Anime Blog Tracker

Snowdrop (スノードロップ, Kota Yoshida, 2024)

The confrontation with the misery of her life pushes one woman towards despair and desperation in Kota Yoshida’s gritty indie drama.

Windows on Worlds

Mar 6, 2024 • Subscribe

Snowdrop スノードロップ Director: Kota Yoshida [Osaka Asian Film Festival 2024]

Snowdrop スノードロップ, by director Kota Yoshida, is a socially conscious domestic drama/character study that looks at the welfare system via a woman chased by the trauma of abandonment…

Genkinahito

Mar 5, 2024 • Subscribe

Blue (BLUE/ブルー, Keisuke Yoshida, 2021)

A trio of dejected boxers contemplate their place inside and outside of the ring in Keisuke Yoshida’s unconventional boxing drama

Windows on Worlds

Jun 26, 2021 • Subscribe

Intolerance (空白, Keisuke Yoshida, 2021)

A angry old man struggling to accept his daughter’s death is forced to reassess his relationships in Keisuke Yoshida’s intense social drama.

Windows on Worlds

Dec 31, 2022 • Subscribe

Winter 2021 Pledge Drive

Whenever Jerry pops up, you know what's coming next... Read more

Lost in Anime

Feb 24, 2021 • Subscribe

Target (標的, Shinji Nishijima, 2021)

Shinji Nishijima’s documentary follows former Asahi Shimbun journalist Takashi Uemura as he continues to fight for press freedom in an increasingly authoritarian Japan.

Windows on Worlds

Jun 25, 2022 • Subscribe

Drive My Car (2021) review

“A meditative and intimate masterpiece with a rich but challenging intertextuality.”

psycho-cinematography

Jan 2, 2022 • Subscribe

S3E1 - Drive My Car (2021)

 Hello everyone, Welcome to the 3rd season of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast. This season's theme is "award winners." What are the biggest award winners in Asian cinema?…

Heroic Purgatory

May 5, 2022 • Subscribe

S3E1 - Drive My Car (2021)

 Hello everyone, Welcome to the 3rd season of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast. This season's theme is "award winners." What are the biggest award winners in Asian cinema?…

Heroic Purgatory

May 5, 2022 • Subscribe

S3E1 - Drive My Car (2021)

 Hello everyone, Welcome to the 3rd season of Heroic Purgatory: An Asian Cinema Podcast. This season's theme is "award winners." What are the biggest award winners in Asian cinema?…

Heroic Purgatory

May 5, 2022 • Subscribe

Seobok (서복, Lee Yong-ju, 2021) [Fantasia 2021]

A terminally ill former government agent reckons with mortality while bonding with a clone birthed to cure humanity’s ills in Lee Yong-ju’s high concept thriller

Windows on Worlds

Aug 11, 2021 • Subscribe

Girl from Phantasia

Follow The Light (2021) review [Fantasia Festival 2021]

The narrative might not offer anything new at a thematical level, but stands out due to his refusal to spell things out and, instead, imply certain subjective truths…

psycho-cinematography

Aug 3, 2021 • Subscribe

Girl from Phantasia

Midnight (미드나이트, Kwon Oh-seung, 2021) [Fantasia 2021]

A deaf woman and her mother become unwitting targets for a sadistic serial killer in Kwon’s extraordinarily tense chase through the darkened streets of Soeul

Windows on Worlds

Aug 24, 2021 • Subscribe

Girl from Phantasia

Retake (リテイク, Kota Nakano, 2023)

A diffident teenage boy finds himself editing in real time in Kota Nakano’s movie-making summer holiday movie.

Windows on Worlds

Aug 23, 2024 • Subscribe

Polan (ポラン, Kota Nakamura, 2022)

The closure of a second-hand bookshop leaves a gaping hole at the centre of a community in Kota Nakamura’s warmhearted documentary.

