Eighth-grader Soyo lives in a very small rural village of Japan where the primary and middle school share a building for all of 6 students. They spend a happy childhood together playing around the village. Osawa, a boy from Tokyo, transfers to this school. Soyo and Osawa exchange their first kiss through a small incident and naturally become a couple. Adults have their problems but for children, the festival in summer, hair styles, and the ghost tale about a woman who died on the beach are far more important. There is no glamour but the time of purity passes never to be forgotten. After his previous film The Matsugane Potshot Affair, Nobuhiro Yamashita comes back with a peaceful and warm film. Based on the comics by Kuramochi Husako, the film captures the pure sentiment of children and their maturity that cannot be seen in the city. Beautifully shot summer days deliver its heat to viewers while the director induces sympathy naturally. The film is a must see for audiences who are nostalgic of innocent love and crisp shiny summer days. (KWON Young-min) Edit Translation
- English
- Português (Brasil)
- magyar / magyar nyelv
- dansk
- Native Title: 天然コケッコー
- Also Known As: Tennen kokekko
- Director: Yamashita Nobuhiro
- Screenwriter: Watanabe Aya
- Genres: Life, Youth, Drama
Cast & Credits
- Kaho Main Role
- Okada Masaki Main Role
- Yanagi ErisaTaura IbukiSupport Role
- Fujimura ShokoYamabe AtsukoSupport Role
- Natsukawa YuiMigita Itoko [Soyo's mother]Support Role
- Sato KoichiMigita Kazumasa [Soyo's father]Support Role
Reviews
The town's children are the main characters - they study, socialize and scare each other - but that doesn't mean viewers don't catch glimpses of adult life and troubles as well. Soya and Hiromi both grow and change during the film - it's a bit like watching a plant grow from a seed to a bloom. Enjoy it as it happens. I think it would be an easy film to re-watch every so often just as it is charming to look at pictures from your youth.
Despite the boring plot, that basically consists of Soyo saying the wrong things to the wrong people and trading her first kiss for Hiromi’s jacket, it was kind of pleasant. The village is small and time seems to pass by slowly. It gives you the sense that everything is peaceful and relaxing. It’s the kind of movie where it reteaches you the values of friendship and puppy love.
It doesn’t have a dynamic plot, which most people like. It is more scenic, quiet, and dealing with the small things that happen in a village where everyone has known each other since birth. It wasn’t that bad of a movie, just one where I had to force myself to finish it. And I only did so because of Masaki Okada.
Music: In addition to an almost non-existent plot, the music is pretty much the same: non-existent.
Cast/Acting: I mentioned earlier that parts of the movie were awkward. I don’t mean the director or the script. There was a scene where Soyo wanted to kiss Hiromi, but never having really kissed a boy before she’s bad and they bump teeth. Kaho and Masaki Okada were very good at acting as an awkward couple and being out of place. They are both amazing actors and had such great chemistry. He really seemed like a horny boy from Tokyo, being forced to live in the sticks. Well, he isn’t really ‘horny’ per say. He tries to kiss Soyo several times without her realizing it, or really wanting it (at the moment). She even catches him talking on the phone about their interactions to his friends in the city.
The extended cast was great too. The other school children all seemed very close and did a great job acting as friends too. You don’t really see much of the parents, expect for Soyo’s and Hiromi’s mother.
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