Asian Cinema Reviews

UK Anime Network - Asian Cinema Reviews

The Man Who Failed to Die

A tale told with dry humour and ultimately a story about men finding a reason to live.

Author: Richard Durrance

LATEST Asian Cinema REVIEWS

All the good (and bad) stuff!

City on Fire

posted by Richard Durrance
25 Nov 2025

Death by Hanging - Radical Japan: Cinema and State - Nine Films by Nagisa Oshima Part 2

posted by Richard Durrance
18 Nov 2025

The Catch - Radical Japan: Cinema and State - Nine Films by Nagisa Oshima Part 1

posted by Richard Durrance
14 Nov 2025

A Samurai in Time

posted by Richard Durrance
11 Nov 2025

Jakoman and Tetsu

posted by Richard Durrance
07 Nov 2025

Sana

posted by Richard Durrance
31 Oct 2025

Daiei Gothic vol 2

posted by Richard Durrance
29 Oct 2025

The Draft!

posted by Richard Durrance
23 Oct 2025

The Maiku Hama Trilogy

posted by Richard Durrance
13 Oct 2025

V-Cinema Essentials 9: XX: Beautiful Hunter

posted by Richard Durrance
08 Oct 2025

V-Cinema Essentials 8: Danger Point: The Road to Hell

posted by Richard Durrance
25 Sep 2025

Transcending Dimensions (Theatrical Screening)

posted by Richard Durrance
16 Sep 2025

V-Cinema Essentials 7: The Hitman: Blood Smells Like Roses

posted by Richard Durrance
10 Sep 2025

V-Cinema Essentials 6: Female Prisoner Scorpion: Death Threat

posted by Richard Durrance
04 Sep 2025

The Betrayal

posted by Richard Durrance
03 Sep 2025

FROM THE ARCHIVE

Classic titles from a bygone age

Wood Job!

by Hayley Scanlon

Reviewed: 2015

Massacre Gun

by Hayley Scanlon

Reviewed: 2015

Fuku-chan of FukuFuku Flats (Theatrical screening)

by Hayley Scanlon

Reviewed: 2014

UKA RECOMMENDS

The Best of the Best

27 Apr 2012

Confessions

07 Feb 2024

I, the Executioner

27 Feb 2020

Parasite

21 Jun 2021

Godzilla - Review 1 from Godzilla: The Showa era films 1954-1975.

ALL Asian Cinema REVIEWS

The Entire Archive

SEARCH TITLES

Asian Cinema REVIEWS A-Z

Apartment Wife: Affair in the Afternoon

7/10

Foreign Duck, The Native Duck and God in a Coin Locker, The

8/10

Godzilla Raids Again - Review 2 from Godzilla: The Showa era films 1954-1975

7/10

9/10

5/10

5/10

9/10

A Certain Killer & A Killer's Key

6/10

A Fugitive from the Past

9/10

A Samurai in Time

8/10

A Story Written with Water

9/10

A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness

6/10

About Her Brother (Otouto)

7/10

About the Pink Sky

6/10

Adrift in Tokyo

9/10

Adrift in Tokyo (blu-ray)

8/10

After Life

9/10

After The Storm

9/10

Age of Samuarai Battle for Japan

7/10

Air Doll

8/10

Akira Kurosawa Samurai Collection

8/10

Alice in Borderland

7/10

Alita Battle Angel

8/10

Alive

6/10

All Monsters Attack - Review 10 from Godzilla: The Showa era films 1954-1975

6/10

An Actor’s Revenge

10/10

Ang Lee Trilogy

8/10

Angry Squad: The Civil Servant and the Seven Swindlers

7/10

Animal World (theatrical screening)

7/10

Antique Bakery

7/10

Arirang

9/10

Asleep

8/10

Assassination Classroom

8/10

Assassins, The

7/10

Asura: The City of Madness

9/10

Attack on Titan: Parts 1 and 2 (Theatrical screening)

5/10

Attack on Titan: The Movie - Part 1

6/10

Attack on Titan: The Movie - Part 2: End of the World

6/10

Au revoir l'ete

8/10

Audition

9/10

Back to 1942

7/10

Bad Company (Mabudachi)

7/10

Battles Without Honour and Humanity Box Set

10/10

Be My Baby (Theatrical screening)

7/10

Behind the Camera

8/10

Big Time Gambling Boss

9/10

Birth of the Dragon

8/10

Black Society Trilogy

8/10

Black Test Car & The Black Report

8/10

8/10

5/10

7/10

8/10

8/10

8/10

7/10

Bloody Spear at Mount Fuji

7/10

Blue Spring

7/10

Branded to Kill

9/10

Brief History of a Family

8/10

9/10

8/10

8/10

6/10

By a Man's Face Shall You Know Him

9/10

Cells at Work

7/10

City Hunter (Netflix)

