"Actor: Tatsuya"

• Rurouni Kenshin 3 | DVD | (24/08/2015) from £26.98   |  Saving you £-6.99 (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  To stop Makoto Shishio who aims to conquer Japan Kenshin arrives in Kyoto and tries to face off against Shishio’s troops. However his enemy has begun its course to start invading Tokyo with the steel-reinforced battleship. To save captured Kaoru who is thrown into the sea by Shishio’s men Kenshin also dives in after her but is washed ashore alone unconscious. Kenshin recovers with the help of Seijuro Hiko the master of Kenshin who happens to find him on the shore.  He realizes he is no match for Shishio unless he learns the ultimate technique of his sword style and begs the master to teach him. In the meantime Shishio finds that Kenshin is still alive and puts pressure on the government to find Kenshin and execute him in public for his sins during his days as the “Battosai the Killer”. As Kenshin faces his biggest challenge can Kenshin really defeat his fiercest enemy Shishio and be reunited with Kaoru?! Click Images to Enlarge

• Arrietty | Blu Ray | (09/01/2012) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  This is a story of a family of "little" people. Beneath the floorboards of a sprawling mansion set in a magical, overgrown garden in the suburbs of Tokyo, tiny 14-year-old Arrietty lives with her equally tiny parents.

• Ran (Digitally Restored) | Blu Ray | (02/05/2016) from £54.99   |  Saving you £-32.00 (N/A%)   |  RRP £22.99

  One of the most important and influential film makers in cinematic history, Akira Kursawa directed 30 films in a career spanning 57 years. His final masterpiece, RAN has been beautifully restored in 4k for the first time. A reimagining of Shakespeare's King Lear set in feudal Japan, Ran tells the story of Hidetora Ichimonji (Tatsya Nakadai Yojimbo, Kagemusha) an aging warlord who, after spending his life consolidating his empire, decides to abdicate and divide his Kingdom amongst his three sons Taro (Akira Terao - Letter from the Mountain, Dreams), Jiro (Jinpachi Nezu The Man in White, Red Shadow: Akakage) and Saburo (Daisuke Ryu - Tono monogatari, Gojo reisenki: Gojoe). When Saburo voices concerns about the wisdom of his father's plan, claiming that treachery within the family will be inevitable, Hidetora mistakes these comments for a threat and when his servant Tango comes to Saburo's defense, he banishes both of them. This allows Taro and Jiro to take charge, unopposed, leading to a brutal and bloody struggle for the absolute power of the warlord.

• Yojimbo & Sanjuro (2 Blu-ray Set) | Blu Ray | (17/03/2025) from £24.97   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  YojimboLike Seven Samurai (1954), Yojimbo was Kurosawa's tribute to the widescreen action Westerns of John Ford and was itself remade as a Western by Sergio Leone as A Fistful of Dollars (1964). Played by the great Toshiro Mifune, the film's enigmatic samurai is a scruffy and itinerant warrior who wanders into a strange town and right into the middle of a war between two clans. Showing his skills with the sword within minutes of his arrival, he soon has the town's rival factions competing for his services.Kurosawa's genius for storytelling combines with thrilling swordplay, a healthy dose of black humour, a soundtrack every bit as atmospheric and amusing as Ennio Morricone's, and a towering performance from Mifune, to make Yojimbo an irresistible widescreen action adventure.SanjuroIn response to the huge critical and commercial success of Yojimbo, Kurosawa and Mifune re-teamed a year later to make Sanjuro, a hilarious comedy of manners altogether more light-hearted than its predecessor.The story has Sanjuro (Mifune) running lazy rings around nine naïve and clean-cut samurai and two genteel ladies, whilst also cleaning up a spot of corruption in local government. Whilst Kurosawa plays most of it for laughs, expertly parodying the conventions of Japanese period action films, he stages a startling switch of mood with an intense finale which may well be the briefest, and most breathtaking duel in all cinema.Extras¢ Newly restored in 4K and presented in High Definition¢ Newly recorded interview with Jasper Sharp (2024)¢ Audio commentary on Yojimbo by film critic Philip Kemp¢ Introduction to Sanjuro by filmmaker Alex Cox (2003, 5 mins)¢ Interview with filmmaker Alex Cox (2003, 9 mins)¢ Original trailers for both films¢ **FIRST PRESSING ONLY** Illustrated booklet featuring new and archival essays on both films, original reviews and full film credits¢ Other extras TBC

