Source: SDP Inc. (Stardust Pictures) Official Site: sakurahime-movie.com (Japan) Additional Material: Nippon Connection

Japanese theatrical poster. Photo courtesy of Nippon Connection. © 2013 ”Princess Sakura: Forbidden Pleasures” Film Partners

An erotic costume drama in old time Japan. Romance beyond fate and cruel fighting between greedy men and zombies! Filmmaker Hajime Hashimoto (ANOTHER BATTLE/CONSPIRACY, AIBOU SERIES: X DAY) directs his third release for 2013; PRINCESS SAKURA: FORBIDDEN PLEASURES (??, Sakura Hime). The controversial story is adapted from the 1817 kabuki play Sakura Hime Azuma Bunsho (?????) by Nanboku Tsuruya IV, author of the classic ghost story Yotsuya Kaidan (????). PRINCESS SAKURA: FORBIDDEN PLEASURES stars Kyoko Hinami (VANISHED: AGE 7), Munetaka Aoki (HARA-KIRI: DEATH OF A SAMURAI, RUROUNI KENSHIN), Yuma Asami (PHONE CALL TO THE BAR 2), Yusuke Hirayama (20TH CENTURY BOYS: BEGINNING OF THE END, WILD 7) and Denden (GOLDEN SLUMBER, HIMIZU). SYNOPSIS One night in the Edo period... A spring storm blows strongly while cherry blossoms flutter down in the rumbling of thunder. Gonsuke, the burglar, sneaks into the castle of a privileged family and sexually assaults the Princess Sakura. Sakura never sees his face but notices a tattoo on his right arm. The next day, vassals in the castle are rattled to discover that a scroll, a treasured heirloom, was missing. Meanwhile, Princess Sakura couldn’t forget the pleasure that the unknown burglar brought to her the night before. She decides to ran away from the castle to find the man with the tattoo. Time passes and Princess Sakura goes to work at a brothel in hopes of finding the burglar. By that summer, Sakura -- now going by the name Wind Chime and marked with the same tattoo as Gonsuke -- is the top prostitute there. Hearing of the famous prostitute, finally Gonsuke comes to the brothel. Princess Sakura was extremely delighted to meet the man again, but learns that Gonsuke was the one who stole the heirloom from the castle. Should Princess Sakura choose her family’s pride, or choose the man she loves? A frenzied battle was waiting for them...

DIRECTOR: HAJIME HASHIMOTO ? Born in 1968. After joining Toei Company in 1990, Hashimoto made his debut TV drama in 1997. Since then, he has been directing many TV drama series and movies in a variety of genres from Yakuza, period dramas (Jidaigeki), to police procedural dramas. Filmography 2003:??ANOTHER BATTLE/CONSPIRACY (????????/??, Shin Jingi Nakita Takai/ Boosatsu) 2005:??YAKUZA WIVES: BURNING DESIRE (??????????????, Gokudo no onna-tachi: Joen) 2007:??CHACHA (?????????????, Chacha Tengai no Onna) 2011:??PHONE CALL TO THE BAR (???BAR???, Tantei Wa Bar Ni Iru) 2012:??THE LAST MESSAGE (?? ???, Rinjo: Gekijoba) 2013:??AIBOU SERIES: X DAY (?????? X DAY, Aibou Shirizu X DAY) PHONE CALL TO THE BAR 2 (???BAR???2, Tantei Wa Bar Ni Iru 2) CREDITS Theatrical Release Date: June 29, 2013 Running Time: 96 minutes Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 American Vista Cast Princess Sakura: Kyoko Hinami Gonsuke: Munetaka Aoki Oshichi: Yuma Asami Takuetsu: Yu Tokui Nanboku Tsuruya: Masashi Gouda Seigen: Denden Staff Director: Hajime Hashimoto Producers: Touichiro Siraishi, Ken Yajima, Tatsuya Iwakura Screenplay: Masahiro Yoshimoto and Hajime Hashimoto Original Story: Sakura Hime Azuma Bunsho by Nanboku Tsuruya Cinematography: Yuji Tanaka Editing: Taiji Nagao Music: Leo Sato Lighting: Toshio Sawada Art Direction: Takashi Yoshida Visual Effects: Tatsuya Yamamoto Production Company: C.A.L. Production Support: Toei Utsumasa Eizo Planning and Production: SDP Inc. (Stardust Pictures) © 2013 ”Princess Sakura: Forbidden Pleasures” Film Partners