Windows on Worlds

Oct 20, 2023 • Subscribe

The Sadness (哭悲, Robert Jabbaz, 2021) [Fantasia 2021]

A young couple find themselves caught up in an epidemic of sadistic violence in Robert Jabbaz’ defiantly depraved satirical horror

Windows on Worlds

Aug 22, 2021 • Subscribe

Girl from Phantasia

Drive My Car (2021) [Movie Review]

Drive My Car; or, Depression: The Movie      I like that car. I can tell it’s been treated with care. That’s why I also want to drive it…

Watching Asia Film Reviews

Jan 15, 2022 • Subscribe

Angry Rice Wives (大コメ騒動, Katsuhide Motoki, 2021)

Village women start a small revolution over the increasing price of rice in Katsuhide Motoki’s historical drama.

Windows on Worlds

Jan 23, 2024 • Subscribe

Shigeru

生成AIの台頭と知的活動の隔絶の心配

AIが発達しても好奇心旺盛な人間、自己顕示欲が強くこだわりが強い創作者、頭の良さがずば抜けている人たち、天邪鬼、変人、狂人は創作や研究において頭角を現し続けるであろう。これは変わらないと思う。しかし頭のねじが壊れていない、その他大勢の方々は知的探求において受け身に甘んじたり思考が単純化しそうで怖い。 趣味の世界で没頭できる余裕がある人は大丈夫だろうけど、駆け出しの十代や日々の生活でかつかつな人たちからすればじっくり研究したり徐々に技を磨く工程が「贅沢な道楽」となってしまうのではないだろうか。 努力せずともそこそこ面白い想像や探究が可能とするAIだが、思考や論理組み立ての基礎が脆弱な段階からAIに依存するとカンペだよりと同じ結果になりそう。計算機を使う前に基礎的な計算方法を知らないとミスが発生しても対応に苦慮するのと同じである。計算機やAIをけなしているのではなく、それを使いこなす教育の不十分さと人間の怠慢さを危惧しているのだが…… また創作や研究への情熱を理解できない人はその重要性を「有効性」「生産性」や「人気」でしか図ることができなくなり、ますます人間の特権である遊び心の領域が退化する不安が先走る。杞憂であればよいのだが。 そもそも知的作業を営む人間の数がごく一部になってしまい、最先端にいる人とその他大勢の間に大きな隔たりが生まれると中世ヨーロッパのように「ラテン語の出来る人とできない人」のように認識能力においてかなり決定的な差異が発生しかねない心配をしている。 中世においてラテン語ができれば古代の知識や遠方の人間との交流を可能とする学術の言語だった。ラテン語ができれば自らの研究が共有されやすく、他者の知的探求を認知しやすくなる。いっぽうラテン語ができない人間は他者（権力者その他）による解説に依存することにある。 これまで人は創作や研究における競争が行き過ぎると、その内容ではなく人格攻撃やプラットフォームでの上げ足取りや人気取りの小手先を重要視する傾向がある。もちろんこれは兼光の個人的な印象でしかないが、日米を比較したり、これまでのメディア業界の歴史を振り返るとそのような事象が目立つのだ。巨大な統一プラットフォームでの勝ち組負け組形成による不均衡の増大より、複数のプラットフォームで色々な競争があったの方が文化は豊かになると思っている。 プラットフォームの集約と生成AIの問題は別だが、片方がもう片方を悪化させる可能性は否めないのではないだろうか。 すごい作品ばかりが立ち並ぶ領域にいきなり立たされると人は委縮しやすい。最初は身近な箱庭がいい。家庭の中で、学校で、同人誌即売会の中で――ローカルで技を磨き、やがて本当に上を目指す人はより大きなステージへ。 しかし生成AIから手軽に研究・創作できると最初からグローバルでの競争となるために、気軽に身近な場所で下手の横好きから創作・研究が始められず、挫折する人が増えそうな気がして仕方ない。 これがすべて50代中盤のおっさんの身勝手な心配であればいいのだが……

Dan Kanemitsu's Paper Trail

Jan 28, 2026 • Subscribe

Tokyo Revengers (2021) Review [Fantasia Film Festival]

“An exciting blend of satisfying violence, tensive moments, surges of pleasing lightheartedness, and touching emotional moments.”

psycho-cinematography

Aug 16, 2021 • Subscribe

Girl from Phantasia, Tokyo Revengers

Seire (세이레, Park Kang, 2021) [Fantasia 2022]

A new father finds himself haunted by paternal anxiety and old transgressions in Park Kang’s eerie folk horror.

