Ashura-jo no Hitomi (2005)

Starring:
Somegoro Ichikawa - Izumo Wakuraba
Rie Miyazawa - Tsubaki
Kanako Higuchi - Bizan
Atsuro Watabe - Jaku Abe
Fumiyo Kohinata - Nanboku Tsuruya IV
Takashi Naitô - Nobuyuki Kuninari
Yukijiro Hotaru - Magotaro
Hanae Kan - Emishi
Kazuo Kuwabara
Sarutoki Minagawa - Takiji
Koji Ookura - Hyozo
Erika Sawajiri - Yachi
Kumiko Tsuchiya - Oiran

"Prepare to gaze into Hell."

Set in 19th Century Edo, the story begins with demons, led by the beautiful and nefarious Bizan, plotting to wreck havoc in old Edo with the ultimate aim of bringing their queen, Ashura, back to life and taking over the world. Who can stop them?

The government forms the Oni Mikado, an elite government force dedicated to defending the capital from demons.

An original - and most talented - member of the elite, Izumo "Demon Slayer" Wakuraba, has since resigned and become a kabuki actor with a travelling troupe. Meanwhile the Oni Mikado leader, Nobuyuki Kuninari, and his fierce, canny lieutenant Jaku Abe carry on, slaying demons along their way.

However, a troupe of female acrobats is wreaking havoc of another kind by turning thief at night and fighting running battles with the authorities.

One of their number, Tsubaki, stays free with Izumo's help, but as their acquaintance blossoms into love, a painful red scar appears on her shoulder: the mark of Ashura.

She struggles to remember an incident five years earlier that holds the key to her current dilemma and eventual fate.

Then Jaku falls under Bizan's erotic spell and goes over to the dark side. She sends him after Tsubaki to bring about the horrific transformation of Tsubaki.

Based on Kazuki Nakashima's famous kabuki play.



This was a fascinating movie. From the get go, excitement. Totally entertaining.

Izumo's jokes and sword play kept me invigorated. I couldn't turn my eyes away. He wasn't the prettiest of men but his presence and charisma made him handsome...extremely.

I can't explain the movie. It wasn't high tech. It didn't have "A" class actors but yet this could be one of my favorite movies. I can't understand it myself.

The story was reminiscent of an old American 80's flick. It kind of reminded me of the movie Legend (the Tom Cruise movie). The story is not even close but yet the effects and acting were about the same.

This movie has gotten a bazillion mixed reviews...some can't stand it. Where as, I totally thought this movie rocked my socks off. So I guess this movie would be for discriminating tastes. You either love it or hate it.

If I were to ever find this movie at the store, I would definitely pick this up and buy it.

The Letters (Tegami / 手紙 -2007)

Starring:
Takayuki Yamada - Naotaka Takeshima
Erika Sawajiri - Yumiko Shirai
Tetsuji Tamayama - Takashi Takeshima
Supporting Roles:
Kazue Fukiishi - Asami Nakajo
Hiroyuki Onoue - Yusuke Terao
Mitsuru Fukikoshi - Tadao Ogata
Mina Hara
Yukijiro Hotaru
Mitsuko Ishii
Morio Kazama - Tadao
Susumu Kobayashi
Sachiko Matsuura
Kazuyuki Matsuzawa
Naoki Sugiura - Hirano
Toshie Takada
Yoji Tanaka - Kurata
Machiko Washio
Tetsuo Yamashita

Brother, how are you? This is my last letter . . .Takayuki Yamada, Tetsuji Tamayama, and Erika Sawajiri star in the blockbuster film "Tegami." Naoki works at a recycling plant on the outskirts of Tokyo, trying to avoid interacting with people to avoid the reputation of his brother who accidently killed a man and went to prison. He's moved countless times, forgotten his dreams, even the lost the love of his life, all because of his brother. The only thing that saved hopeless Naoki was the woman lookin on from the side, Yumiko. Feeling the first happiness in years, he decides to throw off the chains of his brother who continues to send him letters from prison!

I'm still in tears. OMG! I'm going to have headaches all day because I couldn't sleep a wink because of this movie. Yeah, this movie touched me so much that I literally cried myself to sleep last night. This is hands down the best movie ever from Tamayama Tetsuji. This movie affected me personally. How many more tears can I cry? I knew that once I woke up this morning I would write this review but now I'm thinking about it again and once again my tears fall like rain.

This movie should be seen by everyone. It'll touch your soul in more ways than you can imagine. You don't have to be a relative of a convict to feel the emotions that this movie sets forth in motion. But again, I say this, it hit me on a personal level. I for one never thought of what it's like for the person who sits all alone in prison. This movie turned the table on me. I for one feel the pain that MY brother had to go through and why his letters were replied as soon as I sent him one.

Emotionally draining....yes. But this movie puts in perspective what the families of convicts go through and how the motions of that convict change the lives of not the victims families but the convicts families as well. I understand. I get it.

Be a better person and not treat the families as if they are responsible for the convicts actions.....they are only bystanders.

All I can say is......BRAVO! BRAVO! BRAVO!

This movie gets a "A+" for everything. It was perfect in everyway.