Yamada Yoji does not make action-packed Hollywood blockbusters. Stemming from the branch of Japanese filmmakers taught by Ozu and Mizoguchi, Yamada’s films usually take a more introspective, down-to-earth direction. While Kabei: Our Mother marks his 80th film, it was only in the early 2000s that Yamada gained the recognition of Western audiences. The films of his samurai trilogy (The Twilight [...]
Archive for the ‘Japanese History’ Category
Japanese Film Review: Yamada Yoji’s KABEI: OUR MOTHER (2008)
Posted in Film Reviews, Japan, Japanese Film Reviews, Japanese History on December 14, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Hired Swords vs. Heavenly Warriors: The Development of Warrior Power in Early Japan
Posted in Book Reviews, Japan, Japanese History, tagged constantine in tokyo, constantineintokyo, Heavenly Warrirors, Hired Swords, Japan, Japanese, Japanese culture, Japanese history, Karl Friday, samurai, Temmu, Tenmu, William Farris on September 4, 2010 | 2 Comments »
The common treatment of the Heian court found in textbooks and survey histories depicts Japan’s ruling class as a group of leisured and effete aristocrats more concerned with composing elaborate waka (poetry) and mastering esoteric Buddhist practices than the effective governance of the country. Furthermore, efforts during the Taika Reform era to adopt a Chinese-style [...]
The CAF and The Japanese Zero 零式艦上戦闘機二二型
Posted in Japan, Japanese History, Travel, tagged A6M3 Type 0 Model 22, CAF, Camarillo Airport, Commemorative Air Force, constantine in tokyo, constantineintokyo, fighters, Japan, Japanese culture, Japanese history, Japanese Zero, Pacific War, war, World War II, WWII, WWII aircraft, Zero on August 30, 2010 | 2 Comments »
Some of you know that I recently went back to America during part of summer vacation. While I was in Los Angeles, my friend Worm (it’s a nickname, don’t ask) was kind enough to take me up to see the Southern Wing of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) at Camarillo Airport where he volunteers as [...]
HBO’s THE PACIFIC: Introduction
Posted in Book Reviews, Film Reviews, HBO's The Pacific, Japan, Japanese History on April 9, 2010 | 7 Comments »
The Second World War is a massive subject, so I will endeavor to stick closely to the subject of The Pacific – the land war fought by the marines in the South Pacific and on the islands surrounding Japan. This will be very difficult for me…those who have had the misfortune of experiencing one of [...]
HBO’s THE PACIFIC
Posted in Book Reviews, Film Reviews, HBO's The Pacific, Japan, Japanese History, tagged Band of Brothers, Eagle Against the Sun, Eugene Sledge, HBO's The Pacific, Helmet for My Pillow, Japan, Japanese history, military, Pacific theater, Robert Leckie, Ronal Spector, Steven Spielberg, The Pacific, Tom Hanks, war, With the Old Breed, World War II, WWII on March 16, 2010 | 13 Comments »
It only takes the opening theme of Band of Brothers to make me cry. Now, I can add The Pacific to that list. I am not embarrassed to admit this, because anyone who is not brought close to tears when they think about World War II is guilty of either the grossest ignorance or the [...]
Book Review: W.G. Beasley’s JAPANESE IMPERIALISM 1894-1945
Posted in Book Reviews, Japan, Japanese History, tagged beasley, Book Reviews, history, imperialism, Japan, Japanese history, konoe on March 14, 2010 | 8 Comments »
Japanese Imperialism 1894-1945 Review In the space of 50 years, Japan built an empire that stretched from northern Manchurian down to the tip of Australia. Though its existence proved ephemeral, this was a staggering accomplishment for an island nation that had remained largely (though not completely) disconnected from the Western world until the mid-19th century [...]
Japanese Film Reviews #13: Oshima Nagisa’s GOHATTO
Posted in Film Reviews, Japan, Japanese Film Reviews, Japanese History, tagged critical essay, Film Reviews, Japanese culture, Japanese history, Oshima Nagisa on January 15, 2010 | 1 Comment »
My YouTube video on this review shall be posted in the upcoming days. For now, here is the essay. 危ない義理のできる男色 Oshima Nagisa’s 1999 film Gohatto is about desire and suspicion within the ranks of the Shinsengumi during the bakumatsu period. The film can be interpreted as both an examination of the destructive effects of desire [...]
Rethinking the Russo-Japanese War
Posted in Japan, Japanese History, tagged critical essay, Japanese history on December 22, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
A few days ago, I read the article “Finding Sparks Rethink of Russo-Japan War” in the Yomiuri (Link to original article HERE). According to some new documents discovered by University of Tokyo historian Wada Haruki, a key Russian politician attempted to propose an alliance with Japan in the days leading up to the Russo-Japanese War. [...]
Japanese Film Reviews #4: Mizoguchi Kenji’s SHIN HEIKE MONOGATARI
Posted in Film Reviews, Japan, Japanese Film Reviews, Japanese History, tagged Film Reviews, Japanese history, Mizoguchi Kenji on May 21, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
The fourth episode of my Japanese film series can be found on my YouTube channel. I have also included a critical review of the film. Shin Heike Monogatari Review The 1955 film Shin Heike Monogatari follows the Taira clan’s early rise to power. It focuses on the political elements of the consolation of power around [...]
Japanese Film Reviews #2: Kurosawa Akira’s MEN WHO TREAD ON THE TIGER’S TAIL
Posted in Film Reviews, Japan, Japanese Film Reviews, Japanese History, tagged Film Reviews, Japanese history, Kurosawa Akira on May 14, 2009 | 3 Comments »
The second installment of my film series, this time it’s Akira Kurosawa’s 1945 Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail. Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail Review Akira Kurosawa’s 1945 film was made and distributed during one of the most pivotal moments of Japanese history. To boost civilian and soldier morale during the Asia-Pacific [...]
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