From classics to new favourites, Japanese animated films of different genres are taking turns parading into local cinemas this month.
At House Samyan, Makoto Shinkai's 2016 hit Your Name returns to the big screen. Joining romance and drama in all its fantasy and fantastically animated visuals, the film follows high school Tokyo boy Taki whose body is switched with rural girl Mitsuha. Separated by distance and time, the two characters take audiences into a tale wrought in rituals and a comet that is set to strike a town. Your Name was both a commercial and critical success, winning numerous awards, and is now the highest-grossing anime film of all time.
For fans of superheroes, My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising continues the story of heroes in training based on a popular manga by Kohei Horikoshi, which has been adapted to anime series (available on Netflix), light novels, games and films. Heroes Rising takes place after the events of the Meta Liberation Army arc in the manga. Izuku Midoriya and his classmates are sent to a remote island where they encounter a powerful villain and must work together to defeat him. The movie is available at both SF Cinema and Major Cineplex.
Akira.
If you're heading to Major Cineplex, you'll be glad to know that an interesting line-up of anime awaits. Katsuhiro Otomo's 1988 cyberpunk classic Akira is simply a must-watch. Set in 2019, the dystopian Neo-Tokyo is on the verge of collapse with corruption, protest and violence wreaking havoc in the metropolis. When a man suddenly acquires telekinetic power, it attracts the attention of both the resistance movement and the government. Since its release, Akira has gained an international cult following and is hailed as one of the top anime and sci-fi films ever made.
Coming in with a limited release starting tomorrow at Major are Rascal Does Not Dream Of A Dreaming Girl (also known as Aobuta) and Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon?: Arrow Of The Orion.
In Aobuta, following an encounter between Sakuta and teen actress Mai, the two are now dating. They are soon interrupted by the appearance of Sakuta's first love who threatens to alter their past, present and future together.
In Arrow Of The Orion, in a world where gods and monsters exist, adventurers find themselves battling creatures in the dungeons to take their crystal shards and other treasures. Young adventurer Bell Cranel is approached by goddess Artemis who searches for a champion to combat a new threat.
Both of these stories are based on light novel series. Their anime series are also streaming on Netflix and AIS Play.
