Dec 16, 2020
By winning audience awards for her whimsical, heartwarming rom-coms “Tremble All You Want” and “Hold Me Back” at the Tokyo International Film Festival in 2017 and 2020, respectively, Akiko Ohku has proven her ability to connect with ticket buyers (and this reviewer). The second win was especially impressive since it was for the only prize awarded in the festival’s 32-film Tokyo Premiere 2020 section this year.
Based on a novel by Risa Wataya and scripted by Ohku, “Hold Me Back” has much in common with the director’s breakout hit, “Tremble All You Want.” Both feature single protagonists who are on the gauche and quirky side, played by actors Mayu Matsuoka in the former film and the single-named Non in the latter who exude natural charm and offbeat comedic talent.
Dec 16, 2020
Japan’s film industry was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic this year, but it bounced back sooner and stronger than even Hollywood could.
The most visible sign of that strength is the stupendous box-office numbers racked up by “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie Mugen Train,” an animated film based on a hit manga and TV series. Released on Oct. 16, it zoomed past the ¥10 billion mark in just 10 days, a record in Japan. Following this rocketing start, the film soared ever higher into the box-office stratosphere. By Nov. 29, after 6 weeks on release, it had surpassed “Titanic” (which earned ¥26.2 billion in 1997) to take second place on the all-time earnings list with ¥27.5 billion. It’s next target: the ¥31.68 billion made by Miyazaki Hayao’s animation “Spirited Away” on its initial release in 2001 and after revival screenings this year, which added ¥880 million to its box office total.