The Ōkī Okie Show
By Brandon and Donna
The Ōkī Okie ShowMar 15, 2022
30. A Silent Voice (2016) - 聲の形
こんにちは!And Happy New Year! We're kicking 2023 off with a relatively recent anime film, "A Silent Voice," directed by Naoko Yamada. It's an emotional ride that had us both crying so be warned. But we're not just talking about this powerful movie! Brandon talks about Director Yamada. Donna talks about Japanese Sign Language.
Check out our show notes here, or visit the Silent Voice IMDb page here.
Send us an email: okiokieshow (at) gmail.com
Leave us a voice memo: anchor.fm/okiokieshow
29. Tokyo Godfathers (2003) - 東京ゴッドファーザーズ
こんにちは!This holiday season we're looking for miracles in Satoshi Kon's 2003 animated movie, "Tokyo Godfathers." Donna learns about homelessness in Japan, and Brandon shares a delicious Japanese Christmas tradition.
Check out our show notes here, or visit the Tokyo Godfathers IMDb page here.
Send us an email: okiokieshow (at) gmail.com
Leave us a voice memo: anchor.fm/okiokieshow
28. Perfect Blue (1997) - パーフェクトブルー
こんにちは!It's November. The weather's getting chilly. The sky is... Perfect Blue.
This month we watched Satoshi Kon's 1997 animated film "Perfect Blue." We talk about the people and pop culture surrounding the movie, and take a deep dive into what it all means, as well as our favorite theories for what really happened.
Check out our show notes here, or visit the Perfect Blue IMDb page here.
Send us an email: okiokieshow (at) gmail.com
Leave us a voice memo: anchor.fm/okiokieshow
27. Ju-On: The Grudge (2002) - 呪怨
こんにちは!This spooky season we're getting ghosty with 2002's "Ju-On: The Grudge," directed by Takashi Shimizu. Brandon subjected himself to all the Grudge movies he could get his hands on to provide you a ranked list from best to worst. Donna delved into Shinto ritual purification to help you exorcise your demons.
Check out our show notes here, or visit the Ju-On: The Grudge IMDb page here.
Send us an email: okiokieshow (at) gmail.com
Leave us a voice memo: anchor.fm/okiokieshow
26. ROAD TO HiGH&LOW (2016)
こんにちは!Do you wanna fight? Because we're rolling up our sleeves this month with "ROAD TO HiGH&LOW" (2016), the prequel-style first film in the HiGH&LOW series of TV, movies and anime. Don't worry, we'll walk you through the five gangs that make up S.W.O.R.D. and even take a look at the yakuza.
Check out our show notes here, or visit the Road to High & Low IMDb page here.
25. Belle (2021) - 竜とそばかすの姫
こんにちは!OK, so we watched "Belle" (2021) this month instead of "I Want to Eat Your Pancreas" (2018) like we originally planned. But we think you'll like this movie a lot. It has a great soundtrack and fostered a lot of discussion about the internet, casting decisions, and more!
Remember to email us at okiokieshow @ gmail.com with your questions, comments and movie suggestions.
Check out our show notes here, or visit the Belle IMDb page here.
24. Miss Hokusai (2015) - 百日紅
こんにちは!This month is both a celebration of art and a dip into the supernatural with the 2015 animated film "Miss Hokusai." We talk about Japanese ghosts and the importance of dragons, along with their interesting role in the creation of humankind.
Check out our show notes here, or visit the Miss Hokusai IMDb page here.
23. Battle Royale (2000) - バトル・ロワイアル
こんにちは!If you've just awoken and aren't sure how you got here of all places, rest assured it's simply a podcast. And this episode happens to be about "Battle Royale," a 2000 movie directed by Kinji Fukasaku. Don't worry, we'll explain everything. Or, at least: the plot, what we made of the film, what's the deal with "Battle Royale 2: Requiem," and Japan's movie classification system. And we can finally put to rest the idea that writer Suzanne Collins copied "Battle Royale" for the YA series "The Hunger Games."
Check out our show notes here, or visit the Battle Royale IMDb page here.
22. Rashomon (1950) - 羅生門
こんにちは!We're going back to the Heian period with Akira Kurosawa's 1950 film "Rashomon." Join us for a discussion on the story's meaning, the director's life, a glimpse into Kurosawa's famed style (and obsessiveness), and a brief history lesson.
