風立ちぬ The Wind Rise

I saw a film of Hayao Miyazaki. 風立ちぬ "The Wind Rise" last week. This is last film that he produce. All character in his film are single-minded. Japanese that the characters speak in it is so polite and beautiful. There are people who criticize this film. However, I like it simply as a story of  an architect of airplane. He loves airplane and his dream is flying in the air. This period that he lived is during hostilities.

Also I enjoy a love story. I sniffled. Young couple are so pure and single-minded.

The song in ending is ひこうき雲 (hikoukigumo) "contrail" The singer is 松任谷由実 Yumi Matsutoya. and  superstar in J-pop for a long time. We call her Yuming ユーミン She makes a lot of albums and hit songs in Japan. She sings in Stagio Ghibli's film,  魔女の宅急便 "やさしさに包まれたなら" Yasashisani Tsutsumaretanara    Her lyric is especially great and emotional. I love a lot of her songs. If you learn Japanese, her lyrics is so beautiful and might be useful for learning Japanese. 

I hope you can see this film in your country near future in the theater.

The Wind Rise Trailer

 

 

Two Big Topics

Recently we heard two big topics about Japan. One is that Japanese animation director Hayao Miyazaki retired. 
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2013/09/07/editorials/an-anime-icon-retires/

Another is Tokyo won the competition for Olympic game in 2020. 
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/09/08/national/tokyo-wins-bid-to-host-2020-olympics/

We are so sad for his retirement. A lot of children and even adults are big fan for his animation film. We enjoy the story and are touched his message for our life, sometimes warning about egoism of human nature for nature.  His delicate and beautiful pictures always give an impact to our heart. 

We hope being the host country of Olympic game leads to economic effect  for Japan. I am glad to see a lot of games in our hometown Tokyo ! Foreign people were worried about nuclear problem in Fukushima. However I live in Tokyo and we are safe. It is no problem. (I am worried about big earthquake.)

I think two topics are symbolic for our present society. Nature and economy are very important for our life. We must not forget that we can live thanks to nature. And we feel happy economically and emotionally.     
   

Japanese Film in Cannes Festival

I heard delightful news. A Japanese directer, Hirokazu Koreeda won award in Cannes Festival.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2013/05/28/entertainment-news/koreedas-film-wins-jury-prize-at-cannes-festival/

I like his film, 誰も知らない "Nobody Knows". It is a serious theme about society or family. It was shocking story for me. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLtMmJoBIB4

We are glad many people know and see Japanese films. His new film そして父になる "Like Father,Like Son" seems so interesting. Masaharu Fukuyama, very famous singer and actor appears in it. Now his TV drama series, "Galileo" is on air and so popular in Japan.

I want to see Like Father, Like Son soon. (We can see it in October in Japan.)

Like Father, Like son trailar    

Amazing Music Video

I didn't know about this MV of Muse, UK rock band. The song is Exogenesis: Symphony Part 3 (Redemption)

This animation was created by a Japanese comedian, Tekken. It is amazing !

Exogenesis: Symphony Part 3 (Redemption)

Recent Japanese Film

I saw two Japanese films recently. They are both very interesting and if you have a chance to see, you can enjoy them.

One is 夢売るふたり and another is 鍵泥棒のメソッド. I'm sorry there has no English title yet. They are now showing in Japan.

The director of 夢売るふたり is female, Miwa Nishikawa. I have recommended in my blog, "Dear Doctor" is her film. A couple lost their own Japanese-style bar by by fire. They commit marriage fraud for saving the money to run their new bar. Many women are deceived by the husband and they can save the money. However, the relationship of the couple is worse little by little... The performance of two lead characters, Sadao Abe and Takako Matsu are excellent.  

鍵泥棒のメソッド is comedy and the storyline is perfect.
A poor man who want to be famous actor, a hit man and a female editor of magazine are main characters. The hit man lose his memory by an accident in public bath. Since he looks rich, the poor man changes his locker key for the key of hit man and pretend to the hit man. The hit man can remember nothing and becomes poor actor. And many problems occurs around two men... 
I laughed a lot in the theater. Two actor, Masato Sakai and Teruyuki Kagawa are so well-known and great actors in Japan. Another character, Ryoko Hirosue is very cute and popular in Japan. She appeared in Japanese film, "Departures" おくりびと and French film, "Wasabi" by Luc Besson. So if you are a Japanese movie fun, you see them in many Japanese films.   　
　

Time Travel

I recently heard a song in a shop. I have heard it in my childhood and felt nostalgia to hear it. It is "Time Travel" that is a song about 30 years ago. The song that I heard was a cover of Spitz. Spitz is my favorite Japanese rock band. It is in new Spitz album.   

