though the characters are torn apart into pieces, They are built back up again, Bigger and Better than before. Yes Love strikes, Love hurts and Love is not simple at all: 

Yukiyo is only human at the end of the day, Throughout the film he makes massive mistakes like you would not be surprised if He would set someones house on fire. Now the reason you lose sympathy for Yukiyo is because of His obsession for Miyuki, the reason for this is Yukiyo ignore one of His opportunity with Rumiko to be with Yukiyo and despite Her character being quite charming. Yukiyo is a playgirl ( it is in the nature), where as Rumiko is a loyal character who is infatuated with Yukiyo and despite the film is hard to watch at times. It has a good point, Love is far to complex in real life to make a formal from it so how can film do that? The film is funny and entertaining, There is random sing and random dancing.The film is not meant to be taken seriously at all  but the ending was a little disappointing because despite the film's narrative going into different directions, the ending was pure cheese because He end up with Miyuki: This ending does not register or ring true at all. Not that the desired ending was Yukito being alone but there was Three other women in this film, two of which like Him ( Rumiko and Ai).

Gantz (2011)

Here We come walking down the street:

Shooting Everything and Everyone that we meet, 

http://www.mania.com/gantz-movie-review_article_127854.html

http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/01/24/gantz-movie-review/

http://risingtokusatsu.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/movie-review-gantz.html

http://asianwiki.com/GANTZ_(2011-Japan-Live_Action)

Gantz at first glance looks like an interesting film because it has the same production team as Death Note, it also has Kenichi Matsuyama who plays L and Manga adaptation's seem to be popular at the moment. The film is interesting to watch, I liked the concept that the outfits that they where wearing gave them superhuman powers and the concept that they did not chose the situation that they where in but some characters ever embarrassed the situation of rejected it. now I like the adaptation of Manga's in japan because japan always seem to do brilliant adaptation work in their film and the adaption gives the viewer's a chance to see one of the millions of Anime's in live action form. Kenichi Matsuyama seems to be in a lot of Manga adaptation films but one of the interesting fact about the film was even though some of the other cast members that where unknown to me, where go actors. The overall performance was interesting and gripping to the point wanting to read the Manga.

It is understandable that when it comes to adaptations of Manga that the director can not always manga to insert all of the material into the film so it is up to the audience to interact in other ways. The film is a survival Game like Battle Royale, where the characters die and are forced to live their second life's being controlled by an alien being. This not exactly what I was expecting because the front cover looks like a superhero movie but then again; it is a Japanese film at the end of the day and the theme is more complex than that.

Like Battle Royale the character are testiest for their endurance, but unlike Battle Royale there was no favoritism in the cat members and Kenichi Matsuyama's character is killed off. In fact most of the characters who play the game are killed off, except from Kei played by Kazunari  Ninomiya and Yoshikazu who is played Tomorowo  Taguchi. The film has a lot of blood and guts which Japanese films have perfected this on so many levels but they are fighting again aliens which was an interesting plot point. The aliens came in many different form, the second looked like where's Wally and It is almost as if the director has been adding a few unseen jokes like that on purpose :) They should add Comedy and Horror to the equation but beautifully done so. The reason it could be called as a horror is because the Characters are hunted down and they go through a lot of new characters quickly. the film is very philosophical and asks you to looks beyond your normal realms of knowledge

Karate Girl (2011)

Not like High Kick Girl at all:

Once, Twice , Three times My sister

http://japancinema.net/2011/08/11/karate-girl-review/

http://bitfister.com/martialhorror/kg/

http://www.kungfucinema.com/reviews/kg-karate-girl-2011

http://www.beyondhollywood.com/karate-girl-2011-movie-review/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karate_Girl

Unlike High Kick Girl (2009), The Narrative made sense and was enjoyable to want. There was some similarities between the two films but this was mainly in the beginning Where the teacher for High Kick Girl appeared but in Karate Girl He played the Girls father. Now this made sense that His daughters would seek out revenge eventually  over their father death which occurred within the first 10 minutes of the film so.The things in the film which where questionable, was How old where the characters? our Main character had a job, which I thought was a good concept but then is wearing a school uniform in the next scene. Why is one of the sisters wearing black and the over white? and What happened to the female character who was playing Kurenai Ayaka's boss because she was following Her around everywhere one minute and then she suddenly vanished from the film. But the director was really trying to make a good story-line which was appreciated and the acting was good . It didn't have a really sad story-line like Chocolate (2008), which has set a new standard of awesome in the kung-fu world but Karate Girl did have a sentiment concept. It is better than High Kick Girl, which is repeated constantly but that is because I was bitterly disappointed with High Kick Girl . Don't get Me wrong, both films have good martial arts but Karate Girl didn't have the power hungry teenage who was looking for trouble.

Linda Linda Linda (2005)

http://asianwiki.com/Linda_Linda_Linda
http://www.midnighteye.com/reviews/linda-linda-linda/
http://www.onemetal.com/2010/04/29/linda-linda-linda/
http://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review/linda-linda-linda/2563
http://thegrandnarrative.com/2012/06/25/linda-linda-linda/

Korean Girl say's a friendly hello to Japan and sings a song:

Linda Linda Linda, Your amazing

The story is about the magic of music and how it bring a young Korean girl out of Her shell; It is about friendship and the intense magic music which is a universal expressive tool. The Korean girl sticks out as a character because I think the director wanted to have a distinction between the culture, Now I liked the film and would recommend it to anyone. I preferred Aki Maeda in this film, more than I did in Battle Royale and this has nothing to with Her acting ability in Battle Royale. It's just I actually get to see Her act this time because She had Her own screen time, now the whole film has a very enthusiastic vibe. It was obvious that film was about music but i did not realize that they would be singing that are real-life hits:

So the film is trying to promote Japanese music in an interesting way, people who are interested in Japan will probably like songs from Anime anyway and it does have Bae doo na from Air Doll (2009). Now Bea doo na plays the foreign student who struggles to fit in but then Her  then She goes on an exciting adventure with the band. Now Her character is important to the plot because She is different to everyone else, so She everyone in the story , including Herself evolves and changes for the better. She Learns Japanese Through singing songs and the character all discover a form of courage in themselves to do what they desire to most. The film is a light-hearted comedy which is enjoyable, also Bae Doo Na in the most resent Hollywood film Cloud Atlas(2012) and that also looks good