4/5 Very insightful
  by Carolyn Singleton
I really liked this short film. Despite it being short it overall was a good one. There aren't enough films that portray Asian men and African American women. I am an African American women dating an Asain man and it was refreshing seeing this film. It shows the many aspects of interracial dating. Especially when people don't noramlly see this. Thanks for making this film. I'd like to see many more like this one.

4/5 could be longer
  by Marta Pedro Miala (Ghent, Belgium (europe))
hey everyone,

a few days i pruchased that movie. and i did like it. the only thing i disliked about the movie was the fact that it was only 37min or so long. when you are watching it you long for more. but other than that it's good and funny to see all of those cliché's.

5/5 A short film full of heart and soul
  by Rae L. (Phoenix, AZ)
This is a little festival circuit gem I came across via a Myspace bulletin. I was glad to check it out and I was thrilled when the short film was in the run for winning a Con-Can Film Festival Japan award. I'm a big indie fan and happily watched when IFC and Sundance first premiered with some very innovative films. It's not the same as it was back when the channels were in their infancy so I missed out on a lot of good indies. Thankfully there's networking all across the net!

Akira's Hip Hop Shop stars James Kyson Lee of Heroes fame and Emayatzy Corinealdi of the Young and the Restless fame at the heart of this short film. Akira is a Japanese man hardcore into hip hop and the owner of a music store of the same title. One day in comes a young woman named Daphne who strolls into his store shopping and inquiring if he's hiring. She's looking for a part time job while she finishes her degree in Culinary Arts - Major in Japanese cuisine.

Needless to say both Daphne and Akira hit it off right off the bat but soon are faced with the usual issues of an interracial relationship, the stares from stranges, the stereotypical questions from their friends, etc. And things become even more complicated when a childhood friend at home, one that Akira's mother has been calling his "future wife" comes for a visit...

The story may seem 'meh' from my description here but the characters and the heart of the story make this a very charming movie. Based on previous news, the director Joe Doughrity has written a feature length version of the script and is hoping to get that version of the ground this year. There aren't many romantic movies featuring an African-American heroine and an Asian Hero and I would love to see many more where this came from. I'll be keeping an ear to the ground to see if and when this comes about because I'm up to see that version. At its current time frame, the movie tells a coherent and sweet love story that will surely lift provide many viewers with a wonderful HEA.


2/5 Akirahiphopshop
  by Ayana Arnold
I'm glad the shipment was timely, but more than that, I'm glad the DVD didn't turn out to be a pirated copy from a 3rd party. I had that experience a few years ago, ordering a box set of Inuyasha from here.Only one of the discs would play, the rest were useless.

5/5 IMDB review
  by J. Doughrity (USA)
Mariah writes:

"Akira's Hip Hop Shop is a short film that leaves the viewer longing for more. James Kyson Lee gives a performance that is subtle, yet smolders with a sexy sensitivity not on display in television's Heroes. The lovely Emayatzy E. Corinealdi portrays a vulnerable young woman who is certain of her dreams. Even if she isn't sure with whom she'd like to share them with. She has a charming,spunky style that the director captures well. The chemistry between the two main characters in undeniable and immediately draws the viewer into the story.

The story itself is a believable telling of an unlikely pairing. It doesn't shy away from intimacy in the physical realm. This realistic portrayal of attraction on all levels is something that other movies about Asian man - Black woman couples seem to be lacking. These are two attractive young people who share many interests despite their vastly different cultural backgrounds. The writer/director isn't afraid to address the issues of racial stereotypes that each group may hold about the other. Yet it doesn't leave the viewer with a feeling that these two are ill fated, star crossed lovers.

To be sure, the telling of this tale is a bold undertaking, but it is more than deftly handled. The story that the filmmaker is trying to tell us deserves a full feature with a larger budget. However, what this short film lacks in budget, it more than makes up for with heart."