July DVD Releases

Killer Car - Hisaaki Nagaoka (2008)
Cinema Epoch/ Release Date: July 13th

Scream Girls - Hisaaki Nagaoka (2008)
Cinema Epoch/ Release Date: July 13th

Fish Story - Yoshihiro Nakamura (2008)
Third Window Films/ Release Date: July 26th




Death Kappa - Tomoo Haraguchi (2010)
Tokyo Shock/ Release Date: July 27th

May DVD Releases

Tokyo Sonata - Kiyoshi Kurosawa (2008)
E1 Entertainment/ Release Date: May 4th

Miyamoto Musashi: The Ultimate Samurai (5 Disc Set) - Tomu Uchida (1961-65)
AnimEigo/ Release Date: May 4th

Girl in Captivity: Psycho Torture Chamber - Daisuke Goto (2008)
Tokyo Erotique/ Release Date: May 4th

Girl In Captivity 2: Hitwoman in Chains - Kenichi Fujiwara (2009)
Tokyo Erotique/ Release Date: May 4th

Gamera: The Giant Monster - Noriaki Yuasa (1965)
Shout! Factory/ Release Date: May 18th

Oshima's Outlaw Sixties - Nagisa Oshima (5-Disc Set)
Criterion/ Eclipse/ Release Date: May 18th

Goth - Gen Takahashi (2008)
Well Go USA/ Release Date: March 25th

More Raizo Ichikawa

by Matthew Hardstaff

Any admiration I have for Raizo Ichikawa is solely because of AnimEigo releasing the first 4 'Shinobi No Mono' films. Up to that point, I was Ichikawa illterate. It was not only a series of films about something dear to my heart, ninjas, but also a series featuring the ethereal enigmatic presence of kabuki actor Raizo Ichikawa. Whilst we are still anticipating the release of the last 4 'Shinobi No Mono' films, we can now sleep better at night knowing that in the near future we will get to see two other Ichikawa movies released on DVD. Samurai Vendetta: A Chronicle of Pale Cherry Blossoms and Shinsengumi Chronicles: I Want to Die a Samurai. Samurai Vendetta screened at screened at Japan Society New York these past few months in their Double-Edged Sword program, a series which screens films starring both Raizo Ichikawa and Shintaro Katsu which we discussed in November.

No release date or details have been released yet But don't fret. Whilst we wait with bated breathe, it is confirmed that they will be releasing the next 4 films in the classic series 'The Sleepy Eyes of Death' in the winter of this fair year, and for a Shintaro Katsu fix you can get 'The Blind Menace' this May, a film in which he plays a blind masseur with a dark streak that predates 'Zatoichi'. Good stuff.

In the meantime watch this.



Thanks to Wildgrounds for giving me awareness of this.

March DVD Releases

Ponyo - Hayao Miyazaki (2008)
Disney/ Release Date: March 2nd

Castle in the Sky [Special Edition] - Hayao Miyazaki (1986)
Disney/ Release Date: March 2nd

My Neighbor Totoro - Hayao Miyazaki (1988)
Disney/ Release Date: March 2nd



Kiki's Delivery Service - Hayao Miyazaki (1989)
Disney/ Release Date: March 2nd

God's Left Hand, Devil's Right Hand - Shusuke Kaneko (2006)
Tokyo Shock/ Release Date: March 9th

High Kick Girl! - Fuyuhiko Nishi (2009)
First Look Studios/ Release Date: March 30th

Negative Happy Chainsaw Edge - Takuji Kitamura (2007)
Well Go USA/ Release Date: March 30th

Love and Honour - Yoji Yamada (2006)
Funimation/ Release Date: March 30th

January DVD Releases

Dear Doctor - Miwa Nishikawa (2009)
[Special Edition All Region]
Bandai Visual/ Release Date: January 8th

Onimasa: A Japanese Godfather - Hideo Gosha (1982)
AnimEigo/ Release Date: January 12th

Departures - Yojiro Takita (2008)
E1 Entertainment/ Release Date: January 12th

Hard Revenge Milly + Hard Revenge Milly: Bloody Battle - Takanori Tsujimoto (2008)
Well Go USA/ Release Date: January 26th

