The animated works of Kon Satoshi (1963-2010) deal with the concepts of identity and multiple lives and are often praised for the depth of their psychological portrayals, the creative editing, and the unpredictable approach of Kon’s storytelling. To celebrate the legacy of this visionary master of visual narrative, this season of free screenings at Japan House London offers a retrospective of Kon’s astounding collection of films that continue to influence and fascinate audiences in Japan and abroad.

Throughout his decade-long career of filmmaking, Kon was considered a pioneer who pushed the boundaries between animation and live-action. He was able to play with reality and the subliminal by using an array of compositing techniques and a framing that is reminiscent of manga, yet transcending the medium to address a mature audience through the complexity of his subjects and a multifaceted visual presentation.

A virtuoso of the match-cut (a type of editing which uses elements of one scene in the transition to the next scene), both his themes and techniques have been an acknowledged influence on cutting-edge directors such as Darren Aronofsky and Christopher Nolan. His innovative use of editing processes was not only employed for visual effect, but as a manifestation of his view of a contemporary society.

To explore the work of such a prominent figure in the field of animation, who suddenly passed away in 2010 at the peak of his career, from September to December 2022 Japan House London is screening Kon’s four major feature length animation films: Millennium Actress, Paprika, Perfect Blue and Tokyo Godfathers. 

Each film in this series is screened on the second Sunday of each month and a second time on a selected evening.

Season Programme

This page is updated with information on individual events as they become available to book.

11 & 17 September 2022: Millennium Actress

9 & 19 October 2022: Paprika

13 & 30 November 2022: Perfect Blue

11 & 20 December 2022: Tokyo Godfathers

The screenings are in Japanese with English subtitles. Information on age ratings is displayed on each individual event page.

Guests who are booked to attend the screening can also enjoy 10% off drinks at The Stand on their way in.