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Go Furukawa was born in Kyoto, Japan, in 1976. He majored in Japanese at Meikai University. After graduating, he entered the film industry as a production assistant and worked as an assistant director for Asahara Yuzo’s “Free and Easy 15: No Tomorrow for Hama-chan?” (2004). He then directed the short film “Dance?” (2010). “Kaneko′s Commissary” is his first feature film as a director.

On the occasion of his film “Kaneko’s Commissary” screening at Busan International Film Festival, we speak with him about shooting a film on an unusual subject, the female characters in the film, the famous actors in the cast and his future projects.

Why did you decide to shoot a movie about this particular concept of the detention center commissary?

When I was working as assistant director, I worked in “Departures” by Yojiro Takita. I was quite moved by the concept of the person who is preparing the deceased for the funeral.

The concept of imprisonment and release has been repeatedly explored in Japanese cinema, although the truth is that most of these movies usually revolve around the Yakuza. Go Furukawa, in his feature debut, takes a completely different approach, as he focuses on the issues of visitation and delivering in local prisons, through a man who runs a service like that.

Kaneko’s Commissary is screening at Busan International Film Festival

Shinji, a man who was imprisoned due to his violent tendencies, continues to be violent even towards his wife, Kaneko, when she visits him in prison. Eventually, though, he manages to change with the help of his family, including his newborn son, wife and his uncle who is also staying with them. Furthermore, as soon as he is out of prison, he starts running a commissary named after his wife, which provides service for delivering items to prisons and detention...

The official YouTube channel for the four-member Japanese dance rock band Dish// started streaming a new music video for their 16th CD single song "Plan A." The song is now featured as the opening theme for the summer 2024 TV anime The Elusive Samurai , based on the Shonen Jump manga of the same name. Dish// "Plan A" Music Video All four members of the band worked on music for "Plan A," while Takumi Kitamura (vocal and guitar) wrote the lyrics. "Once again, I am very happy to be asked to write and sing the theme song for a TV anime series. When I was a child, I used to come home from school just to watch anime. Even today, someone is still spending time creating that kind of identity, and The Elusive Samurai should become a piece of their daily enjoyment. We can mark its beginning. How happy we are. I am grateful,...

In the latest surge of live action adaptations that Netflix seems to lead, either in movie or series format, an essentially forgotten anime and manga from the 90s, was not exactly something that was expected, considering that the rest were based on all time favorites like “One Piece” and “Rurouni Kenshin” for example. It turns out, though, that the manga being one of the best selling of all times played a crucial role, and that is how we ended up with a version of “Yu Yu Hakusho”.

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The story revolves around Yusuke Urameshi, a misunderstood 14-year-old delinquent junior high school student who spends his days getting into fights, who frequently involve, though, him protecting someone. However, when he dies after saving a child in a car accident, his ghost-self meets Botan, a woman who introduces herself as the pilot of the Sanzu River,...

Yu Yu Hakusho chronicled the story of a high schooler, Yusuke Urameshi (Takumi Kitamura), who sacrificed his own life to save a child being run over by a speeding bus. For this selfless act, Koenma, the one in charge of sending people to hell and heaven, resurrected him and made him a protector of the human world, aka a spirit detective. As we reach Episode 2 of Yu Yu Hakusho, we are introduced to the concept of three Yokai objects that got swiped or, let’s say, borrowed in some cases for different reasons. These objects weren’t the everyday things you’d find at a pawn shop. If these objects were to fall into the wrong hands, they could bring devastation to the human world. In simple terms, they had the power to disrupt the balance of both the spirit and demon worlds. Since Yusuke has taken on the role of protecting the human world,...

Yu Yu Hakusho Season 1 Review Out(Photo Credit –IMDb)

Yu Yu Hakusho Season 1 Review: Star Rating:

Cast: Takumi Kitamura, Shuhei Uesugi, Jun Shison, Kanata Hongo, Kotone Furukawa, Keita Machida, and Go Ayano.

Creator: Akira Morii, and Kazutaka Sakamoto

Director: Sho Tsukikawa

Streaming On: Netflix

Language: Japanese (with subtitles)

Runtime: 5 Episodes, Around 1 hour each.

