Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival 2018 Details

Date: 2018 August 24 20:13

Posted by Joe

Anime fans in Wales are in for a treat this September and October as the Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival returns for another run of great films. Set to run at Chapter in Cardiff from Friday 28th to Sunday 30th September 2018 and Aberystwyth Arts Centre from Saturday 20th to Sunday 21st October 2018.

Japanese animators Tsuneo Goda and Hirokazu Minegishi from dwarf will be in Cardiff for the festival. They're stop motion animation experts. You may have seen their work on NHK World's charming Domo shorts. They'll be there to present a master class and conduct workshops, plus an autographing signing session.

Of course they'll be showing lots of anime on the big screen. They've got an amazing selection of recent anime including the charming Lu Over the Wall (which we've reviewed here), the emotional Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms (again you can read our review here), Mary And The Witch's Flower, along with Ghibli classics Arrietty and When Marnie Was There.

There's so much good stuff something for everyone regardless of your taste in anime. If you like a bit more action you can't go wrong with Tokyo Ghoul (the live action version) or Attack on Titan: The Roar of Awakening.

Full Story

Running alongside the film screenings and the animation workshops will be a series of Japanese-themed events and a Japanese marketplace which sells things such as food, model kits, video games and manga and other goods from Japan.

The films continue with Psychic School Wars, a beautifully animated adaptation of a well-known Japanese sci-fi tale that is sure to delight a wide audience and then the day closes with a screening of the immensely popular Attack on Titan: The Roar of Awakening, which takes audiences back into the thrilling and gruelling fight for humanity's survival in a world full of man-eating giants.Press release as follows:


Kotatsu Japanese Animation Film Festival 2017

Cardiff
Chapter 28th - 30th September

Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth Arts Centre 20th - 21st October

Press Release, August, 2018
On Friday, September 28, the Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival launches for another series of film screenings in Wales. More than 10 feature films have been programmed to present the wide variety of stories and styles in Japanese animation. This year, we welcome two guests from Japan who will treat audiences to special events.

The festival gets off to a start on September 28 at 14:00 at Chapter Arts, Cardiff, with a screening of the Masaaki Yuasa's latest film Lu Over the Wall, a tale of a kid from Tokyo moving to a small coastal city and discovering that his "boring" new home has mermaids and more. With a perfect combination of fantastic animation and a sublime story full of magical characters and great music, the film is perfect for the family. The day continues with screenings of Momotaro - Sacred Sailors, a rare chance for audiences in Wales to see how anime was used for propaganda in World War II. The evening arrives with a screening of the emotionally powerful drama, Fireworks, which takes us into an intense relationship between teenagers during a memorable summer. With characters voiced by the hottest talent in live-action Japanese cinema and with a script based on the work of Shunji Iwai, this will prove to be an emotional show-stopper. The day then ends with Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, a modern horror classic from Madhouse.

A diverse festival programme will await the audience on Saturday, September 29 along with the Japanese marketplace and a selection of wonderful events with special guests:

After a successful Q&A last year graciously conducted by Professor Yuichi Ito, Kotatsu is excited to announce we have two award-winning animators making a trip to Wales when Tsuneo Goda and Hirokazu Minegishi will present a master-class and conduct workshops and an autograph signing session. This is a very rare and unique opportunity to learn more about the craft of stop-motion animation from the creators of the highly popular Domo-kun which was aired by Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) and Nickelodeon in 2007, and Komaneko: The Curious Cat. They will bring beautiful, expressive models and a wealth of experience and advice and will interact with audience members in what is sure to be a fun and informative event open to the whole family.

We have two films directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi, Mary and the Witch's Flower and Studio Ghibli's film Arrietty programmed to help celebrate cultural and artistic ties between Britain and Japan in the year of British animation as part of Anim18, a celebration of British animation. Just after our Arrietty screening, the results of the ever-popular raffle will be announced with prizes on offer such as signed goods by Tsuneo Goda and Hirokazu Minegishi.

When one thinks of Ghibli, strong female characters come to mind and Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms provides that with a tale of pure love in trying circumstances as an elfin teenage girl who doesn't age takes care of a human boy who does. This fantasy tale comes from Mari Okada, a veteran writer who used her skills to direct what many consider one of the finest animated movies of 2018. The day then ends with a screening of the live-action adaptation of the super-popular manga Tokyo Ghoul in our traditional horror/mature slot. Sui Ishida's dark-horror manga is brought to life with CG and features some top-class actors bringing the characters to life in a tale full of horror and action that is sure to sate the appetites of fans of the franchise.

The final day of the Kotatsu festival in Cardiff on September 30 opens with another Ghibli film that is part of Anim18, When Marnie Was There, making that the third film directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi at the festival.

Also on this day, Hirokazu Minegishi and Tsuneo Goda will be conducting stop-motion animation demonstrations and a workshop to show people how they animate their films and these events will be followed by a Q&A session.

The films continue with Psychic School Wars, a beautifully animated adaptation of a well-known Japanese sci-fi tale that is sure to delight a wide audience and then the day closes with a screening of the immensely popular Attack on Titan: The Roar of Awakening, which takes audiences back into the thrilling and gruelling fight for humanity's survival in a world full of man-eating giants.

Running alongside the film screenings and the animation workshops will be a series of Japanese-themed events and a Japanese marketplace which sells things such as food, model kits, video games and manga and other goods from Japan.

We also have festival raffle to win lots of prizes such as signed goods from Tsuneo Goda and Hirokazu Minegishi and Aardman.

The action continues in Aberystwyth in October as people will get a selection of this year's Kotatsu film screenings.

About Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival

Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival has been running since November 2010 at the Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff, where it has brought Japanese anime and culture to a growing audience. In 2014 we expanded into a new venue, the Aberystwyth Arts Centre, where audiences deeper in Wales could watch some of the same great films that were seen in Cardiff. 2018 sees the festival include more for visitors such as animation workshops and master classes with leading animators from Japan as well as our continuing commitment to screening a variety of films.

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Venues:

Chapter - September 28th - 30th, 2018
Chapter, Market Road, Canton, Cardiff, Wales UK CF5 1QE

Box Office: +44 (0)29 2030 4400

About Chapter Arts

Chapter is regarded as one of the first arts centres in the UK that brought together different art forms under one roof. For over 40 years Chapter has been the heartbeat of creativity in Cardiff and through its unique venue it presents, produces and promotes international art, live performance and film alongside a dynamic social space with over 800,000 visitors welcomed every year.

www.chapter.org


Aberystwyth Arts Centre - October 20th - 21st, 2018

Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Aberystwyth University, Penglais Campus, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 3DE
Box Office: 01970 62 32 32

About Aberystwyth Arts Centre
Aberystwyth Arts Centre is an award winning organisation that has a wide-ranging artistic programme which includes drama, dance, music, visual arts, applied arts, film, new media, and community arts. Aberystwyth Arts Centre is a department of Aberystwyth University and sits at the heart of the university's campus, with stunning views over the town of Aberystwyth and along the coastline of Cardigan Bay.

http://www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk