kenjiro yamashita

DTC: YUKEMURI JUNJO HEN FROM HIGH & LOW Review: A Tale Of Three Men, A Little Lady, A Couple In Love, And Moving On

Up until 2018, the High & Low franchise was pure adrenaline, filled with action and high drama that raised the stakes between five warring gangs, and the criminally corrupt and politically imbued. Going forward, you get little nuggets of those events popping up in Norihisa Hiranuma’s directorial debut, DTC: Yukemuri Junjo Hen from High & Low, but make no mistake, as this one is an entirely different beast. By and large, the lives of Dan (Kenjiro Yamashita), Tettsu (Kanta Sato) and Chiharu (Taiki Sato) have drastically changed. Having left Sannoh Hoodlum Squad for good, they’re forced to contend with the usual financial struggles, realizing they’ll no longer be able to solve their erstwhile usual problems with their fists. Desperate to make a change, the trio embark on a road trip to get away from the rigmarole, only to wind up without gas or cash, and ultimately resolving to find temporary […]

HACHIOJI ZOMBIES: No Rest For The Rhythmless In The Official Trailer For The Feature Adaptation Of The Hit Stage Play

Lee B. Golden III

Quirky zomcoms make their return to the fray this summer with Love x Doc helmer Osamu Suzuki’s new film, Hachioji Zombies. The film is based on a his own stage play led by Exile Tribe offshoot J Soul Brothers member Kenjiro Yamashita who also stars in the Tokyo MX drama of the same name which premiered last month. Yamashita reprises the role of Takashi Habuki, a failed dancer whose temple retreat lands him in the unforeseen position of teaching a group of handsome and outgoing zombies how to dance so they can perform during full moon nights and achieve Buddhahood. Suzuki shepherds the project with his creative team, HiGH&LOW franchise cohorts Kei Watanabe and Daisuke Kamijo. Toei Video Company Ltd. is releasing the film in Japan on June 5.