Sakuran

[Melek Ortabasi]

Hi all,

Out of curiosity, given the recent discussion of live-action movies 
based on manga. Has anyone seen _Sakuran_, possibly in Berlin? Any 
thoughts? Since it's directed by a woman (photographer Ninagawa 
Mika), based on a manga by a woman (Anno Moyoco), I wonder if the 
film isn't a fairly rare breed? Also interesting: the fact that the 
lead actress is half German (Tsuchiya Anna), but plays a (sort of) 
Edo-period courtesan.....probably part of the reason it was selected 
to screen in Berlin.

Sorry for the open-ended questions, but the psychedelic color scheme 
of the film caught my eye, and I was just wondering if someone had 
anything more profound to say about it.

Cheers,
Melek
-- 
Melek Ortabasi, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Comparative Literature
Hamilton College
Clinton, NY

**Visiting Researcher at The University of Tokyo, 2006-2007**