Nobuhiko Obayashi’s 80s Kadokawa Years: Limited Edition – Third Window Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: Japan, 1981 (School in the Crosshairs), Japan, 1983 (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time), Japan, 1984 (The Island Closest to Heaven), Japan, 1986 (His Motorbike, Her Island)
Director: Nobuhiko Ôbayashi (All Films)
Cast: Hiroko Yakushimaru, Ryôichi Takayanagi, Masami Hasegawa (School in the Crosshairs), Tomoyo Harada, Ryôichi Takayanagi, Toshinori Omi, Toshie Negishi, Ittoku Kishibe, Wakaba Irie, Akiko Kitamura, Yukari Tsuda (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time), Miyoko Akaza, Tomoyo Harada, Wakaba Irie, Shigeru Izumiya, Nenji Kobayashi, Kayo Matsuo (The Island Closest to Heaven), Kiwako Harada, Riki Takeuchi, Noriko Watanabe, Tomokazu Miura (His Motorbike, Her Island)

Release Date: October 17th, 2022
Approximate running times: 89 Minutes 26 Seconds (School in the Crosshairs), 104 Minutes 6 Seconds (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time), 102 Minutes 27 Seconds (The Island Closest to Heaven), 90 Minutes 2 Seconds (His Motorbike, Her Island)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (School in the Crosshairs, The Island Closest to Heaven, His Motorbike, Her Island), 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time), 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time - opening and ending), (His Motorbike, Her Island - opening)
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Japanese (School in the Crosshairs, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, The Island Closest to Heaven), DTS-HD Stereo Japanese (His Motorbike, Her Island)
Subtitles: English (All Films)
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £64.99 (UK)

Video: 3.75/5 (School in the Crosshairs, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time), 4/5 (The Island Closest to Heaven), 4.25/5 (His Motorbike, Her Island)

School in the Crosshairs comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 36.5 GB

Feature: 20.8 GB

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 31.8 GB

Feature: 22.3 GB

The Island Closest to Heaven comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 27.6 GB

Feature: 23.6 GB

His Motorbike, Her Island comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 22.6 GB

Feature: 18.9 GB

No information about these transfers has been provided. That said, all four transfers have been cleaned up of any print debris or other source damage. Quality-wise, these four transfers have a lot in common when it comes to color saturation and flesh tones that look correct. When it comes to black levels, there are moments when they are not as convincing as they should be. This is most noticeable in School in the Crosshairs and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. Image clarity and black levels look strongest for His Motorbike, Her Island’s transfer. Also, School in the Crosshairs and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time have moments where image clarity is not as strong as it is for the bulk of their transfers. And The Island Closest to Heaven’s image at times looks soft, which may be intended.

Audio: 4/5 (School in the Crosshairs, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, The Island Closest to Heaven), 4.25/5 (His Motorbike and Her Island)

Each film comes with one audio option,  a DTS-HD mono mix in Japanese for School in the Crosshairs, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, and The Island Closest to Heaven, and a DTS-HD stereo mix in Japanese for His Motorbike and Her Island. All four audio mixes are in great shape. Dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Range-wise, all four audio mixes sound robust when they should. Each film comes with removable English subtitles.

Extras:

Extras for School in the Crosshairs include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 55 seconds, DTS-HD mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), a featurette titled Translation Notes by Owen Baron (9 minutes 23 seconds, English text), an interview with Chigumi Obayashi (27 minutes 24 seconds, DTS-HD stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), and scene select audio commentary by Aaron Gerow (27 minutes 5 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles).

Extras for The Girl Who Leapt Through Time include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 44 seconds, DTS-HD mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), a music video for Toki o kakeru shôjo (2 minutes 59 seconds, DTS-HD mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), an archival featurette titled Tomoyo Harada Story (7 minutes 36 seconds, DTS-HD mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), and an archival interview with Nobuhiko Obayashi (24 minutes 24 seconds, DTS-HD stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles).

Extras for The Island Closest to Heaven include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 41 seconds, DTS-HD mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), a video essay titled Obayashi - Femininity in Transition (14 minutes 42 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with Samm Deighan.

Extras for His Motorbike, Her Island include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 30 seconds, DTS-HD mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with Nobuhiko Obayashi (15 minutes 42 seconds, DTS-HD stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with Tom Mes.

Other extras include a twelve-page booklet with an essay about School in the Crosshairs written by Ren Scateni, an essay about The Girl Who Leapt Through Time written by Ren Scateni, an essay about The Island Closest to Heaven written by Joseph Kime, and an essay about His Motorbike, Her Island written by Joseph Kime.

Summary:

School in the Crosshairs: Anyone who has seen Nobuhiko Bayashi's other films, particularly Hausu (House), is aware of his inventiveness and distinct style as a filmmaker. Most filmmakers have a distinctive style that is easily recognizable to anyone familiar with their films. Nobuhiko Obayashi was a filmmaker who rarely repeated himself.

Like most of Nobuhiko Ôbayashi's Kadokawa-produced films from the 1980s, School in the Crosshairs was adapted from a novel. Another feature that Nobuhiko Ôbayashi's Kadokawa-produced films shared was the presence of strong female characters.

Nobuhiko Ôbayashi's inventiveness is on full display from the start, as he employs a variety of cinematic styles that somehow seamlessly blend together. Though most of School in the Crosshairs is mostly in color, there are a few moments that are stylishly shot in black and white. The opening credits are another area where Nobuhiko Ôbayashi’s creativity stands out.

