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CaseyG · Joined: 02 Mar 2007 Posts: 14 Location: Los Angeles, CA

I am looking for suggestions on movies that give a fairly accurate depiction of life in modern Japan. Primarily, life in urban Japan. Not to be confused with great Japanese movies, I am asking about movies that could give a foreigner a fairly good idea of life in Japan.

Anyone suggestions?

japanman · Joined: 24 Nov 2005 Posts: 281 Location: England

A great one is called "Nobody Knows" (dare mo shirenai) which is a fantastic story (based on a true story) about urban life in Japan. My girlfriend just couldn't get it that this was a representation of the wider state of society here. She said "no, this is just a one of case" etc. If it were just a one off it wouldn't be worth making a film about it. For me this film is perfect in showing the attitude of people in Japan to other people's problems and lives. My problems are mine your's are your's.

AndyH · Joined: 30 Sep 2004 Posts: 417

About a year and a half ago, I saw an in-flight Japanese movie while travelling from Narita to Houston. It was about a nerdy otaku guy who meets a beautiful girl on the train, and they fall in love. She helps him become "kakkoi". There was, of course, a lot of footage shot in Akihabara.
Unfortunately, I can't remember the movie's title.
For good insight to the Japanese school system, you might want to check out "Battle Royale". Wink

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

Enlightenment Guaranteed (Erleuchtung garantiert)

cult (indie) German film

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0177749/

I laugh my nuts off every time I watch it! Brilliant film.

TokyoLiz · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo Story...Gerropa! ...Densha Otoko...Shall we Dance? (not Richard Gere, but Koji Yakusho)...

wintersweet · Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 1:42 am Post subject:

AndyH, that's "Densha Otoko."

"Shimotsuma Monogatari" ("Kamikaze Girls") is highly UNrealistic, but the subcultures it romps around in are real.

ripslyme · Joined: 29 Jan 2005 Posts: 481 Location: Japan

They're a bit dated, but the Juzo Itami films are really good. Some of his better ones are:
Tanpopo (look for a young Ken Watanabe Cool

)
Marusa no onna
Supa no onna
A-ge-man
and Daibyonin

I want to second the Japanese (original) version of Shall We Dance - great film!

Lost In Translation offers a pretty good slice of Tokyo life from a foreigner's point of view.

Oh, and the myriad of Japanese dramas out there are good for life in modern/urban Japan too. D-Addicts is a good torrent site, if you're into that sort of thing.

Synne · Joined: 06 Apr 2004 Posts: 269 Location: Tohoku

-Lost in Translation.

-Go.

-Nobody Knows.

-Survive Style 5+ (Hey this country is somewhat F'd up)

Zzonkmiles · Joined: 05 Apr 2003 Posts: 309

Shall We Dance (the Japanese version) is an excellent movie. Highly recommended. Not only is it a good movie, it also provides a reasonably accurate portrayal of salaryman culture.

Tanpopo is also a good movie illustrating how seriously people take ramen in this country.

Minbo (by Juzo Itami) is another good movie illustrating how the Japanese must "gaman" (grin and bear it, withstand) bad and tense situations. In the case of this movie, the bad situations come from the Yakuza.

AndyH · Joined: 30 Sep 2004 Posts: 417

Densha Otoko!!! So desu!!!!
Arigato, Tokyo Liz and Wintersweet!!!

Shall We Dance is one of my wife's favorite movies.

CaseyG · Joined: 02 Mar 2007 Posts: 14 Location: Los Angeles, CA

seanmcginty · Joined: 27 Sep 2005 Posts: 203

madeira · Joined: 13 Jun 2004 Posts: 182 Location: Oppama

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeo3cvN78u8

I think it's OK to post this here... the author(?) posted it on ELT news, and it IS YouTube. Not art, not exciting, but gives a pretty good look at someone's regular working day in a normal Japanese town. Includes a bit on how to use a crank-style gas bath!

I would have loved to see stuff like this before I went to Japan.

NorthofAmerica · Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 187 Location: Recovering Expat

So do most Japanese movies have English subtitles? I haven't really watched any here because I have been led to believe that they don't have English subtitles. Ironically, I watched more Japanese movies in Canada than I have here.

Eva Pilot · Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 1:32 am Post subject:

The Happiness of the Katakuris. Laughing