Kamikaze Girls (2004)

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Load of rubbish!!

Brilliant and touching

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

Kamikaze Girls uses the Japanese fascination with all things Rock and Roll as an ideal framework for its utterly fun tale of opposites coming together. The saturated colors used throughout the film work well—as the technique did also in Amelie—to lend a sense of magic to every scene. It is refreshing to see such cinematic energy—American cinema is often bogged down by its addiction to size, resulting in season after season of movies like beached whales. Kamikaze Girls is, in comparison, like watching dolphins play. And many of them are worth keeping an eye on. Anna Tsuchiya's performance as the complex Ichigo is absolutely electric—she can be over-the-top and subtle in the same breath. It is hard to imagine a film that could fully utilize Sadao Abe's remarkable physical talent—but I hope to see it when it happens. The film is about being what you want to be… and it gets a 10 from me because it does exactly that.

Momoko lives for the designs of the Rococco period, more commonly known as 'the Lolita look' in Japan. Her washed-up chinpira Dad, estranged Mum, and eccentric Gran, added to her fashion sense and inaka existence, make for a lonely, isolated life. And that's just the way she likes it. Unfortunately, change is thrust upon her by the arrival of bike-gang thug Ichigo, brash and violent, and an unlikely friendship is formed.An incongruous female pairing of cutesy twee and ballsy loudmouth has been seen before in 'Nana', but director Testuya Nakashima gives it more verve here. The fast-cutting, schlock violence, and 'big' acting would all gel better in Memories of Matsuko, but their fledgling outing here makes for an amusing, if slightly overlong tale. Anna Tsuchiya is a real talent, displaying a range and maturity here that is the envy of her peers. Nakashima cleverly harnesses that range and ability to an actress who could not be more of a contrast. Fukuda's doe-eyed vacuity signals her limitations, but Nakashima plays to her persona here, letting her do nothing in a role where less is more. Momoko is shallow and thoughtless, and Fukuda nails the role to the floor.The bizarre English title of Kamikaze Girls suggests someone at the international distributors needs a kick up the behind. This is a fun tale of a teenage odd couple sharing a right of passage. It is well written, acted and edited, and entertains for great stretches.

Nakashima Tetsuya's wonderful "Shimotsuma Monogatari" (Shimotsuma Story) is quite a unique and charming film. I had my doubts at first but the film turned out to be a refreshing surprise. Mixing anime, quirky narrative, inventive storytelling, outrageous comedy and Japanese Pop Culture charm this movie is a really endearing movie.Stylistically, as others have noted, it does recall movies like "Trainspotting" and "Run, Lola, Run" but I think "Shimotsuma Monogatari" is much closer in style to Yaguchi Shinobu's "Swing Girls" and "Waterboys", both of which are also really wonderful.J-Pop singer/actress Fukuda Kyoko is infectiously cute as Momoko, the "Lolita" fashion obsessed girl with a naive yet surprising take on life. Her French 17th Century (Rocco) styled fashions are at times oddball and avant-garde and yet surprisingly cool looking that it's little wonder why American Pop Singer Gwen Stefani has drawn inspiration from this fashion trend for her L.A.M.B. fashion line and to dress her Harajuku Girls.Anna Tsuchiya is also a wonderful surprise as Ichiko/Ichigo, the tough talking "Yanki" Sukeban with a heart of gold. She has most of the best lines in the movie and is also quite a cutie (behind the Sukeban makeup).The only criticism I have for the film is the stupid American title "Kamikaze Girls". It really doesn't do justice to the film at all and is a real turnoff as it brings to mind a "Yakuza" film or perhaps a war picture in a stereotyping tongue-and-cheek way. Why not just call it simply "Momoko and Ichigo" (i.e. Peaches and Strawberry) or some other title that is a bit more relevant.Other than that this film is a pure joy and delight and a welcomed change to Japanese cinema.

A Very cute story of two 17 yr olds, both which are completely different from one another, joined by a strange chain of events. The main girl Momoko is comparable to Lizzie McGuire. Cutesy, delicate, and lives like shes a princess in the 1700s. Her father made a living selling generic clothes with multiple expensive name brand labels and winds up getting caught and kicked out to the country with her grandmother. The second girl, comparable to Avril Laviene, a dirtied-up biker gang member finds out about her clothes and even though she cant stand her style, ridicules her, and even head-butts Momoko around, shes helplessly drawn to this little girl. Together they're on a hunt to find an ex-gang member who can sew Ichigos perfect uniform for her gang member's wedding.I loved the movie's fast pace! It was very reminiscent to that of Japanese movie Survive Style 5 and kind of resemblant to Run Lola Run. There's a few segments that are drawn anime style to show past events even quicker and more violent. Its very funny how fast paced the movie runs sometimes but there's slow moments as well that tell the story. The entire movie plays out like a perfectly drawn girls manga, with insanely exaggerated characters, even more crazy outfits, and one male character in particular, 5 foot greaser haircut! Its well worth watching for any anime/manga fan! The music composed by Yoko Kanno fits very well into this movie and has fast and slow paced music for all of the scenes.Its a girl flick at heart but definitely one to see if you're into anime and manga. Very nice surprise ending as well!