Windows on Worlds

Sep 3, 2022 • Subscribe

Girl from Phantasia

Shari (シャリ, Nao Yoshigai, 2021) [Fantasia 2022]

A red monster roams the landscape smearing its blood wherever it goes in Nao Yoshigai’s surreal documentary hybrid.

Windows on Worlds

Sep 17, 2022 • Subscribe

Girl from Phantasia

就職活動

Get a job! - How to Japanese - June 2022

How to Japanese

Jun 30, 2022 • Subscribe

Kakegurui 2: Ultimate Russian Roulette (2021) review [Fantasia Festival 2021]

“Hanabusa’s second outing proves to be as enjoyable and thrilling as the first.”

psycho-cinematography

Nov 23, 2021 • Subscribe

Girl from Phantasia, Kakegurui

Tokyo Revengers (東京リベンジャーズ, Tsutomu Hanabusa, 2021) [Fantasia 2021]

A dejected 27-year-old gets a second chance to face his high school trauma in Hanabusa’s high school delinquent x time travel manga adaptation

Windows on Worlds

Aug 14, 2021 • Subscribe

Girl from Phantasia, Tokyo Revengers

Interview: Reiko Yoshida

By Jonathan Clements. “I have loved novels, films and animation since I was a child,” says scriptwriter Reiko Yoshida, “and I was hugely interested in the world of…

All the Anime

Jun 16, 2023 • Subscribe

Dreams of Fire (2021) review [Fantasia Film festival]

“McKie’s film is not only the best dance-film of recent years but might very well be one of the best Japanese films to be released this year.”

psycho-cinematography

Aug 25, 2021 • Subscribe

Girl from Phantasia

Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko (2021) [Fantasia Film festival]

“A great animation film that offers an emotional and moving celebration of the strength of the bond between a daughter and a mother.”

psycho-cinematography

Aug 22, 2021 • Subscribe

Girl from Phantasia, Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko

Chorokbam (초록밤, Yoon Seo-jin, 2021) [Fantasia 2022]

A small family contend with the persistent unfairness of the contemporary society in Yoon Seo-jin’s slow burn indie drama.

Windows on Worlds

Jul 20, 2022 • Subscribe

Girl from Phantasia

Fantasia International Film Festival Confirms Complete 2021 Programme

In cinemas and streaming across Canada Aug. 5 – 25

Windows on Worlds

Aug 2, 2021 • Subscribe

Girl from Phantasia

Jack the Poetical Private / 詩的私的ジャック

Despite its focus on STEM, the S&M series sure seems to have an aversion to formula. While the previous book broke the mold by moving from...

Bad Player's Good Reviews

Apr 15, 2023 • Subscribe

The Perfect Insider

Motherhood (母性, Ryuichi Hiroki, 2022)

A mother and daughter find their relationship forever frustrated by the roles placed upon them in Ryuichi Hiroki’s adaptation of the Kanae Minato novel.

Windows on Worlds

Sep 11, 2023 • Subscribe

Akudama Drive – 12 [Akudama Drive]

Before I get into my thoughts on this episode, I want to note that what we saw this week wasn’t its final form. There’s an additional five minutes…

Star Crossed Anime

Dec 26, 2020 • Subscribe

Akudama Drive

Next Door (옆집사람, Yeom Ji-ho, 2021) [Fantasia 2022]

An aspiring policeman becomes embroiled in a kafkaesque series of events after waking up next to a dead body in next-door’s apartment in Yeom Ji-ho’s deliciously dark farce.

