“Mystery Hour – Na mo Naki Doku (Nameless Poison),” premieres on Tuesday, June 3, at 7:35 p.m.
Saburo Sugimura is employed in the public relations department of huge conglomerate, Imada Corporation. He receives an odd request from his father-in-law, Yoshichika Imada, the company chairman. The favor has something to do with looking into the tragic death of the chairman’s personal driver, Nobuo Kajita, who had been an enthusiastic supporter of Sugimura’s marriage to the chairman’s daughter. A complicated story unfolds from the request. Fully subtitled in English.
“Kimi no Na wa (Always in My Heart, part 2),” premieres on Thursday,June 5, at 7:35 p.m.
Machiko and Haruki’s drama continues. The two meet again in Hokkaido only to be separated again. Part two of three. Fully subtitled in English.
“Woman – My Life for My Children,” premieres on Friday, June 13, at7:35 p.m.
When her beloved husband Shin, dies in an accident, Koharu finds herself widowed with two young children and is suddenly faced with the reality as a single mother. Determined to provide for her children, Koharu works day and night at multiple jobs, but it does not take long for her income and savings to fall into a downward spiral that leads the family into poverty. “Woman” depicts a woman’s fight to survive in a difficult world, whilst shedding light on problems rooted in Japanese society. Fully subtitled in English.
“Oh, My Dad!” premieres on Monday, June 16, at 7:35 p.m.
Genichi Shinkai devotes himself to his research, trying to recapture the glory of his successful researches from his college days. At 42, he lives in poverty, neglecting his family, and always inconveniencing the people around him, all for chasing his dream. “To reach your dreams, you must never give up” is his mantra.
One day, his wife, Sayoko runs away, leaving behind their 5-year old son, Kota. Unable to pay the rent, Genichi and Kota are kicked out of their apartment, and thus begin their lives as homeless people. As the drama unfolds, we see Genichi become the adult he should be through the struggles of earning a living and bringing up his son on his own. Fully subtitled in English.
“Last Cinderella,” premieres on Wednesday, June 18, at 7:35 p.m.
Women today can sometimes forget about their gender, as they devote themselves deeper and deeper into their career. Among such women, some suffer overwork, unbalance of hormones, hair loss and the likes.
Sakura is a single 39-year-old woman who works as a manager at a beauty salon. Although her business is to make her customers pretty, Sakura doesn’t make the effort to do the same for herself. She envies falling in love, but at the same time is afraid of falling in love. One day, at a party, Sakura meets Hiroto, a much younger BMX rider, and is drawn to him. As Hiroto gets to know Sakura, he is slowly drawn to her as well.
Then there are Rintaro, Sakura’s boss and good friend; Miki, Sakura’s best friend who suffers from a sexless marriage; Shima, another best friend who is addicted to sex and Chiyoko who is in love with Rintaro. It’s a modern heart-thumping love comedy that’s sure to make you smile! Fully subtitled in English.
“Hanako to Anne,” premieres on Friday, June 20, at 7:15 p.m.
The 90th NHK morning drama, “Hanako to Anne” follows the life of Hanako Muraoka, the Japanese translator of world-famous novel “Anne of Green Gables.” She was born into a poor family but goes to a school with the rich and royalty and becomes a scholar and translator. Experience the ups and downs of Hanako’s life from the late 1800’s through the late 60’s. As Anne does in the story, Hanako strongly believes in bright tomorrow and the power of imagination. Fully subtitled in English.
NGN 3 MOVIE CHANNEL (Digital Ch. 679)
Premiere titles air on Friday. Movies are shown at various times. Check your digital on-screen guide for movie schedules, using either the GUIDE or INFO buttons (up to one week ahead). Or call NGN, Mon.-Fri. from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 538-1966 for inquiries or to request an e-mail of NGN 3 programming information. All movies are in Japanese language with full English subtitles.
