Features

Part 2 in Tom Mes's series on the ongoing wanderings of Lone Wolf and Cub, post-Baby Cart.

Jasper Sharp laments the passing of a unique figure in world cinema.

Jeff Hammond reports from a recent addition to the Japanese festival scene.

The first installment in Tom Mes's three-part trek in the footsteps of Lone Wolf and Cub, post-Baby Cart.

An exclusive spotlight on Jasper Sharp's brand new, indispensable reference work.

Tom Mes and Jasper Sharp weigh in with their pros and cons of the year 2011.

Marc Saint-Cyr reports from the 2011 edition of Canada's showcase for the vital Japanese indie scene.

From Sogo Ishii to Yoshihiro Nishimura, by way of Akira and Tetsuo - cyberpunk remains a vital genre in Japanese film. An in-depth exploration by Mark Player.

The past decade has seen the rise of a new generation of independent animators in Japan. Catherine Munroe Hotes explores the lay of the land.

The makers of Midnight Eye reveal their favourites and dislikes in Japanese cinema of the year 2010.

You, the Midnight Eye readers, have spoken... These Japanese films are your favourites of the year 2010.

Chris MaGee chronicles the cinematic legacy of butoh dance pioneer Tatsumi Hijikata, who worked with Donald Richie, Takahiko Iimura and Teruo Ishii among others.

Tom Mes dissects the twisted works of Yasuzo Masumura, director of The Blind Beast, Red Angel and Giants and Toys, and a key influences on Japan's new wave.

The makers of Midnight Eye bring you their best ten Japanese films from the first decade of the 21st century.

Midnight Eye readers choose their favourite Japanese film of the decade.

Our contributors give you their likes and dislikes of the past year in Japanese film.

The votes are in! And the winner is...

In Japan, he is the director of such perennial favorites as House and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. In the rest of the world, he is all but unknown. Join us in discovering the unique world of a stylish, fascinating, versatile filmmaker. By Paul Roquet.

Roland Domenig delivers the third chapter in his in-depth history of the Japanese sex education film.

In its second year after rising from its ashes, the Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival confirms its importance in discovering new talent. Includes an interview with director Tsuki Inoue. By Eija Niskanen

The votes are in! And the winner is...

The new year wouldn't be the new year without the traditional best and worst lists from our contributors.

Mark Schilling pays tribute to director Jun Ichikawa, director of Tony Takitani, Tokyo Marigold and many others, who died September 19, 2008.

An in-depth and exclusive spotlight on Behind the Pink Curtain, the groundbreaking book by Jasper Sharp.

Tom Mes sends a postcard from the resurrection of one of Asia's finest festivals, the Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival.

A profile of one of Japan's most original animators, with a complete filmography. By Catherine Munroe Hotes.

The votes are in! And the winner is...

It's that time again. We put our heads together to bring you our favourite and and not-so-favourite Japanese films of the past year.

Robin Gatto shines a much needed light on an obscure master of the chanbara film, Eiichi Kudo, director of The Great Killing and the original 13 Assassins.

Roland Domenig continues his trek through the obscure history of the Japanese sex education film, in part 2 of this ongoing series.

Eija Niskanen provides the perfect introduction to the work of this great creator of modest but extremely resonant films.

The readers have spoken. Your favourite Japanese film of 2006 is...

The makers of Midnight Eye get together to give your their traditional year-end lists.

An in-depth look at the world of the japanese porn industry, guided by one of its most prolific practicioners, Company Matsuo, the master of hamedori. By Johannes Schönherr.

Special guest Roland Domenig illuminates another dark corner of Japanese film history, in the first of a four-part series.

Eija Niskanen reports from Tokyo's annual platform for new filmmakers and finds that this crucial festival remains as pioneering as ever.

Ubiquitous yet unique - "Japan's Super Actor" remembered.

Special guest Abé Mark Nornes discusses the importance and significance of Frankfurt's delightful Nippon Connection festival, and what it says about our changing views on Japanese film.

The Japanese government's attempts to support film may have some adverse effects, as special guest Aaron Gerow observes.

A hard look at the more obscure recesses of the rich history of foreign films about Japan, packing in low budget film noir, Ed Wood-penned monster movies and Bollywood musicals. By Matt Kaufman.

Anime authority Jonathan Clements kicks off our series of special guest features, with an odyssey through the weird world of anime voice acting.

Midnight Eye readers choose their favourite Japanese film of 2005.

The Midnight Eye folks present their lists of a year's worth of highs and lows.

It has a rich past and an active present, but what about the future? A descent into the dark waters of Japanese horror film history, by Nicholas Rucka.

Jason Gray and Tom Mes explore the length and breadth of the works by Japan's master of the macabre.

Alexander Jacoby delves into the silent past of Japan's oldest film studio and uncovers rare gems by the likes of Ozu, Shimizu, Naruse and Ito.

A salute to one of the genre's late masters, as remembered by those who worked with him. By Robin Gatto and Tom Mes.

A look at the impact and legacy of the PIA Film Festival and Japan's thriving 'jishu eiga' indie scene. By Jasper Sharp.

A deeper look at the close symbiotic relationship between New Wave bastion ATG and Tokyo's cinematic underground of the 1960s. By Go Hirasawa.

An exclusive and in-depth spotlight on the book Iron Man: The Cinema of Shinya Tsukamoto by Tom Mes.

Join us as we dive headlong into the sordid world of one of the major Japanese filmmakers of the past decade, who is only just starting to get his due in the West. By Tom Mes.

Midnight Eye salutes the multi-faceted talents of director Kihachi Okamoto - of Sword of Doom, Human Bullet and Red Lion fame - who passed away at the age of 81.

Midnight Eye readers' favourite Japanese film of 2004 is...