Air Doll (2009)
"Kûki ningyô" (original title)

A life-size blow-up doll develops a soul and falls in love with a video store clerk.

Director:

Hirokazu Koreeda

Writers:

Yoshiie Goda (manga), Hirokazu Koreeda (screenplay)

Stars:

Doona Bae, Arata Iura, Itsuji Itao

1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Doona Bae	...	Nozomi
Arata Iura	...	Junichi (as Arata)
Itsuji Itao	...	Hideo
Jô Odagiri	...	Air Doll Maker
Sumiko Fuji	...	Widow
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sei Ando
Tasuku Emoto	...	Peep-tom Student
Mari Hoshino	...	Apple Woman
Ryô Iwamatsu	...	Owner of Video Rental Shop
Tomomi Maruyama	...	Moe's father
Miu Naraki	...	Moe
Masaya Takahashi	...	Ex-substitute Teacher
Susumu Terajima	...	Policeman
Kimiko Yo	...	Receptionist

Storyline

A life-size blow-up doll develops a soul and falls in love with a video store clerk.

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Plot Keywords:

love | doll | video store | blog | restaurant | 

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Genres:

Drama | Fantasy

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [fr] Official site [jp]

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

26 September 2009 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Air Doll

Filming Locations:

Tokyo, Japan

Company Credits

Production Co:

Engine Film, Bandai Visual Company, TV Man Union

Technical Specs

Runtime:

125 min 116 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The huge watch on the air doll's left wrist always points to the same time: 3 o'clock.

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Quotes

Nozomi: It seems life is constructed in a way that no one can fulfill it alone.
Nozomi: Just as it's not enough for flowers to have pistils and stamens, an insect or a breeze must introduce a pistil to a stamen...
Nozomi: Life contains its own absence, which only an other can fulfill...
Nozomi: It seems the world is the summation of others and yet, we neither know nor are told that we will fulfill each other...
Nozomi: We lead our scattered lives, perfectly unaware of each other...
Nozomi: Or at times, allowed to find the other's presence ...
[...]

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Connections

References Transformers (2007)

User Reviews

Air Doll (2009)

I'm now a fully dedicated fan to the work of Hirokazu Koreeda. His films are endlessly lovable. Taking on strange ideas but presenting them with most earnestness. Here he does Toy Story/Pinocchio with a blow-up sex doll. She comes to life after her lonely owner leaves for work. She ventures around meeting people and begins to understand the world around her. She longs for a heart but soon finds with a heart comes great pain. This film is a realistic fantasy. Never once do we doubt the story that is being told. It deals with the objectification of women, and the loneliness of humanity. Koreeda never allows us to wallow in self-pity. He presents a montage of lonely characters which is absolutely crushing. He doesn't use cheap techniques, just showing people in their lives. Picking shell out of a cracked egg, dealing with picky customers, overhearing somebody else being chatted up. It's all done with such honesty you soon forget this is a story about a sex doll. Du-na Bae creates a fish out of water character looking for her purpose and happiness, without coming across as stupid or annoying. Her innocence drives the film and makes it all the more tragic. A wonderful piece.