NEW PROGRAMMING
“Daimajin,” premiering Tuesday, Sept. 19 at 7:35 p.m.
Jin Daiba, a hot-blooded ace of the Metropolitan Police Investigation Department, is nicknamed Daimajin (the great demon god). The fiery Daimajin carries a strong sense of justice and rushes to crime scenes before anyone else, but that is because he holds a dark secret… he deals out his own punishment by killing the criminals who never get punished by the law. After the secret was found out by his chief Hirayasu, a critical and apathetic assistant commissioner, Daimajin is somewhat coerced into becoming Hirayasu’s lackey and gets used by him. Under Hirayasu’s order, he is forced to transfer to a special task force specializing in unsolved cases and secretly deals with criminals whom the police cannot touch. Fully subtitled in English.
“Vivant,” premiering Friday, Set. 22 at 7:35 p.m.
Yusuke Nogi of Marubishi Corp. is about to seal a solar energy plant deal when he is blamed for a remittance error that sends him to the central Asian republic of Balka to retrieve 13 billion yen or face dismissal. He then nearly dies in a terrorist explosion, but learns the local authorities are hunting him as the bomber suspect! He avoids capture with the help of a mysterious Japanese intelligence agent Nozaki and a female doctor Kaoru, but can Nogi get to safety and recover the money? 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.
“Touge Saigo no Samurai (The Pass: The Last Days of the Samurai),” 2022 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 54 minutes.
Starring Koji Yakusho and Takako Matsu. Directed by Takashi Koizumi.
In 1867, political power returned to the emperor and 260 years of the Tokugawa Shogunate came to an end, resulting in the domains being divided either into the Eastern Army or the Western Army. Tsuginosuke Kawai, the chief retainer of a small domain in Echigo called Nagaoka, decided not to belong to either army and practice “armed neutrality.” Kawai tries to peacefully negotiate but it goes south, and being a hereditary feudal lord of the Tokugawa Shogunate, he eventually decides to stick to his duties and decides to exchange gunfire with the Western Army.
MOVIES IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
“Ako Roshi (The Ako Retainers),” 1961 samurai film, 2 hours and 31 minutes.
Starring Chiezo Kataoka, Hashizo Okawa, Kinnosuke Nakamura, Chiyonosuke Azuma, Kotaro Satomi, Ryutaro Otomo and Utaemon Ichikawa. Directed by Sadatsugu Matsuda.
Toei’s 10th anniversary film, featuring an all star cast from the golden movie era of the 1960’s. A famous story of the 47 loyal samurai. When Lord Asano is unjustly executed, his loyal retainers strike back for revenge.
“Anego (The Boss’ Wife),” 1988 action film, 1 hour and 41 minutes.
Starring Hitomi Kuroki and Hiroki Matsukata. Directed by Ryuichi Takamori.
The widow of a murdered yakuza boss serves jail time for attacking the man she believes killed her husband. After her release, as she is shadowed by a hitman, she is willing to go to any lengths to take revenge on her husband.
“Bakuto Shichinin (Seven Gamblers),” 1988 action film, 1 hour and 41 minutes.
Starring Koji Tsuruta and Shingo Yamashiro. Directed by Shigehiro Ozawa.
Yakuza action film centering around seven men. In the mid-Meiji period, Hanjiro with only one eye comes to Okinoshima to save the town from a violent Yakuza group with the help of 6 other handicapped guys.
“Bokensha Kamikaze (Adventurer Kamikaze),” 1981 action film, 1 hour and 55 minutes.
Starring Shinichi Chiba and Hiroyuki Sanada. Directed by Ryuichi Takamori.
An ex-Olympic athlete and a student commit cash robbery. Aki Hoshino, a pre-med student, becomes inspired to steal money the school collected as “special fees” from parents wanting to assure their offsprings’ acceptance into the hallowed institution. He forms an unbeatable alliance with an ex-employee and crime bosses to retrieve the ill-gotten money from the “wrong” hands.
“Daibosatsu Touge Dai-Nibu (Swords in the Moonlight Part 2),” 1958 samurai film, 1 hour and 46 minutes.
Starring Kataoka Chiezo, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Tukigata Ryunosuke, Satomi Kotaro, and Azuma Chiyonosuke. Directed by Uchida Tomu.
The second installment in the popular Jidaigeki series, Daibosatsu Touge. Blinded and injured, master swordsman Ryunosuke is taken in by Otoyo, a woman who falls in love with him. Under Otoyo’s dedicated care, Ryunosuke’s physical and emotional wounds seem to heal. However, deep inside, the demons within that drive him to kill yearn to resurface.
“Edo no Akutaro (Evil Taro of Edo),” 1959 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 31 minutes.
Starring Ryutaro Otomo and Keiko Okawa. Directed by Masahiro Makino.
Kindhearted swordsman Sanshiro rescues poor villagers from evil and greedy Vassal Akiyama.
“Furisode Torimonocho Wakashu Henge (Mysteries of Edo),” 1956 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 29 minutes.
Starring Hibari Misora and Hashizo Okawa. Directed by Shoji Matsumura.
A princess in disguise, Oshichi launches an investigation to reveal the truth about the disappearance of young women in Edo.
“Gozonji Kaiketsu Kurozukin Maguna no Hitomi (The Black Hooded Man),” 1955 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 25 minutes.
Starring Ryutaro Otomo, Kunio Kaga and Chizuru Kitagawa. Directed by Kiyoshi Sasaki.
A mysterious black hooded man intervenes when an anti-government group who plots to steal the precious blue diamond called “Manuga no Hitomi.”
