Comments on: Tokyo Sonata http://higevsotaku.com/?p=300 Avid otaku resistance in the face of indisputable fanboyism. Love for fringe anime, assorted manga and numerous other Japanese diversions. Mon, 30 Aug 2010 03:53:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Charbonneau http://higevsotaku.com/?p=300&cpage=1#comment-5564 Charbonneau Sun, 10 Jan 2010 09:50:43 +0000 http://higevsotaku.com/?p=300#comment-5564 Thank good idea http://hurdamerkezi.wordpress.com/ Thank good idea http://hurdamerkezi.wordpress.com/

]]> By: The Ruling Numerator http://higevsotaku.com/?p=300&cpage=1#comment-3406 The Ruling Numerator Tue, 11 Aug 2009 23:57:58 +0000 http://higevsotaku.com/?p=300#comment-3406 I don't normally watch Japanese movies, and never thought of wathing one either... But this one might just be my first. :) I don’t normally watch Japanese movies, and never thought of wathing one either… But this one might just be my first. :)

]]> By: Naruto Manga http://higevsotaku.com/?p=300&cpage=1#comment-3066 Naruto Manga Sun, 05 Jul 2009 12:22:54 +0000 http://higevsotaku.com/?p=300#comment-3066 that's a very honest portrayal of the typical Japanese family and culture as well. that’s a very honest portrayal of the typical Japanese family and culture as well.

]]> By: Hige http://higevsotaku.com/?p=300&cpage=1#comment-2193 Hige Mon, 02 Mar 2009 20:44:05 +0000 http://higevsotaku.com/?p=300#comment-2193 @Martin: Lost in Translation definitely captures the neon explosion that is down-town Tokyo, but this film is much more suburban and grassroots. It personifies the phrase 'urban sprawl' with all the maze-like streets and pokey hidden buildings. Lost in Translation is very much a tourist's view of Tokyo - one that has some truth to it, but one that also covers a very small area of the city and a small part of Japanese culture as a whole. You can see Tokyo Sonato is a thoroughly down-to-earth depiction of modern Japan, which is why it feels so curiously out-of-date in many ways. The family dynamic is very 60s Britain with an aesthetic that combines the traditional with the modern in unexpected way. I don't mean the whole 'shinto shrines and sky scrapers' Japan is known for, but 'pinnies and flatscreen TVs' too. It creates this very odd juxtaposition of time periods and demonstrates how traditionalist the country can be. Definitely very refreshing to see. @Rui: You're welcome. Let me know what you think after you've watched it! @Martin: Lost in Translation definitely captures the neon explosion that is down-town Tokyo, but this film is much more suburban and grassroots. It personifies the phrase ‘urban sprawl’ with all the maze-like streets and pokey hidden buildings. Lost in Translation is very much a tourist’s view of Tokyo – one that has some truth to it, but one that also covers a very small area of the city and a small part of Japanese culture as a whole.

You can see Tokyo Sonato is a thoroughly down-to-earth depiction of modern Japan, which is why it feels so curiously out-of-date in many ways. The family dynamic is very 60s Britain with an aesthetic that combines the traditional with the modern in unexpected way. I don’t mean the whole ‘shinto shrines and sky scrapers’ Japan is known for, but ‘pinnies and flatscreen TVs’ too. It creates this very odd juxtaposition of time periods and demonstrates how traditionalist the country can be. Definitely very refreshing to see.

@Rui: You’re welcome. Let me know what you think after you’ve watched it!

]]> By: Rui http://higevsotaku.com/?p=300&cpage=1#comment-2192 Rui Mon, 02 Mar 2009 10:38:25 +0000 http://higevsotaku.com/?p=300#comment-2192 Thanks for that. I watch a lot of drama but not so many movies and this does sound pretty good for something that avoided my radar initially. R Thanks for that. I watch a lot of drama but not so many movies and this does sound pretty good for something that avoided my radar initially.

R

]]> By: Martin http://higevsotaku.com/?p=300&cpage=1#comment-2190 Martin Sun, 01 Mar 2009 20:01:24 +0000 http://higevsotaku.com/?p=300#comment-2190 Cheers for highlighting this. I now have it preordered! I can see where you're coming from in wanting to see a 'normal' type of film in this setting - the nearest I've come to a movie depiction of Tokyo that felt true-to-life and genuine to me is probably Lost in Translation. It's a sad state of affairs when your most memorable depiction of Japanese domestic life is the Happiness of the Katakuris, which is an excellent film but still...you get the idea. I suppose fundamentally the problems that people encounter in everyday life are similar wherever you are, regardless of nationality. I'm sure there are some aspects that fly over our Western heads but from what I can tell here it sounds like a sincere and moving take on the issues that contemporary Joe and Jane Averages and their families face in the modern world. If anything, the state of job markets and economies in recent months probably make something like this all the more relevant...but I'll have to wait for my copy to arrive before saying any more on that. The UK DVD is out on may 25 by the way...appropriately enough, the day I'm due to get back to the UK after actually visiting Tokyo! *laughs* Cheers for highlighting this. I now have it preordered!

I can see where you’re coming from in wanting to see a ‘normal’ type of film in this setting – the nearest I’ve come to a movie depiction of Tokyo that felt true-to-life and genuine to me is probably Lost in Translation. It’s a sad state of affairs when your most memorable depiction of Japanese domestic life is the Happiness of the Katakuris, which is an excellent film but still…you get the idea.

I suppose fundamentally the problems that people encounter in everyday life are similar wherever you are, regardless of nationality. I’m sure there are some aspects that fly over our Western heads but from what I can tell here it sounds like a sincere and moving take on the issues that contemporary Joe and Jane Averages and their families face in the modern world. If anything, the state of job markets and economies in recent months probably make something like this all the more relevant…but I’ll have to wait for my copy to arrive before saying any more on that.

The UK DVD is out on may 25 by the way…appropriately enough, the day I’m due to get back to the UK after actually visiting Tokyo! *laughs*

]]>