Check out our show notes here, or visit the Rashomon IMDb page here.
21. Suicide Club (2001) - 自殺サークル
*WARNING* This episode talks about suicide.
こんにちは!Our April episode visits an earlier vestige from the twisted world of Sion Sono: "Suicide Club," AKA "Suicide Circle" (2001). This episode, we talk about Japan's surprisingly high conviction rate and a glam-rock J-Bowie icon, and we try to get at what this movie even means (if it means anything at all). This episode also discusses suicide at length. Click here for information on the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
Check out our show notes here, or visit the Suicide Club IMDb page here.
20. Ponyo (2008) - 崖の上のポニョ
こんにちは!Something seems a little fishy here... It's a family-friendly episode all about the endearing animated film "Ponyo," released in 2008 from Stuido Ghibli. Dive in to our salty symposium covering goldfish, ocean cleanup, Japanese legends, and Morse code.
Check out our show notes here, or visit the Ponyo IMDb page here.
19. Traveling Cat Chronicles (2012) - 旅猫リポート
こんにちは! What's this? This isn't the 2018 film... This is the book it's based on! Welcome to a weird month, where our book-club style podcast about films actually reads a book instead. For February we're celebrating cats with "Tabineko Ripoto" (2012) by Hiro Arikawa, or "The Traveling Cat Chronicles" translated by Philip Gabriel. Instead of bringing research topics, we talk about our own experience traveling across the world with our two cats. We hope you find our discussion helpful!
Check out the Goodreads page for the book, as well as Ep. 19 Show Notes!
18. Godzilla (1954) - ゴジラ
こんにちは! We're starting 2022 with the 1954 classic "Gojira," AKA "Godzilla," directed by Ishirō Honda. Strap in for a history lesson on atomic bombs in World War II, a vocab lesson on denialism, fun facts about the movie and a behind-the-scenes look at Godzilla's iconic roar.
For more, check out the Godzilla IMDb page, and our show notes.
If you'd like to listen to our other (NSFW) podcast, where we review the 1998 US rendition of "Godzilla," check out The Bargain Den!
The Ōkī Okie Show's 2021 Year in Review
おめでとう! We made it through another year, and that deserves congratulations! Also, Brandon and Donna made it through the first full year of The Ōkī Okie Show podcast. To celebrate, we're taking a look back at all 17 movies we've watched so far for the show.
Thank you all for supporting this little movie club, and may you have a happy and healthy 2022!
17. Kamikaze Girls (2004) - 下妻物語
こんにちは! We're ending 2021 with "Kamikaze Girls," a sweet, funny story about a Lolita and a Yanki living in rural Japan. This 2004 film directed by Tetsuya Nakashima brings a lot to the table for discussion, from the directorial style to the movie's origins as a light novel. We also dig in to gender roles and genderbending, Anna Tsuchiya and how she's connected to NANA, and Lolita fashion. (Any fans of BABY, THE STARS SHINE BRIGHT out there??)
For more, check out the Kamikaze Girls IMDb page, and our show notes.
16: Ghost in the Shell (1995) - 攻殻機動隊
こんにちは! This episode about "Ghost in the Shell" (1995, dir. Mamoru Oshii) brings up a lot of questions for us, like, "Who am I?" and "Why is this dub so bad?" We also talk about the movie's scoring, policing in Japan, and the whitewashing controversy that surrounded the 2017 remake starring Scarlett Johansson. Check out the Ghost in the Shell IMDb page, and our show notes.
15: Ringu (1998) - リング
こんにちは! Of course we chose a spooky film for October: "Ringu" (1998, dir. Hideo Nakata). We discuss Japanese media, the meaning of names, the vast world of Ring lore, and what makes a scary movie like The Ring work. Check out Ringu's IMDb page, and our show notes.
14: The Petrified Forest (1973) - 化石の森
こんにちは! This month, help us decipher Masahiro Shinoda's Japanese noir "Kaseki no mori." We hope you enjoy this discussion on the movie's themes and style! Also, listen to Brandon and Nikki's brand new podcast "2D or Not 2D," with the first full episode out on Sept. 25. Check out The Petrified Forest's IMDb page, and our show notes.
