PROGRAMS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
WITHOUT NOTICE
“Pretty ga Osugiru (Way Too Kawaii),” premiers Friday, April 5 at 7:35 p.m.
Nankichi works for a mega publishing company and was the star of the literary editing department, but all of a sudden he gets transferred to a fashion magazine. “Why am I doing this job?!” Nankichi works resentfully, constantly making mistakes, and even butts heads with his colleagues. Yet as he witnesses the professionalism of the models, the cameramen, stylists, Harajuku shopkeepers and fellow editors, he becomes inspired and begins to grow. Hidden beneath the glitz and glamour of the fashion magazine world is a hot-blooded passionate spirit. Fully subtitled in English.
“Maison de Police,” premiers Tuesday, April 16 at 7:35 p.m.
Hyori Makino is a rookie detective whose dream comes true when she is assigned to the Criminal Investigation Division. One day, the precinct police see an anonymously-posted clip on the Internet that shows a person being burned to death. The police treat it as a possible copycat crime of a burning homicide that occurred five years ago. Hoping to consult Soichiro Natsume, the retired detective who headed the original investigation, Hiyori arrives at a house in an upscale residential district where Natsume shares the house with four other elderly ex-cops. Hiyori quickly realizes that despite their aging vision, back pain and high blood pressure, these gentlemen still posses razor-sharp sleuthing skills. Together, they set about cracking tough cases. Fully subtitled in English.
“Manga Meishi,” Sunday, April 21 at 7:20 p.m.
This is a new style fusion of the drama and the real world. A 52-year-old man who loves manga and food dreams of eating amazing dishes in manga, which are imaginary. Real chefs take on challenges to make the dishes for him. Fully subtitled in English.
NGN 3 MOVIE CHANNEL (Spectrum Digital Ch. 679/HD 1679)
Premiere titles air on Friday. “Movie of the Month” premieres on the first Saturday. 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.
Movie of the Month
“Hamon Futari no Yakubyogami (Hamon: Yakuza Boogie),” 2017 drama, 2 hours.
Directed by Shotaro Kobayashi. Starring Kuranosuke Sasaki and You Yokoyama.
Yakuza Kuwahara and construction consultant Ninomiya go on a search for a movie producer, who has run off with money invested in his dubious project by a yakuza lieutenant. Their pursuit takes them around Japan’s Kansai region and even to Macao, which accidentally leads to inter-gang conflict. The hunters become the hunted, forcing them to risk everything in a final desperate gambit…
Movies in Alphabetical Order
“Arakure Daimyo (Prince of Red Banner),” 1960 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 32 minutes.
Directed by Kokichi Uchidate. Starring Utaemon Ichikawa and Kotaro Satomi.
A young prince lives against the will of his father Lord Tokugawa.
“Chimoji Yashiki (Revenge for His Lover),” 1962 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 27 minutes.
Directed by Kudo Eiichi. Starring Otomo Ryutaro and Okawa Hashizo.
Kamio, a mistreated samurai clerk of Edo Castle, together with ronin (“Sir Quarrel”) Ibara, take up a vendetta against seventeen wicked castle men.
“Datsugoku Hiroshima Satsujinshu (The Rapacious Jailbreaker),” 1974 action film, 1 hour and 37 minutes.
Directed by Sadao Nakajima. Starring Hiroki Matsukata and Tatsuo Umemiya.
Based on a true story about a jailbird who was sentenced for 41 years and escaped seven times. In 1947, Ueda robs a drug dealer and his woman for morphine and kills them. He is imprisoned in Hiroshima, but escapes the next year. From then on he gets caught and re-imprisoned over and over.
“Furisode Torimonocho Chirimen Kago (Mysteries of Edo 2),” 1957 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 26 minutes.
Directed by Shoji Matsumura. Starring Hibari Misora and Chiyonosuke Azuma.
A princess in disguise, Oshichi launches an investigation on the multiple kidnapping cases.
“Gokudo no Onnatachi (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.
“Hengen Murasaki Zukin (The Mysterious Purple Hood),” 1963 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 28 minutes.
Directed by Eiichi Kudo. Starring Ryutaro Otomo, Satomi Oka and Shingo Yamashiro.
A man in the mysterious purple hood saves the lives of townspeople in Edo.
“Hibotan Bakuto Tekkaba Retsuden (Valiant Red Peony 5),” 1969 drama, 1 hour and 39 minutes.
Directed by Kosaku Yamashita. Starring Junko Fuji, Koji Tsuruta and Tomisaburo Wakayama.
Female gambler Oryu comes to the aid of a down-and-out farmer.
“Jigoku no Okite ni Asu wa Nai (Glorious Fights),” 1966, action film, 1 hour 31 minutes.
Directed by Yasuo Furuhata. Starring. Ken Takakura amd Yukiyo Toake.
A young leader of Yamazaki family of Nagasaki, Takida (Ken Takakura) is an A-bomb survivor. He fiercely battles violent elements in southern Japan like there is no tomorrow.
“Kaigun Yokosuka Keimusho (Yokosuka Navy Prison),“ 1973 action film, 1 hour 40min.
Directed by Kosaku Yamashita. Starring Shintaro Katsu and Harue Akagi.
When a rebellious roughneck enlists in the Navy and goes on a rampage against his superiors, he is sent to the Yokosuka Naval Prison.
“Kaze no Bushi (Warrior of the Wind),” 1964 drama, 2 hours and 13 minutes.
