NEW PROGRAMMING
“Even If You Don’t Do It,” premiering Monday, July 10 at 7:35 p.m.
Michi works in the sales department of a construction company. Her life is comfortable and trouble-free. But there is just one problem: her husband. She married the shy and reticent Yoichi five years ago. He loves her very much, but he doesn’t want to have sex with her. And whenever she tries to instigate intimacy, he shies away from the situation. Two years have passed since they had sex, and she feels somewhat neglected and frustrated by the situation. One day, Michi, who have been stood up by her husband for another night out, is drinking a can of beer alone in the night breeze. Makoto happens to pass by and the two end up drinking together. Michi gets drunk and confesses to him about their private life… Fully subtitled in English.
“The Last Man: The Blind Profiler,” premiering Friday, July 14 at 7:35 p.m.
Hiromi Minami is a U.S. FBI agent on temporary loan to Japan. He’s blind but dubbed “the last man” for his ability to crack tough cases with keen analysis and honed senses. Shintaro Godo is a field cop with a top arrest record who shuns his pedigree as police commissioner’s son. The two make for a highly mismatched pair, but there’s more to their partnership than meets the eye. A police conspiracy? A link to a mysterious past? Strap in for a suspenseful adventure by this odd pair of detectives. Fully subtitled in English.
“Police and Prosecutor, Sometimes with Judge,” premiering Tuesday, July 18 at 7:35 p.m.
Gota Nakaido is a detective at the Minato Mirai Police Station in Yokohama. Prior to joining the police force, he spent eight years working as a high school PE teacher. His decided to become a detective because he wanted to combat the negative influences that lead students astray. His passion lies in apprehending criminals, and nothing brings him more joy than when victims express their gratitude for his efforts in catching wrongdoers. 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
“Daikaiju no Atoshimatsu (What to Do with the Dead Kaiju?),” 2022 comedy drama, 1 hr 55 minutes.
Starring Ryosuke Yamada and Tao Tsuchiya. Directed by Satoshi Miki.
A kaiju (Monster), which terrorized humans to unprecedented levels, suddenly died one day. While the people rejoice and bask in relief, the giant corpse left behind begins to slowly rot and bloat. If it explodes, the nation will be destroyed…The countdown to the end has begun. In a desperate race against time, the man assigned to handle the corpse with the fate of the nation at stake is neither a police officer nor a soldier, but a man with a past who disappeared three years ago…What is the mission entrusted to him?
MOVIES IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
“Bushido Zankoku Monogatari (Cruel Tale of Bushido),” 1963 jidaigeki, 2 hours and 3 minutes.
Starring Kinnosuke Yorozuya and Eijiro Tono. Directed by Tadashi Imai.
A warrior oath sworn during the feudalistic Warring States period cruelly binds a man and his family to unimaginable abuses and continues through the generations to the present day.
“Gokuaku Kenpo (The Karate Man and Spy), 1974 action film, 1 hour and 19 minutes.
Starring Tsunehiko Watase and Tamayo Mitsukawa. Directed by Shigehiro Ozawa.
In 1914, in the beginning of the World War I, a lot of spies are being sent to Japan from Germany and Russia. Sakuragi, a famous karate master, gets hired by a military commander to eliminate spies. Sakuragi heads to Yokohama China Town to hunt a spy leader…
“Gokudo no Onnatachi Akai Kizuna (Yakuza Ladies Blood Ties),” 1995 drama, 1 hour and 54 minutes.
Starring Shima Iwashita and Aki Yashiro. Directed by Ikuo Sekimoto.
Turbulent life of Kiwa, the successor of the most prominent yakuza in Osaka, the Domoto Clan.
“Gokudo vs. Furyo Bancho (Yakuza vs. Gang Leader),” 1974 action film, 1 hour and 34 minutes.
Starring Tomisaburo Wakayama and Tatsuo Umemiya. Directed by Kosaku Yamashita.
Gokudo Shimamura comes to blows with the Delinquent Boss who roles into town with his motorcycle gang.
“Hana no Oedo no Tsuri Baka Nisshi (Free & Easy 11: Samurai Edition),” 1998 comedy drama, 1 hour and 57 minutes.
Starring Toshiyuki Nishida and Rentaro Mikuni.
In the late Edo Period, a fishing-crazy warrior is kicked out of his clan and leads an itinerant existence with his long-suffering sister. He finds a kindred spirit in the leader of another clan. The leader gets impressed by his fishing skills and decides to employ him.
“Hanagasa Dochu (While Traveling),” 1962 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 24 minutes.
Starring Hibari Misora and Kotaro Satomi. Directed by Toshikazu Kono.
Okimi and her gang go on a private mission to find whereabouts of Okimi’s lover, Kanta.
“Hanshichi Torimonocho Mittsu no Nazo (Cases of Hanshichi),” 1960 jigaigeki, 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Starring Chiezo Kataoka, Chiyonosuke Azuma, Koji Tsuruta and Shinobu Chihara. Directed by Yasushi Sasaki.
Detective Hanshichi solves three mysterious murder cases.
“Hikkoshi Daimyo! (Samurai Shifters),” 2019 drama, 2 hours and 1 minute.
Starring Gen Hoshino and Issey Takahashi. Directed by Isshin Inudo.
