Hello Kitty owner promotes 'edgy' Kuromi in diversification drive
YURIKA YONEDA
TOKYO -- A Netflix series featuring mischievous imp-like character Kuromi created by Japan's Sanrio will launch later this month, in the latest push by the company behind Hello Kitty to build up its brands' international following.
The animated series titled "My Melody & Kuromi" is the Japanese entertainment company's latest collaboration with the streaming service as it tries to extend and deepen its characters' global fan base.
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Japan Today
38 minutes ago
- Japan Today
Film sheds light on unsung nurse heroes of Nagasaki A-bombing
Jumpei Matsumoto, director of the movie "Nagasaki: In the Shadow of the Flash," poses for a photo in Tokyo on June 9. By Donican Lam In the immediate aftermath of the 1945 U.S. atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japanese medical teams put aside their own safety to aid in relief efforts and tend to the dying and horribly injured in a city turned to ash. As the 80th anniversary of the bombing approaches, the film "Nagasaki: In the Shadow of the Flash," directed by third-generation atomic bomb survivor Jumpei Matsumoto, seeks to highlight stories of unsung Japanese Red Cross nurses. The film follows three young nursing students who return home to Nagasaki from Osaka and briefly enjoy peaceful days with family and friends before their world is shattered by the U.S. "Fat Man" atomic bomb on August 9, 1945. Amid the ruins, the students attempt to treat the injured using limited medical supplies and makeshift clinics, confronting the harsh reality of losing far more than they can save. An estimated 74,000 people were killed by the Nagasaki bombing by the end of 1945. Many others suffered from radiation-related illnesses for decades. "I hope the film provides an opportunity for reflection," said Matsumoto, whose late grandfather was a "hibakusha," or atomic bomb survivor. "Especially now, when the threat of nuclear weapons and war seems to be rising again, and that people can reconsider these issues through the experiences of the people of Nagasaki." Matsumoto said that while his grandfather was active in peace organizations, he never spoke to his grandchildren about his experience, likely because it was too painful. "I couldn't help but think of my grandfather as I made this film. I feel like I'm continuing something he might have wanted to do himself," said Matsumoto, 40. The film draws inspiration from a collection of firsthand accounts by nurses compiled by the Nagasaki branch of the Japan Red Cross Society in 1980. The last known surviving contributor, 95-year-old Fujie Yamashita, appears briefly in the film. Matsumoto described working with her as "precious." "I felt that her presence alone could speak volumes. Even if it was just a cameo, having her appear in the film was extremely important to me," he said. Yamashita enrolled in a Japanese Red Cross training school for relief nurses in Osaka at age 15, but returned home to Nagasaki in July after the air raids. In the aftermath of the bombing, she was dispatched to temporary relief stations in the city, where she witnessed countless agonizing deaths. "I appeal to the people of the world to ensure that the suffering caused by the atomic bomb is never witnessed again," she wrote in her personal account. Michiko Suzuki, a project researcher at the University of Tokyo focusing on Japanese Red Cross activities in prewar and early postwar periods, said she was moved that, after 80 years, a film is finally shedding light on the "invisible" yet essential work of wartime humanitarian aid. "In war, the spotlight is always on soldiers and civilian victims. Red Cross nurses, by contrast, worked behind the scenes to care for them because it was considered professional to remain in the shadows," Suzuki said. In her research, Suzuki found that Japanese Red Cross workers made repeated attempts at providing humanitarian aid at Allied prisoner-of-war camps in Nagasaki before the bombing. She said they exemplified humanitarianism in the way they treated the injured, regardless of whether they were friend or foe. The Red Cross's aid did not stop with the end of the war. Hospitals run by the organization for atomic bomb survivors in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, established in 1956 and 1958, respectively, have treated a cumulative 7.9 million outpatients and 6.3 million inpatients as of fiscal 2024. The film also highlights Nagasaki's long history of Christianity and Matsumoto's own Catholic upbringing through one of the main characters, Misao. "Misao's willingness to sacrifice herself to help others and her readiness to serve in the Catholic sense is an attitude I deeply admire. Misao represents the type of person I look up to," said Matsumoto. At the time of the bombing, two priests were hearing the confessions of several dozen parishioners at Urakami Cathedral, located around 500 meters from the hypocenter. All perished under the rubble. It is believed that around 10,000 Catholics, most of whom lived in the Urakami district, were killed by the atomic bomb. "I've shown the film to some Americans, and many didn't know the bomb exploded directly above a church -- or that so many Christians died. They watched the film with great interest," said Matsumoto, who wants to release the film in the United States. Matsumoto hopes that, for a foreign audience, the film will offer a glimpse of what life was like in the days following the bombing and motivate them to visit Hiroshima or Nagasaki or, at least, learn more online. "There have only been two instances of nuclear weapons being used. By telling a more human story in this film, I want to convey the importance of ensuring that Nagasaki is the last place to ever suffer such an attack." "Nagasaki: In the Shadow of the Flash" is showing now in Nagasaki and will open in cinemas across the rest of Japan on Aug. 1. © KYODO
Japan Times
38 minutes ago
- Japan Times
‘Demon Slayer' movie slashes its own box office records