December DVD Releases

20th Century Boys 1 - Yukihiko Tsutsumi (2008)
Viz Pictures/ Release Date: December 15th

Hula Girls (Blu-ray) - Sang-il Lee (2006)
Happinet/ Release Date: December 18th

Maid-Droid - Naoyuki Tomomatsu (2009)
Tokyo Erotique/ Release Date: December 21st




Adrift in Tokyo - Satoshi Miki (2008)
Evokative Films/ Release Date: December 22nd

Ichi - Fumihiko Sori (2008)
Funimation/ Release Date: December 28th

Versus - Ryuhei Kitamura (2000)
Tokyo Shock/ Release Date: December 28th

November DVD Releases

Heartbreak Yakuza - Masato Harada (1987)
Cinema Epoch/ Release Date: November 10th

Samurai Princess - Kengo Kaji (2009)
Well Go USA/ Release Date: November 10th

Tora-San: Collector's Set, Vol. 1
AnimEigo/ Release Date: November 17th




Female Yakuza Tale: Inquisition and Torture - Teruo Ishii (1973)
Synapse Films/ Release Date: November 24th

Screwed - Teruo Ishii (1998)
Synapse Films/ Release Date: November 24th

Blind Beast vs. Killer Dwarf - Teruo Ishii (2001)
Synapse Films/ Release Date: November 24th

Devilman (2-Disc Special Edition) - Hiroyuki Nasu (2004)
Tokyo Shock/ Release Date: November 24th

Tokyo 10+01 - Higuchinsky (2003)
Eastern Star/ Release Date: November 24th

The Rebirth - Masahiro Kobayashi (2007)
Facets/ Release Date: November 24th

Akihabara@Deep: The Movie - Takashi Minamoto (2006)
Tokyo Shock/ Release Date: November 24th

October DVD Releases

Audition [Collector's Edition] - Takashi Miike (1999)
Shout! Factory/ Release Date: October 6th

Zombie Self-Defense Force - Naoyuki Tomomatsu (2006)
Switchblade Pictures/ Release Date: October 13th

Black Rain - Shohei Imamura (1989)
AnimEigo/ Release Date: October 20th

X-Cross - Kenta Fukasaku (2007)
Tokyo Shock/ Release Date: October 27th

September DVD Releases

Lady Ninja Kaede 2 (2008)
Exploitation Digital/ Release Date: September 8th

The Human Condition Trilogy - Masaki Kobayashi (1959)
Criterion/ Release Date: September 8th

Uzumaki - Higuchinsky (2000)
Eastern Star/ Release Date: September 29th


Long Haired Giant Monster: Gehara (Blu-ray) - Kiyotaka Taguchi (2009)
King Records/ Release Date: September 30th

August DVD releases

The Machine Girl Remix - Noboru Iguchi (2008)
Tokyo Shock/ Release Date: August 4th

The Samurai I Loved - Mitsuo Kurotsuchi (2005)
AnimEigo/ Release Date: August 11th

Lone Wolf And Cub TV Series Collection
Tokyo Shock/ Release Date: August 11th




Versus (3-Disc Set) - Ryuhei Kitamura (2000)
Tokyo Shock/ Release Date: August 18th

Kagemusha (Blu-ray) - Akira Kurosawa (1980)
Criterion/ Release Date: August 18th

Death Note: L, Change the World - Hideo Nakata (2008)
Viz Pictures/ Release Date: August 18th

Mushi-Shi: The Movie - Katsuhiro Otomo (2006)
Funimation/ Release Date: August 25th

Onechanbara: Zombie Bikini Squad - Yôhei Fukuda (2008)
Tokyo Shock/ Release Date: August 25th

Hana Yori Dango: Final - Yasuharu Ishii (2008)
Eastern Star/ Release Date: August 25th

July DVD Releases

Shaolin Grandma - Kotaro Terauchi (2008)
Well Go USA/ Release Date: July 7th

Sleepy Eyes Of Death Collector’s Set Vol. 1
AnimEigo/ Release Date: July 14th

Secrets of a Desperate Housewife (2008)
Tokyo Erotique/Cinema Epoch/ Release Date: July 14th



