Masanobu Ando Archives

Battle Royale (2000)

Rating: ★★★

Jun 28, 2003Deadly Elimination Game

An entertainingly violent Japanese comic-book of a movie in which a classroom of school pupils is abandoned on an island with weapons to eliminate one another. Frequently cited as the inspiration for The Hunger Games

Director: Kinji Fukasaku

Actors: Tatsuya Fujiwara, Aki Maeda, Beat Takashi Kitano, Taro Yamamoto, …

Category: Science Fiction

28 June 20031 May 2020 by Roog

Big Bang Love, Juvenile A (2006)

Rating: ★

Nov 27, 2012Prison Murder Mystery with Surreal SF Elements

This is one of Takashi Miike's most incomprehensible films - what appears to be a murder mystery and gay love story set in a prison, along with random SF elements

Director: Takashi Miike

Actors: Ryuhei Matsuda, Masanobu Ando, Ryo Ishibashi

Category: Science Fiction

27 November 201227 November 2025 by Roog

Nightmare Detective (2006)

Rating: ★★★

Oct 27, 2010Dream Killer

A clearly more commercial film from cult Japanese director Shinya Tsukamoto of Tetsuo: The Iron Man fame. This draws influence from Ring but this lacks much of the obsessive drive of Tsukamoto's other films

Director: Shinya Tsukamoto

Actors: Hitomi, Ryuhei Matsuda, Shinya Tsukamoto, Masanobu Ando, …

Category: Horror

27 October 201020 January 2025 by Roog

Sadako vs Kayako (2016)

Rating: ★★

Feb 25, 2017Ring/Grudge Series Crossover

The two most popular Japanese horror franchises come together to fight it out. Both series work on the provision of intensely uncanny effect but brought together the result is diluted at best

Director: Koji Shiraishi

Actors: Mizuki Yamamoto, Tina Tamashiro, Aimi Satsukawa, Masanobu Ando, …

Category: Horror

25 February 201725 May 2026 by Roog