RETSU MOTOYOSHI

It was built in 1929, in the red-light district called Tobita Yukaku, in Osaka. After the full enforcement of the Anti-Prostitution Act of 1958, it continued its sex business under the guise of a restaurant called Masumi. (After 1958 Tobita Yukaku changed its name to Tobita Shinchi; they still provide sex services even now.) After closing its business in the latter half of the 1990’s, it has been left empty. It is dilapidated after being abandoned and exposed to the ravages of time. It can be torn down any moment.

What better way to celebrate a birthday than with a Chef's Night Out? In this episode, Hamasaku's sushi chef Yoya Takahashi celebrates his 45th birthday with a night out in Los Angeles that includes friends, drinks, food, and more drinks. Yoya and friends first head to Kappo-style eatery Shibumi for highballs and an array of traditional Japanese bites (and also some deep fried cannabis leaves for good measure). The crew then hits Sumo Dog for bacon banh mi hotdogs and Frank 'n Hank, the bar next door, for lots of mezcal. Yoya and friends then head back to Hamasaku for a surprise birthday party and some late-night ramen making.

A short documentary about American gun control issue. Working with Japanese magazine, NIKKEI BP, we visited Las Vegas, Detroit and Charlotte to talk with pro-gun people. The documentary addresses the Second Amendment, Open Carry License, NICS system and Gun Free Zone. During the production the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting happened, and we visited the school a week after the tragedy.

Dirty Cloth is a short film about a couple escaping from a disaster. When a disaster hits the city Lisa and Bradley live in, they go on the road to find a place to stay. On the way, they realize they’re in different states of mind. Although they love each other, the uncertainty of their future divides them. Lisa wants to disappear from the world, Bradley tries to keep her with him.

"3 Years Past" is a documentary film about a group of teenagers who have spent all of their high school years in Fukushima. Their anticipated graduation from Junior High and entry into Senior High School was suddenly disrupted by an earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear accident three years ago. Some of them were forced to evacuate from their homes, transferred to safer locations within Fukushima prefecture, or their entire family decided to move to another area within Japan.

There are so many divergent influences manifested in Loveskills "Fine Lines" that we don't even know where to begin: lush indie-rock, pop sensibilities, some latent house vibes, and a whole lotta breakbeat samples come together to make this track a really unique proposition.

"Sweet Dreams," by Eurythmics, arranged and performed by Flutronix.
From the album, "2.0" released April 8, 2014.
Directed by Jun Oshima
Flutronix Records

A short documentary on Monday Michiru’s new album production session featuring her producer/composer Simone Giuliani at Bass Hit Studios. Monday has a long career both in Japan and NY. This project is going to be a feature documentary and TV documentary, and still in a production. It will be completed in 2015.

Nao, a great weaver in a small town in Japan wants to escape from her monotonous life, and decides to visit Mayu, a friend from her high school. She brings a musical note that they composed before, and wants to play with Mayu, but Mayu tells her that she doesn’t remember the note.

A city called YUKI, 50miles away from Tokyo, which is famous for producing one of the most traditional and high-quality fabrics and Kimonos. Since Japanese culture has been changed drastically, people don’t wear them as before. The film is about the workers and the changes to their industry.