East Side Stories

Ah, the folly of youth. So goes the theme of this year's Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme. Yes, serving as an introduction to Japanese film this year is a selection of films about those often overlooked in film humans: young adults. With eleven films on offer, I ventured to a modest three of them (that's 27%), somehow choosing the ones that featured young men that are unable to get laid.

Otakus in Love (Koi no Mon)

You always get those films that essentially feel like a bit of a laugh for a group of film-makers to get together and make, and probably get a bit drunk. 'Otakus in Love' is one such film. Written and directed by Suzuki Matsuo(you know him; the one who played the twins in 'Ichi the Killer') and based on a manga, it also features 'Ichi the Killer star and director Tsukamoto Shinya in a supporting role and 'chi the Killer director Miike Takashi in a fairly non-existent role.

To say this film is silly would be accurate: Aoki is a young otaku seeking employment, often failing, trying to fund his bizarrely confused dreams of being a manga artist. At another failed job attempt he meets Koino, a fellow otaku and failed manga artist who finds his strange ways hotter than hot. But, being nerds, their falling in love is fraught with confusion as to what they should be doing, in an on-off relationship, which obviously wins in the end -it is a rom-com after all.

There is nothing particularly impressive on display here, nothing to set the world on fire or win any awards. It is stupid fun made by a group of people that have collaborated in the past, featuring cameos and in-jokes that are more for the makers rather than the consumers. But the story does enough in terms of laughs and entertainment to succeed. 'Otakus in Love' shows a part of Japanese youth: that of writers of fan-manga and cosplay, though probably tells us more about the lives of the film-makers rather than Japanese youth itself.

Love Strikes (Moteki)

'Love Strikes' was introduced at the programme by director Hitoshi Ohne and lead actor Mirai Moriyama. On the first day of the London Tube strike, this lead to hilarious anecdotes of having to run from a bus from Brixton to make the film start (which was subsequently delayed). For some reason, the version screened had had someone fiddling with the contrast settings on it, with moments of the film looking like the result of some appalling make-up work. Ohne acknowledged this and urged the audience to use its imagination in enjoying the film.

'Love Strikes' is a film that certainly has a lot of imagination. Like 96.4% of contemporary Japanese films, it's based on a manga, though the film version takes it to another level. Fujimoto is a 'second virgin' working at an online pop culture magazine, a source of much politically incorrect humour for his work colleagues. On meeting a fellow music nerd, a female one, on Twitter - regularly referenced throughout the film - he then hits a period of moteki: a purple patch with women. But, in his desperation to be with his first love, Miyuki, he finds that success with women brings him problems he has no idea how to handle, leading to more pain, frustration and angst than being hapless with women ever did. But, being another rom-com (aren't all films about youth?!), all works out fine in the end.

With music an important element in the film, director Ohne throws in various emotional musical numbers, directed as karaoke routines, complete with introductions and sing-a-long lyrics. All this provides much hilarity. Interestingly, one of the highlights of the film is the closing credits, based on the social networking sites often referenced throughout. At times, the realism in 'Love Strikes' is strong, showing the stresses and strains that social media and mobile communications put on young people in love, with Fujimoto often becoming obsessive over the most trivial of things. (Though with Fujimoto's character being thirty-one years old, it's difficult to know how youthful this really is.) However, all this angst seems to be written off with the happy ending, which detracts a little from some of the film's more serious points. Though with its various pop culture references and cameos by leading J-Pop stars, such as everyone's favourites Perfume,  'Love Strikes' proved to be 'big in Japan'.

The Story of Yonosuke (Yokomichi Yonosuke)

You know that weird bloke you went to uni with? You know the one? It was me. Well, this is what Yoshida Shuichi clearly had in mind when he wrote the novel 'Yokomichi Yonosuke'. Seemingly semi-autobiographical, it tells the story of Yonosuke, a hilariously-named student from Nagasaki, arriving in Tokyo in the late Eighties to start university. A seeming odd-ball, played by a different-haired Kengo Kora, in his own unique way, Yonosuke touches (not in a bad way) everyone that he meets, with the various young students he comes across (not in a bad way) shown to be later reminiscing about their friend from university a decade and a half later.

Telling the story on one's life can take a long time, and 'The Story of Yonosuke' is a long film and seems to start slowly. But unfolding like chapters in a book, switching between the past and the present, the film is broken up enough into digestible chunks that mean it doesn't drag or bore, something that would have harmed and otherwise good film. But luckily, it doesn't, and 'The Story of Yonosuke' is a strong piece about nostalgia.

Watched a decade after graduating from university, one can definitely relate to the characters looking back at their old friend - one probably not seen for many years - with Yonosuke a recognisable individual which one would meet at a seat of learning, but would be left on with memories of years later. What did happen to that weird bloke? He's writing this.     

The purpose of the Japan Touring Film Programme is to serve as an introduction to Japanese cinema, though probably often finds itself preaching to the converted. But, while quite a specific selection viewed, one thing that came across is that despite being on the other side of the planet and doing things in their own, unique way, die jungen of Japan face the same obstacles as us over here in the U-of-K: turning masturbation into sex, of course.

Hey you: do you live in Belfast, Bristol, Dundee, Edinburgh, Newcastle (I have), Nottingham or Sheffield? Yes? You poor piss-stick. But the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme is heading your poor, depressing way. 

Eclair

One thing that is very apparent when watching Japanese film 'Eclair' is that this is very much a TV movie. The writing, directorial style, acting, look and feel of 'Eclair' are all very much designed to be watched on a small screen rather than a silver one.

Young Akira is an orphan, sent to a strict reform school where he is subjected to abuse from sycophantic teachers on a daily basis. His sole escapes are his dreams of eating sweets that he shares with young, female teacher, Yoko. Adopted by a sour old woman, he is again abused daily, but in a slightly nicer way and starts working at a local cinema in Tokyo.

However, life is still not peachy, and Akira runs away, joining a travelling performance troupe, but again finds himself alone when the troupe is disbanded with the outbreak of war.  He then leads a band of young orphans that try and scrimp and save on the war-torn streets; all the while, dear, sweet Yoko searches for him, before eventually they are reunited.

Much like a chocolate eclair, 'Eclair' is sweet, perhaps a little too sweet, much like an eclair. In what is quite like a Stewart Lee description of a 'tragic lives' supermarket-bought toilet book, Akira's life is full of sadness and misery, with the all important dreams of sweets the one thing keeping him going. There is far too much melodrama, far too much sentimentality in the acting and direction and far too many coincidences, convenient plot devices and unbelievable character motivations. Akira's life keeps going from bad to worse, to make it so much more enjoyable to see it go from good to better by the film's conclusion.

All-in-all, this is something sweet, simple and made to be enjoyed by housewives watching daytime television. In that sense, 'Eclair' almost seems the perfectly marketed film, satisfying the Japanese department store liking of all things sweet and overtly packaged in pure aesthetics. The conclusion of the modern day descendant of Akira and Yoko working in her stylised bakery furthers this.

Being a thirty-something, British male, this film probably isn't aimed at me, but by the end, you can't help but feel disgustingly entertained. 'Eclair' is too sickly sweet and isn't good for you, but like a sickly sweet desert, you find it enjoyable, in a dirty, hateful way.