Hanamizuki
Encyclopedia
is a 2010 Japanese romance drama film inspired by the lyrics of a love song of the same name by Yō Hitoto
. The film is directed by Nobuhiro Doi, and its script was written by Noriko Yoshida. The film spans the ten-year period from 1996 to 2006, and it stars Yui Aragaki
as Sae, a high school student who later grows into a young adult. Toma Ikuta
also stars in this film, playing the role of Kouhei, Sae's boyfriend and an aspiring fisherman.
Sae and Kouhei met by accident on a train when they were both high school students, and a relationship starts to form. Later, when Sae needs to leave Hokkaido
to go to Tokyo for studies, the two of them attempted to have a long distance relationship. However, their bond is tested by multiple challenges facing the two of them.
Hanamizuki was first released in Japanese cinemas on 21 August 2010. It subsequently made its international debut at the 30th Hawaii International Film Festival
. The film received a mixed reception from critics, and grossed over US$32,990,888, making it the 12th highest grossing Japanese film of 2010.
It begins in the year 2005 when Sae is traveling to her birthplace of Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia
in Canada. On the bus, she looks at a photo, and the scene immediately goes back to 1996. Sae and Kouhei met on a train ride to their respective collage entrance examinations. The train hit a deer, causing Sae to worry about being late for the examinations. They went to a nearby house to ask if the owners could give them a lift. Sae spotted a key in the truck parked at the porch. She request Kouhei to "borrow" the truck to send her to the examinations. However, when Kouhei tried to overtake a slow cow truck, he narrowly avoided an incoming crane, but went out of the road and stopped in a ditch. They were brought to a police station and Sae was disqualified from her examinations.
Sae worked hard to get into university while Kouhei always supports her. However, he had mixed feelings about her going to Tokyo, because that would mean that they will be separated from each other. Hence, when Sae managed to get into Waseda University, Kouhei at first refused to see her off. However, after his friends' urging, they got onto a boat and chased after Sae, and when they saw her, they rolled out a banner reading, "Good Luck Sae!".
At Waseda University, Sae met Kitami, a senior who likes taking pictures of children. He helps Sae find a night job teaching English at a cram school and became good friends with her. Hence, when Kouhei visited Sae in Tokyo, upon seeing Sae and Kitami talking together, Kouhei got jealous. During the dinner date with Sae, Kouhei refused to eat anything and stormed out of the restaurant. On his way, a group of delinquent youths knocked down a box that contained Kouhei's present for Sae, and mocked him. A fight ensured, and Kouhei got injured. Sae brought Kouhei back to her apartment, where they made up together again. Kouhei then gives Sae the ship, which was similar to the one Kouhei was on when sent off Sae. Sae worries that their relationship will not last longer.
Four years later, a graduating Sae is unable to find a job in Tokyo. She met Junichi, who asks her to go to New York
together with him. Kouhei was also told by his father that their fishing boat was about to be reprocessed by the bank, and he must find other jobs. Kouhei then contacts Sae, telling her that he plans to go Tokyo to find her. However, on the fishing boat's last trip, Kouhei's father got a heart attack and died. Kouhei is then unable to leave for Tokyo, as he had to take care of his mother and younger sister.
Later, Sae leaves for New York and meets up with Junichi, and they worked together in the same company. Junichi proposed to Sae later on. Sae returned to Kushiro to attend her friend Kitami's wedding, and she found out that Kouhei was married to Ritsuko. However, Ritsuko was jealous of the way Sae and her husband was interacting. Kouhei then met Sae at the lighthouse, and Sae tells him that this might be the last time she visits Japan. When Kouhei returned, he found Ritsuko waiting for him on the steps with bad news- the bank might make them bankrupt. Kouhei manages to settle the problem, but he found Ritsuko's divorce papers on the table when he returned. The scene ends with a news report stating that Junichi was killed in Iraq.
A year later, Sae visits her hometown of Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada. When she was walking, she chanced upon the ship that Kouhei had given her in a shop window and found out that Kouhei was part of a ship's crew that had docked in port. She rushed to see Kouhei, but just missed him.
