Underplayed Gems

Hanamizuki (2010)

Hanamizuki poster
Original title
ハナミズキ
Directed by
Nobuhiro Doi
Genre
romance film
Country
Japan
Runtime
2h 08m
Rating
7.5 of 10 from 49 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
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How it feels

A high school couple tries to keep their love alive through a long-distance relationship over ten years. Sae moves from Hokkaido to Tokyo for school while Kouhei stays behind to become a fisherman.

romanticbittersweetslow-pacedtendermelancholichopefulemotionalnostalgic

What happens

Hanamizuki (ハナミズキ, Hanamizuki) is a 2010 Japanese romance drama film inspired by the lyrics of a love song of the same name by Yo Hitoto. The film is directed by Nobuhiro Doi, and its script was written by Noriko Yoshida. The film spans the ten-year period from 1996 to 2006, and it stars Yui Aragaki as Sae, a high school student who later grows into a young adult. Toma Ikuta also stars in this film, playing the role of Kouhei, Sae's boyfriend and an aspiring fisherman. When they were both in high school and happened to run into each other on a train, a romance begins. Later, when Sae needs to leave Hokkaido to go to Tokyo for studies, the two of them attempted to have a long-distance relationship. However, their bond is tested by multiple challenges facing the two of them. Hanamizuki was first released in Japanese cinemas on 21 August 2010. It subsequently made its international debut at the 30th Hawaii International Film Festival. The film received a mixed-to-positive reception from critics, and grossed $33.01 million, making it the 12th highest-grossing Japanese film of 2010. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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