8/10

8/10

7/10

7/10

7/10

10/10

8/10

Cowboy Bebop (Netflix)

5/10

Crazy Thunder Road

8/10

Crocodile

8/10

Daiei Gothic - Japanese Ghost Stories

8/10

Daiei Gothic vol 2

8/10

Daimajin Collection

7/10

Dark Harbour, The (Futoko)

8/10

Dark Water

8/10

Dead or Alive Trilogy

8/10

Death Bell

5/10

Death by Hanging - Radical Japan: Cinema and State - Nine Films by Nagisa Oshima Part 2

7/10

Death Note (TV)

7/10

Death Notice: Ikigami

8/10

Decision to Leave

7/10

Desire to Kill

7/10

Destroy All Monsters - Review 9 from Godzilla: The Showa era films 1954-1975

6/10

Destruction Babies

1/10

Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame

9/10

Dogra Magra

9/10

Dolls

9/10

Dong-ju: The Portrait of a Poet (Theatrical screening)

8/10

Doomsday Book

7/10

Door / Door 2: Tokyo Diary

7/10

Dragon

8/10

Drudgery Train, The

9/10

Ebirah, Horror of the Deep - Review 7 from Godzilla: The Showa era films 1954-1975

5/10

Edge of Tomorrow

6/10

Eighteen Years in Prison

9/10

Electric Dragon 80,000v

9/10

Elegant Beast

8/10

Evil Dead Trap

8/10

Evil Dead Trap 2: Hideki

7/10

Execution in Autumn

6/10

Exit

9/10

Fairy Tale Killer

5/10

Farewell My Concubine

9/10

Female Prisoner Scorpion: The Complete Collection

8/10

8/10

7/10

7/10

7/10

For Love's Sake (Theatrical screening)

9/10

Four, The

7/10

Fuku-chan of FukuFuku Flats (Theatrical screening)

8/10

Funky Forest & Warped Forest

5/10

Gantz

7/10

Gantz: Perfect Answer

8/10

Garm Wars: The Last Druid

6/10

Gemini

9/10

Genghis: The Legend of the Ten

6/10

Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster - Review 5 from Godzilla: The Showa era films 1954-1975

7/10

Ghost in the Shell

7/10

Ghost Killer

5/10

Giants and Toys

8/10

Girl At My Door, A (Theatrical Review)

9/10

8/10

Godzilla - Review 1 from Godzilla: The Showa era films 1954-1975.

10/10

Godzilla (2014)

6/10

Godzilla Minus One

9/10

Godzilla vs Kong

4/10

Godzilla vs. Gigan - Review 12 from Godzilla: The Showa era films 1954-1975

4/10

Godzilla vs. Hedorah - Review 11 from Godzilla: The Showa era films 1954-1975

7/10

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

2/10

Godzilla: King of the Monsters (Theatrical screening)

6/10

9/10

6/10

7/10

7/10

9/10

9/10

Happiness of the Katakuris, The

8/10

Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai (Ichimei) 3D

7/10

Hard Day, A

8/10

Helpless (Theatrical screening)

8/10

Himizu

8/10

Himizu (Theatrical release)

10/10

Hiruko the Goblin

7/10

HK: Forbidden Superhero

7/10

Hokuriku Proxy War

8/10

Human Condition Trilogy, The

9/10

I Just Didn't Do It (Soredemo Boku wa Yattenai)

8/10

I Wish (Kiseki)

8/10

I, the Executioner

10/10

In Front of Your Face (theatrical screening)

8/10

Insect Woman, The (Nippon-Konchuki)

9/10

Instant Swamp

9/10

Invasion of Astro-Monster - Review 6 from Godzilla: The Showa era films 1954-1975

6/10

Jakoman and Tetsu

7/10

Japan Organised Crime Boss

8/10

Judge! (Theatrical screening)

8/10

Kai (Theatrical screening)

6/10

Kamikaze Girls

9/10

Katsuhito Ishii Collection - Part 1: Shark Skin Man & Peach Hip Girl and Party 7

7/10

Katsuhito Ishii Collection - Part 2: Four Films

6/10

Kick, The

4/10

Kids Return

8/10

Kiju Yoshida: Love Plus Anarchism

10/10

Kikujiro

9/10

King Kong vs. Godzilla - Review 3 from Godzilla: The Showa era films 1954-1975.

