#shinji fukasawa

[anhed-nia]

BLOGTOBER 10/14/2020: BLOODY MUSCLE BODYBUILDER FROM HELL

In the last couple of years, I've been paying a lot more attention to shot on video (or SOV) genre movies than I was ever compelled to do before. Platforms like the webzine Bleeding Skull and the restoration house American Genre Film Association have taken up the task of bringing this material greater attention, and treating it to the same kind of serious discussion that foundational film-based grade B-to-Z movies already enjoy. If I'm being completely honest, I don't always understand the appeal of these productions, which is part of the reason that the current SOV moment has me pricking up my ears. At the very least, I have a desire to understand it.

Not to suggest that I always find SOV production so impoverished. It is very often full of innovative special effects, envelope-pushing sex and violence, and bizarre narratives that a movie with more professional aspirations would never dare to attempt. Also, the umbrella term Shot On Video can include movies that were shot on smaller film formats, as long as a title demonstrates a certain style of grotty homemade charm and it arrived during the right era, it can be included in the SOV canon (as I’m seeing with BODYBUILDER now)--so this designation doesn't exclude the warm glow of film stock, which many of us prefer to the cold crunch of video. I like all this stuff as much as the next guy, but it feels like SOV movies are often regarded with a kind of uncritical indulgence, as if anything that is free from the oppression of the studio system--or even the basic production orthodoxy followed by the independents--is automatically a beacon of free-thinking, unfiltered personal expression...which is just not always an accurate description.

I'm familiar with, and often guilty of this attitude as regards independent and regional movies of the pre-video era; it's like, why bother criticizing something whose flaws are so plain, when it's so much more fun to discuss its hidden virtues? But I feel like SOV production faces a challenge that is unique to the time of its origins. By the 80s and 90s, the archetypal horror fan had been born: a connoisseur who became erudite through the miracle of home video, who writes and enjoys xerox-and-staple zines involving a mix of crude punk humor and intellectual analysis, who knows and repeats every line of every one of their favorite movies, no matter how badly you might want them to stop. Nerddom is great because it keeps alive wonderful things that would otherwise die from mainstream neglect, and it is terrible because it can have a calcifying effect, turning everything it consumes into a cliche of itself through rote repetition and imitation. The double-edged sword of production by and for nerds makes its mark on a lot of SOV output, and the recently exhumed BLOODY MUSCLE BODYBUILDER IN HELL is no exception. This movie was made with the passion that only a real nerd can sustain, shot and edited between 1995 and 2009 with no guarantee that anyone would ever see it. That's a pretty exciting proposal, but in practice, BODYBUILDER is not as weird as one might expect.

The lone 8mm creation of producer-director-writer-star Shinichi Fukazawa is equal parts fabulously original, and disappointingly familiar. Also known as "The Japanese Evil Dead", BODYBUILDER describes one terrifying night in a haunted house in which a demonic presence pits a group of young people against one another in a fight to the death. Fukazawa makes a handsome leading man and he knows it, punctuating the proceedings with regular inserts of himself smoldering and mugging in his best imitation of Bruce Campbell. Many of the makeup designs are as familiar as the plot, and the laudable no-budget special effects have some of that same "necessity is the mother of invention" quality that one associates with EVIL DEAD. While I certainly identify with Fukazawa's passion for the often imitated, never duplicated Sam Raimi classic, I wish I could tell him how much more valuable are his own signature innovations. The title BLOODY MUSCLE BODYBUILDER IN HELL is the best thing about the movie for sure, and it points to the second best thing about the movie: that Fukazawa is a bodybuilder, and this is a key part of his character. I'm so much less interested in him twirling a shotgun and slinging catch phrases like "Groovy", than I am in him flexing his considerable muscles, posing with obvious pleasure, and swinging a barbell like a bo staff to crack some zombie skulls.

So BODYBUILDER is kind of a mixed bag, and the 62 minute movie can drag surprisingly, because of a peculiar feature: It's essentially very competent. A lot of the writing is fairly typical of mid-grade supernatural thrillers, and the slow burn tour of the sinister house before the shit really hits the fan is, like, fine. It reminded me of a sound bite from Brian Eno in which he complains about the volume of perfectly-good music that people submit to him all the time; something that is just-fine can be intensely boring, much less stimulating than something that is interestingly bad. This is not to say that I would prefer that Fukazawa make more of a fool of himself for my amusement; it's just that the movie feels less alive when it most resembles what more people would consider a "real movie", following certain foregone conclusions about how these things are structured. BODYBUILDER succeeds more when it is unbeholden to conventions, serving up a feast of inventive FX solutions, and bathing its beefy hero in a halo of neon fog as he discovers the secret anti-demon weapon he's been questing for all along: his own muscles. Obviously I didn't love this as much as some viewers will, but it definitely earned my respect with its unique qualities, and despite my ambivalence for this kind of thing in general, I'm deeply grateful that folks like Wild Eye Releasing are out there, sharing the joy of discovery with us all.

