Bullets 'n' Babes

Thanks. That is a fantastic display of Obayashi visual brilliancy. Today, directors ruin their films with ugly picture manipulation. They boost the contrast and colors to the point your eyes star bleeding. But Obayshi was doing the opposite. He often faded the colors, and usually it worked to the benefit of the film.

Although Obayashi did go overboard with the cartoon visuals sometimes, too. My favourite Obayashi films are actually the ones where he restrained himself. Tenkousei for example is fantastic film. He recently remade it, but I doubt the new version is as good as the original.

Early Spring Story review and dvd comparison:
https://www.bulletsnbabesdvd.com/forums/ ... php?t=5186



A fun little notice; Tomoyo Harada's debut work was the 1982 Sailor Suit and Machine Gun TV show, based on the 1981 Hiroko Yakushimaru movie. Later the same year she starred in Nerawareta Gakuen TV show, also based on a Hiroko Yakushimaru movie (1980). Thankfully she wasn’t stuck as "TV Hiroko" all her career, but made her feature film debut with Toki wo kakeru shoujo in 1983, directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi, the director of Nerawareta gakuen.

When Hiroko Yakushimaru was having her 18th birthday, Tomoyo Harada and Noriko Watanabe were among the guests. Now, can you even imagagine how great that must have been?!

Tomoyo’s theme song for Sailor fuku to kikanju


Unfortunately TV Sailor is not available on home video format. I think there was some right issues. Neraware gakuen TV is also unavailable on dvd.

So what's up with Tomoyo today? Did she get old and retire? Nope. She released a new album a few years ago and recently joined a band called pupa. And she's still beautiful.




http://haradatomoyo.com/
http://www.myspace.com/haradatomoyo

Toei's 2009/11/01 low priced batch (3000 yen per dvd) will include the studio's both Hiroko Yakushimaru live action movies, Yabanjin no youni (野蛮人のように) (1985) and Shinshi dômei (紳士同盟) (1986). Yabanjin no youni was directed by little know director Toru Kawashima, and features the song Sutekina koi no wasurekata by Yakushimaru. Shinshi dômei also features a theme song (titled Shinshi dômei) by Yakushimaru. The director, Hirouyuki Nasu, was a former pink director and is best known for his Bee Bop High School films.

Yabanjin no youni






Shinshi dômei






Trailers for both films:
Yabanjin no youni
Shinshi dômei

And finally, an unrelated Hiroko picture that deserves to be posted

Here's a trailer for Itsuka dareka ga korosareru.
http://rokudenashi-bunka.blogspot.com/2 ... areru.html

It's been quite long since I saw this film. I recall it being fairly mediocre. Noriko Watanabe fans should enjoy it. I think she performed at least one song in it.

The dvd cover art is fantastic.


(this is the jewel case version from one of the Kadokawa Heroine box sets. The normal dvd release comes in a normal size case with similar artwork)

Ran into this fantastic pic of Hiroko and Somai


- http://matome.naver.jp/odai/21264487741 ... 7427640603

HungFist wrote:Early Spring Story review and dvd comparison:
https://www.bulletsnbabesdvd.com/forums/ ... php?t=5186



A fun little notice; Tomoyo Harada's debut work was the 1982 Sailor Suit and Machine Gun TV show, based on the 1981 Hiroko Yakushimaru movie. Later the same year she starred in Nerawareta Gakuen TV show, also based on a Hiroko Yakushimaru movie (1980). Thankfully she wasn’t stuck as "TV Hiroko" all her career, but made her feature film debut with Toki wo kakeru shoujo in 1983, directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi, the director of Nerawareta gakuen.

When Hiroko Yakushimaru was having her 18th birthday, Tomoyo Harada and Noriko Watanabe were among the guests. Now, can you even imagagine how great that must have been?!

Tomoyo’s theme song for Sailor fuku to kikanju


Unfortunately TV Sailor is not available on home video format. I think there was some right issues. Neraware gakuen TV is also unavailable on dvd.

So what's up with Tomoyo today? Did she get old and retire? Nope. She released a new album a few years ago and recently joined a band called pupa. And she's still beautiful.




http://haradatomoyo.com/
http://www.myspace.com/haradatomoyo

I'd like to check out some of these 80s idol flicks - be intersting to compare the girls' cuteness with those of today.

Shogun wrote: I'd like to check out some of these 80s idol flicks - be intersting to compare the girls' cuteness with those of today.

