Released Date:
2004-10-30
Languages:
Japanese
Countries:
Japan
Runtime:
119 min
IMDB Ratings:
(3043 Reviews)
Director:
Nobuhiro DoiTakuji Ichikawa (novel)
Yoshikazu Okada (screenplay)
Mio's death leaves husband Takumi and 6 year old son Yuji fending for themselves. Taku occasionally suffers fainting spells, is disorganized, and fears that his health hindered Mio's happiness. Yuji overheard relatives speculate that his delivery compromised her health, and he blames himself for her death. Mio left him a picture book in which she departs for "The Archive Star" but re-appears during the rainy season the following year, and he eagerly awaits her return. Taking a walk in the forest outside their house, Taku and Yuji find a woman sheltering from the rain and immediately accept her as Mio. She has no memory or sense of identity, but comes home to live with them anyway. She asks Taku how they met and fell in love, and he recounts a tale of years of missed chances starting in high school until she encouraged their marriage years later. As the rainy season nears its end, Yuji finds the "time capsule" he hid with his mother before her death. Mio's diary is inside, and its version of the romance holds the answers to the mystery.
Released Date:
2005-12-10
Languages:
Japanese
Countries:
Japan
Runtime:
110 min
IMDB Ratings:
7.2 (757 Reviews)
Director:
Gisaburo SugiiGenres:
AnimationFleeing a violent thunderstorm, a young goat named Mei becomes separated from his tribe and takes shelter in a cabin. He soon is not alone, as another creature limps inside. In the dark they cannot see each other, both have colds and cannot smell each other, but in conversation assume they are of the same kind for they have much in common even apart from a shared fear of thunder, having been taught by elders to run fast to survive and to value loyalty and friendship. They agree to meet the next day for a picnic, with the words "stormy night" used to identify each other. Getting past their initial shock at seeing each other in the daylight, their friendship grows even though they were born enemies, as a goat and a wolf. They continue to meet secretly with Gav fighting off his natural predator tendencies. One day Gav helps Mei escape a wolf hunt, and they are observed together. The other goats demand that Mei use his friend to get details of the wolves plans or be exiled. Gav is threatened with death unless he uses Mei to get details of the goat's habits. With all of the forest watching, they opt to jump into a raging river in an attempt to escape since neither will betray the other. Surviving the waters, they start a journey over a tall snow-capped peak to find a forest beyond where they can live in peace. The bitter cold of a blizzard overcomes Mei, and the pack still pursues them. Respectively facing death from starvation or the pack, Mei and Gav both attempt to sacrifice themselves for the other.
Released Date:
2006-11-03
Languages:
Japanese
Countries:
Japan, USA
Runtime:
141 min
IMDB Ratings:
7.4 (10721 Reviews)
Director:
Shèsuke KanekoTsugumi Ohba (comic)
Takeshi Obata (comic)
Tetsuya Oishi (screenplay)
In the second installment of the Death Note film franchise, Light Yagami meets a second Kira and faithful follower Misa Amane and her Shinigami named Rem. Light attempts to defeat L along with Teru Mikami (a Kira follower) and Kiyomi Takada (another Kira follower) but in the end will Light win? or will a Shinigami named Ryuk make all the difference in Light's victory or his ultimate death?
Released Date:
2008-10-25
Languages:
Japanese
Countries:
Japan
Runtime:
120 min
Rated:
R
IMDB Ratings:
6.7 (2388 Reviews)
Director:
Fumihiko SoriGenres:
ActionKan Shimozawa (story)
Taeko Asano (screenplay)
Ichi is a blind woman who roams about town with her shamisen (a three-stringed Japanese guitar), but she has exceptional sword skills with which she fights off yakuza and other villains.
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