Yu Yu Hakusho Season 1 Review Out(Photo Credit –YouTube) Yu Yu Hakusho Season 1 Review: What’s It About:

Yu Yu Hakusho is the newest attempt from Netflix to adapt anime and manga into a live-action series, but this time the adaption is being done in Japanese soil, bringing with it all the characteristics that make a show just like this one unique. The series tells the story of a young criminal who finds himself in death and traveling to the spiritual world, there he will meet countless obstacles as he fights in the name of friendship, justice...

I was told that Netflix had a tendency, or habit if you’d call it that, to ruin live-action anime adaptations, as seen with Death Note, Bleach, and others. However, after seeing One Piece, I thought that time had passed, and to be honest, this was the only reason I picked up Yu Yu Hakusho, but with a pinch of salt. The live-action adaptation of the highly successful manga didn’t disappoint. The series chronicles the story of one Yusuke Uremeshi (Takumi Kitamura), a high school student who, for his blunt attitude, always ends up in brawls, which he always won, by the way. Yusuke was the type of person who’d not even explain his stance, even if he was right. Why? He thinks it’s too much work. In one instance, he was mistaken for a bully stealing money from a student, but Yusuke didn’t even defend...

Yu Yu Hakusho, the legendary smash-hit manga from Weekly Shonen Jump, is finally getting a live-action adaptation! This series of unprecedented scale is brought to life by an all-star cast that includes Takumi Kitamura, Jun Shison, Kanata Hongo, Shuhei Uesugi, Sei Shiraishi, Kenichi Takito, Goro Inagaki and Go Ayano.

The strength that comes from having something to protect versus the strength that comes from having nothing to lose…

Feast your eyes on this top-class Asian battle action series, featuring world-class, cutting-edge visual effects and presented by a cast and staff who are at the pinnacle of Japanese entertainment!

The Netflix Series Yu Yu Hakusho starts streaming worldwide on Thursday, December 14, 2023, only on Netflix.

Netflix‘s “Geeked Week” isn’t done yet dropping exciting news and teasers: the streaming service debuted a first look at the upcoming “Yu Yu Hakusho” live-action series, promising supernatural action fun based on the popular manga series.

The live-action adaptation will debut exclusively on Netflix on December 14.

The series “revolves around Yusuke Urameshi, who spends his days getting into fights and dies in an accident while trying to protect a young child. As he grapples with the fact that he is looking down on his dead body, a woman named Botan who calls herself a guide to the spirit world relays to him the shocking truth: no one expected a delinquent like Yusuke to die performing an act of goodness, and there was no place for him in either heaven or hell. Thus, Yusuke is given a chance to be revived, and after passing his trial, he becomes an Underworld Detective.

Kiyoyoshi Kuga (Ren Nagase) attends law school, aiming to work in the legal field as a lawyer. His childhood friend Mirei Orimoto (Hana Sugisaki) also attends the same school. One day, a leaflet making accusations about the past of Kiyoyoshi and Mirei is distributed by an anonymous person. Soon, unpleasant cases take place around them. Kiyoyoshi talks to Kaoru Yuki (Takumi Kitamura), who is an extremely smart classmate and is in charge of the mock trials. These three people chase after the truth, but they face an unexpected situation.

The new "Yu Yu Hakusho" live action TV series, based on the Japanese 'manga' comics series written, illustrated by Yoshihiro Togashi, is produced by Kazutaka Sakamoto, starring Takumi Kitamura, streaming December 2023 on Netflix:

"...'Yusuke Urameshi', a teenage delinquent is struck and killed by a car while attempting to save a child's life. After a number of tests presented to him by 'Koenma', the son of the ruler of the afterlife 'Underworld', Yusuke is revived and appointed the title of 'Underworld Detective'..."

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"Maybe we're supposed to help each other." GKids has revealed an official US trailer for a Japanese anime film titled Lonely Castle in the Mirror, set to play in US theaters this summer. More and more Japanese films are getting a proper theatrical release, as they're noticed there is a good audience for this and they can actually bring people out to the cinema. From acclaimed director Keiichi Hara and based on the bestselling novel by Mizuki Tsujimura, Lonely Castle in the Mirror is a heartfelt drama about the pains of growing up and the unlikely bonds that can bring people together. Seven teens wake to find their bedroom mirrors are shining. They are pulled from their lonely lives to a wondrous castle. In this new sanctuary, they are confronted with a set of clues leading to a hidden room where one of them will be granted a wish. But...

