Yûdai Yamaguchi's AKANBO SHÔJO

[The Gomorrahizer]

http://www.gomorrahy.com/images/akanbo_shoujo_mb01.jpg

Above is a still from Yûdai Yamaguchi's Akanbo shôjo ("akanbo" w/ short 'o'). The movie is scheduled to have its world première at the Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival (http://www.yubarifanta.com/) (Yûbari Kokusai Fantasutikku Eigasai) - "YIFFF" for short - in Hokkaido, Japan on March 21st; it's being distributed by King Record Co. Ltd. (http://www.kingrecords.co.jp/) (Kingu Rekôdo K.K.).

The screenplay for Akanbo shôjo was written by Hirotoshi Kobayashi (http://web.mac.com/etandme/iWeb/twdtae/TOP.html), based on the manga serial "Akanbô shôjo" (http://www.amazon.co.jp/exec/obidos/ASIN/4041608066) ("akanbô" w/ long 'o') - a.k.a. "Noroi no yakata" - by Kazuo Umezu (http://www.umezz.com/). The movie stars Nako Mizusawa (http://www.web-foster.com/foster/nako_mizusawa.swf) as Yôko. Yoshihiro Nishimura and his company Nishimura Motion Picture Model Makers Group (http://www.nishi-eizo.com/) (Y.K. Nishimura Eizô) - "NMPMMG" for short - were responsible for its special make-up effects.

Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be an official website or trailer for Akanbo shôjo online at present; however, below are links to trailers for some other movies that are also to be screened at this year's YIFFF.

Kakutou-bin - Fighting Express Vol. 1-3 trailer page (http://www.kakutoubin.com/main/index.html)

Kakutou-bin - Fighting Express Vol. 1-3 official website (http://www.kakutoubin.com/)

Metal Samurai trailer (http://columbia.jp/metalsamurai/wvx/spot.wvx) (Windows Media Video)

Metal Samurai official website (http://www.metalsamurai.com/)

[The Gomorrahizer]

http://www.gomorrahy.com/images/akanbou_shoujo_mb01.jpg

Above is a photo set of an "Akanbô shôjo" figurine; the figurine is of Yôko and Tamami. Below is a production still from Akanbo shôjo.

BTW, Yûdai Yamaguchi's previous directing credits include the story "Tenth Night" ("Dai-jû-ya") in the omnibus movie Ten Nights of Dream (Yume jû-ya) (http://www.yume-juya.jp/), Meatball Machine (http://www.gomorrahy.com/trailer-park/meatball-machine.htm) - which he co-directed with Jun'ichi Yamamoto - Cromartie High: The Movie (Sakigake!! Kuromati Kôkô: The Movie) (http://www.media-blasters.com/TitleDisplay.cfm?upc=631595063288), The Present (Purezento) (http://www.media-blasters.com/TitleDisplay.cfm?upc=631595064889) - one of the movies in the Kazuo Umezz's Horror Theater (Umezu Kazuo: kyôfu gekijô) hexalogy (http://www.umezu-movie.com/) - episodes 3, 4, 9, and 10 of the 13-episode TV series The Great Horror Family (Kaiki daikazoku) (http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/kaiki/), Battlefield Baseball (Jigoku Kôshien) (http://www.klockworx.com/movies/detail/jigoku.html), and the anthology movie Tebana Sankichi: Snot Rocket & Super Detective (Tebana to meitantei: Yûdai-sai) (http://www.media-blasters.com/TitleDisplay.cfm?upc=631595073188).

http://www.gomorrahy.com/images/akanbo_shoujo_mb02.jpg

[The Gomorrahizer]

The cast of Akanbo shôjo also includes Gorô Noguchi (http://www.goro-net.com/), Takumi Saitô (http://www.saitoh-takumi.jp/), Keisuke Horibe (http://www.horibe-republic.com/), Asami (http://www.web-tiara.net/girls/asami/) (who's also in Noboru Iguchi (http://www.noboruiguchi.com/)'s The Machine Girl (Kataude mashin gâru) (http://www.gomorrahy.com/noboru-iguchi/the-machine-girl-minase-yashiro.htm)), Etsuko Ikuta, Atsuko Asano, and Itsuji Itao (http://www.fandango.co.jp/talent_prf/action/TalentProfileDetailSearchAction?unitId=20115&talentId=20045) (who's also in Yoshihiro Nishimura's Tokyo Gore Police (Tôkyô zankoku keisatsu) (http://www.gomorrahy.com/yoshihiro-nishimura/tokyo-gore-police.htm)).

Here's a synopsis for Akanbo shôjo from the YIFFF website: "A beautiful girl, Yoko, gets lost one night during an air raid and is taken in by an orphanage. Eventually, she is reunited with her own family and goes home to live with them. But there, an unexpected fate awaits her as she is subjected to horrific brutality from these people who are tortured by a past mistake. In the original comic series, the character 'Tamami' left many readers traumatized, and it is interesting to see how Yudai, a proven talent at adapting comics for the screen, chooses to portray her."