In 2006, Sae had moved back to her hometown, and set up a school for children in her house. The film ends when Sae sees Kouhei under a flowering Dogwood tree, and Sae welcomes Kouhei back home.
released in 2004. This popular song got to 4th in the Oricon
charts.
.
, it filmed in Waseda University
in Tokyo
and in Shinjuku district, which is also in Tokyo
. Next, the filming moved to Kushiro, Hokkaido
in September 2009, thus completing the filming in Japan itself.
Hanamizuki was also filmed in America and Canada. In New York, it was filmed at the Empire State Building
, Brooklyn Heights Promenade and Union Square
. The last stop of their filming was at Nova Scotia's Peggys Cove Lighthouse
. On 23 April 2010, Yui Aragaki and Toma Ikuta was greeted at their filming site there. Aragaki described this filming location as "quite distant (except for the scene at sea)" and added that "Luckily, there have not been a major accident during the filming." Hanamizuki director Nobuhiro Doi said that after completing the filming across three countries, he felt "nothing but relief" and thanked the cast for having gone through the long journey with him.
and on which this film was based on.
Track list:
under the Thai name title ฮานามิซึกิ เกิดมาเพื่อรักเธอ on 23 December 2010. Over in Taiwan
, Hanamizuki was released on 1 January 2011. In Hong Kong
, Hanamizuki was released under its Chinese name of (花水木) on 9 April 2011.
Hanamizuki was also screened at the 30th Hawaii International Film Festival
under the category of "Spotlight on Japan" in 2010, marking its international debut.
, where it became the highest grossing film on the weekend of 21-22 August 2010 with a record gross of over 400 million yen, and at the same time breaking Studio Ghibli's film The Secret World of Arrietty four consecutive week hold on the top position in the Japanese box office. During this weekend, over 301,000 people went to watch this film. Hanamizuki managed to cling on to its top position for two consecutive weekends, managing to break the 1 billion yen mark and having over 1 million viewers during the weekend.
In total, Hanamizuki gross of $32,891,241 in Japan cinemas. The Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan put its gross at 2.83 billion yen, making it the 12th highest grossing Japanese film of 2010.
In Thailand
, Hanamizuki debuted at the ninth position on its debut weekend. It was screened there for two weekends, garnering a total gross of $22,782. Hanamizuki managed to achieve the 10th position on its Taiwan
ese debut weekend of January 1-2. Over its run of three weeks, it grossed a total of $56,268 in Taiwanese cinemas, making it the second-highest grossing territory after Japan
.
Derek Elley, reviewing for Film Business Asia, criticized the screenplay of the film saying that it was "the weakest element in Hanamizuki". He did, however, praised actress Yakushimaru Hiroko, calling it "the best performance (in the film)". Overall, the reviewer concluded that the film is a "workmanlike story better suited to afternoon TV." and gave the film a rating of 5 out of 10.
version of Hanamizuki was published by Shueisha
in Japan. It was released in a tankōbon
volume on 15 February 2011.
Yo Hitoto
is a Japanese pop singer. Her mother is Japanese and her father is Taiwanese. She can speak three languages: Japanese, English, and Mandarin. Tae Hitoto is her older sister. Her name Hitoto is not her real surname, it is her mother's maiden name. She changed her name when she came to Japan...
. The film is directed by Nobuhiro Doi, and its script was written by Noriko Yoshida. The film spans the ten-year period from 1996 to 2006, and it stars Yui Aragaki
Yui Aragaki
is a Japanese idol, model, actress, singer, seiyū and occasional radio show host of Ryukyuan ancestry.She is particularly recognized for her beauty and her movie projects.- Overview :...
as Sae, a high school student who later grows into a young adult. Toma Ikuta
Toma Ikuta
is a Japanese talent artist part of Johnny's Jr. under the supervision of Johnny & Associates.-Career :Ikuta Toma used to be in a variety show for kids called Tensai Terebi kun. Being a member of a then all-children band called Strawberry Parfait, he was popular with the audience...
also stars in this film, playing the role of Kouhei, Sae's boyfriend and an aspiring fisherman.
