The Taira clan was a major group of samurai warriors referred to as the ochimusha, who dominated the Japanese political scene between the 9th and 12th centuries. After a bitter defeat, however, the clan fled to remote regions in Japan where they set up small villages to inhabit.Now, centuries later in a northern Japanese town named Yamagata, a businessman and high school girl inadvertently unearth one of the Taira graves, awakening the 800-year-old zombies of the ancient ochimusha!
If you are attracted to the cult of Japanese horror films, then you are in for a treat: “Yamagata Scream,” the first film of Japanese designer Rynshu Hashimoto since establishing his film production company in 2007: the Ma-Ji Amanasu Dream Co. Directed by Naoto Takenaka in collaboration with Sedic International, the film will be released this summer in Japan by Gaga Communications.
Rynshu Hashimoto was actually born Yamaji Masatomo in 1951. After studying fashion and design at Tama Art College in Tokyo, Yamaji founded the Maji-Creation design studio in 1986. Then in 1992, he renamed the company to its current label, Masatomo Inc., which Yamaji has since presented every season at Paris Men’s Fashion Week.
In 2001, Yamaji changed his name to Rynshu Hashimoto, and there is buzz on the internet that he will also rename his label to Rynshu in 2010. I am not an expert on Japanese traditions; but from what I understand, it is not uncommon in Japan to change names upon significant events in life.
Whether we catch a screening of “Yamagata Scream” or not, we are still in for a treat this autumn/winter season. As costume designer of the film, Rynshu Hashimoto has awakened the spirit of samurai films in his 2009 a/w collection, which is inspired by the ancient warriors’ armor. So, look out for those zombies on the runway!
Photo 1860's Samurai by Felice Beato, Public Domain at Wikipedia.
Slideshow 2009 a/w collection Copyright Masatomo.
