[J-Movie] The Great Happiness Space - Tales Of An Osaka Love Thief

Name: The Great Happiness Space - Tales Of An Osaka Love Thief
Released: 2006
Directed & produced by: Jake Clennell (UK)

This documentary is about the "Rakkyo Café" which is an host club in Osaka. It's owner is the 22 years old Issei, who is also the number 1 host in the city, and his staff of around twenty boys working in this club. All of this boys are under Issei's training to become the top escorts of Osaka's underground love scene. During their training, they learn how to dress, how to talk, how to walk, and most importantly, how to fake relationships with the girls who become their source of income. The documentary takes you on a journey through the complex and heart-wrenching world of love for sale in the Japanese underground.

I watched this documentary because I toughed it sounds very interesting - and for sure it is! After watching it I was in an odd mood, some kind of strange like if you don't really know how to feel about it. The documentary really helps you to understand this scene more through interviews with the male hosts and their female customers. You can learn why the customers are coming there and what the host thinks about some of them. There are some really sad parts in it which really made me think...

Jack Channel made a really great documentary of this mysterious underground scene, describing the backgrounds very well. Which is still in my ears is the sentence of Issei that the "hosts are selling dreams to their costumers" - a kind of good description for the slogan of his host club.


And while I don't have any preview clip here is another picture - Issei and two of his boys (^-^)

 

More information you can find on the official website: » here «
 

[J-Movie] Tengoku ha mattekureru

Name: Tengoku wa mattekureru | 天国はくれる
English title: Heaven can wait, maybe…
Released: 2007
Main Actors: Yoshihiko Inohara, Aya Okamoto, Shunsuke Kiyokiba, Ayumi Ishida, Ken Ishiguro, Keizo Kanie, Erika Toda

 

Hiroki (Yoshihiko Inohara), Takeshi (Shunsuke Kiyokiba) and Kauro (Aya Okamoto) have been life long friends. As children they talked about their friendship as being a sacred triangle. Now as adults they are still best friends. Hiroki works as a reporter, Kauro works in a fashionable part of the Ginza district and Takeshi works in the fish market. Although Kauro and Hiroki seem to have been in love since their early days Takeshi proposes to Kauro in front of Hiroki. Although Hiroki looks distraught, he can only give his blessings to his best friend’s wishes. Takeshi and Kauro are now set to get married until suddenly a tragedy happens.

I enjoyed watching this movie very much because it’s filled with a lot of love and warmth. The story of a friendship that has to go through a very hard time - always supported by the love of their families. It shows in a very heart-touching way how strong a friendship can be – and it made me cry at the end (q_q)


Trailer:

[J-Movie] Lemon no Koro

Name: Lemon no koro | 檸檬のころ
English title: The Graduates
Released: 2007
Main Actors: Nana Eikura, Mitsuki Tanimura, Naojiro Hayashi, Tasuku Emoto, Hoshi Ishida

 

This is a movie about five normal seniors at a rural high school, and their experiences and emotions in the year leading to graduation. Band conductor Kayoko (Nana Eikura) is a smart and strong-willed girl who plans to attend a Tokyo university after high school. She seems to have her life completely in order, but her changing relationships with baseball players Takumi (Hoshi Ishida) and Tomizo (Tasuku Emoto) throw things into confusion. Meanwhile, aspiring music reviewer Megumi (Mitsuki Tanimura) finds a soulmate in singer Kazuya (Naojiro Hayashi).

A very cute coming-of-age movie. It includes two different stories. First one is about the strong band conductor Kayoko falls in love with a guy but has to think about their future together, because she wants to go to university in Tokyo. I liked the second story a little bit more – it’s about the girl Megumi who wants to write music reviews for magazines, but has no self-confidence. But then she falls in love with the guitarist and singer Kazuya who asks her to write a lyric for his new song. I really liked the song which was played at the school festival at the end of the movie.
All in all, I like the movie. It’s a little bit slow, but it’s also ok this way. If you like high school movies you should watch this one.


Here is the PV of Naojiro Hayashi's song for the movie including some scences. Unfortunately I can't find a trailer (.__.)

[J-Movie] Boys Love (DVD Edition)

Name: Boys Love
Released: 2006-11-24
Main Actors: Yoshikazu Kotani, Takumi Saitou, Hiroya Matsumoto

 

The movie tells the story of Taishin Mamiya (Yoshikazu Kotani), a magazine editor who had to interview the young high school model, Noeru Kisaragi (Takumi Saito). Despite Noeru's bad attitude, an enchanting picture of the ocean Noeru drew leads Mamiya to invite him out for dinner. They connect at the restaurant, but in the bathroom Noeru solicits Mamiya sexually. The next morning, Noeru's office calls the magazine office where Mamiya works and tell them that their editor was rude and he has to come and apologize. When Mamiya goes to Noeru's house to deliver the apology, he sees Noeru with a dirty-looking man in the bedroom. Mamiya is shocked to discover at this moment that his interest in Noeru goes beyond article research - he truly wants to know more about him. Besides this there is also Noeru's classmate Chidori Furumura (Hiroya Matsumoto) who loves him very much and becomes jealous of the upcoming friendship of Noeru und Mamiya.


If I remember right this was the first movie of the boys love genre I ever watched - and I was very impressed. It's a really wonderful movie, heart-touching and unfortunately very sad. I cried very much at the end. Something really great is the point that they always show quotations of famous people about love which are connected to the story. A most have seen movie for all fans of boys love genre!  

 
More about boys love movies? Look here: 
Japanese Boys Love (there will be more soon)

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[J-Movie] Solanin

Name: Solanin | ソラニン
Released: 2010
Main Actors: Aoi Miyazaki, Kengo Kora, Kenta Kiritani, Yoichi Konto, Ayumi Ito, ...

"Solanin" is the story of the girl Meiko (Aoi Miyazaki) working as an office lady in a job she hates. Her boyfriend Naruo (Kengo Kora) has a part-time job as an animator and lives with her in the apartment. He has a rockband together with his college friends, but the band hasn't got out of the "practice" stage.
One day, Meiko decides she has had enough with her office job and quits. When Naruo hears of her decision, he worries about their lack of income and how live should go on. Meiko saved enough money to live for a year without working and hopes to find herself during this time. Also she would like her boyfriend to become serious with his band and supports him. Meiko tries to find happiness, but suddenly some things happen...

I watched this movie a few days ago and while the first hour of watching I thought that it's kind of boring. But I went on watching and suddenly it became really interesting - and I even cried very badly at the end. By now I can say that it's a wonderful movie with a very touching and sad love story. A must-have-seen-movie for all Aoi Miyazaki fans!

Trailer:


I really like the song Meiko is singing at the end - the song also the movie is named after: Solanin.