In the Edo period, it cost an absolute fortune for a lord to transfer from one fief to another, and if the shogunate reduced their stipend as well, numerous samurai had to be released from service and rendered masterless. The strain of these repeated relocations takes its toll on Matsudaira, and after he passes away, his mantle is inherited by the ineffectual and paralyzingly shy Shunnosuke Katagiri. He is forced to take on a task that no one else wants, and makes a desperate attempt to survive with no manpower, no money, and no experience…
“Jingi no Hakaba (Graveyard for Honor),” 1975 action film, 1 hour and 34 minutes.
Starring Tetsuya Watari and Tatsuo Umemiya. Directed by Kinji Fukasaku.
A dire portrait of the corruption that reigns over both cops and yakuza gangs in 1970s Osaka. Kuroiwa is a cop whose brutal tactics place him closer in spirit to the criminals he is bringing down than to the law-abiding citizens he’s supposed to protect. As the cops attempt to broker peace between two rival gangs and tensions mount in the underworld, Kuroiwa starts to fall for the wife of one of the bosses.
“Keisho Sakazuki (Succession),” 1992 drama, 1 hour and 59 minutes.
Starring Hiroyuki Sanada and Ken Ogata. Directed by Kazuki Omori.
A stockbroker turned yakuza has been ordered to ask the boss of another yakuza outfit to be the substitute emcee of a succession ceremony – the passing of the baton from the older to the younger yakuza generation.
“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…
“Kusama no Hanjiro Kiri no Naka no Wataridori (Hanjiro of Kusama: Bird of Passage),” 1960 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 29 minutes.
Starring Hashizo Okawa and Ryunosuke Tsukigata. Directed by Kokichi Uchidate.
Kindhearted wandering gambler Hanjiro rescues a village in crisis.
“Kyodai Jingi Kanto Inochi Shirazu (Code Between Brothers 5),” 1967 drama, 1 hour and 28 minutes.
Starring Saburo Kitajima and Hideo Murata. Directed by Kosaku Yamashita.
Saburo Kitajima, Japan’s one of the most famous Enka singers, returns on the sixth of the Kyodai Jingi series. During early 20th century, Ryuji from Asakusa, a wandering yakuza, joins the Narumi Family in Yokohama. However, when he confronts Shiotaro, the head of the rival family, Ryuji takes liking of him. He ends up leaving his current family, and becomes close to Shiotaro like brothers swearing to become a full-fledged yakuza.
“Minyo no Tabi Akita Obako (Cosmetic Sales Competition),” 1963 drama 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Starring Hibari Misora, Junichiro Yamashita, Hitomi Nakahara and Komadori.
Sakura-do cosmetic’s top sales person Yukiko falls in love with Joji, an executive of her rival company Swan.
“Nagareita Shichinin (The Seven Chefs),” 1997 food drama, 1 hour and 55 minutes.
Starring Hiroki Matsukata, Koji Matoba, Ayumi Ishida and Tatsuo Umemiya. Directed by Seiji Izumi.
Traveling chef Tatsuji is called back to Tokyo to help save his late teacher’s restaurant. With the help of his close friend Kinu, tatsuji must complete the training of Wataru—the apprentice chosen by his late teacher to become the next master chef—in the art of culinary excellence and running a successful business.
“Ooka Seidan Mazohen (Ooka Seidan: Devil Image),” 1960 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 27 minutes.
Starring Utaemon Ichikawa and Tomisaburo Wakayama. Directed by Toshikazu Kono.
Magistrate Ooka and a samurai fights against the evil.
“Otoko Dokyo de Shobu Suru (Nerves for Victory),” 1966 action film, 1 hour and 31 minutes.
Starring Tatsuo Umemiya and Ryo Ikebe. Directed by Shinji Murayama.
A young yakuza man who respects obligation and humanity must face cruel and heartless turf wars leading to a fight to the death with his own brother.
“Seizoroi Kenka Wakashu,” 1955 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 23 minutes.
Starring Kinnosuke Nakamura, Ryutaro Otomo and Chiyonosuke Azuma. Directed by Kiyoshi Sasaki.
A group of five law enforcers search Edo for a missing sword.
“Senhime to Hideyori,” 1962 samurai film, 1 hour and 26 minutes.
Starring Hibari Misora, Kinnosuke Nakamura, Ken Takakura and Jushiro Konoe. Directed by Masahiro Makino.
Princess Sen, a daughter of Tokugawa Ieyasu, is caught amidst the family feud between the Tokugawa and Toyotomi family. When her father Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu attacks her husband Toyotomi Hideyori’s castle, her life takes a sudden turn for the worse. Will she ever find peace in her life again?
“Ukyounosuke Junsatsu-ki (On Patrol),” 1963 samurai film, 1 hour and 32 minutes.
Starring Hashizo Okawa, Kikuko Hojo and Shiro Osaka. Directed by Yasuto Hasegawa.
Following the assassination of his father, the orphan Ukyou is raised by a group of ninja. Desperate for justice, he learns the art of ninjutsu in hopes of one day avenging his father’s death.
“Wakasama Zamurai Torimonocho Okesho Gumo (Three Talismans),” 1962 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 24 minutes.
Starring Hashizo Okawa and Hiroki Matsukata. Directed by Sadatsugu Matsuda.
Young lord investigates the mysterious death that takes place in the underworld.
“Yoidore Musoken (Drunken Sword),” 1962 samurai film, 1 hour and 32 minutes.
Starring Utaemon Ichikawa, Kotaro Satomi, Jushiro Konoe and Chiyonosuke Azuma. Directed by Tadashi Sawashima.
Tetsunosuke, an eccentric doctor and an owner of a fencing school, takes aim against corrupt authorities.
