Ao no Honou
Encyclopedia
is a 2003
Japanese film based on the novel of the same name by Yusuke Kishi
, directed and co-written by Yukio Ninagawa
, and starring Kazunari Ninomiya
and Aya Matsuura
. The film portrays Ninomiya playing Shūichi, a high school student finding a way to get rid of his stepfather, who returns home and begins to terrorize his family.
Ao no Honō was released in Japan
on March 15, 2003 and was shown at the Cannes Film Festival
in France
on May 15, 2003.
) lives with this mother Yūko (Kumiko Akiyoshi
) and younger stepsister Haruka (Anne Suzuki
). One day, his estranged stepfather Ryūji Sone (Kansai Yamamoto
) suddenly returns home and begins to freeload off his family. After Shūichi encounters what appeared to be Sone making sexual advances towards Haruka one night, he tries to get rid of Sone. However, Shūichi discovers that it is impossible to do so legally.
During his art class, he secretly returns home to a sleeping Sone. After thorough research and experimentation on electrocution, he carries out his plan and kills his stepfather. The police declares that Sone had died of natural causes.
Shūichi continues his everyday life and begins seeing classmate Noriko Fukuhara (Aya Matsuura
). One day, Takuya Ishioka (Yosuke Kawamura), a classmate who skips school and causes trouble, goes to see him at the convenience store where he works. Ishioka, who knows what Shūichi did, threatens to tell the police if Shūichi does not get him 300,000 yen
(approx. $3,000 USD
) in a week.
In his room, Haruka reveals to him that Sone had been dying of cancer. Although Shūichi regrets his actions, in order to keep Ishioka quiet, he fools Ishioka into staging a robbery at his workplace. Shūichi stabs him, making it look like an act of self-defense. However, police officer Masashi Kano (Baijaku Nakamura), who also met Shūichi at the time of Sone's murder, finds flaws in Shūichi's claims and actions.
While seeing Noriko home at the train station, Shūichi admits to her that he is a murderer. The police manages to uncover the truth of what really happened to Sone and Ishioka, but Kano lets Shūichi go home on the basis that he promises to willingly turn himself in the next day. After having breakfast as usual with his family and leaving a tape-recording for Noriko at school, Shūichi commits suicide. In his tape-recording, Shūichi talks about his favorite things. Noriko stops coloring her drawing of a future Shūichi blue to listen.
Japanese films of 2003
A list of films released in Japan in 2003 .-2003:-External links:* at the Internet Movie Database...
Japanese film based on the novel of the same name by Yusuke Kishi
Yusuke Kishi
is a Japanese author. He graduated from Kyoto University with a degree in Economics. After working for a life insurance company for several years, Kishi started his writing career as a freelancer. He has twice won the Japan Horror Association Award, and boasts bestselling status in Japan with...
, directed and co-written by Yukio Ninagawa
Yukio Ninagawa
is a Japanese theatre director, particularly known for his Japanese language productions of Shakespeare plays and Greek tragedies. He has directed Hamlet differently six times....
, and starring Kazunari Ninomiya
Kazunari Ninomiya
, often called , is a Japanese idol, singer, songwriter, actor, voice actor and radio host. He is a member of Japanese boy band Arashi and is best known to movie audiences for his portrayal as Private Saigo in the 2006 Clint Eastwood war film Letters from Iwo Jima.Ninomiya began his career in the...
and Aya Matsuura
Aya Matsuura
is a Japanese pop singer from Himeji, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.-2000–2009: Hello! Project:Aya auditioned in 2000 for the fourth Morning Musume & Heike Michiyo Protegee Audition and was selected along with Sheki-Dol to become a part of what was later known as Hello! Project. It is a common...
. The film portrays Ninomiya playing Shūichi, a high school student finding a way to get rid of his stepfather, who returns home and begins to terrorize his family.
Ao no Honō was released in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
on March 15, 2003 and was shown at the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
on May 15, 2003.
Plot
Shūichi Kushimori (Kazunari NinomiyaKazunari Ninomiya
, often called , is a Japanese idol, singer, songwriter, actor, voice actor and radio host. He is a member of Japanese boy band Arashi and is best known to movie audiences for his portrayal as Private Saigo in the 2006 Clint Eastwood war film Letters from Iwo Jima.Ninomiya began his career in the...
) lives with this mother Yūko (Kumiko Akiyoshi
Kumiko Akiyoshi
, better known as , is a Japanese actress. She won the award for best actress at the 1st Hochi Film Award for Banka, Saraba natsuno hikariyo and Brother and Sister.-Filmography:...
) and younger stepsister Haruka (Anne Suzuki
Anne Suzuki
is a Japanese actress.A model since the age of three, she got an early break in her acting career at 12 when she starred in the Hollywood film Snow Falling on Cedars with Ethan Hawke. She was next featured in the action movie Returner opposite Takeshi Kaneshiro, and won the Best New Actor at the...
