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Azumi (film)
is a 2003 Japanese jidaigeki film directed by Ryûhei Kitamura and starring Aya Ueto, Yuma Ishigaki, Shun Oguri, Hiroki Narimiya, Takatoshi Kaneko, Eita, Shogo Yamaguchi and Joe Odagiri. ''Azumi'' is an adaptation of Yū Koyama's manga series of the same title, and was followed by the sequel '' Azumi 2: Death or Love'' in 2005. Plot As in the manga, the old master Jiji is tasked by the Tokugawa shogunate to raise a band of assassins. Their task is to finish off Toyotomi Hideyoshi's three allies: Nagamasa Asano, Kiyomasa Kato and Masayuki Sanada, to prevent an outbreak of the new civil war. Azumi is discovered as a little girl kneeling without visible emotion next to the body of her dead mother by Gessai and his entourage of young students. She is then raised by him in the martial skills of sword fighting and the art of assassination. Azumi and her classmates, now at young adult age, are constantly being told about a "mission" they must accomplish, though they have no idea wh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ryuhei Kitamura
(born May 30, 1969) is a Japanese film director, producer, and screenwriter. Biography Early life Kitamura was born in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. He dropped out of high school at age 17 and relocated to Sydney, Australia, where he attended a school for visual arts. His first film as director was the short ''Exit'', which he made as his graduation piece at age 19. Career After graduating, he returned to Japan to establish Napalm Films, his independent production studio. His featurettes ''Down to Hell'' and ''Heat after Dark'' were successful in film festivals, and he soon found his first mainstream success with the cult film '' Versus''. The film launched the career of stars Tak Sakaguchi and Hideo Sakaki, and brought Kitamura international recognition when it was released on DVD outside Japan in 2004. In 2002, Kitamura directed the short film ''The Messenger: Requiem for the Dead'' as part of the ''Jam Films'' project, as well as ''Alive''. In 2003, he directed a feature film ad ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ryûhei Kitamura
(born May 30, 1969) is a Japanese film director, producer, and screenwriter. Biography Early life Kitamura was born in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. He dropped out of high school at age 17 and relocated to Sydney, Australia, where he attended a school for visual arts. His first film as director was the short ''Exit'', which he made as his graduation piece at age 19. Career After graduating, he returned to Japan to establish Napalm Films, his independent production studio. His featurettes ''Down to Hell'' and ''Heat after Dark'' were successful in film festivals, and he soon found his first mainstream success with the cult film ''Versus''. The film launched the career of stars Tak Sakaguchi and Hideo Sakaki, and brought Kitamura international recognition when it was released on DVD outside Japan in 2004. In 2002, Kitamura directed the short film ''The Messenger: Requiem for the Dead'' as part of the ''Jam Films'' project, as well as ''Alive''. In 2003, he directed a feature film ada ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Naoto Takenaka
is a Japanese actor, comedian, singer, and director from Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, affiliated with From First Production. He is married to idol singer and actress Midori Kinouchi. He is also known as the voice of Samuel L. Jackson in the dubbed version of the ''Avengers'', as Nicholas "Nick" Fury. Filmography Film ;Director *''Munō no Hito'' (1991) *''119'' (1994) *''Tōkyō Biyori'' (1997) *''Rendan'' (2001) *''Sayonara Color'' (2005) *''Yamagata Scream'' (2009) *'' Downfall'' (2023) ;Actor *''Gonza the Spearman'' (1986) *''Fancy Dance'' (1989) *'' Best Guy'' (1990) *''Chizuko's Younger Sister'' (1991) *''Hiruko the Goblin'' (1991) *''Until the end of the World'' (1991) *'' Sumo Do, Sumo Don't'' (1992) *''Like a Rolling Stone'' (1994) *'' Rampo'' (1994) *''Tokyo Fist'' (1995) *''Gonin'' (1995) *'' East Meets West'' (1995) *'' Shall We Dance?'' (1996) – Tomio Aoki *''By Player'' (2000) – Taiji Tonoyama *''Agitator'' (2001) *''Waterboys'' (2001) *''The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yoshio Harada