Gkids has picked up the North American distribution rights to the Lonely Castle in the Mirror anime pic from Japanese director Keiichi Hara.

The film, adapted from the novel of the same name by Mizuki Tsujimura, is set for a summer release theatrically in its original Japanese language and a new English-dubbed version.

Lonely Castle in the Mirror portrays a shy outcast teen, voiced by Ami Touma, who is avoiding school when she discovers a portal in her bedroom mirror. She reaches through and is transported to an enchanting castle with six other students who are together invited by a girl in a wolf mask to play a game to uncover the mysterious connection that unites them — and anyone breaking the rules will be eaten by a wolf.

The film, with animation from the A-1 Pictures, has a Japanese voice cast that includes Takumi Kitamura, Sakura Kiryu, Rihito Itagaki, Naho Yokomizo,...

Gkids has snapped up North American rights to Keiichi Hara’s Lonely Castle in the Mirror, after serving as the distributor in the territory for his past animated features Summer Days with Coo and Miss Hokusai. The film based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Mizuki Tsujimura, featuring animation from A-1 Pictures, is slated for a theatrical release in both its original Japanese language and an all-new English dub this summer.

Reuniting Hara with collaborators including screenwriter Miho Maruo, composer Harumi Fuuki and artist Ilya Kuvshinov, Lonely Castle in the Mirror follows shy outcast Kokoro, who has been avoiding school for weeks when she discovers a portal in her bedroom mirror. She reaches through and finds herself transported to an enchanting castle where she is joined by six other students. And when a girl in a wolf mask explains that they have been invited to play a game,...

The Tokyo Revengers live-action movie franchise returns in 2023 with a two-part sequel: Chi no Halloween -Unmei- (Bloody Halloween -Fate-) will be released in Japan on April 21, while Chi no Halloween -Kessen- (Bloody Halloween -Decisive Battle-) will be released on June 30. All movies are based on the manga series by Ken Wakui published from March 1, 2017 to November 16, 2022 in Weekly Shonen Magazine.

Continuing after events from the first movie, Takemichi (Takumi Kitamura) returns to the present timeline, meets Hinata but soon discovers the even more vicious Tokyo Manji Gang has murdered her again. In order to save Hinata, Takemichi has to travel ten years back in time to investigate and change a “sad incident” that affected six men, who happen to be the founding members of the Tokyo Manji Gang.

Cast members from the first movie including Takumi Kitamura, Yuki Yamada and Ryo Yoshizawa will once again reprise their roles. New cast...

The upcoming "Yu Yu Hakusho" live action TV series based on the Japanese 'manga' comics by Yoshihiro Togashi, stars Takumi Kitamura, Jun Shison, Kanata Hongo and Shuhei Uesugi, streaming worldwide in 2023 on Netflix:

"...'Yusuke Urameshi', a junior high school student spends his days getting into fights and dies in an accident while trying to protect a young child. 

"As he grapples with the fact that he is looking down on his dead body, a woman named 'Botan', who calls herself a guide to the spirit world, relays to him the shocking truth: no one expected a delinquent like Yusuke to die performing an act of goodness, and there was no place for him in either heaven or hell. 

"Yusuke is given a chance to be revived, and after passing his trial, he becomes an 'Underworld Detective'. 

"From there, Yusuke becomes entwined in a mystery that envelopes the human,...

Netflix has found their Yusuke Urameshi for their live-action Yu Yu Hakusho series.

Tokyo Revengers’ actor Takumi Kitamura will star. The project was announced by the streamer last year but details and new photos are just dropping.

Yusuke Urameshi will be played by Takumi Kitamura #yuyuhakusho pic.twitter.com/LWcZ60LQIw

— Netflix Anime (@NetflixAnime) July 16, 2022

While there is an anime version out, the series will draw directly from the 1990 manga. The story follows a teenage delinquent named Yasuke who dies while committing an act of goodness. Heaven and Hell have no place for him so in an effort to reunite his soul with his body, he becomes an underworld detective.

