A gleaming and delightful anime with a large appetite for tenderness and laughter, director Ayumu Watanabe’s mother-daughter saga “Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko” boundlessly adores its titular character even when it lingers a tad too long on her happy-go-lucky naiveté or ample love of food.
We get introduced to Nikuko (Shinobu Ôtake), a charming thirtysomething living with her young daughter, Kikuko (Cocomi), as she contentedly works at a local grill house in a small port town in Northern Japan. Heavyset, carefree and irrepressibly joyful in a manner that both puzzles and disarms everyone around her, she is known as “the cheery plump lady who wound up living here” to townsfolk. There is a lot of truth to that, as the film’s stunning opening montage recaps, guided largely by Kikuko’s voiceover, like the rest of the movie.
Being a punch-drunk romantic a little too trusting of scheming men who mercilessly take advantage of her,...
We get introduced to Nikuko (Shinobu Ôtake), a charming thirtysomething living with her young daughter, Kikuko (Cocomi), as she contentedly works at a local grill house in a small port town in Northern Japan. Heavyset, carefree and irrepressibly joyful in a manner that both puzzles and disarms everyone around her, she is known as “the cheery plump lady who wound up living here” to townsfolk. There is a lot of truth to that, as the film’s stunning opening montage recaps, guided largely by Kikuko’s voiceover, like the rest of the movie.
Being a punch-drunk romantic a little too trusting of scheming men who mercilessly take advantage of her,...
- 6/3/2022
- by Tomris Laffly
- Variety Film + TV
Gkids, the producer and distributor of animation for adult and family audiences, announced that it has acquired the North American distribution rights for Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko (Gyoko no Nikuko-chan).
Produced by Japanese comedy legend Sanma Akashiya, this is a cinematic adaptation of the novel of the same name by Kanako Nishi. The film is the next collaboration between Gkids, Studio 4°C , and director Ayumu Wantanabe. Gkids plans to release the animated feature theatrically early next year.
“We’re thrilled to work with director Ayumu Watanabe and creative producer Sanma Akashiya on a film that puts their unique artistry and talents on full display,” said Gkids’ president David Jesteadt. “Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko is a big-hearted coming-of-age story with unforgettable characters and a poignant mix of comedy and drama that is sure to leave an impact on audiences here next year.”
Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko follows the lives of loud...
Produced by Japanese comedy legend Sanma Akashiya, this is a cinematic adaptation of the novel of the same name by Kanako Nishi. The film is the next collaboration between Gkids, Studio 4°C , and director Ayumu Wantanabe. Gkids plans to release the animated feature theatrically early next year.
“We’re thrilled to work with director Ayumu Watanabe and creative producer Sanma Akashiya on a film that puts their unique artistry and talents on full display,” said Gkids’ president David Jesteadt. “Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko is a big-hearted coming-of-age story with unforgettable characters and a poignant mix of comedy and drama that is sure to leave an impact on audiences here next year.”
Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko follows the lives of loud...
- 11/23/2021
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
Distributor plans awards run on latest collaboration with Studio 4°C.
GKids has acquired North American rights to Studio 4°C’s Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko (Gyoko No Nikuko-chan) and will submit it for awards consideration this season.
Ayumu Watanabe directed the story based on the novel by Kanako Nishi about a brash, passionate mother and her quiet 11-year-old daughter in a sleepy seaside town whose relationship is threatened by a shocking revelation.
Shinobu Otake, Cocomi and Natsuki Hanae lead the voice cast. Satomi Oshima wrote the screenplay and Japanese comedian Sanma Akashiya served as producer.
GKids, whose credits last season included Cartoon Saloon’s Wolfwalkers,...
GKids has acquired North American rights to Studio 4°C’s Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko (Gyoko No Nikuko-chan) and will submit it for awards consideration this season.
Ayumu Watanabe directed the story based on the novel by Kanako Nishi about a brash, passionate mother and her quiet 11-year-old daughter in a sleepy seaside town whose relationship is threatened by a shocking revelation.
Shinobu Otake, Cocomi and Natsuki Hanae lead the voice cast. Satomi Oshima wrote the screenplay and Japanese comedian Sanma Akashiya served as producer.
GKids, whose credits last season included Cartoon Saloon’s Wolfwalkers,...
- 11/23/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Comedian Yuichi Kimura (48) is done filming his third project as a movie director, a comedy called Omurice (omelette rice). The film also marks Kimura’s first lead role as an actor, playing a man who finds himself experiencing a series of bizarre delusions.
Kimura’s previous directorial efforts include “Nisesatsu” in 2009 and “Wararaifu!!” in 2010, both of which premiered at the Yoshimoto Kogyo-organized Okinawa International Movie Festival.
“Omurice” will feature a cast of roughly 100 people, including about 70 comedians from Yoshimoto Kogyo. However, it also includes experienced actors such as Takanori Jinnai (52) and Yoko Minamino (43).
In the film, Kimura’s character goes out to buy ingredients to make omurice, but becomes involved in various bizarre scenes along the way. During these “delusion scenes”, he comes across many characters played by popular comedians in rapid succession, including Sanma Akashiya as a manga artist, Koji Higashino as a company president, Takashi Okamura as a part-time worker,...
Kimura’s previous directorial efforts include “Nisesatsu” in 2009 and “Wararaifu!!” in 2010, both of which premiered at the Yoshimoto Kogyo-organized Okinawa International Movie Festival.
“Omurice” will feature a cast of roughly 100 people, including about 70 comedians from Yoshimoto Kogyo. However, it also includes experienced actors such as Takanori Jinnai (52) and Yoko Minamino (43).
In the film, Kimura’s character goes out to buy ingredients to make omurice, but becomes involved in various bizarre scenes along the way. During these “delusion scenes”, he comes across many characters played by popular comedians in rapid succession, including Sanma Akashiya as a manga artist, Koji Higashino as a company president, Takashi Okamura as a part-time worker,...
- 2/21/2011
- Nippon Cinema
A Japanese comedy television show, Sanma Akashiya’s “Karakuri Terebi”, held a contest last month in which 10,000 of Japan’s biggest Harry Potter fans competed for a chance to travel to the UK and visit the set of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. The show intentionally picked the strangest and most obsessed fan as the winner, a girl named Kana, and surprised her with a chance to meet and interview Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) and Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter). Even though the interviews are only partially subtitled, both of them are still laugh out loud hilarious. You Must check out the videos, embedded after the jump. source: Japanprobe via: slashgossip...
- 7/21/2009
- by Peter Sciretta
- Slash Film
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