Sagawa works for a mail-order company and is obsessed with the idea of doing something for others. Every morning he stands in front of a mirror and gives himself a pep talk. Nitta, a dissatisfied customer, lives alone with her dog. Her conversations with the mail-order company’s customer advisors seem to be her only means of interaction with other people. Ohki, a new employee at the company, is given the job of visiting Nitta. Ohki is alone and pregnant, and pours out her troubles to Nitta. Tahara, the ex-fiancé of Sagawa’s friend Shimizu, lives with her mentally challenged brother Masaru, who sees the world through 3D blue-red-tinted glasses and keeps ants as pets. Although she loves her brother Tahara is weighed down by the responsibility of caring for him. They all suffer from the pressure of social conventions that leave them isolated and lonely.
Hirosue Hiromasa shows glimpses and perspectives of a generation caught in a desperate struggle for individuality. Yet there are those overpowering moments of happiness when the cycle of loneliness is briefly broken. Hirosue’s film surprises the viewer with comic elements and changes of rhythm, and plays with asynchronous sound and film sequences. In doing so he stands resolutely for a perspective that sets itself apart from cinematic norms. (Gabriela Seidel-Hollaender)
Production: Gunjo-iro, Tokyo
Screenplay: Hirosue Hiromasa, Namiki Akie, Takahashi Izumi
Camera: Hirosue Hiromasa, Namiki Akie, Takahashi Izumi, Kawai Takeshi
Cast: Hirosue Hiromasa, Namiki Akie, Shine Midori, Yui, Arai Hideyuki, Kawai Takeshi, Jibiki Go
Format: HDCam, color
Running time: 106 min.
Language: Japanese
