PROGRAMS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
WITHOUT NOTICE
“Unnatural,” premieres Tuesday, June 19, at 7:35 p.m.
Mikoto Misumi (Satomi Ishihara) is a pathologist at the newly established Unnatural Death Investigation (UDI) Lab in Tokyo, which accepts the dead bodies of people who died of unnatural causes from all across the country. Mikoto can’t stand neglecting unnatural deaths and works on unnatural death cases with team members autopsy doctor Kai Nakado, recorder Rokuro Kube, clinical test technologist Yuko Shoji and UDI director Yasuo Kamikura. Together, they try to reveal the truth behind the deaths. Fully subtitled in English.
“Hello Harinezumi (Hello, Detective Hedgehog),” premieres Friday, June 22, at 7:35 p.m.
Goro Nanase (Eita) and Kyusaku Kogure (Go Morita) are private detectives at Akatsuka Detective Agency. They are laid-back employees who are more often found kicking back in a snack bar downstairs, but are known to take on a string of challenging cases that no one else wants to take on. Their motto is “to be compassionate and meddlesome,” which leads them to get involved in strange situations with their clients. One day, a client comes in and asks the agency to find his daughter who went missing a month ago. Fully subtitled in English.
NGN 3 MOVIE CHANNEL (Spectrum Digital Ch. 679/HD 1679)
Premiere titles air on Friday. “Movie of the Month” premieres on the first Saturday. Movies are shown at various times. Check your digital on-screen guide for movie schedules, using either the GUIDE or INFO buttons (up to one week ahead). Or call NGN, Mon.-Fri. from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 538-1966 for inquiries or to request an e-mail of NGN 3 programming information. All movies are in Japanese language with full English subtitles.
Movie of the Month
“No Youna Mono, No Youna Mono (Something Like, Something Like It),” 2016 drama, 1 hour and 35 minutes.
Directed by Taiichi Sugiyama. Starring Kenichi Matsuyama and Keiko Kitagawa.
Shinden is a serious and undistinguished “Rakugo” performer (a traditional Japanese verbal performance art) apprentice. He is ordered from his master to find the whereabouts of senior performer Shintoto, who had given up Rakugo to live a more carefree life. As he gets to know him, Shinden learns how to live more enjoyable life while Shintoto recalls his passion for “Rakugo.”
Movies in Alphabetical Order
“Ako Roshi (The Ako Retainers),” 1961 samurai film, 2 hours and 31 minutes.
Directed by Sadatsugu Matsuda. Starring Chiezo Kataoka, Hashizo Okawa, Kinnosuke Nakamura, Chiyonosuke Azuma, Kotaro Satomi, Ryutaro Otomo and Utaemon Ichikawa.
Toei’s 10th anniversary film, features an all-star cast from the golden movie era of the 1960’s. A famous story of the 47 loyal samurai — when Lord Asano is unjustly executed, his loyal retainers strike back for revenge.
“Aoi no Abarenbo (Fine Man),” 1961 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 26 minutes. Directed by Daisuke Yamazaki. Starring Kinya Kitaoji and Midori Isomura.
A young son of a master of the Kuwana clan gets disowned for his rebellious behavior. After he goes from the mountains to the ocean defeating evil, he becomes a fine man.
“Benikujaku Dai-sanpen Tsuki no Hakkotsujo (Crimson Peacock,
Part 3),” 1955 jidaigeki, 53 minutes.
Directed by Ryo Hagiwara. Starring Kinnosuke Nakamura and Chiyonosuke Azuma.
Adventures revolving the key to the treasure of Crimson Peacock continue. Bewitched by the ally of evil Ikkaku, Kumi persuades Kojiro to take his life.
“Benikujaku Dai-yonhen Kenmou Ukinemaru (Crimson Peacock,
Part 4),” 1955 jidaigeki, 53 minutes.
Directed by Ryo Hagiwara. Starring Kinnosuke Nakamura and Chiyonosuke Azuma.
Exciting adventures for the quest of the Crimson Peacock treasures continue. Ukinemaru’s mystical flute saves Kojiro and Kazekozo from the evil magic of Ikkaku.
“Dokuganryu Masamune (The Hawk of the North),” 1959 jidaigeki,
1 hour and 27 minutes.
Directed by Toshikazu Kono. Starring Kinnosuke Nakamura and Ryunosuke Tsukigata.
A life of famous feudal lord Date Masamune is depicted.
“Gassoh (Joint Burial),” 2015 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 27 minutes.
Directed by Tatsuo Kobayashi. Starring Yuya Yagira and Koji Seto.
In the year 1868, the Tokugawa Shogunate is ending after a period of dominance that continued for 300 years. Three young men join the elite Shogitai division of the Shogunate. The Shogitai fights to the end and opposes the dismantling of the Bakufu system. Kiwamu suddenly breaks off his engagement with Teijiro’s younger sister in order to join the Shogitai. Teijiro is outraged by this and heads off in pursuit of Kiwamu, but then they run into their old childhood friend, Masanosuke. When Kiwamu discovers that Masanosuke has been driven out of his family home, Kiwamu encourages him to join their Shogitai. When these three lifelong friends are reunited, their destinies are propelled into sharply different directions.
“Hashizo no Yakuza Hangan (Yakuza Official),” 1962 jidaigeki,
1 hour and 31 minutes.
Directed by Masahiro Makino. Starring Hashizo Okawa and Satomi Oka.
Young master Fumikichi disguises himself as a yakuza in order to solve a case of a mysterious death.
“Hokkai Yukyoden (North Sea Chivalry),” 1967 drama, 1 hour and 29 minutes.
Directed by Ryuichi Takamori. Starring Saburo Kitajima, Shinichi Chiba and Hideo Murata.
Inosuke, a former gangster, and his friends struggle to make a living as simple fishermen in this tale of chivalry and friendship among yakuza in the northern regions.
“Inazuma Touge no Ketto (Showdown at Lightning Pass),” 1962 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 31 minutes.
Directed by Nobuo Nakagawa. Starring Utaemon Ichikawa and Shinjiro Ebara.
A story about a spear master’s spiritual and martial discipline.