• Battle Royale Limited Edition | Blu Ray | (26/04/2021) from £59.53   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  The kids of Third Year Class-B Shiroiwa Junior High School are back, in a brand new 4K restoration of the classic cult shocker adapted from the controversial novel by Koushun Takami. Presenting an alternate dystopian vision of turn-of-the-millennium Japan, Battle Royale follows the 42 junior high school students selected to take part in the government's annual Battle Royale programme, established as an extreme method of addressing concerns about juvenile delinquency. Dispatched to a remote island, they are each given individual weapons (ranging from Uzis and machetes to pan lids and binoculars), food and water, and the order to go out and kill one other. Every player is fitted with an explosive collar around their neck, imposing a strict three-day time limit on the deadly games in which there can only be one survivor. Overseeing the carnage is ˜Beat' Takeshi Kitano (Sonatine, Hana-bi, Zatoichi) as the teacher pushed to the edge by his unruly charges. Playing like a turbo-charged hybrid of Lord of the Flies and The Most Dangerous Game, the final completed work by veteran yakuza film director Kinji Fukasaku (Battles without Honor and Humanity, Graveyard of Honor) helped launch a new wave of appreciation for Asian cinema in the 21st century. Also included in the set is the incendiary sequel Battle Royale II, the directing debut of Kenta Fukasaku (after his father passed away during production), in which a new class of delinquents are recruited by the government to hunt down the survivor of the deadly games of the first film. LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS Brand new 4K restoration of the Original Theatrical Version and Special Edition Director's Cut of Battle Royale from the original camera negative by Arrow Films, approved by Kenta Fukasaku High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of both versions of Battle Royale High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the Battle Royale II: Requiem theatrical cut and the Battle Royale II: Revenge extended cut Original 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and 2.0 stereo Optional English subtitles Original soundtrack CD for Battle Royale [Limited Edition Exclusive] Kinji Fukasaku: Man of Rage, an exclusive 120-page monograph on the director by Japanese cinema expert Tom Mes [Limited Edition Exclusive] Illustrated collector's booklet featuring new essays by Matt Alt and Anne Billson and archival articles Exclusive Battle Royale collectors' Trump Card set [Limited Edition Exclusive] Reversible poster with new artwork [Limited Edition Exclusive] DISC ONE BATTLE ROYALE: ORIGINAL THEATRICAL VERSION Brand new audio commentary by critics Tom Mes and Jasper Sharp Battle Royale at 20: Back to School, an exclusive new 42-minute documentary about the legacy of Battle Royale Bloody Education: Kenta Fukasaku on Battle Royale, a brand new exclusive interview with the film's producer and screenwriter The Making of Battle Royale: The Experience of 42 High School Students, documentary featuring footage from the shooting of the film and cast and crew discussions The Slaughter of 42 High School Students, a look behind the scenes of the shoot Behind the scenes footage with comments from the cast and crew Filming on Set, a look at the shooting of key scenes from the film Conducting Battle Royale with the Warsaw National Philharmonic, archive footage of Masamichi Amano conducting the soundtrack rehearsal DISC TWO BATTLE ROYALE: SPECIAL EDITION DIRECTOR'S CUT Shooting the Special Edition, on-location featurette with footage of the cast and crew reuniting for the shoot of the Special Edition Royale Rehearsals, featurette on Kinji Fukasaku directing the film's young cast Masamichi Amano Conducts Battle Royale, archive featurette Takeshi Kitano Interview, filmed on location with the Japanese star The Correct Way to Fight in Battle Royale, instructional video explaining the rules of the game The Correct Way to Make 'Battle Royale': Birthday Version, a new version of the original instructional video made to celebrate Kinji Fukasaku's birthday Premiere Press Conference, preceding the film's first public screening Tokyo International Film Festival Presentation, with footage from the gala screening at the Tokyo International Film Festival Opening Day at the Marunouchi Toei Movie Theatre, archive footage of the Japanese opening Special Effects Comparison showing how the film's violent killings were created Original Trailers and TV spots Kinji Fukasaku trailer reel, a collection of original trailers for Fukasaku's classic yakuza films from the 70s Image Gallery DISC THREE BATTLE ROYALE II: REQUIEM Bloody Graduation: Kenta Fukasaku on Battle Royale II, an exclusive brand new interview with the director and screenwriter of Battle Royale II Behind the Scenes of Battle Royale II, on-location featurette during the film's shoot Rehearsals footage of the auditions and pre-production rehearsals War and Struggle, featurette of the cast discussing their thoughts on war Alternate Piano Scene The Recording of the Music Score, archive footage of Masamichi Amano and the Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra. Opening Gala with the Orchestra, featuring a public introduction by the director and main cast Battle Royale II Premiere, a featurette on the film's first screening at the Marunouchi Toei Movie Theatre Trailers and TV spots Image Gallery DISC FOUR BATTLE ROYALE II: REVENGE [Limited Edition Exclusive] A Tribute to Kinji Fukasaku, featuring scenes of Kinji Fukasaku on the location of Battle Royale II Kinji Fukasaku's 73rd Birthday: A Speech by Kenta Fukasaku, paying public tribute to his father DISC FIVE BATTLE ROYALE SOUNDTRACK CD [Limited Edition Exclusive] CD featuring the complete score to Battle Royale by Masamichi Amano and the Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra

