Story Of Yonosuke

Tokyo 1987. Japan is in full bloom, and so are the first-year students at the university. One of them is the unworldly but always cheerful Yonosuke, who quickly wins the hearts of his first friends with his endearing naivety. And those of the audience, because you have never seen someone dance the samba so clumsily but so passionately. Let alone dressed as a flower. Yonosuke is also in love with the older party animal Chiharu, about whom he babbles on and on to Kato, his friend and fellow samba student.

When our good guy and Kato decide to take driving lessons together, he gets to know the rich Yoko who falls head over heels for his simplicity.

The film then picks up the thread sixteen later, in 2003. We see what has become of the characters, but the eternal optimist Yonosuke is nowhere to be seen. Yoko decides to find out what happened to her childhood sweetheart.

The frivolous feel-good movie gradually grows into an intelligent drama that never ceases to praise the beauty in all of us. The perfect ending to an undoubtedly equally perfect anniversary edition.

AWARDS:

• Blue Ribbon Awards (best picture) from Tokio Film Journalist Society (11/02/2014)

All images: © 2012 “Story Of Yonosuke”