Windows on Worlds

Aug 31, 2022 • Subscribe

Girl from Phantasia

The Mole Song: Final (2021) review [Fantasia Film Festival]

Miike’s narrative delivers everything a fan of the previous narratives desires and even succeeds in inviting newcomers to delve into Reiji’s past exploits.

psycho-cinematography

Jul 24, 2022 • Subscribe

Girl from Phantasia

Love, Live, and Goldfish (2021) review [Fantasia Film Festival]

“While Makabe’s narrative does not offer anything truly new or groundbreaking, what it does brings to the table is served with excellence.”

psycho-cinematography

Aug 6, 2021 • Subscribe

Girl from Phantasia

Wicked City: Wickedly Sexual

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT. Greetings, fabulous people of the Internet! Hanime on Anime here, and welcome to the ’80s! Yes, this week and the…

Hanime on Anime

Oct 10, 2021 • Subscribe

Wicked City

Golden Fantasia

detective fiction, 推理小説、games,

ボクの事件簿

Mar 20, 2021 • Subscribe

Girl from Phantasia, When They Cry, Umineko: When They Cry, When the Seagulls Cry Specials

Fantasia 2010

Tuesday, Fantasia announced the highlights of its programming and posted all the details on its website . The 14th edition of the Fant...

Protoculture News & Updates

Jul 3, 2010 • Subscribe

Bleach, Naruto, King of Thorn, Metropolis, Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror

Fantasia Unfolding

Where ancient beasts roam and chosen ones rise. A new realm opens with every page. Grimm Kumikyoku In a world where stories and myths are not just tales…

美咲の部屋

Nov 28, 2025 • Subscribe

The Grimm Variations, Girl from Phantasia

Satoshi Kon: The Illusionist (Satoshi Kon, l’illusionniste, Pascal-Alex Vincent, 2021) [Fantasia 2021]

Pascal-Alex Vincent paints an enigmatic picture of the late Perfect Blue director

Windows on Worlds

Aug 7, 2021 • Subscribe

Girl from Phantasia, Perfect Blue

Remain In Twilight (くれなずめ, Daigo Matsui, 2021) [Fantasia 2021]

A group of high school friends is forced to confront unresolved grief while rehearing for a wedding in Daigo Matsui’s moving metaphysical drama

Windows on Worlds

Aug 18, 2021 • Subscribe

Girl from Phantasia

Drive My Car (ドライブ・マイ・カー, Ryusuke Hamaguchi, 2021)

A theatre director begins to overcome his sense of inertia after bonding with a young woman hired to drive his car in Hamaguchi’s deeply moving drama

Windows on Worlds

Oct 10, 2021 • Subscribe

Missing (ミッシング, Keisuke Yoshida, 2024)

The mother of a missing girl finds herself in an uneasy relationship with the media in Keisuke Yoshida’s empathetic drama.

Windows on Worlds

Jun 19, 2024 • Subscribe

Fantasia Confirms Second Wave of Titles for 2021 Virtual Edition

Streaming in Canada Aug. 5 to 25.

Windows on Worlds

Jul 12, 2021 • Subscribe

Girl from Phantasia

Hello! Tapir (嗨！神獸, Kethsvin Chee, 2020) [Fantasia 2021]

A small boy begins to process grief and loss while searching for nightmare-eating tapirs in Kethsvin Chee’s charmingly retro fantasy adventure

Windows on Worlds

Sep 4, 2021 • Subscribe

Girl from Phantasia

Jigoku-no-hanazono ～Office Royale～ (2021) review [Fantasia Film Festival]

“An absurd and crazy cocktail full of violence and funny twists and unexpected turns.”

psycho-cinematography

Aug 19, 2021 • Subscribe

Girl from Phantasia

Sexual Drive, N Goto, Radiation House, Tsuyukusa, xxxHOLiC, Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger vs. Kiramager vs. Senpaiger Japanese Film Trailers

Sexual Drive, N Goto, Radiation House, Tsuyukusa, xxxHOLiC, Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger vs. Kiramager vs. Senpaiger Japanese Film Trailers

Genkinahito

Apr 30, 2022 • Subscribe

xxxHOLiC

My Indian Boyfriend (我的印度男友, Sri Kishore, 2021)

A boy from India falls for a Hong Kong girl but encounters a series of barriers to romance in Sri Kishore’s Bollywood-style romantic melodrama

Windows on Worlds

Apr 11, 2022 • Subscribe

Charlotte

Secrets of 1979 (弓蕉園的秘密, Zero Chou, 2021)

Two women fall in love over the summer of 1979 but find their innocent romance overshadowed by the oppressive KMT regime in Zero Chou’s political drama

Windows on Worlds

Sep 21, 2021 • Subscribe