Shimotsuma monogatari (2004)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Tetsuya Nakashima

Writers:

Nobara Takemoto (novel)
Tetsuya Nakashima (screenplay)

Release Date:

29 May 2004 (Japan)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Momoko is an ordinary girl, living an ordinary life. Ordinary, that is, if you define ordinary as wearing...

Plot Keywords:

Surrealism | Scooter | Pachinko | Outcast | Motorcycle Gang

Awards:

14 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Kyôko Fukada	...	Momoko Ryugasaki
Anna Tsuchiya	...	Ichigo Shirayuri
Hiroyuki Miyasako	...	Momoko's Father
Sadao Abe	...	Ryuji 'the Unicorn' / Doctor
Eiko Koike	...	Akimi
Shin Yazawa	...	Miko
Hirotaro Honda	...	Yakuza Boss
Kirin Kiki	...	Momoko's Grandmother
YosiYosi Arakawa	...	Grocery Store Manager
Katsuhisa Namase	...	Pachinko Parlor Manager
Ryoko Shinohara	...	Momoko's Mother
Yoshinori Okada	...	Baby, 'The Stars Shine Bright' Owner
Kanako Irie
Haruo Mizuno	...	Himself
Yuichi Kimura	...	Yakuza
Yoko Maki	...	BTSSB Staff
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ken Ayugai
Mayuko Fukuda	...	Young Momoko Ryugasaki
Vincent Giry	...	French Rococo Period Gentleman
Marie Machida

Directed by
Tetsuya Nakashima

Writing credits
Nobara Takemoto		(novel)
Tetsuya Nakashima		(screenplay)

Produced by
Kazuya Hamana	....	co-executive producer
Takashi Hirano	....	producer
Yuji Ishida	....	producer
Kunikatsu Kondo	....	executive producer
Masayuki Miyashita	....	co-executive producer
Satoru Ogura	....	producer
Arimasa Okada	....	assistant producer
Yokichi Osato	....	executive producer
Sachiko Sone	....	assistant producer
Yutaka Suzuki	....	line producer

Original Music by
Yôko Kanno

Cinematography by
Masakazu Ato

Film Editing by
Yoshiyuki Koike
Chiaki Toyama

Production Design by
Towako Kuwashima

Production Management
Tadao Osawa	....	production manager

Sound Department
Junichi Shima	....	sound recordist

Visual Effects by
Hiroshi Tsubokawa	....	digital effects artist
Masahide Yanagawase	....	visual effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Taro Kimura	....	lighting director

Music Department
Kazuhiko Kato	....	composer: song "Time Machine ni onegai"

Other crew
Kumiko Tanaka	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Amuse Pictures
• Hakuhodo DY Media Partners
• Hori Production
• Ogura Jimusyo Co.
• Parco Co. Ltd.
• Shogakukan
• Toho Company
• Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS)
• Tokyo FM Broadcasting Co.

Distributors

• Toho Company (2004) (worldwide) (all media)
• Cipa (2006) (France) (theatrical)
• Viz Media (2005) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Media Cooperation One (MC-One) (2008) (Germany) (DVD)
• One Movie (2006) (Italy) (DVD)
• Third Wind Films (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Third Window Films (2009) (UK) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Hoei Sangyo Co. Ltd.  film stock supplied by
• Studio 4°C  animated sequence

Also Known As:

Kamikaze Girls (International: English title)

Runtime:

Japan:102 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

France:U | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | South Korea:15

Company:

Amuse Pictures

Trivia:

"Himiko" is the name of Japan's first "historical" Empress. Himeko was reported in Chinese histories as the ruler of Japan during their Wei dynasty, dying in 248 AD. Being a woman ruler and priestess (as reported by the Chinese), she is something of a feminist icon in Japan. Also, like the Himiko in the film, she is believed by some to be mythical.

Quotes:

Momoko Ryugasaki: Stop spitting!

Comes on like a Japanese Ghostworld only 10 times more outrageous !!!

Watched this gem of a film just a week before xmas 2004,,,and mighty glad I did,,as apart from maybe Eternal Sunshine and 2046 nothing really as stood out in 2004 for me.

I'm not saying this film's perfect it does go way too dreamy and slips a lot into teen angst a little too much,but for a hugely entertaining wild ride you gotta see it as nothing for along time comes close to this on the fun scale.

Included are show stopping camera angles/tricks and odd moments of surreal nonsense all wrapped around story of a pair of female teens (Kyôko Fukada & Anna Tsuchiya who both look and act awesome) finding their own individual identities,add some great gags on modern life's consumerism and you've got a sure fire cult maybe even worldwide hit on your hands.I can hear teen girls ripping their posters of N-Sync and Westlife down from their walls and putting up Momoko & Ichigo one's.All in all hugely recommend to fans of Japanese culture i'd give this a super fun 8 maybe adding an half for the fun anime sections...