Cinepuuulse 銀幕 /

The Japan Times

10 stories

When the yen ruled the world: Shunji Iwai’s ‘Swallowtail Butterfly’ returns in 4K

The Japan TimesJapanWhen the yen ruled the world: Shunji Iwai’s ‘Swallowtail Butterfly’ returns in 4K The director talks about his approach to the 4K restoration of his classic film, now showing in theaters nationwide.

How Vocaloid became the soundtrack to liminal spaces

The Japan TimesJapanHow Vocaloid became the soundtrack to liminal spaces Before "Backrooms" became a movie, the singing-synthesizer software Vocaloid was the hallmark of the liminal and the uneasy in Japan.

‘Godzilla’ sequel in the spotlight at this year’s Tokyo International Film Festival

The Japan TimesJapan‘Godzilla’ sequel in the spotlight at this year’s Tokyo International Film Festival "Godzilla Minus Zero," the highly anticipated sequel to the Oscar-winning "Godzilla Minus One," will be the centerpiece of the 39th edition of Japan's largest film festival.

Kiki returns for a charming second act

The Japan TimesJapanKiki returns for a charming second act Beloved witch Kiki is part of a series of books by Eiko Kadono. The second title in the series is out in English translation.

Realism and research underpin film with autistic protagonist

The Japan TimesJapanRealism and research underpin film with autistic protagonist Syoutarou Kobayasi reflects on his careful approach to portraying an autistic man's experience in "Lives at Right Angles."

Let’s talk about ‘S&X,’ baby: Netflix drama on sexuality falls flat

The Japan TimesJapanLet’s talk about ‘S&X,’ baby: Netflix drama on sexuality falls flat The Netflix series tries to destigmatize conversations about sex with unflinching honesty, but flattens the story in the process.

‘Numakage Public Pool’ documents the demise of a third space

The Japan TimesJapan‘Numakage Public Pool’ documents the demise of a third space Shinga Ota's "hybrid documentary" is a bittersweet lament for a community hub facing its final weeks.

‘I Don’t Know You’: A provocative, humanist drama with no easy answers

The Japan TimesJapan‘I Don’t Know You’: A provocative, humanist drama with no easy answers Ryota Nakano's latest film is anchored by strong performances from Kentaro Sakaguchi and Ikoi Hayase.

Chiikawa is small in stature but huge at the box office

The Japan TimesJapanChiikawa is small in stature but huge at the box office Following the success of "Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island," interactive and immersive screenings are planned across Japan.

‘Masayume’ finds Zen in the messiness of being human

The Japan TimesJapan‘Masayume’ finds Zen in the messiness of being human Nao Yoshigai's experimental documentary blends meditation, autobiography and bodily humor into an unconventional meditation on healing and acceptance.

Festivals

映画祭 · What's on the festival calendar, the films each region is talking about this week, and what its press is covering — in English

On view

On screens this week the newest stills from the region's press

The wire the region's press, translated

How Asia watches in 2026 from the industry's own reports

Sources

Fetched every three hours, linked to the original

About

Cinepuuulse is a magazine, a radar and a diary about Asian cinema — Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand — read from Tokyo.

Our mark is 銀幕, ginmaku, the old word for the silver screen; it is the same two characters in Japanese, Chinese and Korean. A magazine, because every week one film is worth reading about slowly. A radar, because we count what the region's screens are talking about — box office, festivals, directors, anime, streaming — and show it as it moves. A diary, because a seal is set each day in that day's colour, and the days add up.

We read the local press in its own languages and bring it over in English: the Japanese film sites, the Korean trade papers, the Chinese culture desks, the Vietnamese and Thai entertainment pages. Everything here links back to the people who made it; the images belong to their authors.

Cinepuuulse will keep changing. New sources, new signals, new ways of looking — a little better each week, never finished. If a film here made you want to buy a ticket, that is enough.

Thank you for reading. ありがとうございます。