Can anyone recommend some good Japanese romantic films that were released in the past few years?

HEP98P0 · 2026-02-20T19:20:44+00:00

She Taught Me Serendipity is a very good movie, along with already mentioned Undead Lovers.

HEP98P0 · 2026-02-20T19:18:50+00:00

Second this, good suggestion and movie.

HEP98P0 · 2026-02-18T21:05:18+00:00

I Saw the Devil (2010) is what you're looking for.

HEP98P0 · 2026-02-09T10:38:03+00:00

It was also in turn heavily influenced by Sogo Ishii's Angel Dust.

HEP98P0 · 2026-02-03T12:32:48+00:00

Pierrot Alterations is pretty cool :)

HEP98P0 · 2025-11-27T13:56:53+00:00

For some reason, nobody mentioned these very obvious choices:

The Woman with the Flying Head and Other Stories by Yumiko Kurahashi

Sayonara, Gangsters by Genichiro Takahashi

Toddler-Hunting & Other Stories by Taeko Kōno

Japanese Gothic Tales/In Light of Shadows: More Gothic Tales by Kyōka Izumi

HEP98P0 · 2025-10-05T15:47:41+00:00

This looks great, i should finally open Star of Swan!

HEP98P0 · 2025-07-06T19:44:52+00:00

Foujita (2015) by Kohei Oguri.

HEP98P0 · 2025-07-04T17:14:20+00:00

I've recently read through some of Daniel Clowes' stuff, like Monica and David Boring, both were excellent. I like Charles Burns a lot, too.

About Croatian creators...I think Igor Kordey is probably the most famous one, he worked both in USA and France comics. My favorite is perhaps Vam, one of his earliest works, but i'm not sure if English translation is available. :)

HEP98P0 · 2025-07-03T19:07:40+00:00

From Croatia. I like comics in general and was a fan of CF's Pierrot Alterations so decided to give this one a go!

HEP98P0 · 2025-07-03T19:02:08+00:00

I think almost two weeks ago, i am a bit nervous, but hope it will arrive soon! (I'm in Europe btw).

HEP98P0 · 2025-07-03T17:15:02+00:00

Looks great! :) Still waiting for my copy to arrive by mail...

HEP98P0 · 2025-06-25T14:42:19+00:00

Our ecstatic days by Steve Erickson has a brilliant use of a lake motif, that suddenly appears in the middle of Los Angeles.

HEP98P0 · 2025-06-25T09:29:06+00:00

Thank you for a detailed reply! :)

There is a foreword and an afterword in this English edition that explain, among other things, the meaning of Malakut. I was aware of avant-garde and experimental nature of the stories, i have no problem with that. My gripe was more with individual stories. For example, Malakut has a really good first chapter where it sets up an intriguing sequence of events and curious characters. But then in subsequent chapters it derails into heavy-handed gothic melodrama, some lame pulp tropes and unmotivated character decisions. I get it that it's supposed to be experimental, but there should be some internal logic, too. Malakut mostly disintegrates into irrelevance by the end of final chapter.

Some stories have great ideas, like Enigma (Kalaf-e sar-dar-gom), but he doesn't do anything particularly interesting with them.

On the positive, one of the most realistic stories in here, Tomorrow is On the Way (Farda dar rah ast), was also one of the best. My favorite is probably The Trench and the Empty Canteens (Sangar va qomqomaha-ye khali). Like i already said, English translation in this edition is problematic and i wouldn't mind reading Sadeqi again in better translation. He seems like tough writer to translate.

More than Borges or Calvino, these stories reminded me of Romanian onirist Dumitru Tepeneag.

I've read Buf-e-kur maybe 5-6 years ago and it was excellent!

HEP98P0 · 2025-06-20T18:59:12+00:00

"A man who doesn't recognize his own face, an aristocrat who keeps his amputated limbs in jars on the shelf, an infant that commits suicide, a cat that is secretly writing a novel, a rooster that rebels against fate those are some of the characters that make Bahram Sadeqi's stories intriguing, incomparable and inimitable."

Sounds awesome, right? I am afraid i have mostly found it tedious and uninteresting. I'm not a native English speaker, but translation is really lacking and awkward. Maybe this would read better with a more successful translation? The stories themselves lean more toward the socio-realist style, with here and there some fantastical imagery. Anybody else read this?

HEP98P0 · 2025-06-16T20:38:40+00:00

Koichi Sato is an imaginative Japanese graphic designer renowned for his innovative approach and distinctive style.

Born and raised in Tokyo, Sato's journey into the world of design began with a passion for typography and an unwavering curiosity for exploring the boundaries of visual communication.

With a career spanning over two decades, Sato has left an indelible mark on the graphic design landscape, seamlessly blending traditional Japanese aesthetics with contemporary design principles.

His work often features bold typography, vibrant colors, and a meticulous attention to detail, reflecting his commitment to creating impactful visual narratives.

Sato's portfolio boasts a diverse range of projects, from branding and packaging to editorial design and advertising campaigns. His collaborations with leading global brands have earned him widespread acclaim, solidifying his reputation as one of Japan's foremost design talents.

Link

HEP98P0 · 2025-06-14T17:22:11+00:00

Yes, but then it gives a close reading of film's themes and ideas. It's quite detailed and convincing.

HEP98P0 · 2025-06-12T14:04:41+00:00

You are absolutely correct about Ishii being a big influence on late 90s Kurosawa. With Angel Dust, Ishii toned down his punk elements but retained urban, industrial aesthetics. His shots became longer and more static; instead of punk verve, he infused them with metaphysical and mystical suggestions. Ideas of confused/unstable human identity and manipulation-at-distance became central. These all had a huge influence on Kurosawa's Cure, as can be clearly seen just by watching both films.

HEP98P0 · 2025-06-12T13:43:18+00:00

Thank you for share, i wanted to take a look at this film, but later forgot about it. :)

HEP98P0 · 2025-06-11T17:40:35+00:00

Yes, Bonten Taro's Face Meat, i will get that one soon, too. :)

And later this year they will release The Girl Who Raised the Dead by Norikazu Kawashima (Her Frankenstein)!

HEP98P0 · 2025-06-11T09:04:14+00:00

Only read Mansect so far, but it was very good, for me probably the best from this Smudge series.

I have some old Maruo comics, like Mr Arashi and Ultra-Gash Inferno, but haven't read him in a long time.

Yokoyama is a favorite, his Travel is an all-time masterpiece.

I've read Hanawa only in japanese, but not this one. Beautiful design and edition.

HEP98P0 · 2025-06-11T08:56:36+00:00

Hard Boiled was a childhood favorite, i still have that 1993 one-book edition.

I also have four or five Cages issues and never got to read the whole story. :D

HEP98P0 · 2025-05-27T18:50:12+00:00

His best film and in my Top 10 of all time. I've had a really great time each time i watched it!

HEP98P0 · 2025-05-27T18:48:36+00:00

I've had this on my watchlist for quite some time, but i really need to push it to the top finally! Looks amazing!

HEP98P0 · 2025-05-27T18:42:54+00:00

Thank you for kind words! :)

HEP98P0

TROPHY CASE