Deadly Games Part I — Mottomo Kiken na Yugi
April 2023 marks 45 years since the release of Matsuda Yusaku’s 1978 breakout hit film Mottomo Kiken na Yugi (The Most Dangerous Game). At the time, Toei Studios had established a new subsidiary called Toei Central Film, and Yugi was their debut work. While produced on the cheap to...
Taking on Trauma — Suzume no Tojimari
9/11 fucked up a lot of people for good. And for my generation, the tragedy hit at a very impressionable time–essentially setting a dark tone for the rest of our lives going forward. For those of a certain generation in Japan, I imagine the Great East Japan Earthquake of...
Ten Years In Tokyo
January 2023 marked the ten-year anniversary of my move to Tokyo. And before you stop me–if you’re feeling déjà vu, it’s likely because in 2021 I posted about hitting my tenth year of living in Japan. Yes, during my first year and change in this country, I did not...