2/10

King of Fists and Dollars

6/10

Kingdom of Dreams and Madness, The

9/10

Kirishima Thing, The (Theatrical screening)

8/10

Kite

6/10

Knights of the Zodiac

2/10

Kumiko The Treasure Hunter

8/10

Kunoichi: Ninja Girl

3/10

Kwaidan

8/10

Lady Snowblood / Lady Snowblood 2: Love Song of Vengeance

9/10

Land of Hope, The (Theatrical screening)

9/10

Last Princess, The

8/10

Lesson of Evil

7/10

Let the Bullets Fly

9/10

Let the Bullets Fly (Theatrical)

8/10

8/10

9/10

7/10

8/10

Love Exposure (Blu-Ray)

7/10

Love Hotel

8/10

Love Strikes! (Moteki)

6/10

7/10

9/10

6/10

7/10

Man With Style, A - Azemichi no Dandi

7/10

Massacre Gun

8/10

Matter of Interpretation, A

8/10

9/10

6/10

7/10

8/10

Moebius (Theatrical Screening)

8/10

Monarch Legacy of Monsters

8/10

Monster Chronicles, The: Tiktik

7/10

Mothra (1961)

7/10

Mothra vs. Godzilla - Review 4 from Godzilla: The Showa era films 1954-1975

8/10

Mountains May Depart

9/10

My Ex

3/10

Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki

7/10

New Directors From Japan

8/10

New Religion

8/10

Night of the Felines

6/10

Nikkatsu Diamond Guys Vol. 1

9/10

Nikkatsu Diamond Guys Vol. 2

8/10

Ninja Kids!!! (Theatrical Screening)

8/10

Nobuhiko Obayashi's 80s Kadokawa Years

8/10

Obon Brothers

8/10

Ode to My Father

7/10

Omniscient Reader - The Prophecy

7/10

One on One (Theatrical screening)

6/10

One Percenter

6/10

One Piece (Netflix)

8/10

One Way Trip

8/10

Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle (theatrical screening)

8/10

Otakus in Love

8/10

Outlaw: Gangster VIP Collection

9/10

Over Your Dead Body

7/10

Pale Moon

9/10

Parasite

10/10

Parasyte the Movie: Part 1

8/10

Parasyte the Movie: Part 2

8/10

Penalty Loop

7/10

Phantom Detective, The (Theatrical screening)

8/10

Pink Films vol 1& 2

8/10

Pink Films Vol. 3&4

7/10

Pink Films Vol. 5 & 6

8/10

Piper, The

8/10

Play it Cool

9/10

Playful White Fingers

7/10

Pluto

9/10

Poetry

9/10

Pokemon Detective Pikachu (Theatrical Screening)

8/10

7/10

8/10

7/10

8/10

7/10

9/10

8/10

Rebirth (Theatrical screening)

9/10

9/10

8/10

7/10

7/10

Revenge: A Love Story

6/10

Rigor Mortis

7/10

River

7/10

Road Stained Crimson, A

8/10

Rogue Ninja

3/10

Rolling

7/10

Romance Joe

7/10

Rurouni Kenshin 2: Kyoto Inferno

8/10

Rurouni Kenshin 3: The Legend Ends

8/10

Ryuzo and the Seven Henchmen

8/10

Sacrifice

8/10

Sado Tempest (Arashi)

7/10

Sailor Suit and Machine Gun

9/10

Sake-Bomb

6/10

Sake-Bomb (Theatrical screening)

6/10

Salute! Sun Yat-Sen

8/10

Samurai Reincarnation

9/10

7/10

5/10

7/10

9/10

7/10

Secrets in the Hot Spring

6/10

Seijun Suzuki: The Early Years. Vol. 1 Seijun Rising: The Youth Movies

9/10

Serpent's Path / Eye of the Spider

8/10

Seven Samurai (60th anniversary BFI Blu-ray)

8/10

Shackled (Belenggu)

7/10

Shadow of Fire (theatrical screening)

9/10

9/10

8/10

7/10

8/10

Shin Godzilla (Home Video Release)

9/10

Shin Godzilla: Theatrical Review

8/10

Shirome

7/10

Shogun's Samurai

8/10

Snake of June, A

9/10

Snow White Murder Case, The (Theatrical screening)

8/10

Son of Godzilla - Review 8 from Godzilla: The Showa era films 1954-1975

6/10

Sonic the Hedgehog

8/10

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

9/10

Spirited Away

10/10

Spring in a Small Town

8/10

Story of Yonosuke

8/10

Story of Yonosuke, The

8/10

Stray Cat Rock Collection

8/10

Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist

9/10

Suicide Club

8/10

Summer Time Machine Blues

7/10

Suzhou River

7/10

Sweden Porno: Blonde Animal

3/10

Sweet Little Lies

9/10

Sympathy for the Underdog

7/10

Tag

8/10

Tag (Dual Format Release)

