Videos that have subtitles are readily available through your domestic sources, wherever you may be in the world. Mail order houses include Ken Cranes (for DVDs), Amazon.com, and Facets in Chicago (all of which send overseas). For unusual cult titles, try Video Search of Miami; however, despite what they claim most of their titles are less than legal and usually of very poor quality.

As for Japan, Kadokawa Shoten used to put out a catalog of what's available on video, but they put out their last edition a while ago. Instead, these seem to be the main publications available:

The Bideo sofuto so katarogu put out by Ongaku Shuppan is a good start, but does not include all the video companies. For example, despite the fact that many of Toho's best films are released through their Toho Kinema Kurabu, this catalog does not list them because Toho only sells these through mail order.

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You can also try Hinode Fine Mook's Bideo Sofuto Sogo Katarogu.

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For political documentaries, try Video Act!'s online store. Video Act! is a consortium of over 30 independent film and video makers, including Tsuchimoto Noriaki (Minamata Series) and Idemitsu Mako (Great Mother Series). They sell much of the best video art and activism in recent years. The catalog is in both English and japanese, and quite a few of the titles have English subtitled versions.

It is possible to purchase used videos in Japan. Many regular rental shops sell old tapes. Kanda has a few used video shops, including a chain called Disukumeto (phone: 5276-5730). The easiest store to find is30 feet from Exit A5, Jinbocho Station and they have maps to the other locations, the largest of which is a 5 minute walk. Typical prices are 2,000 to 5,000 yen, but selected items from various fandoms can easily push 40,000 yen. Expect to find little or nothing from the prewar era.

For narrative films, there are countless Japanese internet sites selling videos. A search using a Japanese search engine will produce plenty of possibilities. No one we know has used them, so we have no recommendations.

DVD distribution is still minimal, but the DVD Database charts what's available (in Japanese). The site includes links to the DVD pages of the main producers. Also, Kinema Clubbers from Hong Kong report that VCDs of Japanese films (subtitled and not) are plentiful, although their legality is dubious and quality varies.

If you have experience that can help flesh this page out, please contact AbŽ Mark Nornes at amnornes@umich.edu