Bootleg Film - Masahiro Kobayashi (1999)
Facets/ Release Date: July 28th

Hazard - Sion Sono (2005)
Evokative Films/ Release Date: July 14th

Big Man Japan (Dainipponjin) - Hitoshi Matsumoto (2007)
Magnet/ Release Date: July 28th

Oh! My Zombie Mermaid - Naoki Kudo (2004)
Eastern Star/ Release Date: July 28th

Samurai School - Tak Sakaguchi (2008)
Tokyo Shock/ Release Date: July 28th

June DVD Releases

Shinobi no Mono, Vol. 4: Siege - Tokuzo Tanaka (1964)
AnimEigo/ Release Date: June 2nd

The Hidden Fortress (Essential Art House Edition) - Akira Kurosawa (1958)
Janus/ Criterion/ Release Date: June 16th

X-Cross - Kenta Fukasaku (2007)
Tokyo Shock/ Release Date: June 23rd

Tales of a Terror Cult: A/ A2 - Tatsuya Mori (1998/ 2001)
Facets/ Release Date: June 23rd

Marquis de Sade's Prosperities of Vice - Akio Jissoji (1988)
Mondo Macabro/ Release Date: June 30th

Monster X Strikes Back: Attack the G8 Summit - Minoru Kawasaki (2008)
Tokyo Shock/ Release Date: June 30th

Lady Ninja Kaeda
Exploitation Digital/ Release Date: June 30th

Tokyo! - Michel Gondry/ Leos Carax/ Bong Joon-ho (2008)
Liberation Entertainment/ Release Date: June 30th

May DVD Releases

Captive Factory Girls: The Violation (2005)
Cinema Epoch/ Release Date: May 5th

Captive Factory Girls 2: The Revolt (2007)
Cinema Epoch/ Release Date: May 5th

Geisha Assassin - Go Ohara (2008)
Well Go USA/ Release Date: May 5th




Happily Ever After - Yukihiko Tsutsumi (2007)
Viz Pictures/ Release Date: May 12th

Detective Story - Takashi Miike (2007)
Tokyo Shock/ Release Date: May 19th

Fist of the North Star: The Movie - Toyo Ashida (1986)
Eastern Star/ Release Date: May 19th

Wandering Ginza Butterfly - Kazuhiko Yamaguchi (1971)
Synapse Films/ Release Date: May 19th

Wandering Ginza Butterfly 2: She-Cat Gambler - Kazuhiko Yamaguchi (1972)
Synapse Films/ Release Date: May 19th

Detective Bureau 2-3: Go To Hell Bastards! - Seijun Suzuki (1963)
Kino International/ Release Date: May 19th

3 Seconds Before Explosion - Motomu Ida (1967)
Kino International/ Release Date: May 19th

Lady Ninja Kasumi Volume 4 - Hiroyuki Kawasaki (2007)
Exploitation Digital/ Release Date: May 26th

April DVD Releases

Tokyo Zombie - Sakichi Sato (2005)
Anchor Bay/ Release Date: April 1st

The Loyal 47 Ronin - Kunio Watanabe (1958)
AnimEigo/ Release Date: April 7th

Ghost Train - Takeshi Furusawa (2006)
Funimation/ Release Date: April 21st




Genghis Khan: To the Ends of the Earth and Sea - Shinichiro Sawai (2007)
Funimation/ Release Date: April 21st

In the Realm of the Senses - Nagisa Oshima (1976)
Criterion/ Release Date: April 28th

Empire of Passion - Nagisa Oshima (1978)
Criterion/ Release Date: April 28th

One Missed Call: Final - Manabu Aso (2006)
Tokyo Shock/ Release Date: April 28th

Synesthesia (Gimme Heaven) - Toru Matsuura (2005)
Funimation/ Release Date: April 28th

Naked Rashomon - Chusei Sone (1972)
Mondo Macabro/ Release Date: April 28th

March DVD Releases

The Burning - Kenta Hayashida (2008)
Pathfinder Entertainment/ Release Date: March 3rd

Shinobi no Mono 3: Resurrection - Kazuo Mori (1963)
AnimEigo/ Release Date: March 10th