My apologies for posting so soon again about Akanbo shôjo, but the belowlinked page for the movie (which the info above is from) was just added today to the YIFFF website.

YIFFF: Akanbo shôjo (http://www.yubarifanta.com/views.php?id=274&langue=21002)

[The Gomorrahizer]

Distribution rights for Akanbo shôjo are to be offered for sale by King Records at this year's Marché du Film (https://www.marchedufilm.com/) in Cannes.

[The Gomorrahizer]

http://www.gomorrahy.com/images/metal_samurai_mb01.jpg

The abovementioned Metal Samurai is scheduled to be screened at this year's Japanisches Filmfestival Hamburg (http://www.nihonmedia.de/) on June 1st.

Here's a description of Metal Samurai from the YIFFF website: "This is the first of a series of films co-produced by Columbia Music Entertainment and the Toei Film Studio of Kyoto. Matsudaira Desunoshin is a ronin who has a crush on Omitsu, a young girl working at a eating-place called 'Otafuku'. With his detective friend, Heihachi, he frequents the diner but Omitsu remains totally unaware of his feelings; first, because he is shy - despite his wild looks - and second, because of a language barrier. But Desunoshin has an alternate identity... he is a heavy metal guitarist."

Metal Samurai trailer (http://columbia.jp/metalsamurai/wvx/spot.wvx) (Windows Media Video)

YouTube: Metal Samurai trailer page (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJGxtesrXLU)

Metal Samurai official website (http://www.metalsamurai.com/)

YIFFF: Metal Samurai (http://www.yubarifanta.com/views.php?id=233&langue=21002)

Japanisches Filmfestival Hamburg: Metal Samurai (http://www.nihonmedia.de/2008/metal-samurai/)

[The Gomorrahizer]

http://www.gomorrahy.com/images/akanbo_shoujo_mb03.jpg

The official website for Akanbo shôjo is now online. Nikkatsu Corporation (http://www.nikkatsu.com/) is scheduled to release the movie theatrically in Japan on August 2nd - the same day that Spotted Productions (http://www.spopro.net/) is scheduled to release Noboru Iguchi (http://www.noboruiguchi.com/)'s The Machine Girl (http://www.gomorrahy.com/noboru-iguchi/the-machine-girl-minase-yashiro.htm) (Kataude mashin gâru) theatrically there.

Those who are interested in Akanbo shôjo may also wish to read the thread on Norio Tsuruta (http://www.eizoh.jp/tsuruta/)'s upcoming Orochi - Blood (Orochi); that movie is likewise based on a manga serial (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1569317879/) by Umezu.

Akanbo shôjo official website (http://akanbo-movie.com/index.html)

* * *

All Things Zombie Forums: Orochi - Blood thread (http://www.allthingszombie.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15947)

[The Gomorrahizer]

http://www.gomorrahy.com/images/akanbo_shoujo_mb04.jpg

The English-language title of Akanbo shôjo is "Tamami". The movie is set to be screened at this year's New York Asian Film Festival (http://www.subwaycinema.com/) (NYAFF), which runs from June 20th to July 6th.

BTW, The Machine Girl (http://www.gomorrahy.com/noboru-iguchi/the-machine-girl-minase-yashiro.htm) (Kataude mashin gâru) director Noboru Iguchi (http://www.noboruiguchi.com/)'s Cat-Eyed Boy (Nekome kozô) was likewise based on a manga serial (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1421517922/) by Umezu.

Tamami official website (http://akanbo-movie.com/index.html)

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YouTube: NYAFF 2008 trailer page (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjUR2fiJ7Kk)

Cat-Eyed Boy trailer (http://www.gomorrahy.com/images/cat-eyed_boy.wmv) (Windows Media Video)

GOMORRAHY.com: Cat-Eyed Boy (http://www.gomorrahy.com/noboru-iguchi/cat-eyed-boy.htm) (w/ trailer, flyer, etc.)

[The Gomorrahizer]

http://www.gomorrahy.com/images/akanbo_shoujo_mb05.jpg

The complete English-language title of Akanbo shôjo is "Tamami: The Baby's Curse".

An English-subtitled trailer for Tamami: The Baby's Curse has been added to the Trailer Park subsite of GOMORRAHY.com.

Tamami: The Baby's Curse English-subtitled trailer (http://www.gomorrahy.com/images/akanbo_shoujo_estr.mp4) (MPEG-4)

Tamami: The Baby's Curse official website (http://akanbo-movie.com/index.html)

GOMORRAHY.com: Trailer Park subsite (http://www.gomorrahy.com/trailer-park/movie-trailers.htm)

[The Gomorrahizer]

http://www.gomorrahy.com/images/akanbo_shoujo_mb06.jpg

For those who are unable to play MPEG-4 files, Quiet Earth (http://www.quietearth.us/articles/2008/06/13/English-subbed-trailer-for-Tamami-The-Babys-Curse-AKANBO-SHJO) has converted the English-subtitled trailer for Tamami: The Baby's Curse to Flash Video (FLV) format.

