Pretty Packaging: THE TAISHO TRILOGY Boxset Pays Proper Homage

In February of this year, we lost the Japanese filmmaker Suzuki Seijun at the venerable age of 93. His work lives on of course, and UK distributor Arrow will be releasing (re-releasing on some cases) his films in a collection of boxsets. In November, a first boxset of early works has been planned which will contain The Boy Who Came Back (1958), The Wind-of-Youth Group Crosses the Mountain Pass (1961), Teenage Yakuza (1962), The Incorrigible (1963) and Born Under Crossed Stars (1965).

However, that will not be the first Suzuki boxset released by Arrow this year. Last month we got The Taisho Trilogy, containing Zigeunerweisen (1980), Kagero-za (1981) and Yumeji (1991).

These are three supernatural thrillers/dramas (you can never pin Suzuki down on a single genre) which formed Suzuki Seijun's comeback after having been blacklisted in the Japanese film industry for over ten years. All three take place during the early 1920s, known in Japan as the Taisho Era, a short time of enlightenment and blooming of the arts before the militaristic right would seize power.

The boxset is a regular one, with three amarays and a booklet, but the artwork is sure pretty enough to earn it an article, so here is a gallery of shots! Click on the edge of the pictures to scroll through them, or at the center of each to see a bigger version.

And here it is: a colorful hard cardboard box. I really love the decoration here.

In the box: three amarays and a booklet.

The contents taken out.

All contents opened. Each of the films is there on both DVD and Blu-ray.

Each amaray comes with a reversible cover, a very nice touch!

The booklet is 60 pages, which may not be the thickest Arrow has ever included, but there is no fat here and it is a treasure trove of information.

In it we get essays about Suzuki and his link(s) to the Taisho era, descriptions of the films, behind the scenes pictures, the lot! It's a great extra.

The (back)end of a fine-looking boxset. Great work, Arrow! Looking forward to the first "Early Works" boxset in November...