13: 37 Seconds (2019) - サーティセブンセカンズ
こんにちは! This month we dive into Hikari's 2019 film "37 Seconds." We discuss symbolism, learn more about Cerebral Palsy, take a look at the cinematography, and explore LGBTQ+ culture in Japan!
Check out the 37 Seconds IMDb page and our show notes.
12: HANA-BI (1997) - はなび
こんにちは! This month we explore the world and art of BEAT Takeshi, AKA Takeshi Kitano. He wrote, directed, edited, and starred in 1997's HANA-BI (Fireworks). We hope you enjoy this discussion on the movie's themes of art and disability, connections to other movies like Drive (2011), the Lost Generation, and more!
Check out HANA-BI's IMDb page, and our show notes.
11: In This Corner of the World (2016) - この世界の片隅に
こんにちは! We're back with another animated film, filled with art appreciation, resilience, and love. Join us for our discussion on "In This Corner of the World," directed by Sunao Katabuchi!
Click here for In This Corner's IMDb page!
Click here to see our show notes!
10: Tampopo (1985) - タンポポ
こんにちは! Thanks for joining us to talk about the comedy ramen western "Tampopo" directed by Jūzō Itami! Get ready for food, cinema, and... more food. Lots and lots of food.
Click here for Tampopo's IMDb page!
Click here to see our show notes!
9: Departures (2008) - おくりびと
***warning: this episode contains discussions of death***
こんにちは! Just in time for the Academy Awards, we're discussing the only Japanese movie to win the Oscars' Best Foreign Language Film award to date! Watch Yōjirō Takita's 2008 film "Departures" and join us in a discussion on death and beauty in cinema.
Click here for the "Departures" IMDb page!
Click here to see our show notes!
8: Dragnet Girl (1933) - 非常線の女
こんにちは! Join us in a discussion of one of the most famous Japanese directors, Yasujirō Ozu. Though we reference it a lot, this month is not about "Tokyo Story"; we're going back to the days of silent films with "Dragnet Girl" (1933). This movie packs a punch!
Click here for the "Dragnet Girl" IMDb page!
Click here to see our show notes!
7: Your Name. (2016) - 君の名は。
こんにちは! February's movie is an endearing tale of fate and love told through the highest-grossing Japanese anime to date. Join us in our discussion of Makoto Shinkai's 2016 movie "Your Name."
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5311514/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_3
6: The Forest of Love (2019) - 愛なき森で叫べ
Konnichiwa! Let's dive into Sion Sono's "The Forest of Love" and a more taboo side of Japanese cinema and history.
*warning: this episode contains mentions of sex, suicide, and abuse*
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10589914/
5: Akira (1988) - アキラ
Konnichiwa! This episode is about Katsuhiro Ōtomo's anime "Akira," and how light can bring new birth.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094625/
4: Grave of the Fireflies (1988) - 火垂るの墓
Konnichiwa! This episode is about one of Studio Ghibli's earliest films and a lasting reminder of the realities of war.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095327/
3: As the Gods Will (2014) - 神さまの言うとおり
Konnichiwa! Our October pick is the bizarre horror film "As the Gods Will" (2014) directed by Takashi Miike and based off the manga by the same name — 神さまの言うとおり .
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3354222/
2: Jellyfish Eyes (2013) - めめめ の くらげ
Konnichiwa! We're back with contemporary artist Takashi Murakami's film, "Jellyfish Eyes" (2013)!
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2006181/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt
1: House (1977) - ハウス
Konnichiwa! We're kicking things off with Nobuhiko Ōbayashi's debut full-length film, "House" (1977).
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076162/
Next month we are watching "Jellyfish Eyes" (2013).
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2006181/
To participate in the conversation, you can reach us on Instagram/Twitter @okiokieshow or email us at okiokieshow@gmail.com
0: Introduction
Konnichiwa! It's the Ōkī Okie Show! This short introduction with hosts Brandon and Donna talks about what inspired us to start this podcast, and what we'll be doing. It's basically a book club, but for Japanese movies and from an Oklahoma perspective. We hope you enjoy! Please listen! Arigatō gozaimasu!
@okiokieshow // okiokieshow@gmail.com