Shinichiro Watanabe

“[Translated] The Killing of a Chinese Bookie. This is one of my favorite among John Cassavetes's films. What I love about this film is its blend of raw, brutal realism and drama, which feels very fresh. It makes you wonder if this is a documentary or a gang film. I think this film is between the boundaries of both genres, which I love very much.”

“[Translated] Next one. Koroshi no Rakuin in Japanese, or Branded to Kill. This is the film that I have always recommended. Well, I probably shouldn't. It's not kind of the film you should recommend, but I personally love it. This is one of Seijun Suzuki's masterpieces. How should I put it? This is the kind of film that confuses you, but also haunts you. It's mesmerizing. I absolutely love this film. A well-made film doesn't always mean it's something you'll remember. So sometimes, it's worth watching a peculiar film like this. I heard that a studio fired the director because he made this. That's why this film is amazing.”

“[Translated] I happened to find this pre-war German film, M by Fritz Lang. This film is extraordinary because it's a culmination of German Expressionism. I'll take this, too.”

“[Translated] Wow, the Jacques Tati collection! This is great. I'm so happy! I discovered this, The Complete Jacques Tati. I'll add this to my bag, too. Jacques Tati is a French filmmaker. He makes comedy films, but they're not light comedies. It's hard to explain, but... It's like the characters in his films act cool rather than funny. Instead, it feels like they deliver jokes with straight faces. That style of humor influenced my work because I love that kind of comedy. I must take this home. Wonderful. This one... It says "Complete", so I think all of Tati's works are in the box. Am I right?”

“[Translated] I'll take this too. Bruce Lee: His Greatest Hits. I loved Bruce Lee since elementary school and he was a big influence on me. But I forgot about him in middle school. Then, in my mid-20s, there was a resurgence for Bruce Lee, for example, the Beastie Boys referenced him. That drew me back to him. I thought "They like Bruce too? He was my hero!" When I rediscovered his work, I found his philosophy really interesting and I was deeply inspired by it. In Cowboy Bebop, there is an episode that quotes one of his famous sayings.”