“Hatamoto taikutsu Otoko Nazo no Ansatsutai (Ninja Assassins),” 1960 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 23 minutes.
Starring Utaemon Ichikawa and Ryunosuke Tsukigata. Directed by Sadatsugu Matsuda.
Saotome Mondonosuke pursues the culprit who placed a malicious curse upon Shogun Tsunekichi.
“Hibari no Hanagata Tantei Gassen (Detective Duel),” 1958 drama, 1 hour and 27 minutes.
Starring Hibari Misora, Ken Takakura and Yoshiko Sakuma. Directed by Yasushi Sasaki.
A friendly rivalry turns into romance for a elite female detective, Yukiko, and a handsome private eye, Mitamura, while investigating the missing person case of a wealthy family member.
“Hibari Ohako Ojo Kichiza (Hibari’s Favorite 2),” 1960 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 18 minutes.
Starring Hibari Misora and Tomizaburo Wakayama. Directed by Yasushi Sasaki.
A young girl named Kichiza searches for her missing brother and the person responsible for the death of her parents.
“Hibotan Bakuto Oinochi Itadakimasu (The Valiant Red Peony: You are Dead),” 1971 drama, 1 hour and 33 minutes.
Starring Junno Fuji and Tomisaburo Wakayama. Directed by Tai Kato.
Oryu, the gambler in training, falls for Kikutaro who rescues her from an squabble that jeopardizes her hard earned reputation.
“Kaidan Hebionna (Snake Woman’s Curse),” 1968 horror film, 1 hour and 24 minutes.
Starring Seizaburo Kawazu and Shingo Yamashiro. Directed by Nobuo Nakagawa.
Chobei, the wealthy landlord of a countryside village in the early Meiji period, incurs a ghostly wrath after he causes a poor farmer to die. After Chobei enslaves the farmer’s wife and daughter in his household, he kills a snake and finds himself slowly going mad, glimpsing rotting corpses and deathly spirits all around him. Even his son, Takeo, cannot escape and begins to notice that his new bride has certain characteristics like scales and green skin! Can Chobei fulfill the promise of the Snake Woman’s curse before the spirits of the dead come to claim him?
“Kuchibue o Fuku Mushukumono (Whistling Drifter),” 1961 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Starring Kinya Kitaoji and Hiroki Matsukata. Directed by Daisuke Yamazaki.
Friendship between good samurais and aborigines in Hokkaido.
“Kurutta Yaju (A Savage Beast Goes Mad),” 1976 action film, 1 hour and 18 minutes.
Starring Tsunehiko Watase and Maki Tachibana. Directed by Sadao Nakajima.
While attempting a getaway, Hayami, an ex- race car driver turned jewel thief, finds the bus he’s riding hijacked by a pair of nasty but bumbling bank robbers. The bus driver dies from a heart attack and causes him to take the wheel.
“Mamorarenakatta Monotachi e (In the Wake),” 2021 drama, 1 hour and 51 minutes.
Starring Raul andAi Yoshikawa. Directed by Koji Shintoku.
Nine years after the Great East Japan Earthquake, grisly murders occur in the urban area of Miyagi Prefecture, where victims are tied up and left to starve. The victims all had reputations for being good men, men of integrity. Seiichiro Tomashino from the First Investigation Division of Miyagi Prefectural Police uncovers common ground between the two murders. Meanwhile, Yasuhisa Tone surfaces as a suspect in the investigation. Tone, who had been serving time for committing arson and assault while trying to help a friend, was a model prisoner who had just been released. While police are unable to find conclusive evidence to implicate him, a third murder occurs. “What is the reason for the murders?”
“Sasaki Kojiro (Sasaki Kojiro),” 1957 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 28 minutes.
Starring Chiyonosuke Azuma, Chiezo Kataoka and Shinobu Chihara. Directed by Kiyoshi Saeki.
Ronin Kojiro longs to find a loving companion to fill the void in his heart as he pursues his ultimate goal of becoming a master swordsman.
“Shin Ougon Kujakujo Shichinin no Kishi Dai-ichibu (Seven Knights Part 1),” 1961, samurai film, 56 minutes.
Starring Kotaro Satomi and Shingo Yamashiro. Directed by Kosaku Yamashita.
Seven knights fight for the peace of the world (Part 1).
“Shin Ougon Kujakujo Shichinin no Kishi Dai-nichibu (Seven Knights Part 2),”1961 samurai film, 55 minutes.
Starring Kotaro Satomi and Shingo Yamashiro. Directed by Kosaku Yamashita.
Seven knights fight for the peace of the world (Part 2).
“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.
“Wakakihi no Jirocho Tokaiichi no Wakaoyabun (Young Master of Tokai),” 1961 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 34 minutes.
Starring Kinnosuke Nakamura and Michitaro Mizushima. Directed by Masahiro Makino.
Jirocho’s plan to settle down with Ocho and live a quiet life is short lived as he steps in to prevent an illegal prostitution business from being introduced on his turf.
“Yojinbo Ichiba (Three Outlaws),” 1963 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 36 minutes.
Starring Hashizo Okawa and Hiroki Matsukata. Directed Teruo Ishii.
Young Yanokichi and Niikichi fight against evil Toragoro who extorts money from the local sake breweries.
“Zoku Kyodai Jingi (Code Between Brothers 2),” 1966 drama, 1 hour and 29 minutes.
Starring Saburo Kitajima and Kotaro Satomi. Directed by Kosaku Yamashita.
The services of a wandering gambler, Seiji, are called upon to protect the turf of his loyal friend Risaburo.