The 80's was amazing, the era when idols could act

I warmly recommend starting with the best idol film out there: Sailor Suit and Machine Gun, directed by the greatest Japanese director of the 80's, Shinji Somai, and starring perhaps the biggest idol of the 80's, Hiroko Yakushimaru. Easily accessible on Hong Kong DVD.

Very old review (try to ignore grammar and other shorcomings, there's plenty of pictures ):
https://www.bulletsnbabesdvd.com/forums/ ... =19&t=3388







But the very best idol thing out there is Sukeban Deka. Gonna cost you a fortune and no subs, but man, it's the best invention since pre-sliced sandwich. If you do ever get a chance to taste it, just don't start with the movies, they pale in comparison to the TV shows in every respect.





More info:
https://www.bulletsnbabesdvd.com/forums/ ... f=1&t=4893

Some day when I have time I will translate my massive Sukeban Deka article:
http://www.elitisti.net/artikkeli/2009/ ... _deka.html

HungFist wrote:

Shogun wrote: I'd like to check out some of these 80s idol flicks - be intersting to compare the girls' cuteness with those of today.

The 80's was amazing, the era when idols could act

I warmly recommend starting with the best idol film out there: Sailor Suit and Machine Gun, directed by the greatest Japanese director of the 80's, Shinji Somai, and starring perhaps the biggest idol of the 80's, Hiroko Yakushimaru. Easily accessible on Hong Kong DVD.

Very old review (try to ignore grammar and other shorcomings, there's plenty of pictures ):
https://www.bulletsnbabesdvd.com/forums/ ... =19&t=3388







But the very best idol thing out there is Sukeban Deka. Gonna cost you a fortune and no subs, but man, it's the best invention since pre-sliced sandwich. If you do ever get a chance to taste it, just don't start with the movies, they pale in comparison to the TV shows in every respect.





More info:
https://www.bulletsnbabesdvd.com/forums/ ... f=1&t=4893

Some day when I have time I will translate my massive Sukeban Deka article:
http://www.elitisti.net/artikkeli/2009/ ... _deka.html

Wow! Very cool!! You've got me desperate to see some 80s idol flicks for sure! Great article - love to read the longer one when you, like you say, have time to translate it! These pics are fantastic! Who's your favourite idols?

well, like I mentioned before I've grown out of true idol fandom (for better or worse). Nowadays I don't stalk them anymore, just enjoy their company when in a mood for it, haha.

Favorite, hmm... maybe Yui Asaka. She was the most adorable Sukeban Deka. Kawaii beyond comprehension. But I also love Hiroko from her early 80's years. In Tragedy of W (1984) she gave great performance and terrific theme song, but she became a victim of 80's fashion... that's another reason to support school uniforms. I really like her and her performance in Sailor Suit and Machine Gun (1981) (although I gotta warn you, it's not an 'action-film', it's an 'amazing-film'). She's also ridiculusly cute in School in the Crosshairs.

From new idols, well, Aya Ueto is the reason why I became what I am (no, I don't mean strange). But I haven't been following her career for years. Suppose she's new more of an actress / singer than idol. I saw Erika Yazawa in the Dogu-chan movie version and really liked her. But I guess the only real idol for me now is Maki Mizui, although she's not really an idol. But I'm a big fan of Yoshihiro Nishimura's films, and she appears in them as supporting actress, the director's assistant, and even making of doc narrator. Add live song and dance performances, and part time AV-career that I'm trying to ignore, and you've got someone who comes out terribly much like an idol. I was quite taken when I got mentioned in her blog, haha.

HungFist wrote:well, like I mentioned before I've grown out of true idol fandom (for better or worse). Nowadays I don't stalk them anymore, just enjoy their company when in a mood for it, haha.

Favorite, hmm... maybe Yui Asaka. She was the most adorable Sukeban Deka. Kawaii beyond comprehension. But I also love Hiroko from her early 80's years. In Tragedy of W (1984) she gave great performance and terrific theme song, but she became a victim of 80's fashion... that's another reason to support school uniforms. I really like her and her performance in Sailor Suit and Machine Gun (1981) (although I gotta warn you, it's not an 'action-film', it's an 'amazing-film'). She's also ridiculusly cute in School in the Crosshairs.

From new idols, well, Aya Ueto is the reason why I became what I am (no, I don't mean strange). But I haven't been following her career for years. Suppose she's new more of an actress / singer than idol. I saw Erika Yazawa in the Dogu-chan movie version and really liked her. But I guess the only real idol for me now is Maki Mizui, although she's not really an idol. But I'm a big fan of Yoshihiro Nishimura's films, and she appears in them as supporting actress, the director's assistant, and even making of doc narrator. Add live song and dance performances, and part time AV-career that I'm trying to ignore, and you've got someone who comes out terribly much like an idol. I was quite taken when I got mentioned in her blog, haha.