[leenaevilin]

[Announcement] 舞台『双牙～ソウガ』新炎 (butai souga shinen)

the show will be running from March 5th, 2021 and March 14th, 2021 (Tokyo) @ シアター1010 (Theater 1010)

Cast:

Ino Hiroki as Ouka (オウカ) Izaki Ryuujirou asTsumugi (ツムギ) Sugie Taishi as Shurinosuke (シュリノスケ) Sakurai Keito as Shuzen (シュゼン) Nakamura Tarou as Shinpachi (シンパチ) Tanaka Naoki as Kouei (コウエイ) Kodama Kuniko as Hyakutaka (ヒャクタカ) Koizumi Moeka as Shizukz (シズク) Hagino Takashi as Denbei (デンベイ) Kasahara Shinji as Genshuu (ゲンシュウ)

Miyagawa Yasuhiro Sugawara Takeshi  Samukawa Shougo Maeda Ryouga Aita Mahiro Kawashima Shoutarou Fukasawa Yuuto Furukawa Takahiro Endou Takumi

homepage twitter natalie

[fashionbooksmilano]

Japanese Design since 1945

A Complete Sourcebook

Naomi Pollock, Contributors :  Matilda McQuaid, Hitoshi Mori, Makoto Shimazaki, Shinji Hamada

Thames & Hudson, London 2020, 448 pages, 705 Illustrations, Paperback in slipcase,  28.0 x 23.0 cm, ISBN 9780500022214

euro 65,00

email if you want to buy :booksinprogressmilano@yahoo.it

Design in Japan is deeply rooted in the country’s historic craft culture, profound understanding of materials and commitment to functionality. These qualities yield chairs, cups and other daily use items which are easy on the eye, comfortable in the hand and always do their job well. Even as mass manufacturing became widespread in the post-war period and cross-cultural exchanges began to take place with the West, Japan held fast to these core values and practices. This dedication has given rise to timeless objects of great beauty and utility as well as innovations in materials, form and technology. Far beyond design icons such as the Kikkoman Soy Sauce Bottle, Sori Yanagi’s Butterfly Stool, and the Sony Walkman®, the products and objects created in Japan over the past seven decades serve to delight and draw admiration. In recent years, a new generation of designers, including Naoto Fukasawa, nendo and Tokujin Yoshioka, have taken Japanese creativity into exciting new territory: some are eliminating objects entirely, others are reimagining what an object could be. Though Japan has developed some of the world’s most sophisticated robotic manufacturing complexes, many of its most appealing products are made by small factories and workshops whose artisans use their hands as much as machines. This impressive volume is the most complete overview of Japanese design to date and its exquisite presentation is itself a beautiful example of Japanese design. Including profiles of over 70 creators, the book is based on the author’s interviews with designers, their colleagues and family members, as well as leading curators and critics. The profiles are accompanied by short takes on iconic products and essays on related topics by Japanese and Western design experts. Featuring hundreds of objects, this volume will become the definitive work on the subject for many years to come.

21/11/20

orders to:     booksinprogressmilano@yahoo.it

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[retro-vgm-revival-hour]

Debuting in the arcades in 1987, the original “Street Fighter” was at best a moderate success.

Although it is generally agreed among gamers that the first Street Fighter was the fighting game series that kicked off the popularity of the fighting game genre, it was Street Fighter II – The World Warrior that truly took the world of video games and the world in general by storm.

Each title improving in roster depth, fighting mechanics, and overall experiences is what has made the Street Fighter name one of the most recognizable and beloved game series in the history of video games.

And this is why This STAGE of the Retro VGM Revival Hour is dedicated to some of the most amazing tracks from the various games, sequels and spin-offs in the street fighter legacy to celebrate this franchises 30th anniversary!

        =====Game - Composer - Title - Year - Company - System====

1.) Street Fighter (Fighting Street)- Yoshihiro Sakaguchi – “Choose Country, Retsu Stage Theme, Geki Stage Theme & Eagle Stage”  – July 13, 1987 – Alfa System/NEC – PC Engine/TurboGrafx CD & Arcade

2.) Super Street Fighter II Turbo – Isao Abe & Syun Nishigaki – “U.S.S.R (Zangief), U.S.A 3 (Balrog), U.S.A 2 (Guile), U.S.A 1 (Ken), Akuma & Japan (Ryu)”- February 23, 1994 – 3DO, PC DOS, Amiga, Dreamcast, Arcade & Game Boy Advanced

3.) Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors’ Dreams (Street Fighter Zero) – Isao Abe, Syun Nishigaki, Setsuo Yamamoto, Yuko Takehara, Naoaki Iwami & Naoshi Mizuta – “Guy Theme, Rose Theme & Charlie (Nash) Theme” – June 5, 1995 – Capcom – Arcade, Sega Saturn, PSN & Sony Playstation