Sae and Kouhei met by accident on a train when they were both high school students, and a relationship starts to form. Later, when Sae needs to leave Hokkaido
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
to go to Tokyo for studies, the two of them attempted to have a long distance relationship. However, their bond is tested by multiple challenges facing the two of them.
Hanamizuki was first released in Japanese cinemas on 21 August 2010. It subsequently made its international debut at the 30th Hawaii International Film Festival
Hawaii International Film Festival
The Hawaii International Film Festival is a film festival held in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It was started in 1981 by Jeannette Paulson Hereniko and has been held annually in the fall for two weeks...
. The film received a mixed reception from critics, and grossed over US$32,990,888, making it the 12th highest grossing Japanese film of 2010.
Plot
This film spans the years of 1996 to 2006.It begins in the year 2005 when Sae is traveling to her birthplace of Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia
Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia
Peggys Cove is one of the busiest tourist attractions in Nova Scotia and is a prime attraction on the Lighthouse Trail scenic drive. The community's famous lighthouse marks the eastern entrance of St. Margarets Bay and is officially known as the Peggys Point Lighthouse.Peggys Cove has a classic...
in Canada. On the bus, she looks at a photo, and the scene immediately goes back to 1996. Sae and Kouhei met on a train ride to their respective collage entrance examinations. The train hit a deer, causing Sae to worry about being late for the examinations. They went to a nearby house to ask if the owners could give them a lift. Sae spotted a key in the truck parked at the porch. She request Kouhei to "borrow" the truck to send her to the examinations. However, when Kouhei tried to overtake a slow cow truck, he narrowly avoided an incoming crane, but went out of the road and stopped in a ditch. They were brought to a police station and Sae was disqualified from her examinations.
Sae worked hard to get into university while Kouhei always supports her. However, he had mixed feelings about her going to Tokyo, because that would mean that they will be separated from each other. Hence, when Sae managed to get into Waseda University, Kouhei at first refused to see her off. However, after his friends' urging, they got onto a boat and chased after Sae, and when they saw her, they rolled out a banner reading, "Good Luck Sae!".
At Waseda University, Sae met Kitami, a senior who likes taking pictures of children. He helps Sae find a night job teaching English at a cram school and became good friends with her. Hence, when Kouhei visited Sae in Tokyo, upon seeing Sae and Kitami talking together, Kouhei got jealous. During the dinner date with Sae, Kouhei refused to eat anything and stormed out of the restaurant. On his way, a group of delinquent youths knocked down a box that contained Kouhei's present for Sae, and mocked him. A fight ensured, and Kouhei got injured. Sae brought Kouhei back to her apartment, where they made up together again. Kouhei then gives Sae the ship, which was similar to the one Kouhei was on when sent off Sae. Sae worries that their relationship will not last longer.
Four years later, a graduating Sae is unable to find a job in Tokyo. She met Junichi, who asks her to go to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
together with him. Kouhei was also told by his father that their fishing boat was about to be reprocessed by the bank, and he must find other jobs. Kouhei then contacts Sae, telling her that he plans to go Tokyo to find her. However, on the fishing boat's last trip, Kouhei's father got a heart attack and died. Kouhei is then unable to leave for Tokyo, as he had to take care of his mother and younger sister.
Later, Sae leaves for New York and meets up with Junichi, and they worked together in the same company. Junichi proposed to Sae later on. Sae returned to Kushiro to attend her friend Kitami's wedding, and she found out that Kouhei was married to Ritsuko. However, Ritsuko was jealous of the way Sae and her husband was interacting. Kouhei then met Sae at the lighthouse, and Sae tells him that this might be the last time she visits Japan. When Kouhei returned, he found Ritsuko waiting for him on the steps with bad news- the bank might make them bankrupt. Kouhei manages to settle the problem, but he found Ritsuko's divorce papers on the table when he returned. The scene ends with a news report stating that Junichi was killed in Iraq.
