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...
How should we define the new lifeforms created by full-brain uploading?
This blog post examines whether we should view these new beings born from full-brain uploading as human, or define them as entirely different lifeforms, reflecting on the meaning of identity and dignity shaken by technology. Ghost in the Shell: An Innovative Worldview and an Exploration of Humanity’s Essence Released in 1995, the animated film Ghost in the Shell profoundly influenced...
If artificial intelligence becomes self-aware, can it be recognized as a living being?
In this blog post, based on the movie Ghost in the Shell, we explore the possibility of artificial intelligence evolving into a living being and its implications. While the definition of a living being remains highly debated, broadly speaking, a living being is often defined as an entity capable of responding to its external environment, adapting to it, and reproducing. This criterion may...
‘Legal High Season 2’: Can Public Sentiment Prevail Over the Law?
This blog post explores the question, “Can public sentiment prevail over the law?” through the drama ‘Legal High Season 2’. Take a deep look at the balance between public opinion, justice, and the law. Public sentiment refers to the desires or will of the people. While not all citizens share identical views, modern democratic societies operate and evolve based on what the populace...
What is the meaning of true love seen through separation in the film ‘Josee, the Tiger and the Fish’?
Unlike popular romance films, ‘Josee, the Tiger and the Fish’ depicts the realistic love between Kumiko, who has a disability, and Tsuneko, who does not, and deals with the separation that comes at the end of love. Realistic Love, Josee’s Parting Popular romance films often have predictable or clichéd plots. They often depict couples meeting, overcoming various conflicts to achieve...
How did the film ‘Josee, the Tiger and the Fish,’ which moved so many viewers to tears, capture my heart?
First seen during high school, “Josee, the Tiger and the Fish” stirred my sensibilities with its moving yet understated story. The film’s mise-en-scène and dramatic structure left a deep impression through the tale of growth told through the love and parting of protagonists Tsuneko and Josee. I first encountered this film during the winter of my sophomore year of high school. Had any...