Demon City Shinjuku

『魔界都市 (新宿)』
Makai Toshi (Shinjuku)

Introduction by LeSean Thomas. Based on a novel by Vampire Hunter D creator Hideyuki Kikuchi and directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Demon City Shinjuku is the story of a young man who must battle a city overtaken by demons to save the world. Demon City Shinjuku was one of the first anime watched by many in the U.S., with it being released by New York’s own Central Park Media in the early ‘90s. A pulpy film filled with gratuitous violence and grotesque monsters, it’s emblematic of the anime popular with American audiences 30 years ago, when LeSean Thomas himself was growing up. And while essentially a Japanese grindhouse flick, it was the work of tremendous talents. 

Dir. Yoshiaki Kawajiri, 1988, 82 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Hideyuki Hori, Hiromi Tsuru, Kiyoshi Kobayashi.

LeSean Thomas on Demon City Shinjuku:
“Classic, Classic,” is how LeSean Thomas sums up Demon City Shinjuku. “I didn’t realize who I was watching at the time, but Demon City Shinjuku is the work of animators including Naoyuki Onda and Satoshi Iwataki. Onda and Iwataki have touched a lot of classic stuff.” Years later, LeSean would collaborate with both as part of Netflix’s Yasuke. “To be able to have both Onda and Iwataki working on Yasuke, it was too much.”

About LeSean Thomas
South Bronx-born LeSean Thomas is among the distinguished few Black Americans making their mark in the TV anime industry and is currently the only Black American to successfully create, produce and direct original TV anime series in Japan. LeSean’s most recent triumph is the critically acclaimed and NAACP Image Award-nominated Netflix series Yasuke. 

Part of Foreign Exchange: Anime Inspirations & Visionaries with LeSean Thomas

Admission to this film also includes free entry to the Japan Society Gallery’s Acky Bright: Studio Infinity, Japanese pop culture illustrator Acky Bright’s first solo gallery exhibition in NYC.

Image: © 1988 Hideyuki Kikuchi / Asahi Sonorama / Japan Home Video / Video Art.

Co-organized with the Japan Foundation, New York and the Imagination Project Inc.

Japan Society programs are supported by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Film programs are generously supported by ORIX Corporation USA, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, Anime NYC and Yen Press. Endowment support is provided by the Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Endowment Fund and The John and Miyoko Davey Endowment Fund. Additional season support is provided by The Globus Family, George P. Hirose, David Toberisky, Joseph Rajaratnam and Dharshini Iolanthe Sivakumaran, and Film Circle members.

Transportation assistance is provided by Japan Airlines, the official Japanese airline sponsor of Japan Society Film Program. Housing assistance is provided by the Prince Kitano New York, the official hotel sponsor of Japan Society Film Program.