I have forgotten the song, however, I remember that days that I heard a lot of songs in '70 and '80. "Time Travel" was a one of my favorite songs and it was jazzy and funky for me. It is a good song and not old-fashioned arrangement now. I feel happy to hear beautiful song..                 

Time Travel by Shinji Harada.  This is original.  

Time Travel by Spitz  

Restless

I watched two films this year. One is "Mission Impossible ghost protocol" and another is "Restless" by Gus Van Sant. Both was so interesting films. I like them.

My first films this year is Mission Impossible. Tom Cruise is very famous and popular in Japan, too and I watched  all of Mission Impossible series. He visited in Japan many times for promotion of his films. "Last Samurai" is one of my favorite films. I was excited about watching Mission Impossible.

I saw a trailer, "Restless" in Internet before several weeks and thought it seemed to be interesting. One of reason is that Japanese actor, Ryo Kase appears as important role in this film. He appears American film "Letters from Iwo Jima" and Japanese film "I Just Didn't Do It". それでもボクはやってない I introduced it in my blog and it was directed by Masayuki Suo of "Shall we dance?" Ryo Kase is good actor and I like his performance.
The story was very unique and interesting. Some Japanese history or culture expresses in this film. Some descriptions about Japan or Japanese culture in western films were sometimes strange and funny for Japanese. However, I thought the description in it wasn't exaggerated and true. I could enjoy it as a love story and life. I like some Gus Van Sant's films. I especially love "Good will hunting" and "Finding Forrester " 

I want to see a lot of films in this year.   

Anzen Chitai 安全地帯

Anzen Chitai is one of my favorite Japanese band. When I was a junior high school student, Anzen Chitai's songs were very popular. Debut single, "Wine red no Kokoro" ワインレッドの心 was No.1 hit song in 1983. I love it now.   

Vocal of this band, Koji Tamaki 玉置浩二 is one of very attractive singer for me. I like his voice.
I went to his solo concert several years ago, I was touched so much. I was moved to tears by his performance. The song is Koi no Yokan. 恋の予感. It is second single of Anzen Chitai. He has released a lot of songs as solo singer until now.  Denen 田園 is one of songs that I cheer me up.

Anzen Chitai in Japanese means safety island. They recently released some new albums and single. So they appeared in TV show as an exploitation. It is a Japanese dance group, Exile's TV program. Exile is very popular in Japan now. Anzen chitai and exile sung "Ti amo", exile's hit song in the show. It was so excellent performance. I found two videos of this program in you tube. And I attached my favorite song, Koi no Yokan.   

Ti amo , Exile and Anzenchitai

Jirettai じれったい　安全地帯

Koi no Yokan 恋の予感 

Tsure ga Utsu ni Narimasite ツレがうつになりまして

"Tsure ga Utsu ni Narimasite" ツレがうつになりまして is title of Japanese film. This means “my husband has got a depression” Depression is a sickness that office workers especially tend to get and is increasing now in Japan.

Depression うつ病 (Utsubyo) is one of social problems. There are some reasons why office workers get sick. Off course, the personality is a reason of this sickness. Perfectionist or methodical person tends to be sick. However, I think Japanese people always work too much every day.
Also human relations in a company, crammed train (満員電車) in the morning and overtime work is stressful in Japan.

Being hardworking, accuracy for work or earnest originally regards as good thing in Japanese society. It is usual to be serious. However, the social environment is sometimes very uneasy for us. Responsibility and obligation for their work give pressure to us.
And crammed train every morning is also so stressful. It is not easy to have holiday and long vacation in Japan.
What do we do if a member of family gets a depression? This film expresses the bond of a couple, daily life and society in Japan. Japanese often say "Ganbatte！ "  (keep up) がんばって！to cheer up someone. However, this is taboo word for a patient. The catchphrase of this film, "Ganbaranaizo" がんばらないぞ "I don't have to do my best. " is a phrase that the patient advises himself.

Masato Sakai and Aoi Miyazaki play a Japanese couple in the film. I like one of my favorite actors, Masato Sakai 堺　雅人 and his performance is excellent.  His film "Golden Slumber " is very interesting film.

Tsure ga utsu ni narimasite wiki 

ツレがうつになりまして official site  

Lupin III (Lupan Sansei) ルパン三世

I saw a movie of Lupin III ルパン三世 on TV yesterday. Lupin III is my favorite Japanese animation series. The movie was so interesting and I thought Lupin III was excellent animation. The story is interesting for even adults.

