Voltes V: Legacy gets commendation at the Japanese Film Festival

Voltes V: Legacy's Radson Flores, Matt Lozano, and Mark Reyes

After what seemed like a January that went on forever, February made a slam dunkin' entrance courtesy of the Japanese Film Festival 2024 that formally opened at the Shangri-La Plaza Mall.

Minister Kenichi Matsuda and Telesuccess Productions' Larry Chan

The opening night program saw the Embassy of Japan, represented by Deputy Chief of Mission Kenichi Matsuda, awarding of Certificates of Commendation to Telesuccess Productions Chairman and CEO Larry Chan and to the GMA Network led by VP for Drama Cheryl Ching-Sy for championing Voltes V to the Filipino people via the animated series and Voltes V: Legacy, the subsequent live action series adaptation. Also present at the opening reception is Voltes V: Legacy director Mark Reyes and two of the series' lead stars namely Radson Flores and Matt Lozano.

GMA Network led by VP for Drama Cheryl Ching-Sy (3rd from left)
with Minister Kenichi Matsuda (4th from left)

Two of the most highly anticipated films of the Japanese Film Festival 2024 are Voltes V: Legacy - The Cinematic Experience and Voltes V: Liberation with only one time screenings scheduled towards the tail end of the festival.

Sharlla Cerilles

Another highlight of the program was Sharlla Cerilles serenading the crowd with Voltes V no Uta and Kimi Ga Suki da to Sakebitai, the iconic opening theme songs of Voltes V and Slam Dunk respectively.

RAd views: The First Slam Dunk

There was not enough time to watch 101 episodes of the anime (nor to read up to the 25th volume of the manga) between the announcement that The First Slam Dunk would be opening the Japanese Film Festival and the actual opening night itself.

But there is no need to go through all this to fully enjoy the sequel to the anime adaptation of Inoue Takehiko's sports magnum opus.

Told from the perspective of Ryota Miyagi, the point guard of Shohoku High School basketball team, the movie intersperses his back story with a match between Shohoku and top team Sannoh. This is the match that fans were waiting for but the anime ended just as the Inter-High School National Championship was to begin although this storyline was told in volumes 25-31 of the manga.

Miyagi's backstory in the movie gives an added dimension to his character which was mostly depicted as prone to violence in the manga/anime.

Even if the film clocked at a little over two hours, the fast paced action on the court was a relief for those who had to sit through several anime episodes or manga volumes for just a few minutes of a basketball game.