Matt Cooper Films

Erased (2016) by Yuichiro Hirakawa

Satoru (Tatsuya Fujiwara) has the ability to travel back in time to prevent disasters happening. Unable to control this, he must look for anything out of place in order to stop the impending tragedies. He finds himself transported back in time 18 years, to his primary school in Hokkaido, before one of his classmates Kayo (Rio Suzuki) was murdered. The young Satoru (Tsubasa Nakagawa), investigates clues and tries to work out what happened, not only to prevent Kayo’s death, but also to prevent his mother’s death in the present after she is targetted by the same killer. He is helped by his classmates in the past and his pizzeria co-worker Airi (Kasumi Arimura) in the present.

Based on the manga series by Kei Sanbe, with a script by Noriko Goto, “Erased” is a fantastical time-travel film with a dark central tragedy. The whimsical tone of much of the drama is in stark contrast to the paedophilia and murder that lie at the heart of the mystery. For the most part the film manages to pull off these disparate tones, but the final moments leave an uncomfortable feeling as it attempts to affix a hopeful, if bittersweet, ending onto a desperately bleak situation involving multiple murders and child abuse. The time-travel mechanism that drives the narrative goes unexplained, simply being something that Satoru has from the beginning. This is a minor problem as the mystery is compelling and well-crafted, giving us plenty of time to enjoy the characters and excellent performances. Fujiwara Tatsuya and Kasumi Arimura are fun as the co-workers, and Tsubasa Nakagawa, who plays young Satoru with the wisdom of his older self does an incredible job at making this believable.

The film’s idea that someone could travel back in time to right a historic wrong is alluring and Satoru’s mission manages to maintain the tension throughout. It is interesting to see a child tackling this dangerous and difficult criminal case, albeit one who is inhabited by the wit and wisdom of his older self. The film also has a strong message about it being the responsibility of everyone, no matter how seemingly powerless, to prevent these tragedies from happening. Forgoing the usual grimy basements and dark lurking figures, the film highlights the sad reality that these crimes often happen in broad daylight. We see an attempted kidnapping from a playground, where the bright, colourful surrounds masks the dark reality going on just out of sight. “Erased” is a unique take on the amateur detective, managing to balance the investigation with time-travel and mystery.

Matt Cooper Films

Thermae Romae (2012) by Hideki Takeuchi

In ancient Rome, architect Lucius (Hiroshi Abe) is struggling to come up with new ideas for the design of bathhouses. While bathing he is mysteriously transported to a modern Japanese bathhouse and on his return is able to implement the various discoveries he made, believing them to be the work of a bizarre, as-yet-undiscovered ‘flat-faced’ tribe. Through repeated trips through time Lucius becomes a celebrated bathhouse designer, gaining the attention of the Emperor Hadrian (Masachika Ichimura) who tasks him with making an Imperial baths to rival anything seen before. Lucius’s journeys to the future coincide with the presence of manga artist Mami (Aya Ueto), who begins studying ancient Roman history and Latin in order to understand the peculiar visitor.

Based on a manga by Mari Yamazaki and directed by Hideki Takeuchi, “Thermae Romae” is a fantastical comedy, celebrating the Japanese love of onsen and bathhouse culture. The first half of the film moves at a brisk pace, with fish-out-of-water humour as Lucius attempts to understand where he is and why the strange people he meets have so many novel inventions in their baths. These early scenes are the most enjoyable, with great comedic acting from Abe and Ueto. There is a thin plot in the second half, involving the succession to the Roman Imperial Throne, and Lucius and Mami’s relationship. The film does slow down, but still has plenty of jokes, largely involving the old group of men who frequent Mami’s mother’s rural bathhouse. The Ancient Rome sets are impressive, giving a sense of scale and grandeur, and providing an amusing comparison to the more quotidian Japanese scenes. The film’s score features classical music and opera, again adding to the sense of a historical epic juxtaposed with contemporary farce.