Directed by Tai Kato. Starring Hashizo Okawa and Hiroko Sakuramachi.
Hired on a mission by the government, Shinzo, a womanizing Iga ninja, soon finds himself in the center of a conspiracy looking to unearth a mythical clan and their hidden gold.
“Kisaragi Musoken (The Kisaragi Swordsman),” 1962 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 33 minutes.
Directed by Yasushi Sasaki. Starring Utaemon Ichikawa, Hiroki Matsukata, Chiyonosuke Azuma and Kotaro Satomi.
Superb swordsman Tsukinosuke’s services are called upon to cease the insurgence against the Shogunate.
“No Youna Mono, No Youna Mono (Something Like, Something Like It),” 2016 drama, 1 hour and 35 minutes.
Directed by Taiichi Sugiyama. Starring Kenichi Matsuyama and Keiko Kitagawa.
Shinden is a serious and undistinguished “Rakugo” performer (a traditional Japanese verbal performance art) apprentice. He is ordered from his master to find the whereabouts of senior performer Shintoto, who had given up Rakugo to live more a carefree life. As he gets to know him, Sinden learns how to live a more enjoyable life, while Shintoto recalls his passion for “Rakugo.”
“Oedo Senryo Bayashi (Swordsman and the Actress),” 1955 jidaigeki, 1 hour 25 minutes.
Directed by Yasushi Sasaki. Starring Hibari Misora, Chiyonosuke Azuma and Ryutaro Otomo.
Famous actress Koharu becomes involved in the search for the Shogun’s treasure.
“Ooku Juhakkei (Dolls of the Shogun’s Harem),” 1986 drama, 1 hour and 55 minutes.
Directed by Norifumi Suzuki. Starring Kyoko Tsujisawa and Mami Nomura.
In a quest to find the missing woman who might bear the child of the shogun, Genshiro, a doctor, must go out and check different women to see if they carry the child, and if so to abort the child.
“Oshidori Kago (The Bull’s Eye for Love),” 1958 samurai film, 1 hour and 27 minutes.
Directed by Masahiro Makino. Starring Kinnosuke Nakamura, Hibari Misora, Katsuo Nakamura and Hitomi Nakahara.
Young lord Genjiro, who abandoned his castle to live as a commoner in Edo, returns home to restore peace amidst disruption over an inheritance dispute.
“Ougon Kujaku-jo (Golden Peacock Castle),” 1961 samurai/action film, 50 minutes.
Directed by Masaharu Matsuda. Starring Kotaro Satomi, Shingo Yamashiro and Mitsuko Nagai.
A group of pirates led by the evil Gondaiyu and his wizard, Genkuro, capture the Golden Peacock Castle and massacre the peaceful clan that lives there. The few survivors that manage to escape plot their revenge and wait for the timing to be right for an attack.
“Ougon Kujaku-jo Dai-Nibu (Golden Peacock Castle Part 2),” 1961 samurai/action, 56 minutes.
Directed by Shoji Matsumura. Starring Totsuben Sawamura, Kotaro Satomi and Shingo Yamashiro.
The struggles of the Golden Peacock Castle Clan continue as they seek to reclaim their home and prevent the evil Gondaiyu from taking their most prized treasures.
“Saigo no Tokkoutai (Last Glory),” 1970 drama, 2 hours and 2 minutes.
Director Junya Sato. Starring Koji Tsuruta, Ken Takakura and Sonny Chiba.
A story depicting the last days of young Kamikaze pilots in the end of the war against US.
“Seishun no Mon Jiritsuhen (Gate of Youth Part 2),” 1982 drama, 2 hours and 17 minutes.
Directed by Koreyoshi Kurahara. Starring Kaori Momo, Koichi Sato, Kaoru Sugita and Tsunehiko Watase.
Shinsuke enters Waseda University in 1954 and begins rigorous training as a boxer. During a night out in Shinjuku, he meets the prostitute Kaoru, who introduces to him a world unlike anything he has known.
“Shokubutsu Zukan (Evergreen Love),” 2016 drama, 1 hour and 52 minutes.
Directed by Koichiro Miki. Starring Takanori Iwata and Mitsuki Takahata.
“Miss, would you please pick me up? I will not bite you. I am a well-behaved boy.” An ordinary female office worker Sayaka meets a young man, Itsuki. He is lying by the roadside and says that he had no home to reside. Oddly enough, something drives Sayaka to decide to live together with him for half a year. She knows nothing about him, but for some reason, her love for Itsuki grows day by day…
“Tekka Wakashu (The Metal Head Gang),” 1962 jidaigeki. 1 hour and 29 minutes.
Directed Yasushi Sasaki. Starring Kotaro Ozawa, Ryutaro Otomo and Satomi Oka.
Young samurai Yanosuke avenges his father’s death.
“Tono, Risoku de Gozaru! (The Magnificent Nine),” 2016 drama, 2 hours and 9 minutes.
Directed by Yoshihiro Nakamura. Starring Sadao Abe and Eita.
In a poor town in northern Japan in the eighteenth century, the residents suffered in great poverty due to heavy taxes imposed by the feudal lord. Juzaburo who worries about the future of his hometown and his eight fellow merchants come up with a secret plan of loaning a large sum of money to their lord, on which they collect interest which is then distributed to the town’s people to escape poverty. But if their plan is uncovered, they will definitely be decapitated… Do-or-die intellectual battle begins!