Aya Ueto - the star of Azumi. Yeah, Erika Yazawa is very kawaii. Maki Mizui looks a little like Rie Kitahara from AKB48 - saw her in a nude vid - she didn't look too happy
My personal favs include Yui Ichikawa, Mikie Hara, Haruna Kojima, Maki Horikita, Rina Takeda, and, can I say Misaki ito, is she still considered an idol? Anyway, she is to me; she's probably my favourite of them all - loved her in Densha Otoko and Kiken na aneki. Sadly, she is married and has a child now

Shogun wrote:Sadly, she is married and has a child now

What a terrible drawback, haha I remember the time when I was holding my breath for Aya-chan not finding a boyfriend

Azumi was THAT film for me, indeed. Got it around the time the Japanese dvd was released, late 2004, I guess. It was a go after that. Some day I should check my locker just to see what I can find there... dvds, cds, half a dozen photobooks, a couple of poster calendars, other random posters including one live size... ah, I have fond memories of those days.

There have been a few others, too, but leaning more towards actress than idol. Anne Suzuki comes to mind, and of course Aki Maeda. I'm still trying to locate her to ask her to marry me. And Ken'ichi Matsuyama, haha. I'd go for a coffee with him, haha. Not further than coffee shop, though

AKB48 is really big in Japan these days. You can't even buy tickets to their Akiba shows, you gotta buy a draw, and then if you're lucky you can win the right to purchase a ticket...

This Yazawa vid is amazing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKiL7MhEv7U

Important Notice concerning the new Kadokawa Remaster DVDs

Kadokawa recently released "Digitally Remastered Editions" of many idol films, such as Tragedy of W, Sailor Suit and Machine Gun, Legend of the 8 Samurai, Nerawareta gakuen, Toki wo kakeru shoujo, etc. Looking at the specs, however, it seems that all extras from the previous editions except for trailers have been dropped. So Tragedy of W won't have the excellent making of documentary anymore, Toki wo kakeru shoujo won't have Tomoya Harada music video and Obayashi interview anymore etc.

Since the old discs (all the ones I've seen) had sufficient transfers I think these new discs (mostly released in 2011) would be better ignored, unless if the original was also barebones or you want to own two editions. Many of the new arworks are inferior, too...

sorry for double posting, but I just now remembered we have an idol thread, too

Finally! Kadokawa is releasing some of their idol catalogue on BD in Japan. Included are all of their Hiroko Yakushimaru films and some Noriko Watanabe and Tomoyo Harada films. Sadly, the BD's seem to be barebones (only trailers / TV spots listed for the ones I cheched). Though that's kinda considerate in the sense that now the original, occasionally extras packed dvds do not lose their value...

Hiroko!!!







　

Harada!!!




Watanabe!




The discs are quite affordable by JP standards... 2,940 street price, and with amazon's pre-order only 2000. Though I own almost all of these on dvd, I think I'm gonna have to upgrade at least a few of them.

How lucky, just when I was in Tokyo for one night Kineka Omori was playing a Kadokawa idol double feature on 35mm!

First up was Island Closest to Heaven (1984), which I had not seen before. It's Nobuhiko Obayashi’s second collaboration with 80’s idol Tomoyo Harada (after the previous year's The Girl Who Leaped Through Time). Island Closest to Heaven was probably more of a leisure trip to New Caledonia for the filmmakers, and an idol video, than a film with notable cinematic merits. The storyline of a Japanese girl who travels to New Caledonia in her search of the paradise on earth, and meets nothing but nice people, is incredibly naïve but somewhat amusing.

The real attraction is of course the 16 year old Harada, whose isn’t at her best as an actress here, but possesses the kind of natural innocence that the AKBs of today couldn’t even dream of. She also sings the theme song, although it only plays during the ending credits sequence which disappointingly doesn't feature Harada (unlike the wonderful ending in The Girl Who Leaped Through Time). When I heard the song in the movie for the first time I didn't consider it so great, but now the more I hear it the more I like it. You can hear Tomo-chan's cuteness in it!!!!