). One day, his estranged stepfather Ryūji Sone (Kansai Yamamoto
Kansai Yamamoto
is one of the leaders in Japanese Contemporary fashion, in particular during the 1970s and 1980s.-Biography:Kansai was born in 1944 in Yokohama, Japan...
) suddenly returns home and begins to freeload off his family. After Shūichi encounters what appeared to be Sone making sexual advances towards Haruka one night, he tries to get rid of Sone. However, Shūichi discovers that it is impossible to do so legally.
During his art class, he secretly returns home to a sleeping Sone. After thorough research and experimentation on electrocution, he carries out his plan and kills his stepfather. The police declares that Sone had died of natural causes.
Shūichi continues his everyday life and begins seeing classmate Noriko Fukuhara (Aya Matsuura
Aya Matsuura
is a Japanese pop singer from Himeji, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.-2000–2009: Hello! Project:Aya auditioned in 2000 for the fourth Morning Musume & Heike Michiyo Protegee Audition and was selected along with Sheki-Dol to become a part of what was later known as Hello! Project. It is a common...
). One day, Takuya Ishioka (Yosuke Kawamura), a classmate who skips school and causes trouble, goes to see him at the convenience store where he works. Ishioka, who knows what Shūichi did, threatens to tell the police if Shūichi does not get him 300,000 yen
Japanese yen
The is the official currency of Japan. It is the third most traded currency in the foreign exchange market after the United States dollar and the euro. It is also widely used as a reserve currency after the U.S. dollar, the euro and the pound sterling...
(approx. $3,000 USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
) in a week.
In his room, Haruka reveals to him that Sone had been dying of cancer. Although Shūichi regrets his actions, in order to keep Ishioka quiet, he fools Ishioka into staging a robbery at his workplace. Shūichi stabs him, making it look like an act of self-defense. However, police officer Masashi Kano (Baijaku Nakamura), who also met Shūichi at the time of Sone's murder, finds flaws in Shūichi's claims and actions.
While seeing Noriko home at the train station, Shūichi admits to her that he is a murderer. The police manages to uncover the truth of what really happened to Sone and Ishioka, but Kano lets Shūichi go home on the basis that he promises to willingly turn himself in the next day. After having breakfast as usual with his family and leaving a tape-recording for Noriko at school, Shūichi commits suicide. In his tape-recording, Shūichi talks about his favorite things. Noriko stops coloring her drawing of a future Shūichi blue to listen.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Kazunari Ninomiya Kazunari Ninomiya , often called , is a Japanese idol, singer, songwriter, actor, voice actor and radio host. He is a member of Japanese boy band Arashi and is best known to movie audiences for his portrayal as Private Saigo in the 2006 Clint Eastwood war film Letters from Iwo Jima.Ninomiya began his career in the... |
Shūichi Kushimori |
| Aya Matsuura Aya Matsuura is a Japanese pop singer from Himeji, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.-2000–2009: Hello! Project:Aya auditioned in 2000 for the fourth Morning Musume & Heike Michiyo Protegee Audition and was selected along with Sheki-Dol to become a part of what was later known as Hello! Project. It is a common... |
Noriko Fukuhara |
| Kumiko Akiyoshi Kumiko Akiyoshi , better known as , is a Japanese actress. She won the award for best actress at the 1st Hochi Film Award for Banka, Saraba natsuno hikariyo and Brother and Sister.-Filmography:... |
Yūko Kushimori |
| Kansai Yamamoto Kansai Yamamoto is one of the leaders in Japanese Contemporary fashion, in particular during the 1970s and 1980s.-Biography:Kansai was born in 1944 in Yokohama, Japan... |
Ryūji Sone |
| Baijaku Nakamura | Eiji Yamamoto |
| Anne Suzuki Anne Suzuki is a Japanese actress.A model since the age of three, she got an early break in her acting career at 12 when she starred in the Hollywood film Snow Falling on Cedars with Ethan Hawke. She was next featured in the action movie Returner opposite Takeshi Kaneshiro, and won the Best New Actor at the... |
Haruka Kushimori |
| Naomasa Rokudaira | Masashi Kano |
| Toshiaki Karasawa Toshiaki Karasawa is a Japanese theatre and film actor. He made his theatrical debut in the play Voice Review Stay Gold in 1987. He specialises in theatrical action sequences such as swordplay and fighting... |
Shintarō Kanzaki |
| Yosuke Kawamura | Takuya Ishioka |
| Naoto Takenaka Naoto Takenaka is a Japanese actor, comedian, singer, and director from Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture affiliated with From First Production. He is married to idol singer and actress Midori Kinouchi.-Director:*Munō no Hito *119... |
Shishobako no Otoko |