Can men and women be friends without this leading to a romantic relationship? Some say yes, some say no. There is hardly a question on which opinions differ so widely. Young Japanese director Mayu Akiyama also deals with this topic in her feature film debut. Her main character Nasa works for an online magazine and conducts a self-experiment for her story. In a bar, she meets Sota and learns that he is working for a company named “Rent-a-Friend”. It is an agency that offers “friends” for rent. Since Sota claims that he has a switch he can switch off all romantic feelings towards women, he seems to be the perfect object of study for her series of articles.
Akiyama chooses to use simple means and a minimalistic staging, which are probably partly due to a modest production budget. The reduced form, however, also has the advantage of creating a realistic...
Akiyama chooses to use simple means and a minimalistic staging, which are probably partly due to a modest production budget. The reduced form, however, also has the advantage of creating a realistic...
- 3/22/2020
- by Teresa Vena
- AsianMoviePulse
Mayu Akiyama – worked in the fashion industry while studying at the Film School of Tokyo. Her graduation production, ‘Garconne – The Woman having both sexes’, featured a refreshingly intersexual protagonist. It was selected for the 11th Tanabe-Benkei Film Festival and was nominated for the Art Center of Tokyo Grand Prix.
‘Rent a friend’ – making friends of the opposite sex in adulthood is hard. Is it even possible? Web magazine editor Nasa Mochizuki meets Sota Yanase, who tells her that he can switch off hist attraction to women any time. Turns out he’s a ‘rental friend’, and Nasa decides to rent him herself. When her roommate Tamaki gets closer to Sota through music, Nasa discovers her contractual relationship with him cannot lead to something more, even if she wants it to. Mayu Akiyama makes her feature debut with this story about the unusual ‘relationship’ between a guy and two gals.
The...
‘Rent a friend’ – making friends of the opposite sex in adulthood is hard. Is it even possible? Web magazine editor Nasa Mochizuki meets Sota Yanase, who tells her that he can switch off hist attraction to women any time. Turns out he’s a ‘rental friend’, and Nasa decides to rent him herself. When her roommate Tamaki gets closer to Sota through music, Nasa discovers her contractual relationship with him cannot lead to something more, even if she wants it to. Mayu Akiyama makes her feature debut with this story about the unusual ‘relationship’ between a guy and two gals.
The...
- 11/22/2018
- by Nikodem Karolak
- AsianMoviePulse
Kyoto Elegy (2014) ReviewStory78%Acting80%Directing80%Music81%Solid acting performancesBeautiful musicVery nice directorial debut by Kiki SuginoSeeing the Japanese title some people might expect a comedy80%Overall ScoreReader Rating: (1 Vote)93%
Having had the pleasure of interviewing producer/actress, and most recently also director, Kiki Sugino at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in January 2014 (you can read the interview here), I was lucky enough to be able to obtain a ticket for the world premiere of her first feature film as a director, Kyoto Elegy, original Japanese title Manga niku to boku, at the Tokyo International Film Festival 2014.
Kyoto Elegy is based on the award winning novel by Shiki Asaka. Most people might expect a comedy when seeing a title as Manga niku to boku (literarily translated “comic meat and me”), as director Sugino mentioned herself at the premiere. But the film and its story is actually a heartfelt drama that deals...
Having had the pleasure of interviewing producer/actress, and most recently also director, Kiki Sugino at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in January 2014 (you can read the interview here), I was lucky enough to be able to obtain a ticket for the world premiere of her first feature film as a director, Kyoto Elegy, original Japanese title Manga niku to boku, at the Tokyo International Film Festival 2014.
Kyoto Elegy is based on the award winning novel by Shiki Asaka. Most people might expect a comedy when seeing a title as Manga niku to boku (literarily translated “comic meat and me”), as director Sugino mentioned herself at the premiere. But the film and its story is actually a heartfelt drama that deals...
- 11/19/2014
- by Thor
- AsianMoviePulse
Tadao (screen legend Tatsuya Nakadai) is very upset. He's first seen storming out of the house by the sea in a small fishing village in Hokkaido, with his granddaughter Haru (Eri Tokunaga) trailing behind with his cane. She apologizes profusely but he is adamant. It is finally clear after they are on the train what their argument was about: Haru's job at the school cafeteria is no more since the school is permanently closed. She wants to go to Tokyo to get a job, and therefore Tadao will need to find some way to support himself alone. He is begrudgingly on his way to ask his siblings, whom he hasn't seen for ages, if they could take him in. So starts Haru's Journey, a...
- 7/18/2011
- Screen Anarchy
The official website for Masahiro Kobayashi‘s Haru to no Tabi (something like “A Trip with Haru”) was re-launched yesterday, complete with a 2+ minute trailer.
Tatsuya Nakadai stars as Tadao, an ex-fisherman who lives with his 18-year-old granddaughter Haru (Eri Tokunaga) in a small harborside house in Hokkaido. Haru, who dreams of moving to Tokyo, recently lost her job, and Tadao can’t help but be a burden on her due to his injured leg. Unable to afford nursing home care, Tadao’s only option is to turn to his estranged brothers who he’s completely avoided until now due to incidents in the past. As Haru witnesses the conflict between her grandfather and his family first-hand, new emotions begin to build.
As reported by Tokyograph last April, Kobayashi (“Man Walking on Snow”, “Bashing”) began this project with the lofty intention of creating a modern film in a similar vein...
Tatsuya Nakadai stars as Tadao, an ex-fisherman who lives with his 18-year-old granddaughter Haru (Eri Tokunaga) in a small harborside house in Hokkaido. Haru, who dreams of moving to Tokyo, recently lost her job, and Tadao can’t help but be a burden on her due to his injured leg. Unable to afford nursing home care, Tadao’s only option is to turn to his estranged brothers who he’s completely avoided until now due to incidents in the past. As Haru witnesses the conflict between her grandfather and his family first-hand, new emotions begin to build.
As reported by Tokyograph last April, Kobayashi (“Man Walking on Snow”, “Bashing”) began this project with the lofty intention of creating a modern film in a similar vein...
- 3/27/2010
- Nippon Cinema
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