was a Japanese actor best known for playing rebels in a career that spanned six decades. Career Born in Tokyo, Harada joined the Haiyuza Theatre Company in 1966 and made his television debut in 1967 with "Tenka no seinen" and his film debut in 1968 with ''Fukushū no uta ga kikoeru''. He came to fame appearing in New Action films at Nikkatsu playing youthful rebels. Among his features for Nikkatsu was the 1971 exploitation film, ''Stray Cat Rock: Crazy Riders '71'' (aka ''Alleycat Rock: Crazy Riders '71'') for director Toshiya Fujita where he played the son of a yakuza boss. Leaving the Haiyūza in 1971, he appeared in films made by many directors, including Seijun Suzuki, Shūji Terayama, Azuma Morisaki, Kihachi Okamoto, Rokurō Mochizuki, Jun Ichikawa, Hirokazu Koreeda and Kōji Wakamatsu, but he was particularly favored by Kazuo Kuroki and Junji Sakamoto. He starred in many independent films, including those of the Art Theatre Guild. According to the critic Mark Schilling, H ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kazuki Kitamura
is a Japanese film and television actor who won the award for best supporting actor at the 21st Yokohama Film Festival for '' Minazuki'', ''Kyohansha'' and ''Kanzen-naru shiiku'' as well as the CUT ABOVE Award for Excellence in Film at JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film in New York in 2014. Selected filmography Film *''Yuki no Concerto'' (1991) * (1996) as Kubo *''Tenzen Shoujo Man'' (天然少女 萬) (1996) * (1997) as Sada * (1997) as Hideyuki Sakata *''Mukokuseki no otoko: Chi no shûkaku'' (1997) *''Romantikku mania'' (1997) as Ujiie * (1997) *''Joker'' (1998) as Hisao * (1998) as Sada * (1999) as Tsuda * (1999) as Yasuharu Nishikawa * (1999) as Yoji * (1999) as Ryuichi * (1999) as Akira * (1999) * (2000) as Noboru Hirokawa *''Himawari'' (2000) as Shinji Sasahara *''Swing Man'' (2000) as Kazuki Kitaoka *''Kishiwada Shōnen Gurentai: Yakyudan'' (2000) *''Rendan'' (2001) as Ohsawa *''Man-hole'' (2001) as Shin'ichi Yoshioka *'' Turn'' (2001) as Kakizaki Kiyotaka *''Chi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aya Okamoto
is a Japanese actress. Filmography * ''School Ghost Stories'' (1995) as Kaori Komuro * '' Ogyā'' (2002) Hana * ''Azumi'' (2003) Yae * '' Munraito jierifisshu'' (2004) Minamida Keiko * '' Metasequoia no ki no shita de'' (2005) Okamoto Sachiko * ''Metro ni notte'' (2006) Karube Michiko TV Drama * Gakkō no kaidan: Haru no tatari special (1999) * Ringu: Saishūshō (1999), as Ooishi Tomoko * Ōdorī (Audrey オードリー) (2001-2002), asadora * Hontoni atta kowai hanashi (2004) * Engine (2005) as Suenaga Tamaki Voice Roles * Tokyo Godfathers is a 2003 Japanese animated tragicomedy adventure film written and directed by Satoshi Kon. The film stars live-action actors such as Toru Emori, Yoshiaki Umegaki, and Aya Okamoto as the lead voice actors. Kon was inspired by the 1948 American ... (2003) Miyuki References External links * {{DEFAULTSORT:Okamoto, Aya 1982 births Actresses from Tokyo Japanese film actresses Japanese television actresses Japanese voice ac ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, which ruled Japan from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was one of the three "Great Unifiers" of Japan, along with his former lord Oda Nobunaga and fellow Oda subordinate Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The son of a minor daimyo, Ieyasu once lived as a hostage under daimyo Imagawa Yoshimoto on behalf of his father. He later succeeded as daimyo after his father's death, serving as a vassal and general of the Oda clan, and building up his strength under Oda Nobunaga. After Oda Nobunaga's death, Ieyasu was briefly a rival of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, before declaring his allegiance and fighting on his behalf. Under Toyotomi, Ieyasu was relocated to the Kanto plains in eastern Japan, away from the Toyotomi power base in Osaka. He built his castle in the fishing village of Edo (now Tokyo). He became the most powerful daimyo and the most senior officer under the Toyotomi regime. Ieyasu preserved his strength i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Masayuki Sanada