A year later, Sae visits her hometown of Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada. When she was walking, she chanced upon the ship that Kouhei had given her in a shop window and found out that Kouhei was part of a ship's crew that had docked in port. She rushed to see Kouhei, but just missed him.
In 2006, Sae had moved back to her hometown, and set up a school for children in her house. The film ends when Sae sees Kouhei under a flowering Dogwood tree, and Sae welcomes Kouhei back home.
Cast
- Yui AragakiYui Aragakiis a Japanese idol, model, actress, singer, seiyū and occasional radio show host of Ryukyuan ancestry.She is particularly recognized for her beauty and her movie projects.- Overview :...
as Sae Hirasawa. This will be Aragaki's last high school character, though she will playing the role of a career women later in the film. She had also undergone special language training to cope with the English lines in this film. Sae is a Hokkaido high school student who lives with her mother and dreams of attending a Tokyo university in the beginning of the film. She met Kouhei on a train ride, and slowly their relationship blossomed. Sae's childhood was played by Runa Matsumoto. - Toma IkutaToma Ikutais a Japanese talent artist part of Johnny's Jr. under the supervision of Johnny & Associates.-Career :Ikuta Toma used to be in a variety show for kids called Tensai Terebi kun. Being a member of a then all-children band called Strawberry Parfait, he was popular with the audience...
as Kouhei Kiuchi, the only son of a fisherman who dreams of following in his father's footsteps one day. When he first saw Sae, he immediately fell in love with her. He was later married Ritsuko, but was divorced from her a little later due to a falling out. - Osamu MukaiOsamu Mukaiis a Japanese actor. He was born in Kanagawa, Japan. Graduated from Meiji University.-Summary:Mukai's first main role was in the 2006 Japanese television drama Nodame Cantabile...
as Junichi Kitami, a photographer who loves to go around the world taking pictures of children in war zones. He and Sae met at Waseda UniversityWaseda University, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate...
, where Kitami was her senior. He proposed to Sae, but got killed by a terrorist attack in IraqIraqIraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
before their wedding. - Hiroko YakushimaruHiroko Yakushimaruis a Japanese actress and vocalist.After passing the audition for the film produced by Haruki Kadokawa, she began her acting career. Along with teen idols Tomoyo Harada and Noriko Watanabe who made debut after a similar process, she was often described as one of "Kadokawa Sannimusume" in her early...
as Ryoko, Sae's mother. She worked as a nurse during the day and worked at a KaraokeKaraokeis a form of interactive entertainment or video game in which amateur singers sing along with recorded music using a microphone and public address system. The music is typically a well-known pop song minus the lead vocal. Lyrics are usually displayed on a video screen, along with a moving symbol,...
Lounge as a hostess during the night to support Sae. She was widowed when her husband died because of cancer. - Misako RenbutsuMisako Renbutsuis an actress in Japan. She has won the Grand Prix award at the Super Heroine Audition Miss Phoenix in 2005.-Dramas: - as Rieko Ishikawa - as Nanase Hida - as Hidemi Furusawa - as Yamamoto Tamiko...
as Ritsuko Watanabe, Kouhei's wife. She liked Kouhei since she saw him working at the docks where she works as an accountant. She later married him, but divorced him and ran away. She later became a cashier at a supermarket. - ArataArataArata may refer to:* Arata , a Japanese actor* Aratta, an ancient stateMay refer to a unique Hawaiian Style Sushi Bar in Big Sky Montana-Names:* Arata, an Italian surname particularly from Genoa* Arata, a Japanese name :...
as Kemimichi who is Sae's father. He is an avid photographer, and frequently leaves Sae and her mom alone. He planted the Dogwood tree in Sae's house garden. - Yuichi Kimura as Makato Endo, Sae's neighbor and her mother's friend. He owned a ranchRanchA ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
. - Yutaka MatsushigeYutaka Matsushigeis a Japanese actor. He won the award for best supporting actor at the 31st Yokohama Film Festival for Dear Doctor.-Selected filmography:-External links:...
- Eri Tokunaga as Minami Nakamura, Sae's best friend in high school. She later married to one of Kouhei's friends.