• Battle Royale | DVD | (10/04/2017) from £6.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  With the Japanese currently leading the way in thought-provoking cinematic violence it’s only fitting that Kenta Fukasaku’s Battle Royale is being touted as A Clockwork Orange for the 21st century. Based on the novel by Koshun Takami, the film opens with a series of fleeting images of unruly Japanese schoolkids, whose bad behaviour provides a justification for the "punishments" which will ensue. To be honest, anyone who has grown up with Grange Hill will view these aggressive teenagers’ acts as pretty moderate, but in the context of Japanese culture, their lack of respect is a challenge to the traditional values of respecting your elders. Once the prequel has been dispensed with the classmates are drugged and awaken on an island where they find they have been fitted with dog collars that monitor their every move. Instructed by their old teacher ("Beat" Takeshi) with the aid of an upbeat MTV-style video, they are told of their fate: after an impartial Lottery they have been chosen to fight each other in a three-day, no-rules contest, the "Battle Royale". Their only chance of survival in the "Battle" is through the death of all their classmates. Some pupils embrace their mission with zeal, while others simply give up or try to become peacemakers and revolutionaries. However, the ultimate drive for survival comes from the desire to protect the one you love. The film looks like a war-flick on occasions, with intense Apocalypse Now-style imagery (check out the classical score blasted over the tannoys with sweeping shots of helicopters). Yet, Battle Royale works on many different levels, highlighting the authorities’ desperation to enforce law and order and the alienation caused by the generation gap. But whether you view the film as an important social commentary or simply enjoy the adrenalin-fuelled violence, this is set to become cult viewing for the computer game generation and beyond. On the DVD: Battle Royale has been re-released in this new and improved version. Now offered in progressive scan, utilising NTSC technology which has enhanced the picture quality. Please be aware though that not all DVD players are compatible, if unsure your best to opt for the first release.--Nikki Disney

• Death Note 2 | DVD | (14/09/2009) from £18.99   |  Saving you £-3.00 (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  The last name to be written in the Death Note... Whose name will it be?' Light and L's psychological duel enters a new phase; whoever is careless for even a split second will lose! To complicate things further Rem another shinigami brings the second notebook and Misa Amane a Japanese pop star and Kira worshipper comes into possession of it. Now becoming a Kira herself she accepts an offer to have the Eyes of the Death. With the Eyes of the Death one can know the name of any person without being told. Misa and Light begin to work together to find the true name of L...

• Ran | DVD | (03/05/2004) from £15.95   |  Saving you £4.04 (25.33%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Akira Kurosawa's brilliantly conceived retelling of Shakespeare's 'King Lear' magically mixes Japanese history Shakespeare's plot and Kurosawa's own feelings about loyalty in this epic masterpiece. Set in 16th century Japan an aging ruler Lord Hidetora (Tatsuya Nakadai) announces his intention to divide his land equally among his three sons. This decision to step down unleashes a power struggle between the three when Hidetora falls prey to the false flattery bestowed upon him by the two older sons and banishes the youngest when he speaks the truth. The ruthless betrayal ultimately drives Hidetora insane destroying his entire family and kingdom. Deep human emotion and outstanding acting combine to create one of the most acclaimed foreign films of all time.

