The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift

 Released Year: 2006

Directed by 林詣彬 Justin Lin

Casted by:

Lucas Black as Sean Boswell

姜成鎬 Sung Kang as Han-Seoul-Oh

Bow Wow as Twinkie

Nathalie Kelley as Neela

Brian Tee as Takashi/DK

千葉真一 Sonny Chiba as Kamata

Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto

 Story:

In Arizona, 17-year-old high school student Sean Boswell and Clay race their cars to win Clay's girlfriend Cindy. When Sean cuts through a structure and catches up to Clay, Clay hits Sean's car repeatedly until a high speed turn which causes the pair to both crash; Clay's wealthy family helps him escape punishment, but Sean's numerous past racing activities causes his mother to send him to live with his father in Tokyo, who is stationed there for the U.S. Navy.

At his new school, Sean meets a fellow American named Twinkie, who introduces Sean to Tokyo's drift racing scene. Sean has a confrontation with Takashi—aka DK (Drift King)—over Sean talking to DK's girlfriend Neela, resulting in Sean challenging DK to a race. Han Seoul-Oh, a friend & business partner to DK, lends Sean his car for the race. DK easily beats Sean due to Sean's inexperience at drifting, and Sean wrecks Han's car. The following day, Han tells Sean that he must work for him. Sean and Han become friends, with Han teaching Sean how to drift and lending him another car for future races. Han explains that he is helping Sean because Sean is the only person willing to stand up to DK. Sean later moves in with Han and soon masters drifting, gaining some reputation after defeating DK's right-hand man, Morimoto. Sean soon asks Neela out on a date, and learns that after her mother died she moved in with DK's grandmother resulting in her hooking up with DK. DK beats up Sean the next day, telling him to stay away from Neela; Neela leaves DK and moves in with Sean and Han.

DK's uncle Kamata (the head of the Yakuza), informs DK that their business is not meeting expectations, and DK realizes that Han has been stealing from him. DK and Morimoto confront Han, Sean, and Neela about the thefts. Twinkie causes a distraction allowing Han, Sean, and Neela to flee, pursued by Morimoto and DK; Morimoto is killed in a crash, and Han is rammed by an oncoming car and dies when it fatally explodes.

Sean and Neela escape to his father's home, followed by DK. Neela leaves with DK to avoid a gun fight between Sean, his father and DK. Sean's father demands that Sean return to the United States; Sean insists on staying. Sean returns the stolen money to Kamata and proposes a race against DK to determine who will leave Tokyo. Kamata agrees and sets the race to take place on DK's mountain. The following morning, Sean finds that the police have confiscated all of Han's cars. Sean and Han's friends quickly build a new car using Sean's father's old car and the engine from Han's beat-up car.

That night, on the mountain, crowds gather to see the race; After the race starts, DK takes the lead, but Sean's training allows him to catch up to DK. DK resorts to ramming Sean's car, eventually missing and driving off the mountain while Sean crosses the finish line. Kamata keeps his word and lets Sean remain in Tokyo.

The next night, Sean, now the Drift King, is challenged by a new driver who knew Han: Dominic Toretto.

 L² Scored: 10/10 

L² Comment:

Way before the movie is out, everyone is already cheering for it, at least in Asia... well, even though this movie is a caucasian franchise film, but it doesn't mean plotted it in the Asia will be bored. We Asian is also as exciting and fascinating as them. For me, the storyline is great, and the asian guys outcasted the 2 main westerners actors/actress no matter in acting or anything. Yeah, Asian rocks :)

Tales from Earthsea 地海傳說 ゲド戦記

 Released Year: 2006

Directed by 宮崎吾朗 Goro Miyazaki

Voiced by:

 岡田准一 Junichi Okada as 亞刃 Prince Arren
菅原文太 Bunta Sugawara as 雀鷹 Sparrowhawk
手嶌葵 Aoi Teshima as 瑟魯 Therru

風吹純 Jun Fubuki as 恬娜 Tenar

田中裕子 Yūko Tanaka as 蜘蛛 Cob

 Story:

A war galley is caught in a storm at sea. The ship's weatherworker is distressed to realize he has lost the power to control the wind and waves, but is more so when he sees two dragons fighting above the clouds, one of which is killed by the other.

The King of Enlad, already troubled by tales of drought and pestilence in the land, receives news both of the strange omen at sea and of the disappearance of his son, Prince Arren. The King's wizard, Root, tells the tale of how dragons and men were once "one", until people who cherished freedom became dragons, and men chose possessions, and of his fears of how the land's plight is because of the weakening of the "balance". The King has little time to ponder on this before he is killed in a dark corridor by a young boy, who is revealed to be his son Arren. The young prince steals his father's sword and flees the palace.

