NEW PROGRAMMING
“Reversal Orchestra,” premiering Wednesday, March 1 at 7:35 p.m.
Hatsune is a painfully plain-looking city hall employee. It turns out, however, that she is a former violin prodigy who disappeared from the limelight. Just when she thought she was living the peaceful life, she gets embroiled in the affairs of the overly pushy Asahi, an eccentric maestro. Overhaul a shabby local orchestra and make it world class?! The two set out on their mission but are met with all sorts of obstacles and powerful enemies. Fully subtitled in English.
“Black Crowes: Roppongi Underground,” premiering Friday, March 10 at 7:35 p.m.
Based on actual events. Ultra Violet is a black market casino located behind a fire door in the basement of a building in Roppongi. Yasuki is the manager of the casino and works along with the staff, Shiho, Shinke and Yui. Ultra Violet attracts all sorts of people from entertainment moguls to pro athletes to political elites. Peek into the “darkness” of the city! 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
“Kinema no Kamisama (It’s a Flickering Life),” 2021 drama, 2 hours and 5 minutes.
Starring Kenji Sawada and Masaki Suda. Directed by Yoji Yamada.
Goh is a passionate gambler but a deadbeat dad, and his wife Yoshiko and family have given up on him. Nevertheless, there’s one thing that Goh has always been wholeheartedly devoted to: movies. He and Terashin, the owner of a repertory cinema he frequents, are old friends from their days working at a film studio. In their youth, Goh and his colleagues spent every waking moment chasing their dreams, surrounded by great directors and famous stars who represented Japan’s golden age of motion pictures. However, when Goh and Terashin both fell in love with a young woman whose family ran a diner, the wheels of fate started to wobble…
MOVIES IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
“Beranme Geisha Makaritoru (The Prickly Mouthed Geisha Part 4),” 1961 drama, 1 hour and 17 minutes.
Starring Hibari Misora and Ken Takakura. Directed by Eiichi Koishi.
A comedy of a high-spirited geisha, Koharu, who is at risk of being trapped in a conspiracy to take over a lucrative diamond mine business.
“Chiisakobe (A Carpenter and Children),” 1962 samurai film, 2 hours and 50 minutes.
Starring Kinnosuke Nakamura, Chiemi Eri, Chiyonosuke Azuma and Katsuo Nakamura. Directed by Tasaka Tomotaka.
A carpenter, Shigetsugu, learns a lesson of love and humanity from five orphaned children and an affectionate woman named Oritsu.
“Chikemuri Gasa (Mark of Blood),” 1962 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 29 minutes.
Starring Hashizo Okawa and Kotaro Satomi. Directed by Sadatsugu Matsuda.
Three young vigilantes, Fujitaro, Matsugoro and Kanjuro, travel the country fighting evil.
“Dassou Yuugi (Jail Breakers),” 1976 action film, 1 hour and 33 minutes.
Starring Sonny Chiba. Directed by Kosaku Yamashita.
Kamiki is a professional fixer of jailbreak who lets prisoners escape for big money. He became a criminal at age 12 and in and out of prison; he has served for 48 years all together.
“Edokko Hangan to Furisode Kozo (The Edo Official and Apprentice),” 1959 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 27 minutes.
Starring Chiezo Kataoka and Hibari Misora. Directed by Tadashi Sawashima.
Famous magistrate in disguise, Kinshiro confronts female thief Oen.
“Genji Kuro Sassoki Byakko Nitoryu (Tales of Young Genji Kuro Part 2),” 1958 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 28 minutes.
Starring Kinnosuke Nakamura, Keiko Okawa and Kotaro Satomi. Directed byTai Kato.
Master swordsman Kuro must defend Lord Yoshitsune’s secret treasures from the trecherous pirates and villains.
“Gokudo Senso Butoha (Yakuza Warfare),” 1991 action film, 1 hour and 55 minutes.
Starring Kiichi Nakai and Sonny Chiba. Directed by Sadao Nakajima.
Two young yakuza make names for themselves in a large gang war.
“Hibotan Bakuto Jingi Toshimasu (The Valiant Red Peony Part 8),” 1971 drama, 1 hour and 36 minutes.
Starring Junko Fuji and Chiezo Kataoka. Directed by Buichi Saito.
Gambler in training Oryu avenges the death of her beloved friend Otaka.
“Itakunai Shinikata (Peaceful Death),” 2021 drama, 1 hour and 52 minutes.
Starring Tasuku Emoto and Maki Sakai. Directed by Banmei Takahashi.
This medical drama illustrates the current state of home healthcare by drawing upon two bestselling books written by currently practicing home care physician Kazuhiro Nagao. Home care physician Kawada administers over the care of terminally ill cancer patient Inoue who chose “painless home care” on the wishes of his daughter Tomomi. However, Inoue dies after suffering, for which Tomomi blames herself. Meanwhile, Kawada as well has been emotionally shaken…
“Kaze no Bushi (Warrior of the Wind),” 1964 drama, 2 hours and 13 minutes.