9/10

Takashi Ishii 4 Tales of Nami Review 1 - Alone in the Night

9/10

Takashi Ishii 4 Tales of Nami Review 2 - Angel Guts: Red Flash

7/10

Takashi Ishii 4 Tales of Nami Review 3 - A Night in Nude

7/10

Takashi Ishii 4 Tales of Nami Review 4 - Original Sin

8/10

Tale of Iya, The

9/10

Tale of Samurai Cooking - A True Love Story, A

7/10

7/10

8/10

7/10

7/10

Tetsuo: The Iron Man / Tetsuo II: Body Hammer

10/10

Tezuka’s Barbara

7/10

The Angel Guts Collection 1 - Angel Guts: Red Classroom

9/10

The Angel Guts Collection 2 - Angel Guts: Nami

9/10

The Angel Guts Collection 3 - Angel Guts: Red Porno

6/10

The Angel Guts Collection 4 - Angel Guts: Red Vertigo

7/10

The Beast to Die

8/10

The Betrayal

8/10

The Bounty Hunter Trilogy

7/10

The Box Man

7/10

The Bullet Train

8/10

The Catch - Radical Japan: Cinema and State - Nine Films by Nagisa Oshima Part 1

9/10

The Crazy Family

9/10

The Draft!

7/10

The Executioner Collection

6/10

The Fall of Ako Castle

8/10

The Game Trilogy

6/10

The Guard from Underground

7/10

The H-Man / Battle in Outer Space

6/10

The Invisible Swordsman

5/10

The Maiku Hama Trilogy

8/10

The Man Who Failed to Die

8/10

The Most Beautiful Boy in the World

7/10

The Prosecutor

6/10

The Rapacious Jailbreaker

9/10

The Shape of Night

8/10

The Snake Girl and the Silver-Haired Witch

7/10

The Sting of Death

9/10

The Street Fighter Trilogy

7/10

The Taste of Tea

7/10

The Threat

7/10

The Villainess

7/10

The Yellow Sea (Hwanghae)

8/10

Thermae Romae (Theatrical screening)

7/10

Three Outlaw Samurai

9/10

Thunderbolt Fantasy Eps. 1-5

8/10

Time Traveller: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

6/10

To Sleep So As To Dream

10/10

Tokijiro: Lone Yakuza

9/10

Tokyo Decadence

7/10

Tokyo Drifter (Theatrical Screening)

9/10

Tokyo Fist

9/10

Tokyo Ghoul

8/10

Tomie

8/10

Toshiaki Toyoda: The Early Years

8/10

Touch of Sin, A

8/10

Train to Busan (Theatrical screening)

8/10

Transcending Dimensions (Theatrical Screening)

8/10

Tsukamoto (Killing / Haze / Denchu-Kozo)

8/10

Turtles Are Surprisingly Fast Swimmers

7/10

7/10

8/10

7/10

6/10

9/10

9/10

Unlucky Woman's Blues

6/10

Uzumasa Limelight

8/10

V-Cinema Essentials 1: Crime Hunter: Bullets of Rage

6/10

V-Cinema Essentials 2: Neo Chinpira: Zoom Goes the Bullet

5/10

V-Cinema Essentials 3: Stranger

8/10

V-Cinema Essentials 4: Carlos

7/10

V-Cinema Essentials 5: Burning Dog

7/10

V-Cinema Essentials 6: Female Prisoner Scorpion: Death Threat

5/10

V-Cinema Essentials 7: The Hitman: Blood Smells Like Roses

6/10

V-Cinema Essentials 8: Danger Point: The Road to Hell

7/10

V-Cinema Essentials 9: XX: Beautiful Hunter

6/10

Veteran

8/10

Villain

7/10

Violent Prosecutor, A (Theatrical screening)

8/10

7/10

8/10

8/10

7/10

9/10

9/10

8/10

8/10

Woodsman and the Rain, The

8/10

World of Kanako, The (Theatrical Screening)

8/10

9/10

8/10

7/10

6/10

8/10

8/10

Your Lie in April: The Musical

8/10

Your Lovely Smile

8/10

Yu Yu Hakusho (Netflix)

7/10

Zebraman

8/10

Zebraman 2: Attack on Zebra City

7/10

Zokki

6/10

JoynTokyo - Find resources to improve quality of life in Japan!