If you read the excerpt from Meiloyn's Saga, then you may guess that I have an interest in Japanese culture. Any other Japanophiles around here?

I have a mild interest in japanese culture, and I enjoy watching films and anime and reading manga. Infact I generally only watch japanese films or films with a heavy japanese influence.

I think my interest in this stems from my special interest in japanese RPGs

Did you ever watch an old movie called Yojimbo? And the ancient TV movie Shogun?

I have not watched those films, but if they are good I hope to one day. I assume they are set about the time of the Edo period (1603- 1867) (I don't actually know much about it, I just have a game set in that era called Kessen).

I am intrigued by this Yojimbo, there is an Aeon named after him in Final Fantasy X, could you tell me more about him?

Most of the japanese movies I have watched have been fairly modern. I think Kagemusha is the oldest one I have seen.

I think he was called Yojimbo because he was an Aeon, a bodyguard of the summoner, and he was samurai-like. Yojimbo means bodyguard. I didn't actually like him much anyway because you had to play him money to attack.

I can barely remember the movie, but it was a famous movie in Japan. It was about a rogue samurai who arrived at a town looking for a job as samurai. He ended up serving a daimyo who was currently at war with another. I think.

Shogun is about an Englishman named John Blackthorne in the beginning of the 17 century, sailing for the Dutch to find the "Japans". His ship is attacked by a storm not too far away from shore, and he wakes up in the care of a Japanese peasant woman. He leaves the village and finds out that his crew had been imprisoned and the Portuguese had already landed at Japan. He is quickly renamed Anjin, Japanese for pilot since he piloted the ship, and was actually the name I remembered better. blah blah blah there's some other stuff and after being imprisoned for a second time by the Portuguese, he gets bailed out and learns that the evil Portuguese are stealing Japanese goods. He tells the daimyo Toranaga about this and blah blah blah and more stuff. (Also, Toranaga is at war against Lord Ishido who is with the Portuguese) Anjin falls in love with a woman named Mariko who serves Toranaga, but they are forbidden to be in love because Mariko is already married. Anjin also becomes a samurai or captain of the samurai, I forgot which. Toranaga wants Anjin to live and stay in Japan, even though he misses his home.

Ah me and my better half (ooh cheeky ;p) are just loving modern Japan, especially in terms of popular culture/business >3


some of the history is good also.

Ian

Sorry, I meant Yojimbo in the film, I know almost everything about the aeon (it is part of my special interest). I didn't know yojimbo meant bodyguard though, so thanks for telling it me.I also hated how you have to pay him to get him to do anything, but he does have Zantetsuken the most powerful move in the game, capable of felling even Penance in one hit. Depending on how much he likes you he sometimes does stuff for free. I can only get him to use Wakizashi or Kozuka for free though.

Shogun sounds interesting I may watch it some day.

My favourite japanese movie (and so favourite movie) is Battle Royale. The basic premise is that a class of 15 year olds are stuck on an island and are forced to kill each other. The last boy/girl standing gets to go home. Each person trys a different approach to the problem facing them.
How I wished to do that to my class sometimes.

It is very exciting to watch, and for a week afterwards it was all I talked about to my two friends.

:p

ooh, films with heavy japanese influence? you like Blade Runner, Bob?  even now I still see it as a realistic vision of mankinds future.

Ian

I have never seen Blade Runner, it has never been on tele as far as I have noticed, which is sad. Infact I hadn't noticed it at all until I watched it on AutTV, which is strange because it was meant to be a big movie.

i got it on dvd, from HMV..no doubt you can pick it up too

Ian

I sure will! Unfortunatly I just spent all my money at HMV buying the Serial Experiments Lain boxset, so it will be a while before I can get it.

It was £6 something if i remember correctly.

Really!? thats suprisingly cheap. Though I suppose it is a rather old film. But it costs me about £5 to get to the HMV store, so I only like to go if I have alot of money, since I am incredibly stingy with money and I really hate spending any at all, unless it is on an interest where I go a bit over the top and spend it all rather impulsivly. (btw in words like impulsivly, is there an e after the v, so it would be impulsively? none of them look right to me)