An ode to relaxation, “Thermae Romae” is an enjoyable drama with a fun cast who do a great job with the material, capturing the surprise and disbelief at their situations. The film’s focus on bathing creates a calming atmosphere and despite the occasional drama the film remains enjoyably inoffensive. There is relatively little in terms of character development, but the film does attempt to deliver a message around the power of humanity for creativity and invention, and the importance of co-operation. An enterataining story with broad appeal.

Matt Cooper Films

Undead Lovers (2024) by Daigo Matsui

Aged 7, Rino Hasebe survives a serious illness after meeting a mysterious young boy named Jun Kouno who vanishes when she calls out to him. Through the following decades she repeatedly meets this man again, every time ending in frustration as he disappears as soon as she confesses her love for him. Finally, Rino (Ai Mikami) meets Jun (Kanta Sato) at university, but he has no memory of her, and furthermore has short-term memory loss meaning he is unable to recall the events of the preceding day. Rino is determined to meet with him every day, repeatedly confessing her feelings to him and hoping that he does not vanish.

Adapted from the manga series “Fujimi Lovers” by Yuna Takagi, with a screenplay by director Daigo Matsui and Toshiya Ono, “Undead Lovers” is a romantic drama based on an interesting premise. The opening half of the film, featuring the various reunions of Rino and Jun, sets up a mystery in the form of his disappearances and failure to remember their previous meetings. This is explained later in the film in a way that is logical and causes you to reassess both what happened and the characters’ responses to it. The second half of the film is taken up with the couple’s relationship at university where Jun is dealing with severe memory loss. Ai Mikami and Kanta Sato have good chemistry as the young couple and we sympathise with both of them in this unusual situation. Yuzu Aoki is also enjoyable as Tanaka, Rino’s long-suffering best friend. The film’s bright, beautiful setting is perfect for the light tone of the majority of the film creating a vibrant summer feeling with the lush surroundings of forested mountains and seaside. While the film requires several logical leaps, such as how Jun is able to complete a university course while unable to remember anything that happened the previous day; or why Rino’s friend Tanaka fails to give her crucial information, it does provide a relaxing and relatable drama about young love.

For the most part “Undead Lovers” treads familiar ground with the overly keen Rino chasing her dream of a relationship with the charismatic Jun. The film does features a fun twist with the revelation about Jun’s repeated disappearances, which speaks both to Rino’s character and the themes of unrequited love. Throughout we see how memory is fickle, with characters forgetting important details about their pasts. It also touches on the importance of living in the moment rather than being overly concerned about the past or the future. The past has such a major impact on our sense of self and our relationships that it is interesting to consider what happens when this is taken from us. Jun’s story in particular, with his inability to remember day to day, is heartwrenching as he is forced to relive everything again and again without recourse to his memories. Similarly, Rino faces a constant struggle to reaffirm her love for him, without the comfort of knowing that he will remember their shared experiences. A lighthearted romantic drama with an novel twist that will please fans of the genre.

Matt Cooper Anime, Films

Ghost in the Shell (1995) by Mamoru Oshii

When an elite hacker threatens Japanese security, the covert Section-9 team headed by Motoko Kusanagi (Atsuko Tanaka) are tasked with discovering their identity in this near future thriller. “Ghost in the Shell”, based on the popular manga by Masamune Shirow, with a screenplay by Kazunori Ito, follows a secretive government agency attempting to uncover the identity of a hacker known as ‘The Puppet Master’, who is able to remotely control individuals’ cybernetic brains, allowing him to potentially destabalise the country. As the investigation progresses, they discover that the hacker is part of Project 2501 an advanced cognitive system that has gained consciousness and free will. This mind has its sights set on Kusanagi Motoko, who has begun to question her own identity in a world in which memories and data, easily manipulated, are the only reliable measure of individuality.

