uhm what I am suppose to say. After the accident in 1994, there are people think that Kitano Takeshi could never direct or become an actor again. But he has come back from the death and tell us what life is all about. If you read his biography, watch his films in time order, you feel like you are watching his lifetime. You would see how Kitano portrays life and death from his own experience in real life.
Take his accident in 1994 as a mark. Before his accident, Sonatine and Violent Cop are bleak and sad. They showed life affairs that can not be escaped. The whole world wants to swallow our heroes, but they are too tough to be gobbled. But in the end, the heroes choose death to end this permanent fight against the brutal world.
After the accident, in Kids Return, it's not how to die to escape, its about how to live to face this brutal world. Remember the time when he made Kids Return, the Japanese still haven't recognized his talent and he had to endure many critics that had lead to his self destruction. But after he left the hospital, he appeared in Gonin The Five as an actor, directed Kid Return.( Kitano could drop directing and become a comedian again becuz Japanese like him as a comedian, that way is easier, but he didn't do as they wished) Kitano Takeshi has never lose his belief in himself. In Kids Return, I feel like Kitano wanted to begin his life again, left behind all the critics and desire to be recognized by Japanese. No matter how things get bad, life just begin when you feel that you are ready. It's never late to begin your life, yes never.
One more thing I want to say, after this film, Kitano made Hana-bi which received the Golden Lion at Cannes. Japanese started to recognize him as a director. At that time, he's 50.