- Yuta KanaiYuta Kanaiis a Japanese actor.Kanai starred as Tamotsu Yoshizawa in L: Change the WorLd. He has also starred in Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit.-External links:*...
- Yu Koyanagi
- Tsutomu TakahashiTsutomu Takahashi' , born on September 20, 1965 in Tokyo, Japan, is a Japanese manga artist, who is well known for his manga Jiraishin. As of March 2006, he is currently married and has one child...
- Mamatsu Hayashi is playing the role of Kouhei's younger sister.
- Kaori Mizushima
Development
The plot of the film is based on the song Hanamizuki, a song by Yō HitotoYo Hitoto
is a Japanese pop singer. Her mother is Japanese and her father is Taiwanese. She can speak three languages: Japanese, English, and Mandarin. Tae Hitoto is her older sister. Her name Hitoto is not her real surname, it is her mother's maiden name. She changed her name when she came to Japan...
released in 2004. This popular song got to 4th in the Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
charts.
Casting
The film was directed by the director Nobuhiro Do, whose previous works included the film Nada SosoNada Sōsō (film)
is a 2006 Japanese romance film directed by Nobuhiko Doi. Starring Masami Nagasawa, Satoshi Tsumabuki, Kumiko Aso as Kaoru Aragaki, Yotaro Aragaki and Keiko Inamine, the film depicts Okinawan step-siblings, Koaru and Yotaru, growing up.-Reception and Nominations:...
.
Filming
In JapanJapan
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...
, it filmed in Waseda University
Waseda University
, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate...
in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
and in Shinjuku district, which is also in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. Next, the filming moved to Kushiro, Hokkaido
Kushiro, Hokkaido
is a city located in Kushiro Subprefecture, Hokkaidō, Japan. It is the capital city of Kushiro Subprefecture, as well as the most populous city in eastern Hokkaidō....
in September 2009, thus completing the filming in Japan itself.
Hanamizuki was also filmed in America and Canada. In New York, it was filmed at the Empire State Building
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is a 102-story landmark skyscraper and American cultural icon in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet , and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 ft high. Its name is derived...
, Brooklyn Heights Promenade and Union Square
Union Square
Union Square may refer to:Asia* Union Square * Union Square station on Dubai MetroCanada* Union Square, Nova ScotiaUnited States* Union Square, Baltimore, Maryland* Union Square * Union Square, San Francisco, California...
. The last stop of their filming was at Nova Scotia's Peggys Cove Lighthouse
Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia
Peggys Cove is one of the busiest tourist attractions in Nova Scotia and is a prime attraction on the Lighthouse Trail scenic drive. The community's famous lighthouse marks the eastern entrance of St. Margarets Bay and is officially known as the Peggys Point Lighthouse.Peggys Cove has a classic...
. On 23 April 2010, Yui Aragaki and Toma Ikuta was greeted at their filming site there. Aragaki described this filming location as "quite distant (except for the scene at sea)" and added that "Luckily, there have not been a major accident during the filming." Hanamizuki director Nobuhiro Doi said that after completing the filming across three countries, he felt "nothing but relief" and thanked the cast for having gone through the long journey with him.
Theme song
The film's theme song was , which was sang by Yō HitotoYo Hitoto
is a Japanese pop singer. Her mother is Japanese and her father is Taiwanese. She can speak three languages: Japanese, English, and Mandarin. Tae Hitoto is her older sister. Her name Hitoto is not her real surname, it is her mother's maiden name. She changed her name when she came to Japan...
and on which this film was based on.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack for this film was released before the film on 10 August 2010.Track list:
- "Opening Title"
- "Jig for the Fiddle #1"
- "Lighthouse on the Hill -Main Theme-"
- "Jig for the Fiddle #2"
- "New York"
- "Irish Reel"
- "Fiddle and Guitar -Main Theme-"
- Lighthouse on the Hill -reprise-
Release
Hanamizuki was first released in Japan nationwide on 21 August 2010. Next, it debuted in ThailandThailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
under the Thai name title ฮานามิซึกิ เกิดมาเพื่อรักเธอ on 23 December 2010. Over in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, Hanamizuki was released on 1 January 2011. In Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, Hanamizuki was released under its Chinese name of (花水木) on 9 April 2011.
