September is looking to be another promising month for new content on Netflix. A Japanese monk and restaurant owner is featured on the upcoming ‘Chef’s Table’ spin-off dedicated to pizza and there’s a new standalone anime series based on the Cyberpunk franchise.
Anime lovers will also be pleased to see that the live-action adaptation of ‘Yowamushi Pedal’ is hitting the streaming platform this month. This should keep you occupied as you wait for a booking at the ‘Stranger Things’ pop-up café in Shibuya to open up. (Note that regional restrictions may apply.)
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Synopsis: In a dystopian future, a street kid called David Martinez is fighting to escape from a technological society marred by corruption and an obsession with cybernetic body modifications. In an attempt to take control of his destiny, David retreats to the fringes of the city and joins a faction of cyberpunk outlaws known as edgerunners.
Overview: From Studio Trigger comes a brand new standalone anime series based on the 'Cyberpunk 2077' comics. The series is decidedly NSFW. The adrenaline-filled trailer alone is chock full of gun fights, gore and eroticism, but the psychedelic neon imagery combined with no-holds-barred character depictions has us hooked.
Coming September 13 2022
Yowamushi Pedal
Synopsis: Sakamichi Onoda is a shy and introverted high school student who adores anime. Instead of taking part in extra curricular activities or socialising with classmates, Sakamichi prefers to spend his afternoons browsing the manga and anime speciality shops in Tokyo’s Akihabara district, which he travels to on a beaten down bicycle.
Sakamichi’s daily ritual has unwittingly turned him into a rather impressive cyclist who can tear up steep hills and pedal for long distances with surprising ease. He eventually catches the attention of his school cycling club. When the club recruits Sakamichi for their competitive races, he begins to come out of his shell with a newfound confidence and identity.
Overview: The stereotypical anime nerd breaking the mould is a trope that we can never get enough of, and it’s played out especially well in ‘Yowamushi Pedal’. The four-season anime series is already on Netflix, and while live-action adaptations of anime seldom live up to expectations, this 2020 version starring Ren Nagase as the glasses-wearing Sakamichi is a happy exception.
Coming September 14 2022
Chef’s Table: Pizza
Synopsis: Six celebrated chefs from around the world each present their own delicious versions of pizza and show viewers what it takes to make an outstanding pie.
Overview: It’s always a triumphant moment when we see a Japanese chef being featured in a Chef’s Table episode. Yoshihiro Imai's episode in this new spin-off is particularly exciting given that a monk based in Kyoto seems like an unlikely contender for a miniseries that revolves around an Italian staple.
Despite appearances, Imai’s restaurant – aptly named Monk – is one of Japan’s most highly acclaimed restaurants, where Imai serves his guests an exquisite seven-course dinner featuring pizza as the centrepiece. In this mouthwatering instalment, you’ll learn about the way Imai incorporates his spiritual background into his culinary vision, and what goes into making a pizza that has people talking from all corners of the world.
Coming September 7 2022
Drifting Home
Synopsis: The film is about a group of children who decide to explore an abandoned residential building and accidentally find themselves in a strange new reality where they are stranded in the middle of the ocean. With no adults to save them, the friends gather their courage to work together as they brave choppy waves and look for a way to get back to their normal world.
Overview: Netflix has been teasing this film for a while, but we’re now mere weeks away from its release. Directed by Hiroyasu Ishida, ‘Drifting Home’ is the third full-length film to come from Studio Colorido, which was also behind the anime adaptation of ‘Penguin Highway’ and Mari Okada’s 2020 film ‘A Whisker Away’.
Coming September 16 2022
The Bittersweet Tale of Otaku
Synopsis: Mana Endo, a jaded office worker in her late twenties (Yuki Sakurai), becomes disenchanted with social media. She decides that she no longer has the energy to keep up her picture-perfect online persona. By chance, she encounters a member of an underground idol group called Hana (Sei Shiraishi), whose obvious flaws and candid manner intrigues Mana. Before long, Mana is a dedicated fan of Hana and goes to all of her performances to show her support. However, her harmless admiration for the aspiring star soon evolves into a dangerous obsession.
Overview: Peppered with intrigue and mystery, this eight-episode series produced by NHK packs a surprising amount of substance. The story takes some time to unfold, but the journey is a worthwhile one.
Coming September 1 2022
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