• Shark Skin Man & Peach Hip Girl | Blu Ray | (14/04/2025) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Samehada (Tadanobu Asano) has ripped off money from the syndicate and is on the run; Toshiko (Shie Kohinata) is also on the run from a creepy manager named Sonezaki (Yohachi Shimida) from the Hotel Symphony where she works, and who is obsessed with controlling her. Brought together by a car crash, they find themselves on the run from the syndicate, Sonezaki, and Yamada (Tatsuya Gashuin), a shy employee of the hotel who just also happens to be a contract killer.

• Battle Royale (Director's Cut) | Blu Ray | (10/07/2017) from £15.75   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  With the Japanese currently leading the way in thought-provoking cinematic violence it’s only fitting that Kenta Fukasaku’s Battle Royale is being touted as A Clockwork Orange for the 21st century. Based on the novel by Koshun Takami, the film opens with a series of fleeting images of unruly Japanese schoolkids, whose bad behaviour provides a justification for the "punishments" which will ensue. To be honest, anyone who has grown up with Grange Hill will view these aggressive teenagers’ acts as pretty moderate, but in the context of Japanese culture, their lack of respect is a challenge to the traditional values of respecting your elders. Once the prequel has been dispensed with the classmates are drugged and awaken on an island where they find they have been fitted with dog collars that monitor their every move. Instructed by their old teacher ("Beat" Takeshi) with the aid of an upbeat MTV-style video, they are told of their fate: after an impartial Lottery they have been chosen to fight each other in a three-day, no-rules contest, the "Battle Royale". Their only chance of survival in the "Battle" is through the death of all their classmates. Some pupils embrace their mission with zeal, while others simply give up or try to become peacemakers and revolutionaries. However, the ultimate drive for survival comes from the desire to protect the one you love. The film looks like a war-flick on occasions, with intense Apocalypse Now-style imagery (check out the classical score blasted over the tannoys with sweeping shots of helicopters). Yet, Battle Royale works on many different levels, highlighting the authorities’ desperation to enforce law and order and the alienation caused by the generation gap. But whether you view the film as an important social commentary or simply enjoy the adrenalin-fuelled violence, this is set to become cult viewing for the computer game generation and beyond. On the DVD: Battle Royale has been re-released in this new and improved version. Now offered in progressive scan, utilising NTSC technology which has enhanced the picture quality. Please be aware though that not all DVD players are compatible, if unsure your best to opt for the first release.--Nikki Disney

• RAN - MOVIE | DVD | (07/04/2016) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno | DVD | (06/04/2015) from £26.98   |  Saving you £-6.99 (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Kenshin Himura is a legendary swordsman in the wars accompanying the turbulent fall of Japan’s Shogunate in the 19th century. Once feared as ‘Battosai the Killer’ he has adopted a peaceful life since the arrival of the ‘new age’ in Japanese history. But Makoto Shishio the ‘Shadow Killer’ who succeeded to Kenshin’s position in the service of the new government has since then been active in the Kyoto underworld.Because he knew too much of the dark side of the new government he was stabbed and his body set on fire. He survived however and wrapped in bandages has raised an army of disaffected former samurai with the aim of overthrowing the new regime. Agreeing to a request by Toshimichi Okubo the Home Minister Kenshin leaves his friends in Tokyo and sets out for Kyoto. He and Shishio are a match in skill and in wits but their aims are opposite. Kenshin seeks to preserve the nation without breaking his vow that he will kill no more.

• Death Note | DVD | (05/01/2009) from £6.73   |  Saving you £3.26 (48.44%)   |  RRP £9.99

  "The human whose name is written in this note shall die." In "Death Note", Light Yagami is an elite university student and a genius who stumbles upon a shinigami's (God of Death) dropped 'Death Note'.