was a Japanese Sengoku period lord and ''daimyō''. He was the head of Sanada clan,_a_regional_house_of_Shinano_Province.html" ;"title="DF 56 of 80/nowiki>">DF 56 of 80">("S ..., a regional house of Shinano Province">DF 56 of 80/nowiki>">DF 56 of 80">("S ..., a regional house of Shinano Province, which became a vassal of the Takeda clan of Kai Province. Along with his father and brothers, Masayuki served the Takeda clan during its heyday, when it was led by Takeda Shingen. After its downfall, Masayuki took the lead of his clan and, despite little power, he managed to establish himself as an independent ''daimyō'' under the Toyotomi regime through skillful political maneuvers amidst the powerful Tokugawa, Hojō and Uesugi clans. Known for having defeated the powerful Tokugawa army in the Battle of Kami river and Siege of Ueda, Masayuki is now considered one of the greatest military strategists of his era. In recent times, a number of portrayals in novels, films and other for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nagamasa Asano
was the brother-in-law of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and one of his chief advisors. Asano also fought for Oda Nobunaga and Hideyoshi in a number of campaigns during the Sengoku period of the 16th century of Japan. He was sent to Korea as one of the Three Bureaucrats with Ishida Mitsunari and Mashita Nagamori. Biography He was the son of Yasui Shigetsugu, Lord of Miyago castle (Owari province), a descendant of Hatakeyama Iekuni, Shugo (Governor) of Kawachi province, descending from Ashikaga Yoshikane (1154-1199). Yoshikane was the third son of Minamoto no Yoshiyasu, also called Ashikaga Yoshiyasu (1127-1157), founder of the Ashikaga clan, grandson of the Chinjufu-shōgun (Commander-in-chief of the defense of the North) Minamoto no Yoshiie (1039-1106), and a descendant of the Emperor Seiwa (850-881), the 56th Emperor of Japan. He was adopted by his maternal uncle, Asano Nagakatsu, Lord of Asano castle, younger brother of his mother, and succeeded him as the fourteenth head of the Asano ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
, otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: Military Innovations that Changed the Course of History, Viking Press 1988. p. 68. Hideyoshi rose from a peasant background as a Affinity (medieval), retainer of the prominent lord Oda Nobunaga to become one of the most powerful men in Japan. Hideyoshi succeeded Nobunaga after the Honnō-ji Incident in 1582 and continued Nobunaga's campaign to unite Japan that led to the closing of the Sengoku period. Hideyoshi became the ''de facto'' leader of Japan and acquired the prestigious positions of Daijō-daijin, Chancellor of the Realm and Sesshō and Kampaku, Imperial Regent by the mid-1580s. Hideyoshi launched the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598), Japanese invasions of Korea in 1592 to initial success, but eventual military stalemate damaged his prestige before his death in 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tokugawa Shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 978.Nussbaum"''Edo-jidai''"at p. 167. The Tokugawa shogunate was established by Tokugawa Ieyasu after victory at the Battle of Sekigahara, ending the civil wars of the Sengoku period following the collapse of the Ashikaga shogunate. Ieyasu became the ''shōgun,'' and the Tokugawa clan governed Japan from Edo Castle in the eastern city of Edo (Tokyo) along with the ''daimyō'' lords of the ''samurai'' class.Nussbaum"Tokugawa"at p. 976. The Tokugawa shogunate organized Japanese society under the strict Tokugawa class system and banned most foreigners under the isolationist policies of ''Sakoku'' to promote political stability. The Tokugawa shoguns governed Japan in a feudal system, with each ''daimyō'' administering a ''han'' (f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