PREMIERE TITLES OF THE MONTH
June 6: “Meiji Kyokakuden Sandaime Shumei (Codes of Meiji),” 1965 action film, 1 hour and 29 minutes.
Directed by Yasuo Huruhata. Starring Koji Tsuruta and Junko Fuji.
Third generation yakuza boss faces conflicts of tradition and modernity in Osaka.
June 13: “Kiryuin Hanako no Shogai (Onimasa),” 1982 drama, 2 hours and 26 minutes.
Directed by Hideo Gosha. Starring Tatsuya Nakadai and Shima Iwashita.
Set in the 1920’s, gang boss Onimasa of the Kiryuin Family accepts a young girl, Matsue, as payment for a debt, whom he then adopts. This story opens when Onimasa’s real daughter Hanako has just died, leading to Matsue’s telling the family’s story in flashback form. A decades-long duel with Boss Suenaga is kicked off when after the disputed outcome of a brutal dogfight between vicious mastiffs, Suenaga, who lost kills the winner’s dog and threatens Onimasa.
June 20: “Kyodai Jingi Kanto Anikibun (Code Between Brothers 6),” 1967
action film, 1 hour and 27 minutes.
Directed by Sadao Nakajima. Starring Saburo Kitajima and Koji Tsuruta.
Story about a womanizing yakuza during the early 20th century.
June 27: “Gokudo Senso Butoha (Yakuza Warfare),” 1991 action film, 1 hour and 55 minutes.
Directed by Sadao Nakajima. Starring Kiichi Nakai and Sonny Chiba.
Two young yakuza make names for themselves in a large gang war.
NGN3 MOVIE OF THE MONTH
“Second Virgin (Second Virginity),” 2011 drama, 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Directed by Hiroshi Kurosaki. Starring Kyoka Suzuki, Hiroki Hasegawa.
Rui Nakamura, age 45, is a highly successful publisher. During the course of work, she encounters a 28-year-old married man Kou Suzuki who aggressively pursues her. Unexpectedly, Rui Nakamura starts to fall in love with the younger married man.
NGN3 COMMUNITY FAVORITE
“Kimi no Na wa (Always in My Heart, Part 3),” 1953 drama, 2 hours and 5 minutes.
Directed by Hideo Oba. Starring Keiko Kishi, Keiji Sada
The third and final part of Machiko and Haruki’s drama continues. Machiko is not allowed to see Haruki. They finally meet again, but Haruki departs to Europe.
NGN3 Movies (in alphabetical order)
“Abashiri Bangaichi Bokyohen (Prison Walls of Abashiri, Part 3),” 1965
action/drama, 1 hour and 29 minutes.
Directed by Teruo Ishii. Starring Ken Takakura and Kanjuurou Arashi.
Upon returning to his hometown of Nagasaki, recently released prisoner Tachibana Shinichi must rejoin the Asahi gang family in order to pay back a past debt. Trouble brews when the rival gang that was responsible for sending him to prison learns of his return. Left with no alternative to their constant harassment and threats, Tachibana decides to take them on.
“Aku Oyabun tai Daigashi (The Evil Partnership),” 1971 action film, 1 hour and 28 minutes.
Directed by Takeichi Saito. Starring Tomisaburo Wakayama and Bunta Sugawara.
A high ranking yakuza rises to national notoriety.
“Beni Kujaku Dai-nihen Norio no Mateki (Crimson Peacock 2),” 1954
jidaigeki, 1 hour and 54 minutes.
Directed by Ryo Hagiwara. Starring Kinnosuke Nakamura, Chiyonosuke Azuma and Koji Arima.
Entrusted by a Roman saint, brave soldiers guard the key to the treasures of Crimson Peacock from malicious pirates.
“Benikujaku Dai-sanpen Tsuki no Hakkotsujo (Crimson Peacock 3),” 1955 jidaigeki, 53 minutes.
