Netflix has done something that no other company had really managed to do before; tap into the Japanese film and television market and get a lot of it localised and easily accessible in western markets. While Japanese films remain as rare as hen’s teeth on any of the other subscription…
Read MoreTelevision by Matt S. A second season to one of the best hidden gems on Netflix landed fairly recently. I missed that release, whenever it was (perhaps I was in Japan at the time), but after noticing that it was there a couple of nights ago, I’ve since binged the…
Read MoreFilm review by Matt S. When it comes to history, the Japanese anime, manga and games space has the unique ability to make eras and events that we in the west might be completely unfamiliar with accessible. As I’ve said many times before, Samurai Warriors was what got me interested…
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Film review by Matt S. Japanese cinema has had a long tradition of embracing transgression. From the modern auteurs such as Sono Sion and Miike Takashi, through to the great master of the form, Fukasaku Kinji, Japanese filmmaking and transgression have been so closely linked that the people have even…
Read MoreList by Matt S. Studio Ghibli is rightfully celebrated across the world for its contributions to cinema, as “Japan’s Disney,” only with a far greater emphasis on the artistry and storytelling potential of animation than Disney’s mass-market commercialisation. As one of Japan’s greatest exports, Ghibli, helped by two of the…
Read MoreTelevision by Matt S. Hello Kitty is facing some severe competition as the unofficial mascot of Japan’s heart and soul. It’s a bear in a bear suit, and his name is Rilakkuma. Now, he has his own TV show produced by Netflix, and it might just be the best money…
Read MoreFilm review by Matt S. One of the best things about using a Japanese airline to fly is the selection of local films that tend to show up on the entertainment system. Films that never end up on streaming services or on DVD, and, aside from brief tours with film…
Read MoreFilm review by Matt S. The flight to Japan from Australia is about nine hours long, and while I generally get the overnight flight (so I’m not wasting time during the day in the air), I also can’t sleep on planes. I’m 6’3″, with long legs. Planes weren’t made to…
Read MoreReview by Matt S. We love games from Japan and the rest of Asia, of course; it’s what we do as our bread-and-butter at DDNet. But we also love films, and would love to see more people watching films from Asia, because far too often people miss classic moments in…
Read MoreReview by Matt S. We love games from Japan and the rest of Asia, of course; it’s what we do as our bread-and-butter at DDNet. But we also love films, and would love to see more people watching films from Asia, because far too often people miss classic moments in…
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