Hanamizuki was also screened at the 30th Hawaii International Film Festival
Hawaii International Film Festival
The Hawaii International Film Festival is a film festival held in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It was started in 1981 by Jeannette Paulson Hereniko and has been held annually in the fall for two weeks...
under the category of "Spotlight on Japan" in 2010, marking its international debut.
Home media
The Hanamizuki home video was released on 4 March 2011. It was released in three different versions: DVD (region 2) Normal Edition, DVD (region 2) Special 2-Disc Edition and in Blu-Ray Format.Box office
Hanamizuki debuted on 310 cinema screens around JapanJapan
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...
, where it became the highest grossing film on the weekend of 21-22 August 2010 with a record gross of over 400 million yen, and at the same time breaking Studio Ghibli's film The Secret World of Arrietty four consecutive week hold on the top position in the Japanese box office. During this weekend, over 301,000 people went to watch this film. Hanamizuki managed to cling on to its top position for two consecutive weekends, managing to break the 1 billion yen mark and having over 1 million viewers during the weekend.
In total, Hanamizuki gross of $32,891,241 in Japan cinemas. The Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan put its gross at 2.83 billion yen, making it the 12th highest grossing Japanese film of 2010.
In Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, Hanamizuki debuted at the ninth position on its debut weekend. It was screened there for two weekends, garnering a total gross of $22,782. Hanamizuki managed to achieve the 10th position on its Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
ese debut weekend of January 1-2. Over its run of three weeks, it grossed a total of $56,268 in Taiwanese cinemas, making it the second-highest grossing territory after 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...
.
Critical reception
Before the film release, Asahi Shinbun wrote in an article that Hanamizuki was a "modest masterpiece of the Yō Hitoto's work", and that it makes the audience want to cry. The article ended by saying, "Now to see more and more."Derek Elley, reviewing for Film Business Asia, criticized the screenplay of the film saying that it was "the weakest element in Hanamizuki". He did, however, praised actress Yakushimaru Hiroko, calling it "the best performance (in the film)". Overall, the reviewer concluded that the film is a "workmanlike story better suited to afternoon TV." and gave the film a rating of 5 out of 10.
Accolades
| Year | Award | Category | Result | Recipient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 32nd Yokohama Film Festival Yokohama Film Festival The is a noticed yearly awards ceremony held in Japan. The festival was started as a small affair by fans and film critics, and first held on February 3, 1980. Ten films are chosen as the best of the year, and various awards are given to personnel... |
Best Newcomer Award | Osamu Mukai Osamu Mukai is a Japanese actor. He was born in Kanagawa, Japan. Graduated from Meiji University.-Summary:Mukai's first main role was in the 2006 Japanese television drama Nodame Cantabile... Also for his role in BECK Beck Beck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck... |
|
| 53rd Blue Ribbon Awards | Best Newcomer Award | Toma Ikuta Toma Ikuta is a Japanese talent artist part of Johnny's Jr. under the supervision of Johnny & Associates.-Career :Ikuta Toma used to be in a variety show for kids called Tensai Terebi kun. Being a member of a then all-children band called Strawberry Parfait, he was popular with the audience... Also for his role in Ningen Shikkaku |
Illustrated book
The book The Three Little Pigs, which was used as a prop in the film and it was used in the scene where Sae when she taught her young students English, was put up for sale as one of the film's publicity move.The book was illustrated by Yui Aragaki, and includes a CD containing the narration of the story in Japanese with Aragaki as one of the narrators. The book was published by mpi and was released on 25 June 2010, before the release of the actual film.Film manga
A mangaManga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
version of Hanamizuki was published by Shueisha
Shueisha
is a major publisher in Japan. The company was founded in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan. The following year, Shueisha became a separate, independent company. Magazines published by Shueisha include Weekly Shōnen Jump, Weekly Young Jump,...
in Japan. It was released in a tankōbon
Tankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
volume on 15 February 2011.