Shopping Guide
Recently, the position of anime and special effects films has been rising in Japan. Among the top 10 Japanese films of 2012, four of them were anime films. At the top spot was the anime film Brave Hearts: Umizaru, and at number three was Thermae Romae. Both of these films were based on original manga. You can’t talk about today’s Japanese films without also talking about anime and manga.
Riding on this wave, the Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival (YIFFF) was recently held in Yubari, Hokkaido from Feb. 21-25. YIFFF is based on France’s Festival International Du Film Fantastique D'Avoriaz and is held in a resort-like atmosphere. Since it began in 1990, YIFFF has picked up a lot of attention. Disney’s film Wreck-It Ralph was introduced at the festival along with the special effects film Garo: Sosoku no Maryu, which was directed by Keita Amamiya.
It seems that anime and special effects films are becoming even stronger in the film world.
Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival Official Site:
http://yubarifanta.com/ (Japanese)