A "Demon Slayer" movie has slayed the box office again. 'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle,' the latest chapter in the ongoing anime adaptation of the hit manga by Koyoharu Gotoge, opened July 18 and, by the end of the holiday weekend, had set multiple Japanese box office records: best opening day (¥1.64 billion), best single day (just over ¥2 billion) and best three-day opening (¥5.52 billion). According to Toho, which distributed the film alongside Aniplex, "Infinity Castle" brought in a total of ¥7.31 billion from 5.16 million admissions over its first four days, including Monday's Marine Day national holiday. For comparison, the year's highest-grossing film, "Detective Conan: One-Eyed Flashback" has made a total of ¥14.47 billion since April 18, and the year's top live-action film, surprise hit "Kokuho," has earned a total ¥6.8 billion after six weeks in theaters. If you're feeling deja vu, it might be because the last film to set records like this was another "Demon Slayer" flick . Back in October 2020, "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train" set the same box office records its successor just broke and went on to become Japan's highest-grossing film of all time with ¥40.43 billion. The smash success of that film was attributed at least partially to the circumstances of its release. The COVID-19 pandemic which started that spring led to theater closings and delayed releases, so moviegoers — primed by watching the 2019 "Demon Slayer" series on streaming while cooped up at home — were ready to flood into theaters for "Mugen Train," released just as pandemic restrictions were eased in Japan in the fall. The massive opening weekend of "Infinity Castle," however, shows that "Mugen Train" was no fluke. Even five years after Gotoge's manga came to a close, the story of the Demon Slayer Corps and its battle against the forces of darkness still has its grip on Japan. I contributed my own tiny slice of the film's record box office winnings on July 19, braving the crowds for an afternoon screening at a Shinjuku multiplex. Waiting in line for concessions for a solid 20 minutes, I had time to gawk at the digital signs indicating 40 "Infinity Castle" screenings on a single day, most of which were sold out or close to it (nationwide, the film opened on a total of 443 screens). 'Infinity Castle' is the first in a planned trilogy set to wrap the anime adaptation of the manga. It follows protagonist Tanjiro (voiced by Natsuki Hanae) and his fellow demon slayers as they fight the most powerful demon disciples of big bad Muzan Kibutsuji (Toshihiko Seki) in his titular Infinity Castle. The biggest highlight is the battle between Tanjiro and the demon Akaza, who killed Tanjiro's mentor Rengoku in "Mugen Train." If you've seen any of the "Demon Slayer" anime, all animated at studio Ufotable and directed by Haruo Sotozaki, there are no surprises here. Like what's come before, it's a uniformly well-animated, almost painfully faithful adaptation of the manga, with Tanjiro and pals dutifully narrating everything that happens on screen whether the audience needs it or not. The key difference between this film and "Mugen Train" is its 155-minute runtime — infinity indeed. After nearly three hours of demon slaying with no real beginning or end (remember, there are two more films on the way), I felt exhausted and suspect the story will fare better when it's inevitably cut into bite-size chunks for broadcast, the same way "Mugen Train" was a year after its cinema release. But critical analysis of "Infinity Castle" seems almost pointless. Repeat viewings aside, 5.16 million admissions means about 4% of the population of Japan has already seen the film, making "Demon Slayer" less film than phenomenon, a rare point of cultural unity in an era of fractured pop culture consumption. And, quality aside, it will be a real lifeline for cinemas: In 2024, admissions in Japan fell 7.1% compared to 2023 and are still below prepandemic levels. "Infinity Castle" will begin its trek around the world next month with releases in several countries around Asia before hitting North America and Europe in September. Though it's not quite day-and-date parity, the two-month gap between the Japanese and Western releases (for comparison, "Mugen Train" took six months) signals the growing demand for anime outside Japan as well as tighter market integration: In 2021, Sony bought Crunchyroll, which is distributing the film worldwide. As 'Infinity Castle' slashes its way around the world, we'll see whether international audiences are still as enthusiastic about "Demon Slayer" as those in Japan. 'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle' is showing in cinemas around Japan starting from July 18. For more information, visit (Japanese only), or for international releases visit
3 hours ago
Sony to Acquire 2.5 Pct Stake in Bandai Namco
News from Japan Jul 25, 2025 13:55 (JST) Tokyo, July 25 (Jiji Press)--Japanese technology conglomerate Sony Group Corp. has struck an alliance deal with Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. to acquire a 2.5 pct stake in Bandai Namco to capitalize on anime and manga assets held by the game and toy group. Under the deal, announced Thursday, Sony Group will purchase 16 million outstanding Bandai Namco shares from existing owners for some 68 billion yen. The capital tie-up focuses particularly on creating and distributing video content based on anime-related intellectual properties held by Bandai Namco. But the two companies will also work on experiential entertainment and fresh property development. Bandai Namco has a wide range of intellectual assets, from the Mobile Suit Gundam anime series to the "Tamagotchi" handy digital pet-raising gadget. Sony Group, for its part, is strengthening game and anime operations, which currently include Aniplex Inc., a Tokyo-based anime studio known for the "Demon Slayer" series. This year, the group also became the largest shareholder in major publisher Kadokawa Corp. with abundant intellectual properties. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