The action now moves to the desert where Arren is pursued by wolves, and rescued by a wizard who turns out to be Sparrowhawk (Ged) the Archmage. Arren accompanies Sparrowhawk and travels to the city of Hort Town. Arren goes to explore the town alone, suddenly becoming scared as if something is following him. While running, Arren sees a young girl, Therru, fleeing from slavers from whom he saves her, although he also shocks her with his indifference to the life of any person, even his own.

Later in the evening Arren is captured by the slavers but loses his sword as the head slaver believes it to be worthless junk. Arren is rescued by Sparrowhawk from the slavers, and they travel to a farm where Therru is looked after by a woman, Tenar, whom Sparrowhawk has known.

The head slaver ("Hare") reports back into a castle to Lord Cob, and almost pays with his life for the loss, until he tells Cob that Sparrowhawk freed the slaves. Cob orders him to bring Sparrowhawk to the castle. At the farm, Sparrowhawk reveals that he is investigating the cause of the Balance being upset and leaves for Hort Town, where he discovers that the sword Arren had is in a merchant shop. Sparrowhawk is then confronted by Hare, but transforms his face to disguise himself. When the slavers leave, he buys the sword.

Arren, at the retreat, reveals to Therru, who gradually accepted him, that he killed his father and that he is scared of the unknown presence following him. Later he leaves in secret. Tenar is captured by the slavers as bait to lure Sparrowhawk into the castle and leaves Therru behind tied to a post as a messenger. Arren is again pursued by the unknown presence and runs away, falling into a lake and falling unconscious underwater. Cob, who sees this, saves him and brings him to the castle, where he manipulates him, saying Sparrowhawk wants to use Arren to discover the secret of eternal life. Cob blackmails Arren to reveal his "true name", Lebannen, to control him. Sparrowhawk, on the way back to the farm, encounters Therru, who freed herself, and gives her the sword, telling her to stay and give it to Arren if he returns. He goes to the castle to save Tenar but instead finds Arren, who tries to kill him, but fails. Sparrowhawk tells Arren that death is natural and that no one can live forever causing Arren to realize what he almost did, before being captured as his power is weakened within the stronghold of Cob's castle.

Therru sees a copy of Arren and follows him to the castle, where he reveals he is the light within Arren. He tells Therru his true name and says while he cannot go into the castle, he will be with her at all moments. Inside of the castle, Therru finds Arren, guilty and full of hopelessness, and brought hope back to him by saying his true name, breaking Cob's control over him. She also tells him her true name, Tehanu. Both go to rescue Sparrowhawk and Tenar from Cob who is about to throw them off a high tower. After fighting and scaring off Hare and the slave traders, the sword that Arren possesses unsheathes, revealing that this is due to its magical nature, and he cuts off Cob's hand, which flies away still holding his staff, rendering him unable to use magic. Cob turns into a grotesque old man, due to the loss of his magic. Cob, after reattaching his severed hand, captures Therru and flees to the highest tower on the castle, with Arren in hot pursuit. Cornered, Cob strangles Therru to death. However, she does not die as she has eternal life, and instead becomes a dragon, thus killing Cob and rescuing Arren from the collapsing tower that Cob destroyed to prevent Arren from advancing.

Therru and Arren land at a field where Therru reforms as a human. Arren tells Therru he will leave for home to repent for his crime, but will come back to see her sometime.

  L² Scored: 6.5/10

L² Comment:

This animation was directed by the eldest son of Miyazaki Hayao. Ummm... this kind of action/war animation seldom appear in the Hayao's series, this would be the first one i have ever seen. Overall the storyline is ok for me, nothing too special or extraordinary from the other animation. I love the magic part, its kinda cool, but of coz compare with his previous movie, this will not be on the top of the pack~

Zombie Self Defense Force ゾンビ自衛隊

Released Year: 2006
Directed by Naoyuki Tomomatsu

Casted by:
渡瀬美遊 Miyu Watase as Yuri
山崎潤 Jun Yamasaki as Hayakawa
Story:

After World War II, every country has blame Japan for being the evil who destroy the peace. To protect themselves, there are actually an army of zombie japanese to protect themselves. Until present time, these zombies have been bury underneath the ground.

An UFO flew past and triggered all the zombie and death to be alive again. A group of trainee army has been attacked and they hide themselves in a motel. Finally, Yuri was informed that she's not human but a cyborg instead. To protect everyone, she has to kill all the zombie. But the zombies are unable to be killed, Yuri has to explode herself to save the whole world.

L² Scored: -10/10

L² Comment:

Ok, i never ever would have watch this stupid film. The second film which i have gave a -10 in my blog... PEACE~