YouTube: Tamami: The Baby's Curse English-subtitled trailer page (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhKp2c6aqjs)

Tamami: The Baby's Curse English-subtitled trailer (http://www.gomorrahy.com/images/akanbo_shoujo_estr.mp4) (MPEG-4 - larger, higher-quality video)

[The Gomorrahizer]

http://www.gomorrahy.com/images/akanbo_shoujo_mb07.jpg

Tamami: The Baby's Curse is scheduled to be screened at the Fantasia Festival (http://www.fantasiafestival.com/) in Montréal on July 13th and 16th.

BTW, Yamaguchi and Noboru Iguchi (http://www.noboruiguchi.com/) directed the fake commercials in Yoshihiro Nishimura's Tokyo Gore Police (http://www.tokyogorepolice.info/) (Tôkyô zankoku keisatsu), which is scheduled to be screened at Fantasia on July 12th.

YouTube: Tamami: The Baby's Curse English-subtitled trailer page (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhKp2c6aqjs)

Tamami: The Baby's Curse English-subtitled trailer (http://www.gomorrahy.com/images/akanbo_shoujo_estr.mov) (QuickTime - larger, higher-quality video)

* * *

GOMORRAHY.com: Tokyo Gore Police (http://www.gomorrahy.com/yoshihiro-nishimura/tokyo-gore-police.htm) (w/ 2 promo reels, poster, flyer, stills, etc.)

[The Gomorrahizer]

http://www.gomorrahy.com/images/akanbo_shoujo_mb08.jpg

The official website for Tamami: The Baby's Curse is now partly functional.

YouTube: Tamami: The Baby's Curse English-subtitled trailer page (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhKp2c6aqjs)

Tamami: The Baby's Curse English-subtitled trailer (http://www.gomorrahy.com/images/akanbo_shoujo_estr.mov) (QuickTime - larger, higher-quality video)

Tamami: The Baby's Curse official website (http://akanbo-movie.com/index.html)

http://www.gomorrahy.com/images/akanbo_shoujo_mb09.jpg

[The Gomorrahizer]

http://www.gomorrahy.com/images/akanbo_shoujo_mb10.jpg

King Records is scheduled to release Tamami: The Baby's Curse on sale DVD in Japan on March 25th, in both a standard edition (KIBF-629; NTSC, region 2, English subtitles) and a 2-disc limited collector's edition (KIBF-9629; NTSC, region 2, English subtitles); both editions are available for pre-order from CD Japan (Neo Wing K.K. / K.K. Neo Wingu) and Amazon Japan K.K..

CD Japan: Tamami: The Baby's Curse Japanese sale DVD - standard edition (http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=KIBF-629)

CD Japan: Tamami: The Baby's Curse Japanese sale DVD - 2-disc limited collector's edition (http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=KIBF-9629)

Amazon Japan: Tamami: The Baby's Curse Japanese sale DVD - standard edition (http://www.amazon.co.jp/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001O1UKVI/)

Amazon Japan: Tamami: The Baby's Curse Japanese sale DVD - 2-disc limited collector's edition (http://www.amazon.co.jp/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001O1UKV8/)

YouTube: Tamami: The Baby's Curse English-subtitled trailer page (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhKp2c6aqjs)

Tamami: The Baby's Curse English-subtitled trailer (http://www.gomorrahy.com/images/akanbo_shoujo_estr.mov) (QuickTime - larger, higher-quality video)

Tamami: The Baby's Curse official website (http://akanbo-movie.com/index.html)


News source: GOMORRAHY.com: Trailer Park subsite (http://www.gomorrahy.com/trailer-park/movie-trailers.htm) (an "NSFW ghetto", and unabashedly so!)

[The Gomorrahizer]

http://www.gomorrahy.com/images/akanbo_shoujo_mb11.jpg

Sarawak Media Corporation (http://www.sarawakmedia.tv/) recently released Tamami: The Baby's Curse on DVD (NTSC, region-free, English subtitles) in Malaysia; the DVD is available for order from HKFlix.com for only $12.95 U.S..

HKFlix.com: Tamami: The Baby's Curse Malaysian DVD (http://www.hkflix.com/xq/asp/filmID.551002/qx/details.htm)

YouTube: Tamami: The Baby's Curse English-subtitled trailer page (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhKp2c6aqjs)

Tamami: The Baby's Curse English-subtitled trailer (http://www.gomorrahy.com/images/akanbo_shoujo_estr.mov) (QuickTime - larger, higher-quality video)

Tamami: The Baby's Curse official website (http://akanbo-movie.com/index.html)