9 Souls

Nain souruzu

Japan

2003

120 Min

Color

1.78:1

Japanese

Currently 3.9/5 Stars.
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PROD Miyoshi Kikuchi, Keisuke Konishi

CAST Yoshio Harada, Ryûhei Matsuda, Genta Dairaku, Anne Suzuki, Takako Matsu, Eita, Yû Fujiki, Asami Imajuku, Jun Inoue, Itsuji Itao, Misaki Ito, Chihara Junia, Kazuki Kitamura, Jun Kunimura, Kotomi Kyôno, Akaji Maro, Fumihito Minamitsuji, Onimaru, Kiyohiko Shibukawa, Takuji Suzuki, Miako Tadano, Mame Yamada

A convict in an isolated prison stumbles upon a hole on the floor and nine men break out. Some of the escapees have a definite goal but for others it is just a spur-of-the-moment decision. Each of the convicts is carrying baggage of difficult memories. The men steal a van and head for a primary school near Mt. Fuji to pick up some hidden loot, but when they get to the school, the money is gone. All they find is a small glass key in a time capsule. The men are dumbfounded. As they continue on their journey, however, they begin to experience a strange new sense of possibility. Their thoughts turn towards the unfinished business in their lives before they were locked up. One by one they decide to act. Where will their resolutions lead them, though? –Inbaseline

Director

Toshiaki Toyoda

Born in 1969 in Osaka Prefecture. Member of the training institution for professional Japanese chess players while ages of nine to seventeen. He began as screenplay writer for “Checkmate”(91)(directed by Junji Sakamoto), and then wrote for “Biriken”(96)(also directed by Sakamoto). Toyoda also writes for stage plays and comic strips. He made his debut as director with Pornostar (1998). The film earned him the Directors Guild of JAPAN’s award for promising new directors of 1998. He also won the same award at the Michinoku International Mystery Film Festival in 1999. In 2001 he directed Unchain, a five-year document on four boxers fighting their way up until retirement. He directed Blue Spring in 2002. The film ranked second in popularity among mini-theaters. Blue Spring is written by cartoonist Taiyo Matsumoto who is known for Ping Pong. In 2003 he directed 9 Souls, which earned him critics’ acclaim. It depicts how nine inmates rediscover the meaning of life after breaking out of prison… read more

Born in 1969 in Osaka Prefecture. Member of the training institution for professional Japanese chess players while ages of nine to seventeen. He began as screenplay writer for “Checkmate”(91)(directed by Junji Sakamoto), and then wrote for “Biriken”(96)(also directed by Sakamoto). Toyoda also writes for stage plays and comic strips. He made his debut as director with Pornostar (1998). The film earned him the Directors Guild of JAPAN’s award for promising new directors of 1998. He also won the same award at the Michinoku International Mystery Film Festival in 1999. In 2001 he directed Unchain, a five-year document on four boxers fighting their way up until retirement. He directed Blue Spring in 2002. The film ranked second in popularity among mini-theaters. Blue Spring is written by cartoonist Taiyo Matsumoto who is known for Ping Pong. In 2003 he directed 9 Souls, which earned him critics’ acclaim. It depicts how nine inmates rediscover the meaning of life after breaking out of prison. The cast include Ryuhei Matsuda, Yoshio Harada, Takako Matsu, Misaki Ito, Itsuji Itao. Among Toyoda’s other works are : TV commercials for “Onimushya 2”(video game software), “Amino Supli”(nutrition-supplement soft drink), promotional video for “Kimi to iu Hana,” the tune by Japanese rock band “Asian Kung-fu Generation.”

In August 2005 two months before the release of Hanging Garden a drug raid on Toyoda’s home uncovered 3.9 grams of stimulants, as a result of the police raid (and his subsequent arrest) the release of Hanging Garden could have potentially been derailed indefinitely, the release of the film went ahead as planned on it’s intended date of October 8 2005 and Toyoda received a three year suspended sentence. Some speculated that Toyoda was blacklisted by the Japanese film industry but December 19, 2009 will see the release of his first film for over 4 years and his first venture into period film The Blood of Rebirth. —asianmediawiki.com

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