What Japanese films have you seen lately? No, I mean besides Godzilla and Demon Slayer. Outside of a handful of popular titles, much of Japanese cinema – even within Japan itself – remains inaccessible to audiences who aren’t fluent in the language. One theater chain wants to change that and help make Japanese movies the talk of the world again.
The Japanese media you never see
I won’t lie – one reason I love living in Japan is the unfettered access to local media. From variety shows and anime to novels, it’s nice not having to jump through hoops to avoid regional restrictions.
The worldwide anime boom means that a certain subset of Japan’s anime is easier to watch worldwide than it’s ever been. However, there’s a ton of Japanese entertainment that never gets a foreign release, let alone official subtitles. This is true even in anime. In fact, Japan’s most popular anime – shows like Sazae-san, for example – are generally hard, if not impossible, to watch overseas.
Additionally, even if you can get ahold of an “only in Japan” show, there’s the issue of understanding it. If you’re not fluent in Japanese, that usually means relying on fan subtitles of questionable quality.
Oscar or nothing
The same goes double for Japanese drama and cinema. Yes, as I’ve discussed before, a lot of Japanese drama is bad. But some of it is great bordering on brilliant.
Take, for example, anything written by screenwriter Nogi Akiko. Her series – including Nigeru wa Haji Da Ga Yaku ni Tatsu, Unnatural, and Miu 404 – are beloved by fans of Japanese drama. Unnatural, which focuses on the world of Japanese medical forensics investigators, is my personal favorite. Besides being engaging, it explores sensitive cultural topics – in particular, Japan’s infrequent use of autopsies.
Nogi has a new film out, Last Mile, that weaves together a terrorist plot with the world of distribution logistics. It’s based in the same shared universe as Unnatural and the detective drama Miu 404.
Sadly, unless you speak Japanese and live in Japan, you’re unlikely to ever see it. Most people abroad won’t see a Japanese film in major theaters unless it features Godzilla or it’s released via Studio Ghibli.
The only notable exceptions to this are when a film garners Oscar buzz. That includes films such as 2021’s Drive My Car, a film based on a short story by acclaimed Japanese author Murakami Haruki, as well as 2018’s Shoplifters (万引き家族; manbiki kazoku) from acclaimed director Kore-eda Hirokazu. (Of course, the films of historical famous directors, such as Kurosawa Akira, still remain popular.)
Shinjuku Piccaddily kicks off with “human suspense” Rude to Love
One theater in Japan wants to change that. If it can’t bring Japanese cinema to people abroad, it’s decided, then it’ll bring it to tourists and residents.
Shinjuku Piccadilly in Tokyo is run by Shochiku Multiplex Theaters (SMT), which has over 20 theaters across Japan under the Piccadilly and MOVIX names. It’s a subsidiary of Shochiku Co. Ltd., which produces and promotes both traditional and modern art – from live Kabuki performances up to movies and TV programs.
Starting this month, September 2024, Shinjuku Piccadilly will show select Japanese films in English. The goal is to expose English-speaking foreign tourists and residents to the depth of Japanese cinema – from intense dramas and action films to anime.
The first film in the initiative is the newly-released Rude to Love (愛に乱暴; ai ni ranbou). Based on bestselling author Yoshida Shuichi’s novel, the film by director Morigaki Yukuhiro centers on Momoko (Eguchi Norkio), a “respectable housewife” whose care for her husband morphs into obsession. The 105min film bills itself as exploring “the dark corners of human frustration and hysteria.”
Besides being a tense thriller, Rude to Love also took a unique approach to production. The scenes that took place within the main characters’ house were filmed, not on a set, but in actual homes in Ayase City, in Kanagawa Prefecture.
SMT will screen Rude to Love in Tokyo at the chain’s Shinjuku Piccadilly location. It aims eventually to expand such screenings to its theaters across Japan.
Lack of accessible Japanese media in Japan
The initiative is the brainchild of SMT general manager Koyama Meri. Koyama says she was inspired by the success of movies such as Shoplifters and Drive My Car.
“I think this is the time for Japanese culture to break through in other countries,” Koyama says. “In order to do that, we need to be more active in advocating Japanese culture to foreign visitors.
“I also feel Japanese people need to be more accepting of diversity. Our theaters should be open to a more diversified clientele.” Koyama says Japanese creators are also eager for more people to see their works.
Koyama said she was also moved to act by talking to fans of Japanese media, such as anime, who have moved to Japan. Many of these people might be learning Japanese or already know the basics of the language. However, that doesn’t always translate into an ability to comprehend nuanced, natively-spoken Japanese.
“Sites like Crunchyroll aren’t available for them in Japan,” she told me. “Once they move here, they have access to almost no Japanese media with subtitles.” (Indeed, sometimes it’s even hard to find anime here with Japanese subtitles, which can be a great crutch for non-native speakers.)
This desire to cater to foreign tourists and residents creates a tension with Japanese audiences, many of whom consider English subtitles on screen a distraction. (Most popular English-language films screen here in both subbed and dubbed versions.) While some films here screen with English subtitles, it’s still fairly rare.
By contrast, Koyama said, English-language subtitles on films are more common in Southeast Asian cinemas. She hopes that Shinjuku Piccadily’s initiative can lead to more Japanese cinemas adding subs for the benefit of non-Japanese-speaking audiences.
How to catch Rude to Love at the Shinjuku Piccadilly
Shinjuku Piccadilly’s first English-subtitled Japanese film screening of Rude to Love opens on September 20th and runs until September 26th.
You can get to Shinjuku Piccadilly via a 5min walk from JR Shinjuku Station or 1min from Shinjuku 3-chome Station’s Exit B7. You can purchase tickets at the theater or via their Website (currently Japanese-language only).
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