Directed by Ryo Hagiwara. Starring Kinnosuke Nakamura, Chiyonosuke Azuma.
Adventures revolving the key to the treasure of Crimson Peacock continue. Bewitched by the ally of evil Ikkaku, Kumi pursues Kojiro to take his life.
“Furyo Bancho Renkan Blues (The Bad Boss 3),” 1969 action film, 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Directed by Yukio Noda. Starring Tatsuo Umemiya, Hayato Tani.
A story of rivalry between two gambling clans.
“Gokudo no Onna Tachi (Yakuza Ladies),” 1986 drama, 2 hours.
Directed by Hideo Gosha. Starring Shima Iwashita, Rino Katase, Masanori Sera and Riki Takeuchi.
Tamaki, the wife of the Awazu family boss, is thrust into leadership of the family when her husband is sent to prison. Upon the death of the patriarch of the head Yakuza family, the other powerful families conspire to take control over the entire organization. Caught in the middle of the ensuing battle for power, Tamaki must do what it takes to preserve the Awazu family.
“Hanazono no Meikyu (Labyrinth Romanesque),” 1988 drama, 1 hour and 57 minutes.
Directed by Syunya Itou. Starring Yoko Shimada and Hitomi Kuroki.
A serial killing occurs at a port town boardwalk.
“Harimaya Bashi (The Harimaya Bridge),” 2009 drama, 2 hours.
Directed by Aaron Woolfolk. Starring Bennet Guillory, Saki Takaoka, Danny Glover and Misa Shimizu.
Upon learning of his estranged son’s tragic death in a traffic accident, an American man travels to the rural prefecture of Kochi, Japan to take care of his son’s unfinished business. While there he uncovers secrets his son has left behind and struggles to not only reconcile his years of conflict with his son, but also the prejudices that exist among people of different cultures and backgrounds.
Danny Glover, international film star, produced this film and also stars in it, along with Japan Academy-winning actresses Saki Takaoka and Misa Shimizu.
“Heso Mori (Heso Mori),” 2012 drama, 1 hour and 42 minutes.
Directed by Tomoshi Iriya. Starring Toshiyuki Nagashima and Ikkei Watanabe.
Five young friends discover a network of time traveling tunnels that take them to different eras in Japan. Forty years later, Satoshi runs the traditional paper mill of the village and struggles to make ends meet. Strange things start to happen when a nefarious developer with connections to the tunnels swoops in and makes the region a tourist spot. Satoshi and friends are called into action as guardians of the tunnels when the developer discovers a samurai who wanders in from another era.
“Jigoku no Sabaki wa Ore ga Suru (The Sentencer),” 1962 action film, 1 hour and 34 minutes.
Directed by Shigehiro Ozawa. Starring Chiezo Kataoka and Koji Tsuruta.
A man challenges a territorial fight between gangs.
“Kobe Kokusai Gang (The International Gang of Kobe),” 1975 action film,
1 hour and 39 minutes.
Directed by Noboru Tanaka. Starring Ken Takakura and Bunta Sugawara.
An international gang fights with other families at postwar Kobe.
“Musume no Naka no Musume (Sister with Sister),” 1958 drama, 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Directed by Kiyoshi Saeki. Starring Hibari Misora, Ken Takakura and So Yamamura.
Yoshiko finds new life and love interests when she takes a new job as an office worker.
“Nihon Jokyoden Tekka Geisha (Flint Geisha),” 1970 drama, 1 hour and 40 minutes.
Directed by Kosaku Yamashita. Starring Junko Fuji and Bunta Sugawara.
Young geisha Koshizu’s wish of reuniting with the man, Yukichi, who helped her 10 years ago comes true. When she learns of the trouble Yukichi’s business is facing, it is time for her to repay the debt.
“Okaeri, Hayabusa (Welcome Home, Hayabusa),” 2012 drama, 1 hour and 54 minutes.
Directed by Katsuhide Motoki. Starring Tatsuya Fujiwara and Tomokazu Miura.
