Japanese DVD / BD News (Don't Expect Subs)

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

Toei is releasing a big bunch of samurai films that have been available for rental before, but not for sale. The price is very cheap, just over 2000 yen. The release date is Jan. 6, 2016.

There's too many titles for me to post perfect information about each. Please see the links below by yourself:

http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_d...num_sid=970524
http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_d...num_sid=970525
http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_d...num_sid=970529
http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_d...num_sid=970526
http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_d...num_sid=970519
http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_d...num_sid=970520
http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_d...num_sid=970521
http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_d...num_sid=970530
http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_d...num_sid=970528
http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_d...num_sid=970527
http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_d...num_sid=970522
http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_d...num_sid=970523

[Rakesh R. Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Rakesh R.]

I see that Toei are going to release "Manji"(1983) on blu ray in October. I've only seen the 1964 version( which I love) of "Manji". How is the 1983 version and while I'm at it, how are the 1998 and 2006 versions?

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

I see that Toei are going to release "Manji"(1983) on blu ray in October. I've only seen the 1964 version( which I love) of "Manji". How is the 1983 version and while I'm at it, how are the 1998 and 2006 versions?

Yeah, they're putting out a bunch of 80s "women's dramas" on BD
- http://www.toei-video.co.jp/BD/joyu.html

I haven't seen any version of Manji so I can't comment on that.

[AngelGuts Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close AngelGuts]

This is exciting.

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

Please, please, please, let this be a new start! After a two year break from catalogue releases, Toei is releasing three yakuza films by Shigero Ozawa on DVD November 11.

Gambler Life Stories (Bakuto retsuden) (博徒列伝) (1968)
Starring: Koji Tsuruta, Tomisaburo Wakayama, Junko Fuji, Ken Takakura, Bunta Sugawara
- http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_d...num_sid=968323

Chivalrous Man's Life Story (Toseinin retsuden) (渡世人列伝) (1969)
Starring: Koji Tsuruta, Tomisaburo Wakayama, Junko Fuji, Ken Takakura
- http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_d...num_sid=968324

Biography of a Chivalrous Man (Yukyo retsuden) (遊侠列伝) (1970)
Starring: Ken Takakura, Junko Fuji, Kanjuro Arashi
- http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_d...num_sid=968325

There's more coming

December 6

Modern Yakuza: Outlaw's Code (現代やくざ 与太者の掟) (1969)
Director: Yasuo Furuhata
Cast: Bunta Sugawara, Tomisaburo Wakayama, Junko Fuji

Modern Yakuza: Outlaw's Honor and Humanity (現代やくざ 与太者仁義) (1969)
Director: Yasuo Furuhata
Cast: Bunta Sugawara, Ryo Ikebe, Fumio Watanabe

Modern Yakuza: Loyalty Offering Breakdown (現代やくざ　盃返します) (1971)
Director: Kiyoshi Saeki
Cast: Bunta Sugawara, Hiroki Matsukata, Yumiko Nogawa, Asao Koike

These are parts 1, 2 and 4 in the series. I'm not sure why Toei skipped part 3. Parts 6 (Street Mobster) and 7 (Three Maddog Brothers) have already been released years ago.

January 6, 2016

Third Generation Yamaguchi Gang (山口組三代目) (1973)
Director: Kosaku Yamashita
Cast: Ken Takakura, Bunta Sugawara, Tetsuro Tamba

Third Generation Boss (三代目襲名) (1974)
Director: Shigero Ozawa
Cast: Ken Takakura, Tetsuro Tamba, Noboru Ando, Tsunehiko Watase

True Account of the Yamaguchi Gang: Life-and-Death Operations on Kyushu (aka Tattooed Hitman) (山口組外伝 九州進攻作戦) (1974)
Director: Kosaku Yamashita
Cast: Bunta Sugawara, Tsunehiko Watase, Tatsuo Umemiya, Tetsuro Tamba, Hiroki Matsukata



Here's an old VHS cover for Tattooed Hitman:


Toei's release will of course contain the original Japanese version. The US is missing a lot of footage.

[AngelGuts Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close AngelGuts]

Very exciting Toei upcomings, Takuma. Does look like Toei are getting active with their catalog titles again.

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

December 6

Modern Yakuza: Outlaw's Code (現代やくざ 与太者の掟) (1969)
Director: Yasuo Furuhata
Cast: Bunta Sugawara, Tomisaburo Wakayama, Junko Fuji

Modern Yakuza: Outlaw's Honor and Humanity (現代やくざ 与太者仁義) (1969)
Director: Yasuo Furuhata
Cast: Bunta Sugawara, Ryo Ikebe, Fumio Watanabe

Modern Yakuza: Loyalty Offering Breakdown (現代やくざ　盃返します) (1971)
Director: Kiyoshi Saeki
Cast: Bunta Sugawara, Hiroki Matsukata, Yumiko Nogawa, Asao Koike

Artworks

Gambler Life Stories (Bakuto retsuden) (博徒列伝) (1968)
Starring: Koji Tsuruta, Tomisaburo Wakayama, Junko Fuji, Ken Takakura, Bunta Sugawara
- http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_d...num_sid=968323

Chivalrous Man's Life Story (Toseinin retsuden) (渡世人列伝) (1969)
Starring: Koji Tsuruta, Tomisaburo Wakayama, Junko Fuji, Ken Takakura
- http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_d...num_sid=968324

Biography of a Chivalrous Man (Yukyo retsuden) (遊侠列伝) (1970)
Starring: Ken Takakura, Junko Fuji, Kanjuro Arashi
- http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_d...num_sid=968325

[AngelGuts Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close AngelGuts]

Toei is celebrating their dead heroes in HD.

