FILMINATION

A feature-length debut film of the director Toshimitsu Iizuka who made its screenplay that was selected for the Grand Prize at the Isama Studio Cinema Festival 2012 in Gunma prefecture. Also the film won the Entertainment Award at the PFF Award competition in 2014.
Koga (Naoya Shimizu) is a high school student who always reads Rakugo books, and has no friends. He is the target of a girl, Aoki, who divides the class, and a husky boy, Honda, bullying. Yuko Fukushima (Honoka Murakami) comes to his defense, but is also targeted, and they are selected as class representatives.
Fukushima stops attending school. Koga regularly delivers her school handouts he is asked to give from the homeroom teacher and the two gradually reach out each other, starting to exchange letters. One day, Koga is deprived of the letter from Fukushima by Aoki and is ridiculed by many in the class. In such a situation, Kuroyanagi (Tateto Serizawa), who helped Koga in his childhood, appears in front of him. Koga begins to take special trainings from Kuroyanagi to become stronger...
The story development is similar to Bildungsroman, but the characteristics of the “Dokusaisha, Koga.” is in the imperfection of every character struggling to grow.
Koga continues the special training in vain, even after Fukushima accused him of trying to retrieve the letter as “self-satisfaction” and he knows she is right.
His weak attitude is humorous yet painful, which is why you are impressed by his courage. Fukushima, who determines to transfer, says to Koga, “It is ok to escape.” All of the characters, including the homeroom teacher, mother of Koga, and father of Fukushima, have the weakness not to be able to support the two firmly. Even Kuroyanagi has his past as a sexual pervert criminal. Aoki and Honda, who defeats Koga in the desperate fight, also feel their own miserable reality in their hands slapping him on the cheek. The “thorn” that pierces all characters also pierces the hearts of audiences. No character is a winner or a loser including the bully, bullied, and watchers, which gives the sense of security to audiences. The hope of the movie lies here, healing audiences.
Although the film seems to treat the deep theme, the work is finished in light and refreshing as an entertainment with the rhythm of repetitive images, such as the scenes of Koga and her mother eating Udon noodles as their meals, or Koga running through the road between school and the house of Fukushima many times. Beautiful scenes from the shooting location, Nakanojo, Gunma prefecture, also add light and refreshing taste.
The director, Toshimitsu Iizuka, produced the “Poetry Angel” as a mark of the 10th Tanabe Benkei Film Festival after the production of this film, and is one of the highly expected young directors in Japan.