4.) Street Fighter Alpha 2 (Street Fighter Zero 2) – Setsuo Yamamoto, Syun Nishigaki & Tatsuro Suzuki – “Sakura Theme, Birdie Theme, Rolento Theme & Sagat VS Ryu Theme ” – February 27, 1996 – Capcom – Arcade, Sony Playstation, Sega Saturn, SNES & Windows PC

5.) Street Fighter Alpha 3 (Street Fighter Zero 3) – Takayuki Iwai, Yuki Iwai, Isao Abe, Hideki Okugawa & Tetsuya Shibata – “Guile Theme, Fei Long Theme & T. Hawk Theme“ – June 29, 1998 – Capcom – Arcade, Sony Playstation, Sega Dreamcast, Sega Saturn, Gameboy Advance, PSP & PSN

6.) Street Fighter EX3 – Shinji Hosoe, Ayako Saso, Takayuki Aihara & Yasuhisa Watanabe- “Rising Dragon (Ryu’s Theme), Sakura Mankai/Cherry Trees in the Evening in Full Bloom (Hokuto’s Theme), Precious Heart (Sakura’s Theme), Amusementive Crime (Skullomania Theme), Arabesque (Pullum Purna’s Theme), Spinning Bird (Chun-Li’s Theme), Guardian of Light (Ken Theme) & Garnet Sky (Cracker Jack’s Theme)” – March 4, 2000 – Arika/Capcom – PS2

7.) X-Men vs. Street Fighter – Yuki Iwai & Yuko Takehara – “Player select, Wolverine Theme, Cyclops Theme, Gambit Theme & Cammy Theme ” – September 1996 – Capcom – Arcade, Sony Playstation & Sega Saturn

8.) Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes – Masato Kouda & Yuko Takehara – “ Captain America, Wolverine, Captain Commando & Jin” – January 23, 1998 – Capcom – Arcade, Sega Dreamcast, Sony Playstation, PSN & XBLA

9.) Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes – Tetsuya Shibata & Mitsuhiko Takano- “ Swamp Stage, Cave Stage & Clock Tower Stage” – March 30, 2000 – Capcom – Arcade, Sega Dreamcast, PS2, Microsoft Xbox, XBLA, SPN & IOS

10.) Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds/Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 – Hideyuki Fukasawa – “ Morrigan, Iron Man, Phoenix Wright & Deadpool” – November 15, 2011 – Capcom & Eighting/Capcom – PS3, Xbox 360, Playstation Vita, PS4 & Xbox One

11.) Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 – Satoshi Ise – “Scrap Beats (Stage of SAKAZAKI), B.B. (Stage of SNK) & Player Select Theme 2” – September 6, 2000 – Capcom & Studio 1/Capcom – Arcade, Sega Dreamcast & Sony Playstation

12.) Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001 (Capcom vs. SNK 2: Millionaire Fighting 2001) – Satoshi Ise – “NEBUTA (AOMORI Stage), Stimulation (NEW YORK Stage), Theme of GOUKI remix (SHIN AKUMA Stage) & This is true love makin’ (LONDON Stage)“ – August 1, 2001 – Capcom – Arcade, Sega Dreamcast, PS2, Nintendo GameCube, Microsoft Xbox & PSN

13.) Street Fighter X Tekken – Hideyuki Fukasawa – “Main Menu, Urban War Zone, Mishima Estate Round 3 (Bottom Floor), Pitstop 109 – Round 1 (Day), Mad Gear Hideout – Round 3 & Opening (Black Tide “ honest eyes”)“ – March 6, 2012 – Dimps & Capcom/Capcom – PS3, Xbox 360, Windows PC, IOS & Playstation Vita

14.) Street Fighter III 3rd Strike: Fight for the Future – Hideki Okugawa – “China Vox (Chun Li Theme), The Beep (Remy Theme), Beats in my Head (Elena’s Theme) & Crazy Chili Dog (Urien’s Theme)“ – May 12, 1999 – Capcom – Arcade, Sega Dreamcast, PS2, Microsoft Xbox, PSN & XBLA

15.) Super Street Fighter IV – Hideki Okugawa – “Crowded Downtown Stage (China), Snowy Rail Yard Stage (Russia), Cruise Ship Stern Stage (Europe), Drive-in at Night Stage (U.S.A.) & Theme of C. Viper“ – April 27, 2010 – Dimps & Capcom/Capcom – PS3 & Xbox 360

16.) Street Fighter V – Masahiro Aoki, Hideyuki Fukasawa, Keiki Kobayashi, Takatsugu Wakabayashi & Zac Zinger – “Ryu Theme, Ken Theme, Nash Theme, Necalli Theme, R. Mika Theme & Rashid Theme“ – February 16, 2016 – Simps & Capcom/Capcom – Windows PC, Linux & PS4

Edgar Velasco: @MoonSpiderHugs FB: www.facebook.com/groups/vgmrevivalhour/ Official Site: nostalgiaroadtrip.com/ AND NOW AVAILABLE ON GOOGLE PLAY: play.google.com/music/m/I2uvnfvy4…_VGM_REVIVAL_HOUR