It’s amazing what one can do using a shoestring budget, if you are skillful at any rate. Takashi Shimizu shows he is just that in Ju-on, better known to my American colleagues as The Grudge. The Grudge is actually a remake of Ju-on, done with a much bigger budget and, of course, Sarah Michelle Gellar….
Howl’s Moving Castle
Sophie, a quiet girl working in a hat shop, finds her life thrown into turmoil when she is literally swept off her feet by a handsome but mysterious wizard named Howl. The vain and vengeful Witch of the Waste, jealous of their friendship, puts a spell on Sophie. In a life-changing adventure, Sophie climbs aboard…
Bleach
Bleach is full of bad ass one liner moments. That is why I like it. Without further ado, the synopsis: Bleach opens with the Soul Reaper Rukia Kuchiki dropping into teenager Ichigo Kurosaki bedroom. (She also spends the night in his closet throughout the series. Sounds a little like a teenage boy’s fantasy eh?) A…
Inuyasha
Inuyasha opens in feudal Japan. The half-demon Inuyasha attacks a village to steal the Sacred Jewel of Four Souls. The Jewel enhances the possessor’s powers and grants a single wish. Inuyasha seeks to use the jewel to turn himself into a full-blooded demon. He is stopped by Kikyo, a young priestess, who seals him to…
Samurai Champloo
The spiritual cousin of Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo mixes hip hop with Japan’s Edo period. Surprisingly this mix with a dash of punk and graffiti creates an entertaining stew. Samurai Champloo relies on actual events from the Edo period such as the Dutch trade exclusivity in Japan and Ukiyo-e paintings. It also tosses in fictional…
Naruto
Deep within the Hidden Leaf Village, sharp and cunning Ninja carry an ultimate power while Naruto Uzumaki carries inside the ultimate secret. Twelve years ago, the fourth Hokage sacrificed himself and saved the village by sealing the Nine-tailed Fox Spirit an orphaned baby boy. Now, this plucky prankster must do what it takes achieve this…