The exclusive was initially reported by IGN who were able to get a quote from the actor and director of the series.

“The original work is a universal and unique masterpiece and a reason why Japan is so proud of...

Despite the fact that she started her career as an actress and now mostly directs TV series, Hana Matsumoto still manages to direct the occasional feature, with “Dadadada Seventeen” being her most renowned work as of now. Her latest movie is based on the novel “Akegata no Wakamonotachi” by Masahiko Katsuse and looks like a typical Japanese romance, before it is revealed as something a bit more “unusual” than one would expect.

“End of the Pale Hour” is screening at Nippon Connection

The story begins in Tokyo in March, 2012, where the nameless protagonist is about to graduate from university and has just been invited to a gathering of “winners” who have received job offers from well-known corporations. While there, he meets a nameless woman, who, a few moments later, invites him to have a drink with her. He leaves the party, meets her at a nearby park, under the shadow...

Based on the manga by Ken Wakui, which is also an ongoing anime series by Liden Films, “Tokyo Revengers” brings together two rather popular concepts, those of high school gangs and time travel, in a rather impressive package that has already sold around 1.66 million tickets, earning over 2.25 billion yen (~US$20.4 million), 1 month after its premiere on July 10, 2021 .

“Tokyo Revengers” is screening at Fantasia International Film Festival

As the film begins, a naked, tattooed yakuza is bloodied and terrorized by a new breed of sharp-dressed gangsters in a luxury car. The Tokyo Manji Gang is flexing its muscle, and a furious conflict within the underworld is in motion. The focus then changes completely, towards Takemichi Hanagaki, a 26-year-old freeter with no hope in life, who learns one day that his middle school ex-girlfriend, Hinata Tachibana, as well as her younger brother Naoto, are killed during the aforementioned incident. Later that day,...

translation by Koichi Mori

Ken Ninomiya was born in 1991 in Osaka. He started his career in film in 2014, with two shorts and he did his feature debut in 2015 with Slum-Polis. Starting with his third film, “The Limit of Sleeping Beauty”, he garnered international attention, with the movie screening in Hong Kong, BiFan (Korea) and Japan FIlmfest Hamburg. “Chiwawa” in 2019 was an even bigger success internationally, while it took number one in Best Japanese Film of 2019 in our list.

On the occassion of “Tonkatsu DJ Agetaro”, his latest film, screening at New York Asian Film Festival, we speak with him about adapting the particular manga, the 80’s aesthetics of the movie, music and music video elements in his filmography, the set design of the movie, his latest film, and other topics

Why did you decide to adapt the particular manga by Ipyao and Yujiro Koyama?

The unique blend of two seemingly contradictory cultures,...

After two movies that stood out for their music video aesthetics and visual flair (“Limit of Sleeping Beauty” and “Chiwawa”) with the second one being much better, Ken Ninomiya changed his style somewhat, by shooting a title that is a tribute to the 80s (following the international trend essentially) but also so much more.

“Tonkatsu DJ Age-Taro” is screening at Neuchatel International Fantastic Film Festival

The script is adapted from a manga series by Ipyao and Yujiro Koyama, which also became an anime, and focuses on Agetaro Katsumata, whose family runs a tonkatsu (pork cutlet) restaurant in Shibuya, Tokyo. Agetaro will inherit the restaurant one day and he currently performs menial jobs at the restaurant, like chopping up the cabbage and delivering food orders. He isn’t satisfied with his work, while his father still believes he is not dedicated enough to be allowed to deep fry meat. He and...

Actor Takumi Kitamura will serve as a star in the movie “Tokyo Revengers” (released on July 9). The original is a popular manga by Ken Wakui.

Takemichi Hanagaki (Takumi Kitamura) lives as a 26-year-old freeter. His life is basically miserable. One day, he learns from the news that Hinata Tachibana and her younger brother Naoto Tachibana (Yosuke Sugino) were murdered by the Tokyo Manjikai Gang. Takemichi Hanagaki is stunnded by the news, because Hinata Tachibana was his first love during his middle school days.

