Packaging Spotlight 002: Yaji & Kita: The Midnight Pilgrims
I'd been wanting to see Yaji & Kita: The Midnight Pilgrims for years, only to just recently discover that I needn't have waited. It's been available from Tokyo Shock in North America in a 2-disc special edition with excellent English subs and special features since 2006. Yaji & Kita is Kankuro Kudo's (screenwriter for Kisarazu Cat's Eye, Tiger & Dragon, Ryusei no Kizuna) feature film directorial debut and stars TOKIO's Tomoya Nagase and kabuki star Shichinosuke Nakamura.
Overall, Tokyo Shock did a great job with the packaging. The outside slip cover is made of a sturdy, double-layered card stock with a bright pink and purple color scheme, which hints at the cracktastic (and fabulous) adventure within.
The front cover features Nagase and Nakamura in an Easy Rider-esque pose on top of an American flag decorated motorcycle with a candy-colored Mount Fuji in the background.
The back cover features the duo in a couple pose amidst pink hearts and magic mushrooms.
The one thing about the packaging that's a dash disappointing is once you take the DVD case out of its slipcover, it's essentially the exact same imagery. There are some additional specs on the back, but the changes aren't anything to write home about. At the same time, while it would have been nice to get some different pictures, that's a pretty small issue. I'm honestly just really happy to actually have gotten more than the DVD case by itself!
This edition has two discs - one with the film and a second chock full of extras!
I really have to give props to Tokyo Shock for including all the special features that are on the second DVD. I'm usually happy just to get a licensed copy of the movie, let alone all the odd little clips that this set provided.
The lengthy list of extras can be accessed via two menu screens. One of two meaty featurettes follows Kudo and Kotobuki Shiriagari (author of the comic) as they take their own journey through parts of Japan. It's definitely quirky, and Kudo's personality comes out quite a bit - but that's part of the charm, I think. The second is a more standard "making of" featurette, including cast member interviews (a glorious plus for Nagase fangirls...like me) and plenty of behind the scenes moments. There are also deleted scenes as well as original Japanese trailers and TV spots. There's also a very brief, extremely strange short film made by Shiriagari.
This movie might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I think if any particular aspect of the film intrigues you - be it the director/screenwriter, cast, or plot - and you've not yet had the chance to check it out, the special features make it worth taking the chance on a blind buy.
Not sure where to shop? Trying to avoid bootlegs? Check out my retailers page to get the skinny on reliable online stores out there!
Overall, Tokyo Shock did a great job with the packaging. The outside slip cover is made of a sturdy, double-layered card stock with a bright pink and purple color scheme, which hints at the cracktastic (and fabulous) adventure within.
The front cover features Nagase and Nakamura in an Easy Rider-esque pose on top of an American flag decorated motorcycle with a candy-colored Mount Fuji in the background.
The back cover features the duo in a couple pose amidst pink hearts and magic mushrooms.
The one thing about the packaging that's a dash disappointing is once you take the DVD case out of its slipcover, it's essentially the exact same imagery. There are some additional specs on the back, but the changes aren't anything to write home about. At the same time, while it would have been nice to get some different pictures, that's a pretty small issue. I'm honestly just really happy to actually have gotten more than the DVD case by itself!
This edition has two discs - one with the film and a second chock full of extras!
I really have to give props to Tokyo Shock for including all the special features that are on the second DVD. I'm usually happy just to get a licensed copy of the movie, let alone all the odd little clips that this set provided.
The lengthy list of extras can be accessed via two menu screens. One of two meaty featurettes follows Kudo and Kotobuki Shiriagari (author of the comic) as they take their own journey through parts of Japan. It's definitely quirky, and Kudo's personality comes out quite a bit - but that's part of the charm, I think. The second is a more standard "making of" featurette, including cast member interviews (a glorious plus for Nagase fangirls...like me) and plenty of behind the scenes moments. There are also deleted scenes as well as original Japanese trailers and TV spots. There's also a very brief, extremely strange short film made by Shiriagari.
This movie might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I think if any particular aspect of the film intrigues you - be it the director/screenwriter, cast, or plot - and you've not yet had the chance to check it out, the special features make it worth taking the chance on a blind buy.
Not sure where to shop? Trying to avoid bootlegs? Check out my retailers page to get the skinny on reliable online stores out there!