Kento Ohashi is a novice ion engine developer. He works on a team that is planning to launch the unmanned Hayabusa spacecraft. His father Isao was the leader of a previously failed space mission. Now, Kento pursues his and his father’s dreams while experiencing the unexpected surprises that come with working on a spacecraft.
“Ooku (The Lady Shogun and Her Men),” 2010 drama, 1 hour and 56 minutes.
Directed by Fuminori Kaneko. Starring Kazunari Ninomiya and Kou Shibasaki.
In the year 1716, a mysterious epidemic sickens men in the country of Japan, dropping the population of men to one-fourth. With the drastic reduction of men, the gender roles have become reversed in Japan. To raise his social status and also save his poor family, a young man named Yunoshin Mizuno enters the Ooku (inner chambers of the Shugun’s castle) and attempts to vie among 3,000 other men for the affection of the female shogun. The men in Ooku are all beautiful, but highly ambitious and conniving. In this environment, the 7th shogun Tokugawa passes away and the new shogun Yoshimune Tokugawa takes the thrown and enters the Ooku.
“Oretachi ni Haka wa Nai (No Graves for Us),” 1979 action film, 1 hour and 31 minutes.
Directed by Yukihiro Sawada. Starring Yusaku Matsuda and Koki Iwaki.
A plot to steal money from a prominent gang family leads Shima and his buddy Ishikawa into unimaginable trouble.
“Sanada Yukimura no Boryarku (The Shogun Assassins),” 1979 jidaigeki, 2 hours and 28 minutes.
Directed by Sadao Nakajima. Starring Hiroki Matsukata and Minori Terada.
Ten warriors of the Toyotomi Shogunate come together to battle against those who plot to assassinate the shogun.
“Seizoroi Kan Hasshu (Keepers of Order),” 1962 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 32 minutes.
Directed by Yasushi Sasaki. Starring Chiezo Kataoka and Kinya Kotaoji.
While fighting against evil officials, Chuji and his family become the primary target of gangs in Nikko.
“Seki no Yatappe (Yakuza of Seki),” 1963 samurai/drama, 1 hour and 29minutes.
Directed by Kosaku Yamashita. Starring Kinnosuke Nakamura, Yukiyo Toake, Ryunosuke Tsukigata and Isao Kimura.
A young yakuza, Yatappe, wanders around the country in search of his long-lost little sister, Oito. While traveling, he rescues a young girl, Osayo, whose father entrusts her to him with his dying wish. To honor his promise to Osayo’s deceased father, Yatappe brings her to safety, and from a distance keeps a watchful eye on her wellbeing.
“Tarao Bannai Hayabusa no Mao (Foul Play),” 1955 drama, 1 hour and 21 minutes.
Directed by Sadatsugu Matsuda. Starring Chiezo Kataoka and Chizuru
Kitagawa.
Private eye Tarao Bannai and his assistant Masako investigate the mysterious murder of a baseball player who was killed in the middle of a game.
“Tekka Daimyo (Lord of Steel Heart),” 1961 samurai film, 1 hour and 33 minutes.
Directed by Kokichi Uchide. Starring Utaemon Ichikawa and Jushiro Konoe.
The feisty lord Matabe falls into a trap planned by the evil Sanzaemon, who, in a twist of fate, is an elder to Matabe’s childhood friend Lord Nagamasa.
“Tsuri Baka Nisshi 5 (Free and Easy 5),” 1992 drama, 1 hour and 35 minutes.
Directed by Tomio Kuriyama. Starring Toshiyuki Nishida and Rentaro Mikuni.
Hama-chan and Michiko’s son, Koitaro, is now 1 year old. When Michiko leaves home to attend a school reunion and her mother is unable to care for the baby, Hama-chan is forced to take Koitaro to work and the baby soon gets lost, creating all manner of havoc at the construction firm he works for.
