The first anime series to be released directly to video was Mamoru Oshii’s Dallos. The OVA (Original Video Animation) was born. Kenny B and Paul Fox of the East Screen West Screen podcast discusses its background and how the sci-fi epic fares t

Japan On Fire 33: The White Snake Enchantress

Jul 18th, 2020 1h 16m

Japanese studio Toei makes the first feature anime in colour and turn to Chinese folklore for their supernatural, romantic tale. In this episode we therefore examine 1958’s The White Snake Enchantress (also known as Panda And The Magic Serpent)

Japan On Fire 32: Momotaro – Sacred Sailors

Jul 4th, 2020 1h 18m

It’s the first feature length anime out of Japan, it’s got singing animals… and it’s a war propaganda movie. With Kenny B and Paul Fox of the East Screen West Screen podcast. Contact the show via email at podcastonfire at googlemail.com, on our

Japan On Fire 31: Fist Of The North Star

Jan 11th, 2020 1h 45m

Kenshiro, the fist of the north star, gets a big screen head and body bursting adventure that was such a shock to the senses, it’s been forever altered since. In this episode of Japan On Fire we turn to anime once more and Fist Of The North Sta

Japan On Fire 30: Hideo Gosha FINALE – The Oil-Hell Murder

Aug 10th, 2019 2h 2m

Hideo Gosha makes his last film and passes away. We say goodbye to the director of Three Outlaw Samurai , Hitokiri and The Geisha by looking at his 1992 film The Oil-Hell Murder. With Kenny B and author Robin Gatto. Contact the show via email a

Japan On Fire 29: Hideo Gosha – The Geisha

Mar 30th, 2019 2h 10m

After a hiatus, we are back for the finishing stretches of the coverage of the filmmaker responsible for Three Outlaw Samurai, Hitokiri and Onimasa. The next to last episode have us stopping in 1983 and the multi award winning drama about a gei

Japan On Fire 28: Your Name.

Nov 10th, 2017 1h

We do a little unscheudled stop into anime and the 2016 blockbuster Your Name from director Makato Shinkai. With Kenny B and roped in to inform, help out and review is East Screen West Screen’s Paul Fox. Contact the show via email at podcastonf

Japan On Fire 27: Hideo Gosha – Onimasa

May 12th, 2017 1h 51m

We jump ahead to the 80s resurgence of Hideo Gosha! Different style of filmmaking to a degree, different topics and characters to craft character-based cinema out of, in Onimasa we will talk of perhaps, the most gentle Hideo Gosha movie to date

Podcast On Fire Network Bonus Episode 27: Sabu – Chasuke’s Journey

Sep 2nd, 2016

We hinted at it being announced and also being completed by the time we capped off our series on Japanese filmmaker Sabu and since it has arrived on English subtitled dvd and Blu Ray, it’s time to watch and review his 2015 fantasy, comedy, dram

Japan On Fire 26: Hideo Gosha – Hitokiri

May 27th, 2016 1h 51m

For our second episode in the series about director Hideo Gosha, we stay in samurai territory, watching the of shape his often intense, downbeat, dirty, grimey voice even more. With focus on 1969’s Hitokiri, we also track progress via quick rev

Japan On Fire 25: Hideo Gosha – Three Outlaw Samurai

Jan 15th, 2016 1h 33m

Hideo Gosha saw samurai cinema and cinema in general and its world in a more dirty, gritty and cynical way, starting with 1964’s Three Outlaw Samurai. Kenny B and VCinema’s Coffin Jon start a new Japan On Fire director’s series in bloody, black

Japan On Fire 24: Sabu FINALE – Miss Zombie

Aug 7th, 2015 1h 3m

Sabu’s career is ongoing but we’re putting a cap on our coverage of it with this episode covering his 2013 black and white horror movie Miss Zombie. Contact the show via email at podcastonfire at googlemail.com, on our Facebook page and Faceboo

Japan On Fire 23: Sabu – Bunny Drop

Jul 31st, 2015 1h 19m

The Sabu filmography has been runny, drivy, walky, cycly…as in cycling, boyband wacky and downbeat and with Bunny Drop, he adds another piece of versatility to his filmography: The straightforward, family-drama. Running Times: 00ms 00s – Intro/