Abashiri Prison BD Box Set I
- Films 1-5
- March 13, 2015

Brutal Tales of Chivalry BD Box Set I
- Films 1-5
- May 13, 2015

Abashiri Prison BD Box Set II
- Films 6-10
- June 10, 2015

Brutal Tales of Chivalry BD Box Set I
- Films 6-9
- July 8, 2015



Detective Story TV series BD Box Set
- 2015/03/13
- http://www.toei-video.co.jp/BD/tantei.html

Takakura Ken Leading Roles: Toei Selection BD Box Set
- Bullet Train (1975)
- Winter's Flower (1978)
- Dí´ran (1980)
- Railroad Man (1999)
- The Firefly (2001)
- 2015/04/08

New Battles without Honor and Humanity BD Box Set
- Films 1-3
- 2015/04/08
- http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_d...num_sid=942838

Cops vs. Thugs (1975)
- 2015/04/08
- http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_d...num_sid=942840

New Battles without Honor and Humanity: Aftermath (1979)
- 2015/05/13
- http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_d...num_sid=942839

I'd love the Takakura set with RAILROAD MAN and WINTER'S FLOWER.

Big shame that the ABASHIRI films are not subbed. I can't imagine them being released in English-language markets. Then again, you never know. BD companies will need to go back to the well eventually.

The BATTLES Blu set is excellent, even though it isn't subbed. Still, I'll pick up Arrow's English-friendly set without a second of hesitation.

If the set sells, we may get the NEW BATTLES films, too. Fingers crossed.

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

Toei is releasing Burst City on BD in January.



- http://www.toei-video.co.jp/BD/burstcity.html
- http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B017LKRQJO

[enandalusiskhund An Andalusian Dog Find all posts View Profile Close enandalusiskhund]

Nice one! Hope Toei release Crazy Thunder Road on BD too. I was always disappointed that one didn't make it to the US when Discotek released Burst City. Maybe they'll both get released on BD in the west if there are HD transfers already made in Japan. My dream Ishii release would be this gorgeous box on english friendly blu:



:drool:

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

I have bad news for you: Crazy Thunder Road probably isn't going to be released anywhere outside Japan because there seem to be some issue with music copyrights (regarding international distribution). I remember Adam Torel (of Third Window Films) once mentioned about this.

I wouldn't expect other Ishii films to come out on BD in Japan anytime soon. Burst City is a Toei film so they're putting it out now, but the others are not.

I have that DVD box set (Punk Years). And Vol. 2 also (Psychedelic Years)

[enandalusiskhund An Andalusian Dog Find all posts View Profile Close enandalusiskhund]

That really sucks about the rights problems. Crazy Thunder Road is one of those Japanese underground films I've been waiting to get a chance to purchase practically since the dawn of the DVD format, together with Noisy Requiem and Pig Chicken Suicide among others. Guess I'll have to make due with fansubbed copies. (Noisy Requiem isn't a very dialogue heavy film, so I should probably have bought the Japanese DVD while it was available, but if I recall correctly a western label had plans to release it and I waited too long)

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

Tsukamoto films coming to BD in Japan.

May 12: Fires on the Plain
June 2: Tetsuo 1, Tetsuo 2
July 6: Tokyo Fist, Bullet Ballet
August 3: Vital, Snake of June, Haze + Adventures of Electric Rod Boy
- http://www.cinematoday.jp/gallery/E0008913/06.jpg.html

[agent999 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close agent999]

I wondered when Fires on the Plain was coming out, I hope it comes out internationaly soon in an English friendly version. I just received a very nice looking making of book with my shipment of goodies from Japan today. I don't speak a word of Japanese, let alone read it, but I do love looking at Japanese film books because they are immaculately designed and usually have great photos, plus you sometimes get novelizations of films that are exclusive to Japan (I have Day of the Dead, Evil Dead, Trauma and Stagefright in my collection). It also helps that they are cheap so I usually slip one in when I order dvds or Blu Rays from Japan.

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

Three Noboru Ando films from Toei on 2016/06/08.

True Account of the Ando Gang: Yakuza and Feuds (やくざと抗争　実録安藤組) (1973)
Director: Junya Sato
Cast: Noboru Ando, Tetsuro Tamba
- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2912374
- this is the 2nd part in the 3 film series. The first movie, やくざと抗争, is already available on DVD.

Account of the Ando Gang: Killer Younger Brother (安藤組外伝　人斬り舎弟) (1974)
Director: Sadao Nakajima
Cast: Noboru Ando, Bunta Sugawara
- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0228012/reference

Noboru Ando's Account of Filthy Escape into Sex (安藤昇のわが逃亡とＳＥＸの記録) (1976)
Director: Noboru Tanaka
Cast: Noboru Ando
- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0225068