• Battle Royale Limited Edition | Blu Ray | (26/04/2021) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  The kids of Third Year Class-B Shiroiwa Junior High School are back, in a brand new UHD restoration of the classic cult shocker adapted from the controversial novel by Koushun Takami. Presenting an alternate dystopian vision of turn-of-the-millennium Japan, Battle Royale follows the 42 junior high school students selected to take part in the government's annual Battle Royale programme, established as an extreme method of addressing concerns about juvenile delinquency. Dispatched to a remote island, they are each given individual weapons (ranging from Uzis and machetes to pan lids and binoculars), food and water, and the order to go out and kill one other. Every player is fitted with an explosive collar around their neck, imposing a strict three-day time limit on the deadly games in which there can only be one survivor. Overseeing the carnage is ˜Beat' Takeshi Kitano (Sonatine, Hana-bi, Zatoichi) as the teacher pushed to the edge by his unruly charges. Playing like a turbo-charged hybrid of Lord of the Flies and The Most Dangerous Game, the final completed work by veteran yakuza film director Kinji Fukasaku (Battles without Honor and Humanity, Graveyard of Honor) helped launch a new wave of appreciation for Asian cinema in the 21st century. Also included in the set is the incendiary sequel Battle Royale II, the directing debut of Kenta Fukasaku (after his father passed away during production), in which a new class of delinquents are recruited by the government to hunt down the survivor of the deadly games of the first film. 4K ULTRA HD LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS Brand new 4K restoration of the Original Theatrical Version and Special Edition Director's Cut of Battle Royale from the original camera negative by Arrow Films, approved by Kenta Fukasaku 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation of both versions of Battle Royale in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the Battle Royale II: Requiem theatrical cut and the Battle Royale II: Revenge extended cut Original 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and 2.0 stereo audio Optional English subtitles Original soundtrack CD for Battle Royale [Limited Edition Exclusive] Kinji Fukasaku: Man of Rage, an exclusive 120-page monograph on the director by Japanese cinema expert Tom Mes [Limited Edition Exclusive] Illustrated collector's booklet featuring new essays by Matt Alt and Anne Billson and archival articles Exclusive Battle Royale collectors' Trump Card set [Limited Edition Exclusive] Reversible poster with new artwork [Limited Edition Exclusive] DISC ONE BATTLE ROYALE: ORIGINAL THEATRICAL VERSION (4K UHD BLU-RAY) Brand new audio commentary by critics Tom Mes and Jasper Sharp Battle Royale at 20: Back to School, an exclusive new 42-minute documentary about the legacy of Battle Royale Bloody Education: Kenta Fukasaku on Battle Royale, a brand new exclusive interview with the film's producer and screenwriter The Making of Battle Royale: The Experience of 42 High School Students, documentary featuring footage from the shooting of the film and cast and crew discussions The Slaughter of 42 High School Students, a look behind the scenes of the shoot Behind the scenes footage with comments from the cast and crew Filming on Set, a look at the shooting of key scenes from the film Conducting Battle Royale with the Warsaw National Philharmonic, archive footage of Masamichi Amano conducting the soundtrack rehearsal DISC TWO BATTLE ROYALE: SPECIAL EDITION DIRECTOR'S CUT (4K UHD BLU-RAY) Shooting the Special Edition, on-location featurette with footage of the cast and crew reuniting for the shoot of the Special Edition Royale Rehearsals, featurette on Kinji Fukasaku directing the film's young cast Masamichi Amano Conducts Battle Royale, archive featurette Takeshi Kitano Interview, filmed on location with the Japanese star The Correct Way to Fight in Battle Royale, instructional video explaining the rules of the game The Correct Way to Make 'Battle Royale': Birthday Version, a new version of the original instructional video made to celebrate Kinji Fukasaku's birthday Premiere Press Conference, preceding the film's first public screening Tokyo International Film Festival Presentation, with footage from the gala screening at the Tokyo International Film Festival Opening Day at the Marunouchi Toei Movie Theatre, archive footage of the Japanese opening Special Effects Comparison showing how the film's violent killings were created Original Trailers and TV spots Kinji Fukasaku trailer reel, a collection of original trailers for Fukasaku's classic yakuza films from the 70s Image Gallery DISC THREE BATTLE ROYALE II: REQUIEM (BLU-RAY) Bloody Graduation: Kenta Fukasaku on Battle Royale II, an exclusive brand new interview with the director and screenwriter of Battle Royale II Behind the Scenes of Battle Royale II, on-location featurette during the film's shoot Rehearsals footage of the auditions and pre-production rehearsals War and Struggle, featurette of the cast discussing their thoughts on war Alternate Piano Scene The Recording of the Music Score, archive footage of Masamichi Amano and the Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra Opening Gala with The Orchestra, featuring a public introduction by the director and main cast Battle Royale II Premiere, a featurette on the film's first screening at the Marunouchi Toei Movie Theatre Trailers and TV spots Image gallery DISC FOUR BATTLE ROYALE II: REVENGE (BLU-RAY) A Tribute to Kinji Fukasaku, featuring scenes of Kinji Fukasaku on the location of Battle Royale II Kinji Fukasaku's 73rd Birthday: A Speech by Kenta Fukasaku, paying public tribute to his father DISC FIVE BATTLE ROYALE (SOUNDTRACK CD) CD featuring the complete score to Battle Royale by Masamichi Amano and the Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra

• Yojimbo | DVD | (06/11/2000) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  This semi-comic 1961 film by legendary director Akira Kurosawa (Rashomon, Ran) was inspired by the American Western genre. Kurosawa mainstay Toshirô Mifune (Seven Samurai) is cast as a drifting samurai for hire who plays both ends against the middle with two warring factions, surviving on his wits and his ability to outrun his own bad luck. Eventually the samurai seeks to eliminate both sides for his own gain and to define his own sense of honour. Yojimbo is striking for its unorthodox treatment of violence and morality, reserving judgment on the actions of its main character and instead presenting an entertaining tale with humour and much visual excitement. One of the inspirations for the "spaghetti westerns" of director Sergio Leone and later surfacing as a remake as Last Man Standing with Bruce Willis, this film offers insight into a director who influenced American films even as he was influenced by them. --Robert Lane, Amazon.com

• Kagemusha | DVD | (03/06/2002) from £13.72   |  Saving you £-0.73 (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  The 1970s were difficult years for the great Japanese director Akira Kurosawa. Having been unable to secure full Japanese backing for his epic project Kagemusha, the 70-year-old master found American support from George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola, who served as co-executive producers (through 20th Century Fox) for this magnificent 1980 production--to that date the most expensive film in Japanese history. Set in the late-16th century, Kagemusha centres on the Takeda clan, one of three warlord clans battling for control of Japan at the end of the feudal period. When their leader Lord Shingen (Tatsuya Nakadai) is mortally wounded in battle, he orders that his death be kept secret and that his "kagemusha"--or "shadow warrior"--take his place for a period of three years to prevent clan disruption and enemy takeover. The identical double is a petty thief (also played by Nakadai) spared from execution due to his uncanny resemblance to Lord Shingen--but his true identity cannot prevent the tides of fate from rising over the Takeda clan in a climactic scene of battlefield devastation. Through stunning visuals and meticulous attention to every physical and stylistic detail, Kurosawa made a film that restored his status as Japan's greatest filmmaker, and the success of Kagemusha enabled the director to make his 1985 masterpiece, Ran. --Jeff Shannon

• Battle Royale | Blu Ray | (22/11/2021) from £34.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  The kids of Third Year Class-B Shiroiwa Junior High School are back, in a 4K restoration of the classic cult shocker adapted from the controversial novel by Koushun Takami. Presenting an alternate dystopian vision of turn-of-the-millennium Japan, Battle Royale follows the 42 junior high school students selected to take part in the government's annual Battle Royale programme, established as an extreme method of addressing concerns about juvenile delinquency. Dispatched to a remote island, they are each given individual weapons (ranging from Uzis and machetes to pan lids and binoculars), food and water, and the order to go out and kill each other. Every player is fitted with an explosive collar around their neck, imposing a strict three-day time limit on the deadly games in which there can only be one survivor. Overseeing the carnage is ˜Beat' Takeshi Kitano (Sonatine, Hana-bi, Zatoichi) as the teacher pushed to the edge by his unruly charges. Playing like a turbo-charged hybrid of Lord of the Flies and The Most Dangerous Game, the final completed work by veteran yakuza-film director Kinji Fukasaku (Battles without Honor and Humanity, Graveyard of Honor) helped launch a new wave of appreciation for Asian cinema in the 21st century. 4K Ultra-HD Special Edition Contents 4K restoration of the Original Theatrical Version and Special Edition Director's Cut of Battle Royale from the original camera negative by Arrow Films, approved by Kenta Fukasaku 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation of both versions in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) Original 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and 2.0 stereo audio on both cuts ¢ Optional English subtitles on both cuts Illustrated collector's booklet featuring essays by Matt Alt and Anne Billson Disc One Battle Royale: Original Theatrical Version Audio commentary by critics Tom Mes and Jasper Sharp Coming of Age: Battle Royale at 20, a 42-minute documentary about the legacy of Battle Royale Bloody Education: Kenta Fukasaku on Battle Royale, an interview with the film's producer and screenwriter The Making of Battle Royale: The Experience of 42 High School Students, documentary featuring footage from the shooting of the film and cast and crew discussions The Slaughter of 42 High School Students, a look behind the scenes of the shoot Behind the scenes footage with comments from the cast and crew Filming on Set, a look at the shooting of key scenes from the film Conducting Battle Royale with the Warsaw National Philharmonic, archive footage of Masamichi Amano conducting the soundtrack rehearsal Disc Two Battle Royale: Special Edition Director's Cut Shooting the Special Edition, on-location featurette with footage of the cast and crew reuniting for the shoot of the Special Edition Royale Rehearsals, featurette on Kinji Fukasaku directing the film's young cast Masamichi Amano Conducts Battle Royale, archive featurette Takeshi Kitano Interview, filmed on location with the Japanese star The Correct Way to Fight in Battle Royale, instructional video explaining the rules of the game The Correct Way to Make ˜Battle Royale': Birthday Version, a new version of the original instructional video made to celebrate Kinji Fukasaku's birthday Premiere Press Conference, preceding the film's first public screening Tokyo International Film Festival Presentation, With footage from the gala screening at the Tokyo International Film Festival Opening Day at the Marunouchi Toei Movie Theatre, archive footage of the Japanese opening Special Effects Comparison showing how the film's violent killings were created Original Trailers and TV spots Kinji Fukasaku trailer reel, a collection of original trailers for Fukasaku's classic yakuza films from the 70s Image gallery

