NEW PROGRAMMING
“ISHIKO and HANEO: You’re Suing Me?” premiering Friday, Sept. 23 at 7:35 p.m.
Personalities and complexes collide between a Tökyö University-educated paralegal, Shoko and a young lawyer with only a high school degree, Yoshio. Nevertheless, they somehow manage to help clients in a small town through the “Ushio Legal Counseling Office.” With Shoko’s sharp wit and stubbornly single-minded passion, and Yoshio’s penchant for acting cool, the two are more similar than they would admit despite constant bickering as they fight for the rights of their clients. 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 (808) 538–1966 for inquiries or to request an e–mail of NGN 3 programming information. All movies are in the Japanese language with full English subtitles.
MOVIE OF THE MONTH
“Mothers 2014,” 2014 drama, 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Starring Shigeru Muroi and Aoi Nakamura.
Nineteen-year-old Kenta is an ordinary happy boy. One day he finds out that he has been adopted. He can’t believe that there is no blood relations between him and his parents. He decides to visit “Smile Baby,” an adoption agency, which handled his adoption so that he can find out who his real mother is.
“Mothers 2015,” 2015 drama, 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Starring Shigeru Muroi and Nana Seino.
Asako is a high school student who become pregnant from a sexual abuse by her mother’s boyfriend. Deeply hurt by the incident and her mother’s betrayal, she lost her memory of how she has become pregnant. Her homeroom teacher noticed her change, gets concerned about her wellbeing, and contacts “Smile Baby.”
MOVIES IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
“Bakuto Kaisanshiki (Gambler’s Farewell),” 1968 drama, 1 hour and 31 minutes.
Directed by Fukasaku Kinji. Starring Koji Tsuruta and Tetsuro Tanba.
The story of men devoted to the yakuza lifestyle and their struggles during a time of fading yakuza power.
“Benikujaku Dai-sanpen Tsuki no Hakkotsujo,” 1955, 53 minutes.
Directed by Ryo Hagiwara. Starring Kinnosuke Nakamura and 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.
“Benikujaku Da-yonhen Kenmou Ukinemaru (Crimsonpeacock Part 4),” 1955 jidaigeki, 53 minutes.
Directed by Ryo Hagiwara. Starring Kinnosuke Nakamura and Chiyonosuke Azuma.
Exciting adventures for the quest of the Crimson Peacock treasures continue. Ukinemaru’s mystical flute saves Kojiro and Kazekozo from the evil magic of Ikkau.
“Beranme Geisha (The Prickly Mouthed Geisha),” 1959 comedy, drama, 1 hour and 26 minutes.
Directed by Eiichi Koishi. Starring Hibari Misora and Shinji Ebara.
Young geisha, Koharu, is in love with Kenichi, an apprentice carpenter to her father Seigoro. Their love life comes to a sudden halt after an argument between their two fathers. Can their love survive in spite of the bitterness between their two families?
“Food Luck! Shokuun (Food Luck),” 2020 drama, 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Directed by Jimon Terakado. Starring Naoto and Tao Tsuchiya.
Yoshito Sato, a freelance writer who was born into a family that ran a popular yakiniku restaurant, embarks on a food journey to find the flavors of home, with young reporter Shizuka. With not only an eye for the food, but respect for the masters who make it, this movie depicts both the love between mother and son and the comedy of life through yakiniku and delicious food.
“Fuunji Oda Nobunaga (Oda Nobunaga)” 1959 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 35 minutes.
Directed by Toshikazu Kono. Starring Kinnosuke Nakamura and Katsuo Nakamura.
A story of a young feudal lord Nobunaga.
“Hatamoto Taikutsu Otoko Nazo no Daimonji (The Daimonji Consipiracy),” 1959 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 31 minutes.
Directed by Yasushi Sasaki. Starring Ichikawa Utaemon and Azuma Chiyonosuke.
Master swordsman and loyal vassal Saotome Mondonosuke goes on a mission to find a missing princess.
“Hayatozoku no Hanran (Rebellion)” 1957 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Directed by Sadatsugu Matsuda. Starring Utaemon Ichikawa, Yumiko Hasegawa and Kunio Kaga.
In the mist of the warring age, the Kyushu based Hayato Clan is faced with a monumental battle to determine their survival.
“Hitokiri Kannon Uta (Swordsong),” 1970 drama, 1 hour and 28 minutes.
Directed by Takashi Harada. Starring Bunta Sugawara and Tomisaburo Wakayama.
A story about a priest who is on a mission to reunite a young boy with his missing mother.
“Honoo no Shiro (Throne of Flame),” 1960 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 39 minutes.
Directed by Tai Kato. Starring Hashizo Okawa.
The tragic story of a young feudal lord who seeks revenge after learning that his uncle was behind his father’s murder.
“Jinsei Gekijo Zoku Hishakaku (Life of Hishakaku 2),” 1963 drama, 1 hour and 37 minutes.