When I was a child, I saw first TV series again and again on TV. Interesting animations were rebroad casted in my childhood in Japan. Lupin III is one of them. All of contents, the plot, character or story are perfect. And soundtrack was so stylish at that time.  Main characters,Lupin III, Jigen Daisuke, Ishikawa Goemon, Mine Fujiko, Zenigata Keibu (detective) are unique and comical. Lupin III is cool and so gentle for women. Jigen and Goemon are good friends for Lupin. Fujiko is very cute, sexy and cunning. It is interesting that Lupin is always at her mercy. And Zenigata and Lupin's relationship is funny. The model of their relationship is Tom and Jerry, American animated cartoon. (I love Tom and Jerry.)

This year is 40th anniversary.  Lupin III will be interesting even present time. If you have a chance to see it, you can enjoy this animation.                        

Owaraigeinin お笑い芸人 (Japanese Comedian)

Laughing is essential in our life. When I am depressed or can't keep energy, I can relax after laughing.

Rakugo is traditional comedy. It is performance of story telling by one person (rakugoka) who is sitting on the cushion (Zabuton). Manzai (Stand up comedy) or comic skit is popular. A lot of comedians who called "Owarai geinin" appear every day in TV show now. "Owarai" means generic name of performance for comedy like Rakugo or Manzai and "geinin" means comedian in Japanese. A unit of a trio has a name. Geinin originally plays comic skit or manzai, however, appear in various situations. For example, Downtown is well-known unit. Hitoshi Matsumoto and Masatoshi Hamada is duo. They have a lot of own TV programs as hosts and these programs are very popular. Off coarse one comedian exists and they who are called "pin geinin" have a special own gag. These gags or phrases in there performance get vogue-word "ryukougo" 流行語 every year.

Japanese comedians belong to agencies. There are a lot of agencies. The biggest agency "Yoshimoto Kougyo" employs a lot of popular comedians. Popular geinin are genius for the art of storytelling. They are used in all of genres, TV, TV commercial, drama, quiz show, radio personality, movies or theater. Yoshimoto is an agency in Osaka, west area in Japan . So these comedians are almost from Osaka and they speak a special dialect "Osaka ben". Yoshimoto has some schools for people want to "owaraigeinin" in each area in Japan. Geinin of Yoshimoto play in theater in Osaka and Shinjuku (in Tokyo).

I like to see "Owarai" in TV. When I want to forget sad or bad news and feel negative, I can relax after having a lot of laugh. Laughing is an important prescription in my life.

Kokurikozaka kara コクリコ坂から From Up On Poppy Hill

I saw new Studio Ghibli film "Kokurikozaka kara"  It is beautiful and I felt nostalgic. The period in this film is early '60 . I wasn't born, however, the background and people's life style remind me of nostalgia. 
I have seem Ghibli film on big screen first time. Also pictures and color is so exquisite on the screen. The details of person, light and shadow, nature... all of them are fantastic. The story has no adventure or spectacle. The film describes normal life in early '60, calm and peaceful. Life is not convenient and there is no exciting materials. However, everyone is peaceful. I was touched. I love ending theme, "Sayonara no natsu" さよならの夏.

Today is memorial day of Hiroshima. We live in invisible fear, it is radioactivity. We can't feel and see radioactivity. Materials are abundant in our life, however, are we happy ?  We have to change our future.  

コクリコ坂から 

JIN

I think everyone have wanted to go back to the past once. It might be regret for our choice or attitude at that time. And we sometimes imagine that the fact might change if the accident or event didn't happen. 

I watch a TV drama every Sunday now. The title is "JIN". The story is originally manga. I didn't know it before I watch the drama. But the drama was so popular two years ago in Japan. The series this year is second. A brain surgery goes back to the last days of the Tokugawa Shogunate (Bakumatsu 幕末). JIN is his name. The story is fiction, however, some historical persons appear in the drama. Ryoma Sakamoto, who is popular among us, is one of them. 

It is interesting and the scenes of operation in this drama seems to be real. The actor of protagonist, Takao Osawa is popular among Japanese women and the actress of heroine, Haruka Ayase is cute and remarkable.

I read news that this drama will be on air in 80 other countries. You might be able to enjoy it in your country. Also I think that it is better to watch after knowing the history of Bakumatsu.

JIN official site and gloval index 

Healing Voice

Beautiful voice and sound often can heal and encourage us. The feeling depends on each person. I think everyone have some favorite voices. 

In my case I love voice of a vocalist of Spitz, is very famous rock band. There are my favorite songs of them, however, I especially love their song "Kaede" 楓. It is sad love song. Kaede means maple tree in Japanese. I think his voice is soft and has special wavelength. I am always fasinated by it and feel confortable. His voice is just my healing voice.

