Atsushi Ohara

Japan

Staff Writer at Asahi Shimbun

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Articles

Kids and critics fall for ‘Seaside Serendipity’ at Berlin film fest

1 month ago | asahi.com | Atsushi Ohara

BERLIN—Director Satoko Yokohama’s artistic, dreamlike children’s film “Umibe e Iku Michi” (Seaside Serendipity”) received a Special Mention prize at the recent 75th Berlin International Film Festival. Her film was selected for recognition in the festival’s “Generation KPlus” category, which features movies for and about children, on Feb. 22. Moreover, it captured the attention of the toughest critics of all—a large audience of young viewers—despite its unusual 2-hour-and-20-minute running time.
Director opted for CGI format to tell story for ‘Give It All’

Nov 19, 2024 | asahi.com | Atsushi Ohara

Director Yuhei Sakuragi is a big fan of computer-generated imagery, especially for sci-fi themed anime like his previous outing, “The Relative Worlds.” Yet, he opted for CGI to make “Give It All,” a drama about five senior high school girls who are members of a boat club. The movie is based on a novel by Yoshiko Shikimura that generated an acclaimed live-action feature film adaptation in 1998.
Filipinos' love for ‘Voltes V’ anime sparks live-action film

Oct 21, 2024 | asahi.com | Atsushi Ohara

As a TV series from a half-century ago, the Japanese robot anime "Super Electromagnetic Machine Voltes V" is beloved in the Philippines. More recently, it has been adapted into a live-action series and film in the Southeast Asian country. Pronounced "Voltes Five," the film “Voltes V: Legacy” returned to Japan and hit theaters nationwide on Oct. 18.
‘The Colors Within’ portrays subtle feelings of adolescence

Sep 16, 2024 | asahi.com | Atsushi Ohara

Director Naoko Yamada chose the theme of “music and girls” for her latest animated film in the same vein as some of her representative works, such as “K-On! The Movie” and “Liz and the Blue Bird.” But “The Colors Within” captures the subtle, transient feelings of teenagers who are on a path toward experiencing growth and romance. The story follows Totsuko, a senior high schooler attending a Catholic boarding school, who can see the “colors” of other people since her childhood.
Director Ishii drags audience deep into heart of the ‘Box Man’

Sep 10, 2024 | asahi.com | Atsushi Ohara

“The Box Man,” the latest offering from director Gakuryu Ishii, is a surreal story about an individual who withdraws from the world by holing up in a cardboard box but is able to gaze out through a slit in the side without being seen. Other men, fascinated by the bizarre presence, make desperate attempts to become Box Men themselves. The drama is based on absurdist writer Kobo Abe’s novel of the same name.
In the age of CGI, monster movie ‘Kaminofude’ is an ode to analog

Aug 4, 2024 | asahi.com | Atsushi Ohara

While shooting “Kaminofude” (Brush of the God), production staff resorted to “tokusatsu” live-action special effects, using full-body creature suits suspended by wires for rampage scenes. It marked the feature film debut at the age of 88 of Keizo Murase, the legendary suit designer known for “Gamera,” “Godzilla,” “Daimajin” and many other monster and fantasy movies. He served as general director on the project.
INTERVIEW/ Hideaki Anno: ‘Evangelion’ series films possible but only after some rest

Jun 3, 2024 | asahi.com | Atsushi Ohara

NAGOYA--Hideaki Anno, the director of such notable works as the “Evangelion” series and “Shin Godzilla,” said he is exhausted after releasing movies for three straight years. In a recent interview with The Asahi Shimbun in Nagoya, the venue of a Hideaki Anno Exhibition, the 63-year-old director of both live-action and animated films stressed he is not keen to direct anymore movies for the time being.
Satomi Ishihara makes drastic departure in new film ‘Missing’ | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

Jun 2, 2024 | asahi.com | Atsushi Ohara

Satomi Ishihara’s latest film “Missing” is bound to change the way audiences view her. By 2017, she had grown tired of playing straightforward roles that simply required glamor. “So I went straight to director Keisuke Yoshida and asked him to change me,” she said. Ishihara, 37, recalled being struck by the way Go Morita transformed into an entirely different persona in Yoshida’s 2016 film “Himeanole” to play a serial killer. She received the screenplay for “Missing” three years later.
‘Walking To Space Together’ wins Cartoon Grand Prize 2024

May 21, 2024 | asahi.com | Atsushi Ohara

“Walking To Space Together” by Inuhiko Doronoda won the Cartoon Grand Prize 2024. The annual award reflects the views of bookstore employees and other manga enthusiasts. Published by Kodansha Ltd., the story focuses on the friendship between senior high school boys named Kobayashi, a delinquent, and Uno, a new transfer student. They find it difficult to live among “normal” people. Uno is hopeless at multitasking and sensitive to loud noises.
‘Plinivs’ wins top prize at Tezuka Osamu manga awards

May 18, 2024 | asahi.com | Atsushi Ohara

“Plinivs,” a historical manga created by Mari Yamazaki and Miki Tori focusing on the eventful life of Pliny the Elder, a naturalist who also served as an admiral in Roman times, won the Manga Grand Prix at the 28th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. Sponsored by The Asahi Shimbun Co., the competition honors “Astro Boy” creator Osamu Tezuka and the indelible mark he left on Japan’s manga culture.