The next day, Takemichi Hanagaki is pushed by someone on a station platform and falls onto the railway track. At that moment, he goes back 10 years into the past. There, he tells Naoto Tachibana that in 10 years, Hinata Tachibana will get murdered. This changes the present day. Now, Naoto Tachibana works as a detective and avoids being killed by the Tokyo Manjikai Gang, but Hinata Tachibana’s fate is different.

Combing the concept of the body-swap with a ghost story, a teen-romance, and a narrative that focuses on music seems like a good idea to sell tickets, particularly when the whole thing is presented through an adequate-budgeted production. The result in this case is somewhat generic, but also interesting on a number of levels.

Our 30-minute Sessions is screening at Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme

Sota is an introverted college student, who has no friends or social life, to the point that even the people who interview him for any kind of work are deterred by his overall attitude. One day, however, he discovers a cassette tape of music, from an artist who used to be a member of a now disbanded group, who died the year before. Furthermore, when Sota plays the tape, Aki takes over his body for half an hour, although he still lingers around his “host” the rest of the time.

The refined playbook of Japanese family drama allocates a close-meshed set of rules that many directors go by. At first sight, Hitoshi Yazaki’s “Sakura” is just another chapter. Based on a popular novel, teenage drama in a high school setting, food scenes at the dinner table, and a dog that the film is named after. But the renowned director, who started as Sogo Ishii’s assistant, lays out a false trail.

“Sakura” is screening on Japannual Film Festival

Hajime (Ryo Yoshizawa), Kaoru (Takumi Kitamura), and Miki (Nana Komatsu) live a happy life together with their parents at home. Hajime is the oldest good-looking baseball star of the family. He is the contrast to Kaoru, who has good grates but no luck with girls. Miki is the youngest sister, who mistrusts all the girls that the boys bring home. Sakura is the name of the family dog. Everything seems fine...

The Tokyo International Film Festival has set boxing picture “Underdog,” directed by Take Masaharu, as the opening title for its 33rd edition. The festival will run Oct. 31 to Nov. 9, when it will close with Hajime Hashimoto’s “Hokusai.”

The festival plans to hold physical screenings in Tokyo theaters, but few overseas guests or filmmakers will be able to participate in person. The Tiffcom rights market will be held entirely online, it was announced in recent days.

“Underdog” stars Mirai Moriyama, Takumi Kitamura and Ryo Katsuji, and is Take’s first boxing-themed film in six years, since “100 Yen Love.” It depicts the lives of three desperate fighters as they square off in the ring, to attempt their comebacks.

“Hokusai” is the story of legendary Japanese artist Hokusai Katsushika and his unique talent, known as the “Secret of Three Waves.” The artist is best known for his “Thirty-six Views of Mount...

Boxing drama Underdog is directed by Masaharu Take, while Hokusai is a biopic directed by Hajime Hashimoto.

This year’s Tokyo International Film Festival will open with Masaharu Take’s Underdog, and close with Hokusai, directed by Hajime Hashimoto and starring Yuya Yagira and Min Tanaka.

Underdog, which stars Mirai Moriyama, Takumi Kitamura and Ryo Katsuji, is Take’s first boxing-themed film since his award-winning 100 Yen Love (2014). It depicts the lives of three fighters who have been abandoned in life, as they cross fists in the ring to attempt their comebacks.

Hokusai is the story of legendary Japanese ukiyo-e artist Hokusai Katsushika,...

The Tokyo International Film Festival unveiled on Thursday the opening and closing films for its upcoming 33rd annual edition.

The event, Japan’s largest cinema occasion, will kick off on Oct. 31 with the premiere of Masaharu Take’s boxing drama Underdog, starring Mirai Moriyama, Takumi Kitamura and Ryo Katsuji. Filmmaker Hajime Hashimoto will bring the festival to a close on Nov. 9 with the world debut of Hokusai, a biopic of the great Japanese ukiyo-e painter and printmaker.

The selection of two Japanese filmmakers to bookend the programming reflects the local form the festival is expected to take under the restrictive conditions ...

The Tokyo International Film Festival unveiled on Thursday the opening and closing films for its upcoming 33rd annual edition.

The event, Japan’s largest cinema occasion, will kick off on Oct. 31 with the premiere of Masaharu Take’s boxing drama Underdog, starring Mirai Moriyama, Takumi Kitamura and Ryo Katsuji. Filmmaker Hajime Hashimoto will bring the festival to a close on Nov. 9 with the world debut of Hokusai, a biopic of the great Japanese ukiyo-e painter and printmaker.