Starring Hashizo Okawa and Hiroko Sakuramachi. Directed by Tai Kato.
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.
“Kibou no Otome,” 1958 drama, 1 hour and 36 minutes.
Starring Hibari Misora, Ken Takakura and Toru Ono. Directed by Yasushi Sasaki.
Sayuri, a young woman born to a simple life on a farm, moves to Tokyo to pursue a life long dream of becoming a singer.
“Oedo Hyobanki Binan no Kaoyaku (Good Rascals),” 1962 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 31 minutes.
Starring Hashizo Okawa, Kiyoshi Atsumi, Kotaro. Satomi Directed by Tadashi Sawashima.
A group of men living a low life in Edo help each other to make the best out of their lives.
“Sanga Ari (Mother Country),” 1962 drama, 2 hours and 15 minutes.
Starring Hideko Takamine and Takahiro Tamura. Directed by Zenzo Matsuyama.
In 1919, a group of Japanese immigrants arrives in Hawai‘i. Among them are Yoshio Inoue and his wife Kishino, and Sumi, a young woman ready to get married soon. With soil that is hard to work in and a subtropical climate, the immigrants must cope with a hard life. After years of hard work, Yoshio finds work as a teacher while his wife manages to open a small grocery store. But with the war around the corner, life becomes more and more complicated for the Japanese immigrants in the U.S.
“Satomi Hakkenden Dai-gobu (Sorcerer’s Orb Part 5),” 1954 samurai film, 54 minutes.
Starring Kinnosuke Nakamura and Chiyonosuke Azuma. Directed by Toshizaku Kono.
The fifth and final episode of the popular adventure series “Satomi Hakkenden.”
“Seizoroi Tokaido (The Glorious Tokaido),” 1963 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 34 minutes.
Starring Chiezo Kataoka and Kinya Kitaoji. Directed by Sadatsugu Matsuda.
Famous Jirocho steps in to save his henchman, Chokichi’s turf from evil officials.
“Shikingen Goudatsu (Cross the Rubicon!),” 1975 action film, 1 hour and 32 minutes.
Starring Kinya Kitaoji and Hiroki Matsukata. Directed by Kinji Fukasaku.
Battles without honor and humanity – after 8 years in prison, Takeshi’s mission is a big heist from his own clan’s gambling parlor.
“Shirai-san (Stare),” 2020 drama, 1 hour and 38 minutes.
Starring Marie Iitoyo and Yu Inaba.
Bodies are turning up. Their eye sockets are empty after their eyes have exploded. They have all died from heart attacks. It is apparent that they were scared at the time of death, as if they were possessed by something horrible. Mizuki and Haruo are college students. Mizuki’s best friend dies before her eyes. Haruo’s brother also died under mysterious circumstances which leads to the college friends’ search for a cause. The deaths attract the attention of Mamiya, a newspaper journalist. He joins Mizuki and Haruo in their efforts to solve the mystery. But none of them is quite ready for the frightening truth behind it.
“Shosuke Buyuden Aizu Bandaisan (Mighty Shosuke),” 1960 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 31 minutes.
Starring Ryutaro Otomo and Hibari Misora. Directed by Sadatsugu Matsuda.
A comedy about a free-spirited man Shosuke whose life is turned upside down when he is ordered to serve the clan lord.
“Silk Hat no Ooyabun (The Silk Hat Boss),” 1970 drama, 1 hour and 29 minutes.
Starring Tomisaburo Wakayama. Directed by Suzuki Noribumi.
A spin off movie series of the popular Hibotan Bakuto, featuring the yakuza Kumakichi, a man who lived with honor during the Russo-Japanese war period.
“Tenka no Igagoe Akatsuki no Kessen (Sanguine Battle),” 1959 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 32 minutes.
Starring Utaemon Ichikawa, Taro Otomo, Hashizo Okawa and Kotaro Satomi. Directed by Sadatsugu Matsuda.
A story of revenge between two samurai families on the Igagoe Road.
“Wakasama Zamurai Torimonocho Beranme Katsujinken (Case of A Young Lord Part 2),” 1956 jidaigeki, 52 minutes.
Starring Hashizo Okawa and Yumiko Hasegawa. Directed by Kinnosuke Fukada.
A master swordsman must retrieve the mercer’s stolen heirloom in time to present it to the Shogun.
“Yoshiwara Enjo (Tokyo Bordello),” 1983 drama, 2 hour and 13 minutes.
Starring Yuko Natori and Sayoko Ninomiya. Directed by Hideo Gosha.
In the famous Yoshiwara pleasure district in Tokyo, prostitution was legal for many hundreds of years. However, once most of the district was destroyed by a fire in 1911. A young girl is sold into prostitution by her destitute father to a brothel in the Yoshiwara district. The owners of the brothel have high hopes to make her the great new addition which will attract only the richest of customers. But after several months of training, she tries to flee Yoshiwara when the time has come for her to take her first customer.
