Yeah, ice skating in hell! Looks like at least one Japanese distributor has finally understood how to increase international sales for their domestic home video releases and has decided to release a new Japanese film with English subtitles!
The subject for this revolutionary approach will be Takeshi Kitano’s latest film Outrage (アウトレイジ). The yakuza drama will be released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc (both with the mentioned English subtitles) from Bandai’s sublabel Honneamise on December 3rd. There will also be a Blu-ray Disc limited edition with two bonus DVDs.
Outrage DVD: CD Japan – Amazon.co.jp
Outrage Blu-ray Disc: CD Japan – Amazon.co.jp
Outrage Blu-ray Disc LE: CD Japan – Amazon.co.jp

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A few days before the premiere in Cannes, three clips for Outrage, Takeshi Kitano’s return to the world of the Yakuza have been published on the festival’s official website.

Another clip after the jump…

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Now with 84% less screaming…

Synopsis via ryuganji:

The story begins with Sekiuchi (Kitamura Soichiro), boss of the Sannokai, a huge organised crime syndicate controlling the entire Kanto region, issuing a stern warning to his lieutenant Kato (Miura Tomokazu) and right-hand man Ikemoto (Kunimura Jun), head of the Ikemoto-gumi. Kato orders Ikemoto to bring the unassociated Murase-gumi gang in line, and he immediately passes the task on to his subordinate Otomo (Beat Takeshi), who runs his own crew. The tricky jobs that no-one wants to do always end up in Otomo’s lap…

[via wildgrounds]

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Toho has released the first trailer for the allegedly last part of the incredibly popular Zatoichi film series that started back in 1962. In Zatoichi The Last (座頭市 The Last) our favorite blind masseur and sword fighter (played by SMAP member Shingo Katori) tries to settle down in his home village with his wife (Satomi Ishihara) but of course can’t because there’s some local trouble that needs to be solved with wits and the use of his hidden katana.

Zatoichi The Last is directed by Junji Sakamoto (Children of the Dark) and will open on May 29, 2010 in Japan. I can’t wait to see if Toho will really end the series with this film or if they’re already planning some Zatoichi X oder Zatoichi Zero pre/sequels.
[via Quiet Earth]

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Here’s the first short, but very powerful teaser trailer for Outrage, Takashi Kitano’s return to his beloved yakuza eiga genre. Outrage will open in Japanese theaters on June 12, 2010.

Synopsis via ryuganji:

The story begins with Sekiuchi (Kitamura Soichiro), boss of the Sannokai, a huge organised crime syndicate controlling the entire Kanto region, issuing a stern warning to his lieutenant Kato (Miura Tomokazu) and right-hand man Ikemoto (Kunimura Jun), head of the Ikemoto-gumi. Kato orders Ikemoto to bring the unassociated Murase-gumi gang in line, and he immediately passes the task on to his subordinate Otomo (Beat Takeshi), who runs his own crew. The tricky jobs that no-one wants to do always end up in Otomo’s lap…

[via Wildgrounds]

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Tokyograph has posted some first details for director/writer/actor Takeshi Kitano next project. According to the report, Kitano will finally return to “his” violent Yakuza eiga genre with this yet unnamed project after several years.
Filming has already started in August with Kitano starring next to Tomokazu Miura, Kippei Shiina, Ryo Kase, Soichiro Kitamura, Renji Ishibashi, Jun Kunimura and Fumiyo Kohinata. Distributed by Warner Bros. Japan, the film is supposed to open in Japan in 2010.
[via @wildgrounds]

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Miramax has finally decided to open their Asian films archive and announced to release Hero, Kitano’s Zatoichi, Iron Monkey und Jackie Chan’s moving alcoholic drama The Legend Of Drunken Master on Blu-ray Disc in the US on September 15, 2009! All four films will also be available in a “The Ultimate Force of Four” box set on the same date.
Hopefully Miramax will have better source material (or technicans?) for Hero than Highlight/Constantin had so we can finally enjoy Zhang Yimou’s masterpiece in an appropriate quality. And please, don’t try to screw us with some crappy cut versions of Drunken Master and Iron Monkey, Miramax!

[via The HD Room, thanks to r3d-3agl3!]

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While it has been known for some time that Shingo Katori from the Japanese Pop-group SMAP (jup, the one from the Ninja Scroll live-action adaptation) will continue the work of Shintaro Katsu and Takeshi Kitano and will play the role of Ichi, the full cast has just been announced. Tokyograph mentions Takashi Sorimachi (Fulltime Killer, Yamato) and Satomi Ishihara (The Climber’s High) in supporting roles and Chieko Baisho, Youki Kudoh, Koichi Iwaki, Yoshio Harada, Kanzaburo Nakamura and Seishiro Kato in smaller roles.
But I think more interesting than all these names is the fact that Sorimachi will play a close friend of Ichi while cute Ishihara will be his wife!
Looks like director Junji Sakamoto (Children of the Dark, Chameleon) wants to show another side of the lone wolf Ichi, who already went through a sex change in 2008 when Haruka Ayase played his/her part in ICHI.
The shooting began in early March, Toho plans to screen Zatoichi The Last at the Cannes Film Festival in 2010.

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