Dodes'ka-den - Akira Kurosawa (1970)
Criterion/ Release Date: March 17th


Travels with Hiroshi Shimizu Box Set
Criterion/ Eclipse/ Release Date: March 17th

Ichi the Killer (Blu Ray) - Takashi Miike (2001)
Tokyo Shock/ Release Date: March 31st

Star of David: Hunting for Beautiful Girls - Norifumi Suzuki (1979)
Eastern Star/ Release Date: March 31st

The 3 Face os Shinji Aoyama Box Set
Arts Magic/ Release Date: March 31st

Crows Zero - Takashi Miike (2007)
Tokyo Shock/ Release Date: March 31st

February DVD Releases

Lone Wolf and Cub TV Series Vol. 6
Tokyo Shock/ Release Date: February 3rd

The Geisha - Hideo Gosha (1983)
AnimEigo/ Release Date: February 10th

Death Note 2: The Last Name - Shusuke Kaneko (2006)
Viz Pictures/ Release Date: February 10th



Ikiru [Essential Art House Edition] - Akira Kurosawa (1952)
Criterion/ Janus Films/ Release Date: February 10th

Cool Dimension - Yoshikazu Ishii (2006)
ADV/ Release Date: February 17th

Sins of Sister Lucia - Koyu Ohara (1978)
Mondo Macabro/ Release Date: February 24th

Man Walking on Snow - Masahiro Kobayashi (2001)
Facets/ Release Date: February 24th

Late Bloomer - Go Shibata (2004)
Tidepoint/ Bone House Asia/ Release Date: February 24th

Happily Ever After - Yukihiko Tsutsumi (2007)
Viz Pictures/ Release Date: February 24th

January DVD Releases

Gluttonous Double Feature - Hideji Matsuoi
Switchblade Pictures/ Release Date: January 6th

Yellow Fangs - Sonny Chiba (1990)
Cinema Epoch/ Release Date: January 13th

Father of the Kamikaze - Kosaku Yamashita (1974)
AnimEigo/ Release Date: January 13th



Tokyo Gore Police - Yoshihiro Nishimura (2008)
Tokyo Shock/ Release Date: January 13th

Maid’s Secret (2007)
Switchblade Pictures/ January 13th

Maid's Secret: Welcome Home (2007)
Switchblade Pictures/ January 20th

Kisarazu Cat’s Eye 2: The Movie - Fumiki Kaneko (2006)
Tokyo Shock/ Release Date: January 27th

Death Trance (Blu-ray) - Yûji Shimomura (2005)
Tokyo Shock/ Release Date: January 27th

Female Prisoner: Caged! - Joshuu Ori (1983)
Mondo Macabro/ Release Date: January 27th

Schoolboy Crush - Kohtaro Terauchi (2007)
TLA Releasing/ Release Date: January 27th

Vermilion Pleasure Night: The Complete Show
ADV Films/ Release Date: January 27th

December DVD Releases

Cruel Restaurant- Koji Kawano (2008)
Switchblade Pictures/ Release Date: December 2nd

Canary- Akihiko Shiota(2005)
ImagineAsian/ Release Date: December 2nd

Toward the Terra- Hideo Onchi (1980)
WidowMaker/ Release Date: December 2nd

Lone Wolf and Cub TV Series Vol.5- Kinnosuke Nakamura (1973)
Tokyo shock/ Release Date: December 2nd

Gunhed- Masato Harada (1989)
Adv Films/ Release Date: December 2nd

The Magic Hour- Koki Mitani (Blu-ray) (2008)
Pony Canyon/ Release Date: December 3rd

Gunbuster: The Movie- Hideaki Anno (Blu-ray) (1988)
Bandai Entertainment/ Release Date: December 9th

Diebuster: The Movie. aka Gunbuster 2- Kazuya Tsurumaki (Blu-ray) (2006)
Bandai Entertainment/ Release Date: December 9th

Attack Girls' Swim Team Versus The Undead- Kawano Kouji (2007)
Switchblade Pictures/ Release Date: December 9th

