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Title: Shimotsuma monogatari (2004)
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| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Kyoko Fukada | ... | Momoko Ryugasaki | |
| Anna Tsuchiya | ... | Ichigo Shirayuri | |
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Hiroyuki Miyasako | ... | Momoko's Father |
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Sadao Abe | ... | Ryuji 'the Unicorn' / Doctor |
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Eiko Koike | ... | Akimi |
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Shin Yazawa | ... | Miko |
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Hirotarô Honda | ... | Yakuza Boss |
| Kirin Kiki | ... | Momoko's Grandmother | |
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Yoshiyoshi Arakawa | ... | Grocery Store Manager |
| Katsuhisa Namase | ... | Pachinko Parlor Manager | |
| Ryôko Shinohara | ... | Momoko's Mother | |
| Yoshinori Okada | ... | Baby, 'The Stars Shine Bright' Owner | |
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Kanako Irie | ||
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Haruo Mizuno | ... | Self |
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Yûichi Kimura | ... | Yakuza |
Momoko Ryugasaki is the daughter of a smalltime gangster that forges Versace brand and a lowlife woman. Momoko is smitten by the Rococo period and dresses in a Lolita style, with frilly dresses and embroidery bonnet. She is raised by her father since her mother divorced him to marry her gynecologist, and he has taught her how to perfectly embroider. When Mr. Ryugasaki includes the Universal Studios brand in his products, he is forced to move to the rural Shimotsuma with Momoko to live in the house of her grandmother. Momoko decides to sell her collection of forged Versace and Universal Studios to make money to buy her expensive clothing. The rebel "yanki" Ichigo Shirayuri visits Momoko to buy clothes and soon they begin the most unlikely friendship. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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.