The selection of two Japanese filmmakers to bookend the programming reflects the local form the festival is expected to take under the restrictive conditions ...

The original is a novel of the same name by the Naoki Prize writer, Kanako Nishi, who has surpassed 550,000 copies in total. One dog named Sakura and a family of five appear. And the people who are important to them.

Under the direction of Hitoshi Yazaki, the Hasegawa family’s brothers and sisters are Takumi Kitamura, Nana Komatsu, and Ryo Yoshizawa, who are popular actors. Shinobu Terashima played the three mothers and Masatoshi Nagase played the father, and the female characters that they met were Yui Kobayashi (Keyakizaka46), Kaho Mizutani, and Kazumi Yamatani.

World-renowned pianist Adam George is in charge of the songs in the play, and the theme song “Blue ID” written by the Tokyo Incident that “reproduced” this year decorates the ending.

Synopsis:

There is a happy family that consists of parents and their 3 children: Hajime (Ryo Yoshizawa), Kaoru (Takumi Kitamura) and Miki (Nana Komatsu). Hajime is the...

The first day of theater release of “Underdog”, the latest director of Masaharu Take, director of “100 Yen Love” and “Naked Director”, will appear on November 27th, with appearances of Miki Moriyama, Takumi Kitamura and Ryo Kachichi. The special news was lifted.

Cliff boxer Akira Suenaga (Moriyama). Ryuta Omura (Kitamura), a talented young boxer who has a secret in the past but is expected to be in the future. Entertainer boxer Shun Miyagi (Kachichi) who does not fly as a performer. Three lost dogs, who have been abandoned in life, cross their fists on the ring. What are they betting and what are they fighting for? Six years have passed since “100 Yen Love”. The drama of Loser’s life in deep bottom.

Japan still holds one of the highest rates of teenagers suicides in Asia and around the world and there sadly doesn’t seem to be any indications of the number dropping any time soon. In fact, 2017 saw a 30-year high in the number of teenage suicides in the country. Director Yukihiko Tsutsumi deviates from his usual big budget sci-fi thrillers and takes inspiration from the namesake book to take a look at the phenomena in his latest film “12 Suicidal Teens”.

“12 Suicidal Teens” is screening at Camera Japan 2019

One by one, twelve teens begin to enter an abandoned hospital at a pre-ordained time. As previously decided, they each pick a token number from a safe and proceed to convene in the basement assembly hall. The assembly hall is decked with a conference table with twelve chairs in the middle of the room, and twelve beds for each of them along the walls.

The film is a remake of Noboru Iguchi’s cult action thriller The Machine Girl.

Japan’s Nikkatsu is launching sales at Filmart on Rise Of The Machine Girls, a remake of Noboru Iguchi’s cult action feature The Machine Girl.

Directed by Yuki Kobayashi (Death Row Family), the new film stars Himena Tsukimiya, Kanon Hanakage and Tak. It is produced by Yoshinori Chiba, who also produced Iguchi’s 2008 original, and Yoshihiro Nishimura (Tokyo Gore Police).

In the new version, Ami and her sister Yoshie are scraping by doing fight shows when Yoshie is captured by female killing machines during...

Based on the novel of the same name (2010) by Risa Wataya and directed by Akiko Ohku , “Tremble All You Want” conquered the public’s hearts at the Tokyo Film Festival 2017 by winning the Audience Award. And the award is well deserved as this romantic comedy might speak to many people, as it goes beyond the film’s genre stereotypes and focuses on a more recurrent issue: how to love and confess.

“Tremble All You Want” is screening at the 19th Jeonju International Film Festival

Yoshika (Mayu Matsuoka), 24 years old, is a peculiar accountant that has a 10-year-long crush on her first love whom she calls ‘Ichi’ (Takumi Kitamura) from ‘ichiban’ which means number one. Yoshika is content with her life, talking nonstop about ‘Ichi’ with everyone, until one day, an event occurs that sets her mind towards finding ‘Ichi’ and confess. Meanwhile, her office friend Kurumi (Anna Ishibashi) tries to...