When discussing School in the Crosshairs, one must acknowledge Hiroko Yakushimaru's (Sailor Suit and Machine Gun) presence as the leading lady. School in the Crosshairs is one of a handful of films that were tailored for Hiroko Yakushimaru, who was a rising star in 1980s Japanese cinema. That said, she delivers a good performance that suits the story at hand.

Another notable performance is Masami Hasegawa in the role of Michiru, a new girl in school who uses her powers to corrupt the students by turning them into mindless slaves that do her bidding. It is a shame that her filmography is limited, since she delivers a diabolical performance that steals the show. The rest of the cast is best described as adequate.

Though School in the Crosshairs is definitely rooted in the realm of fantasy, the protagonist and another character have telekinetic powers. The result is a film that is as much a melodrama as it is a fantasy film. Though the special effects are dated, they actually suit the story well. That said, from a production standpoint, there are not many areas where School in the Crosshairs comes out ahead. Finally, School in the Crosshairs is a distinct piece of 1980s Japanese cinema and one of Nobuhiko Ôbayashi's more approachable works.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time: There are many elements in The Girl Who Leapt Through Time that mirror School in the Crosshairs. Both films feature a female protagonist who has special powers—in the former's case, the ability to time travel, and in the latter, telekinesis. Also, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is another Nobuhiko Ôbayashi film that was based on a novel.

Though The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is one of Nobuhiko Ôbayashi's straight-forward stories, it is anything but remotely conventional aside from its narrative. And nowhere is this more clear than when it comes to the visuals and look of the film. Most notably, there is a pre-credits sequence and the opening credits, which are in black and white and have a different aspect ratio.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a film that was crafted as a vehicle for Tomoyo Harada (Early Spring Story) in the role of Kazuko, the girl who leaped through time. She delivers a pitch-perfect performance that captures her character's sense of wonder. That said, the rest of the cast is overshadowed by her performance.

From a production standpoint, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a film that takes full advantage of its resources. The premise is well-executed, and the narrative does a great job propelling the story forward. That said, the special effects look dated and call attention to themselves. Ultimately, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a satisfying mix of melodrama and whimsy.

The Island Closest to Heaven: Adapted from a novel written by Katsura Morimura, The Island Closest to Heaven is a heartfelt story about a young girl who travels to the island of New Caledonia after her father's death. From there, a series of playful interactions unfold as she meets various people on the island.

When I watch Nobuhiko Ôbayashi's films, the first thing that strikes me is how he never limits himself as a filmmaker. Though there are overlapping themes throughout his filmography. He never confines himself when it comes to style or tone.

Though The Island Closest to Heaven has many elements that are associated with melodramas, the result is an inventive film that never falls victim to genre tropes. Having said that, The Island Closest to Heaven is Nobuhiko Ôbayashi's most conventional film, coming from a filmmaker whose work has been anything but conventional.

Nobuhiko Ôbayashi casts Tomoyo Harada, with whom he previously collaborated on The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, as the protagonist. She delivers an amazing performance that perfectly captures her character's melancholy and soul-searching. That said, the rest of the cast is good in their roles.

From its opening moments, The Island Closest to Heaven quickly draws you in. It is an engrossing tale about an empathic character and her whimsical journey. Also, it is a beautifully shot film that fully exploits the exotic island location. That said, there is not an area where The Island Closest to Heaven comes up short.

His Motorbike, Her Island: You should never judge a book by its cover. Consider Nobuhiko Ôbayashi's His Motorbike, Her Island, a film brimming with unrivaled creativity. Nobuhiko Ôbayashi defies convention once more, switching from black and white to color throughout His Motorbike and Her Island, often within the same scene. Though noticeable at first, as the narrative progresses, it becomes an afterthought.

That said, despite visuals that veer towards the avant-garde, the narrative is surprisingly conventional by Nobuhiko Ôbayashi's standards. The narrative revolves around two characters from two different worlds who fall in love. The narrative also does a great job filling in backstory via flashbacks.

When it comes to performances, the two leads, Riki Takeuchi (Fudoh: The New Generation) in the role of a biker named Koh and Kiwako Harada (The Drifting Classroom) in the role of a rural island girl named Miyoko, are excellent in their roles. Also, they have a tremendous amount of onscreen chemistry, which enhances their performances. Another performance of note is Noriko Watanabe (Death of a Ninja) in the role of Fuyumi, Koh’s ex-girlfriend, who funneled her pain from their breakup into her creativity as a singer.

Once again, Nobuhiko Ôbayashi creates a film that is a melting pot of genres. His Motorbike, Her Island has romance, melodrama, and some music thrown in for good measure. From a production standpoint, there is not an area where His Motorbike, Her Island does not excel. Also, the stylish cinematography complements the creative editing. Finally, His Motorbike, Her Island is an extraordinary film that contains all of the elements that are synonymous with Nobuhiko Ôbayashi's cinema.

If you are a fan of Nobuhiko Obayashi, there is no excuse for not owning this release. Nobuhiko Obayashi’s 80s Kadokawa Years is an exceptional release from Third Window Films that comes with strong audio/video presentations and a wealth of insightful extras, highly recommended. 

Note: This release is limited to 2000 copies.

Written by Michael Den Boer