This blog post examines how House of Himiko delicately reveals life and death, family and prejudice, and the possibility of reconciliation through the space of a gay nursing home, focusing on scenes and symbols. Around the time I was discovering and becoming engrossed in Japanese dramas, “House of Himiko” was the catalyst that drew me into the charm of Japanese cinema as well. While...
Why does Ghost in the Shell foreshadow the anxieties of future societies?
In this blog post, we’ll explore how Ghost in the Shell foreshadows the fundamental anxieties of human identity, technological dominance, and future civilizations through mega-networks and cyborg societies. What is SF? SF literally means Science Fiction, or science fiction, and a science fiction movie is a movie with a science fiction theme. In terms of “fantasy,” science fiction is...
How does 「Turtles Swim Faster Than Expected」 subvert the concept of reality?
This blog post examines how 「Turtles Swim Faster Than Expected」 uses fantastical elements to subvert the ordinary and the concept of reality, making them feel unfamiliar, through an analysis of the film’s narrative and characters. Fantasy as a Genre The English word “fantasy” originates from the Greek “phantasia.” Phantasia signifies the revelation of the previously unseen, or in...
Why has the Japanese film “Love Letter” been loved for so long?
This blog post explores why the Japanese film “Love Letter” resonates across generations. It examines how memories and loss preserved over time, along with its quiet beauty, endure as timeless love. Introduction “お元気ですか.” “私は元気です.” Back in middle school, there was a time when kids who didn’t even know the basics of Japanese would jokingly repeat “Ogenki desu ka?” in class. This line...
How does “Maison de Himiko” create a lingering resonance with its audience?
This blog post explores how the film “Maison de Himiko” creates a lingering resonance through its characters’ complex emotions and delicate relationships. Let’s follow the deep emotional impact conveyed by its warm gaze and slow pace. The Genre Characteristics of Drama The drama genre has quietly become one of the indispensable genres in Korean cinema. While the term ‘drama’...
Why does ‘Turtles Are Surprisingly Fast Swimmers’ shake up the ordinary?
This blog post explores the strangeness and fantastical elements hidden behind everyday life, examining how film twists the familiar world to reveal a new sense of reality. Fantasy as a Genre The English word “fantasy” originates from the Greek “phantasia,” which implies the concept of “visible”—meaning something previously unseen becomes revealed. This “phantasia” evolved into the French...
Why is the movie ‘I’m Going to Meet You Now’ considered a fantasy film?
In this blog post, we explore why the film ‘I’m Going to Meet You Now’ is regarded as a fantasy movie beyond a simple romance. We’ll take an intriguing look at how miracles and love harmonize within a narrative where reality and fantasy intersect. Director Doi Nobuhiro’s 2004 film ‘I’m Going to Meet You Now’ is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Ichikawa...
Why does “Extreme Eros” evoke regional and political significance through personal narratives?
This blog post explores how this documentary, closely chronicling an individual’s life, expands to encompass Okinawa’s history, femininity, and political context, constructing a unique web of meaning. “Extreme Eros: Love Song 1974” is an intensely personal documentary in which Kazuo Hara filmed his former wife, Miyuki Takeda. In the film’s opening, the director reveals he...
How does the boundary between documentary and feature film become blurred in the work “Funeral Parade of Roses”?
This blog post examines how “Funeral Parade of Roses” blurs the line between documentary and feature film. It explores a unique cinematic experiment combining interviews, archival footage, and reflective direction. Funeral Parade of Roses (1969) “Funeral Parade of Roses” is an experimental film centered on the Japanese gay boy ‘Eddie’ in the late 1960s. It explores the Japanese gay culture...
The Boy and the Heron: Why Must We Choose Reality?
This blog post deeply explores the choices we must make between ideals and reality, and how the process of healing and growth alters the course of our lives, through Mahito’s journey in the film The Boy and the Heron. Long ago, ‘The Boy and the Heron’ was supposed to be director Hayao Miyazaki’s final work. Though he later reversed his retirement decision, making it not his...