“Ghost in the Shell” is a masterpice of philosophical science-fiction, asking fundamental questions about our existence and our potential evolution as we head towards an increasingly computerised age. The film’s central plot is tightly written and requires concentration to follow as it moves at a breakneck pace through the various connections between Sections 6 and 9, the research laboratory experimenting on cutting-edge programs, and foreign agencies. It can be hard to keep up with the constant stream of fresh revelations, but the film does a good job in condensing a complex story down to its essential elements. Characters are given enough time for their personalities and specialities to shine without going into detail (which is fitting for the story). Major Kusanagi, introduced in a spectacular assassination sequence, is joined by fellow Section 9 team members Batou (Akio Otsuka), Togusa (Koichi Yamadera), and Ishikawa (Yutaka Nakano); all led by the irascible Section Chief Aramaki (Tamio Oki) The world created by the artists and animators is a near-future that is not so different to our own, with recognizable city-scapes and everyday concerns sitting alongside unfamiliar technologies such as cyberbrains. Kenji Kawai’s haunting score perfectly complements the subtle melancholy of the visuals and the philosophical nature of the script.

A classic of science-fiction cinema, Oshii’s film takes a darker tone than much of Shirow’s original manga, but delivers the same fast-paced drama and action. The film asks tough existentialist questions, while also showing us a near-future which is still beset by political corruption, personal traumas, and societal inequality. In some of the most powerful moments the film relies solely on the animation and score, leaving a meaningful pause for the audience to reflect on everything they have seen and heard. A completely captivating experience and food for thought about where humanity is heading.

Matt Cooper Films

20th Century Boys: Redemption (2009) by Yukihiko Tsutsumi

The final installment of the science-fiction trilogy based on Naoki Urusawa’s bestselling manga, “20th Century Boys: Redemption” sees the newly returned Kenji (Toshiaki Karasawa), his neice Kanna (Airi Taira), and his childhood friends teaming up to take down Friend before his plan to destroy humanity takes effect. Following his ‘resurrection’ in the previous film, Friend has now become a globally recognized deity. He plans to carry out the apocalyptic prophecies foretold decades before which speak of alien invasion leading to the death of all who do not believe in him.

Jumping forward a few years from the previous film, Friend’s power over mankind is now assured after the performance of a ‘miracle’ established him as a god. The film sees Kanna and Yoshitsune (Teruyuki Kagawa) as the head of rebel groups fighting to free mankind from his rule. Meanwhile, Kenji has returned; Otcho (Etsushi Toyokawa) and the manga artist continue their quest for revenge; and many other character return to play their part in the unfolding chaos. “20th Century Boys: Redemption” brings everything full circle, with the relationships between Kenji’s sister Kiriko (Hitomi Kuroki), Friend, and Kanna fleshed out, as well as an ultimate showdown with the villain. The showdown feels a little underwhelming as Friend with the help of Yanbo and Mabo creates two flying saucers and an improved giant robot courtesy of Professor Shikishima. It feels like a retread of the first film in many ways, with the plan this time being to wipe out the entirety of the world’s population rather than simply a significant portion of it. The final reveal of Friend likewise seems rushed and as the credits roll there is a sense of anti-climax. However, in a further twist there is a true ending after the credits that does a good job of bringing an emotional resolution to the stories of both Kenji and Friend. Whether you feel that conclusion is worth the time spent on this epic trilogy is up to you, but it shows an understanding that the heart of the film has always been the relationships between the main cast.

“20th Century Boys” is an entertaining film that realises childhood science-fiction fantasies of spaceships, giant robots, a mysterious villain, plans for world domination and destruction, and a team of unlikely heroes banding together to save the world. The timeless mix of action, humour and heart carry us through the increasingly bizarre and unlikely scenarios the characters find themselves in. The central theme of the film, that of our relationship with the past and its effect on our future selves, is well done and it is novel to see the characters portrayed in the various eras, from children to adults and how they each deal with tragedy and trauma in their own unique ways. There is a lot going on in all three films and at times it feels a little directionless, but the simple way that it ties everything together, while it might seem trite, is a fitting conclusion to the insanity that precedes it. Overall, an entertaining blockbuster with a lot of heart and an uplifting message about the power of friendship.