Directed by Tadashi Sawasima. Starring Koji Tsuruta, Tatsuo Umemiya, Yoshiko Sakuma and Ryunosuke Tsukigata.
Upon his release from the prison, Hishakaku joins the Kikkyo family who is struggling to regain their turf from their rival, Domoto family. To reciprocate the kindness of the Kikkyos, Hishakaku heads to meet the leader of Domoto, Osumi, and finds himself emotionally involved with her.
“Kiokuya -Anata wo Wasurenai- (The Memory Eraser),” 2020 drama, 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Directed by Yuichiro Hirakawa. Starring Ryosuke Yamada and Kyoko Yoshine.
University student Ryoichi’s happy life is shattered when his girlfriend Kyoko loses memory of Ryoichi. Ryoichi is incredulous but then hears of an urban legend about a “Memory Eraser” and decides to seek help from an alumnus who is now a famous attorney. They explore the reason why Kyoko has lost her memory. Soon, they find themselves encroaching on sensitive territory: people’s memories and even deeper, closely guarded emotions. At the end of their pursuit lies a truth that will change their lives forever.
“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 1920s, 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.
“Kizudarake no Jinsei Furui Yatsu de Gozansu (A Scarred Life 2),” 1971 drama, 1 hour and 33 minutes.
Directed by Shigehiro Ozawa. Starring Koji Tsuruta and Tomisaburo Wakayama.
Members of the same yakuza gang are forced to fight each other.
“Kujakujo no Hanayome (Bride of Peacock Castle),” 1959 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 29 minutes.
Directed by Shoji Matsumura. Starring Ryutaro Otomo and Hibari Misora.
A hunter is a given a task of taming a daughter of Shogun in preparation for her marriage to the lord.
“Nogitsunebue Hanafubuki Ichiban Matoi (Glorious Firefighter’s Standard),” 1960 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 17 minutes.
Directed by Shoji Matsumura. Starring Chiyonosuke Azuma and Satomi Oka.
Firefighter Sanji learns the secret of his birth.
“Sakura,” 2020 drama, 1 hour and 59 minutes.
Directed by Hitoshi Yazaki. Starring Takumi Kitamura and Nana Komatsu.
Hajime is a popular, handsome man and the oldest of three siblings. His sister Miki is beautiful, albeit a little eccentric, and has an almost unhealthy obsession with Hajime. The youngest of the three is Kaoru, who is quite plain and ordinary compared to his brother and sister. And then there is Sakura, the family’s dog who is always by their side. The fate of this quirky but happy family changes drastically after Hajime, the family’s hero-like figure, encounters a tragic accident…
“Shimizuminato no Meibutsu Otoko Enshumori no Ishimatsu (Man from Shimizu),” 1958 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 38 minutes.
Directed by Masahiro Makino. Starring Kinnosuke Nakamura and Chiyonosuke Azuma.
The adventures of people’s hero, MORI NO ISHIMATSU.
“Shin Gokudo no Onnatachi (Yakuza Ladies Revisited),” 1991 action film, 1 hour and 53 minutes.
Directed by Sadao Nakajima. Starring Shima Iwashita and Masahiro Takeshima.
Third Episode of Yakuza Ladies New Series. Kanae, wife of the Fujinami family boss of Amagasaki, must represent the family after the sudden death of her husband.
“Shinkansen Daibakuha (The Bullet Train),” 1975 action film, 2 hours and 26 minutes.
Directed by Junya Sato. Starring Ken Takakura, Shinichi Chiba (Sonny Chiba) and Tetsuro Tanba.
Long before the Hollywood movie “Speed” was presented in theaters came the Japanese hit “Bullet Train.” A criminal mastermind has rigged a bullet train, the world’s fastest train, with explosives set to go off if the train’s speed falls below 50 mph. The fate of 1,500 passengers lies in the hands of the police as they struggle to capture the culprit and defuse the bomb.
“Shinsengumi (The Shogun’s Guard, Shinsengumi),” 1958 samurai,
1 hour and 34 minutes.
Directed by Yasushi Sasaki. Starring Chiezo Kataoka, Isao Yamagata, Chiyonosuke Azuma, Kotaro Satomi and Ryutaro Otomo.
Following the Shinsengumi, a special unit of ronin commissioned by the Tokugawa shogunate to counter anti-shogunate activities in Kyoto. A sinister plot to overthrow the shogun is set in motion and Kondo Isami and his fellow samurai must answer the call and expose those behind it.
“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.
“Zoku Ooku Maruhi Monogatari (Shogun and His Mistress 2),” 1967 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 35 minutes.
Directed by Sadao Nakajima. Starring Tomoko Ogawa and Eijiro Tono.
In the year 1786, Shogun Ieharu Tokugawa selected beautiful Ochisa to be his concubine. It causes other concubines to become very jealous and mean. When the Shogun passes away, his concubines are forced to become nuns, which they are not happy to be…