Gunbuster vs Diebuster: The Gattai!!- Hideaki Anno, Kazuya Tsurumaki (Blu-ray) (1988)
Bandai Entertainment/ Release Date: December 9th

Death Row Girls- Haginiwa Sadaaki (2004)
Swichblade Pictures/ Release Date: December 16th

Sailor and the 7 Ballz Part 2: Return of the Ballz (2005)
Unwired/ Release Date: December 16th

Sailor and the 7 Ballz (2000)
Unwired/ Release Date: December 16th

Chain Gang Girls- Sasuga Sasuke (2007)
Switchblade Pictures/ Release Date: December 23rd

November DVD Releases

Unlucky Monkey - Sabu (1998)
BCI Eclipse/ Release Date: November 4th

Battle Heater - Joji Iida (1990)
BCI Eclipse/ Release Date: November 4th

Vexille - Fumihiko Sori (Blu-Ray & DVD) (2007)
Funimation/ Release Date: November 4th


Yo-Yo Sexy Girl Cop - Daigo Utagawa (2007)
Cinema Epoch/ Release Date: November 11th

Blood and Bones - Yoichi Sai (2004)
Kino International/ Release Date: November 11th

Tokyo Zombie - Sakichi Satô (2005)
Managa Entertainment/ Release Date: November 11th

Sukiyaki Western Django - Takashi Miike (DVD & Blu-Ray) (2007)
First Look Pictures/ Release Date: November 11th

Love and Honour - Yoji Yamada (2006)
Funimation/ Release Date: November 11th

Sex Machine - Tajiri Yuji (2005)
Scarament USA/ Release Date: November 18th

Ultimate Death Trance - Yuji Shimomura (2005)
Tokyo Shock/ Release Date: November 18th

Tomie Beginning / Tomie Revenge - Ataru Oikawa (2005)
Tokyo Shock/ Release Date: November 18th

Executive Koala - Minoru Kawasaki (2006)
Synapse Films/ Release Date: November 18th

The Rug Cop - Minoru Kawasaki (2006)
Synapse Films/ Release Date: November 18th

The World Sinks Except Japan - Minoru Kawasaki (2006)
Synapse Films/ Release Date: November 18th

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time - Mamoru Hosoda (2006)
Bandai Entertainment/ Release Date: November 18th

The Happiness of the Katakuris - Takashi Miike (2001)
Eastern Star/ Release Date: November 18th

The Zeiram Duology - Keita Amemiya (1991)
Tokyo Shock/ Release Date: November 25th

Female Prisoner Sigma - Sasuke Sasuga (2006)
ADV Films/ Release Date: November 25th

October DVD Releases

Harakiri: Boobs and Blood Box Set - Yuuri Sunohara (1990)
Unearthed Films/ Release Date: October 7th

Revenge of a Kabuki Actor - Kon Ichikawa (1963)
AnimEigo/ Release Date: October 14th

Ten Nights of Dreams - various (2006)
Cinema Epoch/ Release Date: October 14th


Shogun Assassin: 5 Film Collector's Set
AnimEigo/ Release Date: October 14th

Kenji Mizoguchi's Fallen Women: 4 Disc Set
Criterion/ Eclipse/ Release Date: October 21st

Ninja Vixens: Movies 1-5 Box Set
Funimation/ Release Date: October 21st

Nija Vixens: Movies 6-10 Box Set
Funimation/ Release Date: October 21st

Kitaro (Blu-ray) - Katsuhide Motoki (2007)
BCI Eclipse/ Release Date: October 28th

Assault! Jack the Ripper - Yasuharu Hasebe (1976)
Mondo Macabro/ Release Date: October 28th

Sway - Miwa Nishikawa (2006)
Kino Video/ Release Date: October 28th

Sukeban Boy - Noboru Iguchi (2006)
Eastern Star/ Release Date: October 28th

The Watcher in the Attic - Noboru Tanaka (1976)
Mondo Macabro/ Release Date: October 28th

The Bird People in China (Blu-ray) - Takashi Miike (1998)
Artsmagic US/ Release Date: October 28th

Malice @ Doll (Blu-ray) - Keitarou Motonaga (2000)
Artsmagic US/ Release Date: October 28th