Two rising stars co-star

The story begins when the protagonist, Yonosuke, moves from Nagasaki to Tokyo to attend university. He is played by Kengo Kora, a talented young actor. Kora, also from Kyushu, has collaborated with Okita on three previous films. He is someone Okita knows well.

"After finishing the novel, I thought he really seemed like Kora-kun. He had a similar experience of moving to Tokyo from Kyushu and could speak with a natural dialect. I felt he would understand Yonosuke's feelings well. This time, I thought, 'Let's give him the lead role he's always wanted,' and went for it (laughs)."



Yuriko Yoshitaka plays Yoshiko Yoza, the daughter of a wealthy family who falls in love with Yonosuke.

"Yoshiko is somewhat eccentric, a rather cartoonish character. When a real person plays her, there are many aspects that can feel unrealistic, and Yoshitaka-san was careful about how to strike that balance. However, at her core, she's just an ordinary 18-year-old girl. I explained to her that her way of speaking and certain behaviors are just a bit different from ordinary people because of her privileged background. Beyond that, like Kora-kun, I encouraged Yoshitaka-san to really flesh out the character as much as she could."

1987 was the height of Japan's bubble economy. Many cultural elements familiar to those who lived through that era make an appearance. The meticulous details used to depict the period also make this film special.

"I wanted to be truthful, using authentic items from 1987, even down to the smallest props. Although I was only in fifth grade then and didn't know much, I worked with staff who remembered the era to recreate the details. But I surprisingly remember some things myself, like the AXIA posters of Yuki Saito, or 5/8 chips (laughs). I was also careful with the clothing and hairstyles to ensure they fit the 1987 setting."



"However, the location shooting was challenging. I heard that back then, university students would meet at Shimokitazawa station and eat at Italian restaurants, but the station area now has many things that shouldn't be visible from that era. We couldn't film in Shimokitazawa, and finding Italian restaurants with the same interior and furnishings as back then was difficult. So, in the film, I deliberately set the scene in a chaotic part of town where Yoshiko wouldn't normally go, having her eat a large American burger with her hands for the first time. I thought that having them eat something that reveals their true selves would make the intention of their first date, where Yoshiko and Yonosuke connect, clearer. Balancing how much to stick to authenticity and where to adapt and express things was the most difficult part of portraying the 80s."



A universal "youth" that everyone can relate to

While meticulous about details, Okita's main effort was to express a universal youth that everyone can relate to. He aimed to create a film that would resonate with audiences even those unfamiliar with the 1980s.

"As I mentioned earlier, when talking with Kora-kun, I strongly focused on making it a work that would be relevant across any era. Although the original novel is set in 1987, I felt it would be best for the film if that year was simply incidental. The story itself felt like something people of any era could relate to, so I aimed for universality in the film as well."

And so, everyone fondly recalls their student days, thinking, "I remember experiencing something similar."




"Around the age of 19, days fly by, and you end up not knowing what you actually did during the year. That was true for me too (laughs). But during that year, people have many invaluable experiences, perhaps only understood by themselves. This film follows Yonosuke's ordinary year, so some might say, 'It's a flat film,' or 'It doesn't have much of a plot, nothing really happens.' But that's not the case; his friends get pregnant, he finds something he's passionate about – quite a lot happens. Although it's only a year after entering university, for Yonosuke himself, it's a very eventful year. I wanted to recreate that sense of time for 18 and 19-year-olds in the film."



Depicting ordinary people

What happens to Yonosuke afterwards? And Yoshiko? The realistic portrayal of the characters, so convincing that you believe they exist, draws the audience in, keeping them captivated until the very end. Despite being a lengthy film of two hours and forty minutes, time seems to fly by.

"The actors were truly skilled. If a conversation between two 18-19 year olds came to mind, they would immediately improvise. How should I put it... there's a lot of idle chatter, and I wanted to recreate that natural feel in the film, so I discussed this with Kora-kun and everyone else. Therefore, I feel like we created this film with a sense of camaraderie among the younger cast. Looking back, I think it was a good approach (laughs). Yoshitaka-san, in that sense, is also a very perceptive actress. It felt like I was enjoying the interactions between Kora-kun and her just like an audience member; though as a director, I shouldn't be enjoying myself that much (laughs)."

After the deeply moving ending, the realization that everyone is the protagonist of their own life comes to mind. Yonosuke's way of living brings tears to your eyes and a smile to your face.