Kaede by Spitz   

手をつなごう Hand in Hand

I often hear some songs to encourage people or for hope after March 11th. We might want to feel Kizuna (bond) of people and hope brighter future. 

I heard a song in radio yesterday. "手をつなごう" te o tsunagou (hand in hand) is a song for bond.of people. 

I recognize that everyone can't live and do nothing without other people. Compassion and imagination is necessary for us. 

I especially realize that our history is changing this year. We need to join hands and help each other. 

手をつなごう by Ayaka 

Full Moon - Oborozukiyo

I looked up sky at night yesterday. Full moon was shining beautifully. There are my favorite songs for moon. Oborozukiyois an old Japanese song and  my favorite one. Sky in spring in Japan is hazy. So moon seems to be hazy. Oborozukiyo means night like this. This song is so beautiful. I found a music video. Japanese female singer, Mika Nakashima sing the song.     

Oborozukiyo by Mika Nakashima

Another song is 今夜月の見える丘に. This song was theme song of TV drama, "Beautiful Life". that was on air about ten years ago.

I'm happy to see beautiful moon now.

  

今夜月の見える丘に by B'z

Musicman

"Musicman" is a title of new album of  Keisuke Kuwata 桑田佳祐 who is so famous singer in Japan. I love his songs. He is leader and lead vocal of a rock band, Southern All Stars. He success for a musician and artist. Almost Japanese will know him or we have heard his songs. 
He got cancer when he produced this new album last year. However, he was operated and came back to us. I haven't bought the album yet, I want it now. I liked new single in this album , ginga no hosikuzu 銀河の星屑.
His voice is husky. And his lyrics are so special and unique. I can't explain the uniqueness well in English. Japanese taste and western taste are mixed and assimilate in his lyrics.  It is very natural and produce his special world. I think he is genius of word. There are many favorite his songs for me. 

愛の言霊(ai no kotodama) -spiritual message  

希望の轍 (kibou no wadachi)

白い恋人達(shiroi koibitotachi)

Two Japanese musician, Takahiro Matsumoto and Hirom Uehara got grammy award this year. 

Tokyo night    Larry Carlton + Tak Matsumoto   

Stanley Clarke Band Featuring Hiromi

Takahiro Matsumoto is a guitarist of very famous rock unit "B'z". Hiromi Uehara is famous jazz female pianist. I love her performance.

There are many talented musician in Japan. I'm glad other countries' people know them and hear their songs or music.    

Unexpected Satisfaction - Unit Asia

I went to a concert this week. My friend gave a ticket of a fusion band that is composed by Asian musicians. 
The name of the band is Unit Asia. I didn't know it.

I didn't especially expect, however, the performance was so excellent and I was touched. The member is three Japanese, guitarist, bassist, drummer and Thai saxophonist and Malaysian pianist. Three Egyptian musicians played some musics as special guests in the concert. Especially I loved piano performance. I haven't seen live performance about for several years. I was satisfied with big surprise. I was happy to hear good music. 

Unit Asia toured in Asian and Middle East last year. I found the performances in YouTube. I especially like music in No.2.

"unit asia" Concert 2010 at Cairo Vol.1

     "unit asia" Concert 2010 in Cairo #2  

         "unit asia" Concert 2010 in Cairo #3       

      

Chūshingura 忠臣蔵

There is a historical story that is produced as TV special drama in almost every December. The story is Chushingura 忠臣蔵 . Chusingura or Akō rōshi 赤穂浪士 is well-known and almost Japanese know this event. It is one of stories of Kabuki Though I have seen these dramas several times, I didn't know personally why people like this story and they think of moving story. Because it is just vengeance and sad story. 

A historical event that is based on happened in Edo period 江戸時代. Edo period is so peaceful after the Warring State Period. So this event might be sensational for people in these days. And loyalty to master was regarded as  virtue for samurais. They could die for their master no matter what happened. 

New Japanese film, "Saigo no chusingura" released 最後の忠臣蔵 this month in Japan. This is a story after the event. It will release in US next year. And I heard a news that this story is going to be filmed in Hollywood, starring Keanu Reeves.
It might be interesting when you see it after knowing about Chushingura story and it is so famous in Japan.   

Gibs

I have forgotten my faborite songs for a long time. However, when I listen to it by chance somewhere, I suddenly remember them that are my favorite songs.

"Gibs" by Shena Ringo is just one of these songs. I have forgotten it about for ten years. However, I listened it that was sung by diffrent singer recently. Time passed and my situation changed.  Time passed and my situation changed. However, I felt again it was wonderful song.
I think you have these songs...

Gibs by Shena Ringo 椎名林檎 

Don't wanna cry by Namie Amuro

雪の華 (yuki no hana) by Mika Nakashima