• Ran (Digitally Restored) | DVD | (02/05/2016) from £11.99   |  Saving you £8.00 (80.08%)   |  RRP £17.99

  One of the most important and influential film makers in cinematic history, Akira Kursawa directed 30 films in a career spanning 57 years. His final masterpiece, RAN has been beautifully restored in 4k for the first time. A reimagining of Shakespeare's King Lear set in feudal Japan, Ran tells the story of Hidetora Ichimonji (Tatsya Nakadai Yojimbo, Kagemusha) an aging warlord who, after spending his life consolidating his empire, decides to abdicate and divide his Kingdom amongst his three sons Taro (Akira Terao - Letter from the Mountain, Dreams), Jiro (Jinpachi Nezu The Man in White, Red Shadow: Akakage) and Saburo (Daisuke Ryu - Tono monogatari, Gojo reisenki: Gojoe). When Saburo voices concerns about the wisdom of his father's plan, claiming that treachery within the family will be inevitable, Hidetora mistakes these comments for a threat and when his servant Tango comes to Saburo's defense, he banishes both of them. This allows Taro and Jiro to take charge, unopposed, leading to a brutal and bloody struggle for the absolute power of the warlord.

• Kagemusha (1980) (Criterion Collection) UK Only | Blu Ray | (08/03/2021) from £16.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  When a warlord dies, a peasant thief is called upon to impersonate him, and then finds himself haunted by his spirit as well as his own ambitions. With his late colour masterpiece Kagemusha, Akira Kurosawa returned to the samurai film and to a primary theme of his careerthe play between illusion and reality. Sumptuously reconstructing the splendour of feudal Japan and the pageantry of war, Kurosawa creates a historical epic that is also a meditation on the nature of power. Special Features: Restored high-definition digital transfer with DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack Audio commentary featuring Kurosawa scholar Stephen Prince (The Warrior's Camera: The Cinema of Akira Kurosawa) Lucas, Coppola, and Kurosawa (19 minutes, 2005), in which directors George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola discuss Kurosawa and their roles as executive producers of Kagemusha A 41-minute documentary on the making of Kagemusha, part of the Toho Masterworks series Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create Image: Kurosawa's Continuity, a new video piece that reconstructs Kagemusha through Kurosawa's paintings and sketches A series of Suntory Whiskey commercials made on the set of Kagemusha A gallery of storyboards painted by Kurosawa and images of their realization on-screen Theatrical trailers and teasers Optional English subtitle translation PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by scholar Peter Grilli and and interview with Kurosawa by renowned critic Tony Rayns

• Arrietty (Blu-ray) | Blu Ray | (26/03/2012) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £22.99

  This is a story of a family of "little" people. Beneath the floorboards of a sprawling mansion set in a magical, overgrown garden in the suburbs of Tokyo, tiny 14-year-old Arrietty lives with her equally tiny parents.