Great fan music video:
http://youtu.be/EK-F-Iqa1gI





Also, while we're at it, here's the ending credits from The Girl Who Leaped Through Time. One of my favorite three minutes of cinema ever filmed:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk3W5tLEm0w

The second film in the double feature was the Hiroko Yakushimaru classic Tragedy of W, which I've already talked about before. Here's my capsure review anyway:

The greatest 80’s idol Hiroko Yakushimaru stars in yet another excellent film after Sailor Suit and Machine Gun, Legend of the Eight Samurai, and a few others. The unusually gritty (for an idol) role sees Hiroko as a young actress who sells her soul and body for stardom. The film features an almost genius structure where the film’s storyline begins to increasingly resemble a theatre play within the movie, while the theatre play is at the same time increasingly influenced by the reality within the film, making them eventually inseparable. Hiroko is good throughout, and in a few scenes, downright excellent. “Don’t hit me in the face, I’m an actress!”

　

And speaking of Hiroko, here's an excellent fan video for the greatest idol movie ever made, Sailor Suit and Machine Gun. It spoils the storyline and ending (after 3 min) though, so if you haven't seen the movie don't watch the entire video.
http://youtu.be/ihxc5zSmpmM

4K Scan BDs of Sailor Suit and Machine Gun and Girl of Time coming December 5th. Sailor suit will be the 131 min 1982 extended version. The original 1981 theatrical version is 112 min.

edit: actually I think it will include both version. I will confirm after the disc has been released.



Only trailers listed as extras, so I will be keeping my old dvd editions, but I will pick up this new Sailor Suit BD as well. I saw some screencaps from the previous BD (112 min version) and it didn't look much better than the 2012 DVD based on screencaps...

Kadokawa launched their own Kadokawa Channel on Amazon Prime, so I decided to finally watch Aijou monogatari.

Curtain Call (愛情物語) (1984)
Utterly crazy Kadokawa dance flick with an amazing, ultra-80s "Broadway" musical opening which also collects all the black dudes in Japan into one scene! It's poor man's Flashdance, Streets of Fire, Michael Jackson and every 80’s female pop star in one, and it's one of the best manifestations of Kadokawa, whose strategy was to bring Hollywood spectacle into Japanese filmmaking. And this was helmed by the big man himself, narcotics criminal Haruki Kadokawa. The story is about 16 year old Tomoyo Harada going on a trip to find a lost father, then making a father figure of a nice middle aged man (the always watchable Tsunehiko Watase) while training for a musical audition. Showman Kadokawa was less a storyteller and more a monkey in the director's chair. But it works here, and there's no denying the musical scenes, many of which even the most hard-core 80s junkie would admit are cheesy as hell, deliver the fun and the sheer amazement.

Caps from the stream. Kadokawa DVD and BD are also available.

A bit of taste of the soundtrack:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyxG_557vN0



















Edit: IMDb has soundtrack listing for this:

Dancing In The Night
(Long Version)
Performed by Jill Colucci

Meditation From Thais
(Instrumental)
Performed by Osamu Shoji (as Osamu Shooji)

She's Trouble
Performed by Carmen Grillo

You Could Be The One
Performed by Heather Huffman

Subway Zaji-Zazie Dans Le Métro
Performed by Tomoyo Harada (as Harada Tomoyo)

Forgot Snow
(Instrumental)
Performed by Osamu Shoji (as Osamu Shooji)

Chotto Matte Kudasai
Performed by Rosemary Butler

Themes of Youth
(Instrumental)
Performed by Osamu Shoji (as Osamu Shooji)

I Dream Of Loving You
Performed by Karen Tobin

Dandelion (Kuroi Mori No Kioku-Kuroi Mokuba)
Performed by Tomoyo Harada (as Harada Tomoyo)

Proof of Youth
(Instrumental)
Performed by Osamu Shoji (as Osamu Shooji)

What Can I Do
Performed by Kathi Pinto

Call Of The Wild
Performed by Rosemary Butler

A City On A Hill
(Instrumental)
Performed by Osamu Shoji (as Osamu Shooji)

When A Man Loves A Woman
Written by Calvin Lewis (uncredited) and Andrew Wright (uncredited)
Performed by Rosemary Butler

Memories Of The Black Forest-Black Horse
(Instrumental)
Performed by Osamu Shoji (as Osamu Shooji)

Eddy Duchin Story (Aijou Monogatari)
Performed by Tomoyo Harada (as Harada Tomoyo)

Too Young
(Instrumental)
Performed by Osamu Shoji (as Osamu Shooji)

Magical Dance
(Instrumental)
Performed by Osamu Shoji (as Osamu Shooji)

Loves The Answer
Performed by Kathi Pinto

Can I Call My Daddy
(Instrumental)
Performed by Osamu Shoji (as Osamu Shooji)

Dancing In The Night
(Short Version)
Performed by Jill Colucci

Curtain Call (End Credits)
Performed by Tomoyo Harada (as Harada Tomoyo)