The story is simple and funny. Two girls with polar opposite personalities meet each other and slowly become friends as they face problems in modern day Japan. Nothing special really, but it leaves you with a smile on your face.
The acting was okay. This is my first time seeing Anna Tsuchiya act and she is a natural, but there was some flaws in her performance. However I loved Ichigo as a character. She acted tough, but you can see the real her. This was also my first time seeing Fukada Kyoko in a role as well and she was okay, but I feel that she probably has more talent. Her character Momoko is the realist even to the point it is cruel. I respected her character even when I didn't see eye to eye.
The music was great and it match the movie vibe. Overall, good movie. I would definitely watch it again. Any fans of Yankee dramas she see this. There is no turf wars, but it is still cool.
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I've watched this movie two times and I loved it on both times. It's my favorite movie. Well one of my favorite movies. Anyway first time watching this movie I laughed my ass off all the time starting from the first seconds. Same with second time.
This is a typical Japanese movie with a silly story and not-so-good-but-not-bad-either acting, but isn't that the reason why we love Japanese movies/dramas? For me it is.
The chemistry between two main actresses is good. Not the best but it's good. I love the cast. Fukada Kyoko is an amazing actress but her acting wasn't the best in this movie...
Okay I'm making no sense anymore...
But,
Watch the movie and see if you'll like it or not.
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Set in a small, rural town that's bounded by closeness where every thing you need is right there (Jusco in this case) and every one probably knows each other. This setting represents the reality for the two leads. A reality that they wish reject.
Momoko rejects through her love for lolita fashion. It represents a fantasy world—a means of escape. Ichiko (real name Ichigo) rejects this through being a yanki and a member of a biker gang. It represents a different identity, even changing her name from strawberry (Ichigo) to another one as she hates it—a rejection, a means of escape. This all shows a desertion. An exile in to their own worlds by two different, almost outcast young girls.
Living in a tightly knotted community, being different sticks out. And they certainly do. But they don't like that. This unity and conformity does not approve of their different-ness. And it's this different-ness that actually brings them together.
Momoko, who sees herself as always being calm even seeing animals die, has found happiness in seeing her friend happy. She tells her friend: If it makes you happy, take it. A yanki, belonging in a gang rejects conformity and chooses to live for herself.
In a way, the comedic aspects and sometimes random parts of the film is a mockery of their reality, the one they choose to reject. It acts, in a way, the fantasy world they choose to escape to—just like Himiko and her legend, just like Roccoco.
In their wishes to escape to their own world, they give up having friends (in school/in their gang), a partner (romantically) but this desire for escape brings them instead, to each other.
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