Japan On Fire 22: Sabu – Kanikosen

May 22nd, 2015 56m 38s

The wildman and acclaimed maker of chase movies with some very surreal and absurd humour continues his more thoughtful and humanistic streak as firmly explored in the dark Dead Run covered last episode and for this one, Kenny B and VCinema’s Co

Japan On Fire 21: Sabu – Dead Run

May 15th, 2015 1h 39m

Welcome back to our continued look at Japanese filmmaker Sabu. It’s been a wild, quirky, runny, drivy journey so far but things take a dark turn in Dead Run from 2005. Running Times: 00ms 00s – Intro/ Sabu biography recap and quick review of pr

Japan On Fire 20: Sabu – Blessing Bell

Nov 21st, 2014 1h 9m

Originally recorded as one long Japan On Fire 19, it is now re-edited into a shorter episode and this is the second half of the long recording that you first heard in episode 19. Kenny B and Coffin Jon takes you through the in’s and out’s of Sa

Japan On Fire 19: Sabu – Monday

Nov 14th, 2014 1h 24m

Originally recorded as one long Japan On Fire 19, it is now re-edited into a shorter episode and second half of the long recording will feature in Japan On Fire 20. This is part 2 of our series on director Sabu after covering his first two movi

Japan On Fire 18: Sabu – Dangan Runner & Postman Blues

Sep 26th, 2014 2h 10m

We are starting a new series on a particular figure out of Japanese cinema. I don’t know of many so I pick the ones I know and years ago I was recommended checking out the work of Sabu. I responded well, put down the fandom but now that there i

Japan On Fire 17: Mamoru Oshii – Avalon & The Sky Crawlers

May 20th, 2014 1h 49m

Closing out our coverage of Mamoru Oshii, the man with a bible in one hand and a basset hound by his other side, we’ve gone through his early days in anime, live action, how he created history by re-telling it through his Kerberos Saga and how

Podcast On Fire Network Bonus Episode 12: Ghost In The Shell 2.0

Jun 8th, 2013

Mamoru Oshii returns to his anime masterpiece to tweak. Kenny B and Coffin Jon from VCinema returns as well to explain what went wrong with Ghost In The Shell 2.0. Click to play in web-browser (to download right click and save)

Japan On Fire 16: Mamoru Oshii – Ghost In The Shell

Jun 8th, 2013 1h 48m

Kenny B and Coffin Jon from VCinema return to their Mamoru Oshii coverage for a (biblical?) discussion about all things Ghost In The Shell from 1995. Contact the show via email at podcastonfire at googlemail.com, on our Facebook page and Facebo

Japan On Fire 15: Mamoru Oshii – Stray Dog: Kerberos Panzer Cops & Jin Roh: The Wolf Brigade

Sep 26th, 2012 2h 35m

Kenny B Coffin Jon from VCinema finish off their Kerberos Saga coverage (or are they?) within this tale of Mamoru Oshii with reviews of Stray Dog: Kerberos Panzer Cops (1991) & the anime Jin Roh: The Wolf Brigade (1999). Hear the two hosts fin

Japan On Fire 14: Mamoru Oshii – The Red Spectacles & Patlabor

May 23rd, 2012 1h 57m

Kenny B and special guest Coffin Jon from VCinema continue their exploration of Mamoru Oshii and after quiet, surreal and religious anime in part 1 comes live action (anime) and a leap from the small screen to the big. Therefore we are reviewin

Podcast On Fire Network Bonus Episode 2: In The Aftermath (1988)

Feb 15th, 2012

The extension of Japan On Fire 6-1 or if you will in the aftermath of it, Ken and Coffin Jon, as promised and reluctantly, review the Australian sci-fi movie In The Afermath from 1988. Listen to find out how this connects to Oshii’s anime. Clic

Japan On Fire 13: Mamoru Oshii – Angel’s Egg (1985)

Feb 15th, 2012 2h 5m

Japan On Fire continues with anime but temporarily aborts the Studio Ghibli season for the start of the tale of Mamoru Oshii, director of Ghost In The Shell, Patlabor and Avalon. Ken and special guest Coffin Jon from VCinema talk of Oshii’s car