Lovers' Kiss
Encyclopedia
is a 2003
Japan
ese romance movie based on a manga
by Akimi Yoshida
. This is a youth movie of six teenagers (three boys and three girls) whom it is focused on, taking place in Kamakura.
The themes of homosexuality
and sexual trauma are the main focus of the story.
2003 in film
The year 2003 in film involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Pokémon Heroes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,...
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...
ese romance movie based on a manga
Manga
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...
by Akimi Yoshida
Akimi Yoshida
is a Japanese manga artist.Yoshida is best known for the series Banana Fish. She twice won the Shogakukan Manga Awards for shōjo, for Kisshō Tennyo in 1984 and for Yasha in 2002...
. This is a youth movie of six teenagers (three boys and three girls) whom it is focused on, taking place in Kamakura.
The themes of homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
and sexual trauma are the main focus of the story.
Plot
Rikako of the twelfth grade repeated play at night with her close Miki every day. One day she meets (and becomes infatuated with) Tomoaki Fujii, who's rumoured to be the Don Juan of her school and even impregnated a girl before getting an abortion in his father's hospital. This doesn't bother Rikako one bit, as she too sleeps around. But Tomoaki, knowing Rikako's true intentions, shoves her aside. Rikako later finds out that Tomoaki is quitting school to move to Okinawa, and she finally attempts to understand him. From then on, they form a close bond.Characters
- Rikako Kawana (Aya HirayamaAya Hirayamais a Japanese actress who has appeared in various films including Waterboys , as well as appearing in two television programs in her native Japan, Waratte Iitomo and Itsumo futari de. Aya was born in Kuroiso, Tochigi, Japan which is now part of Nasushiobara...
) :"The cold hand" in the story. Due to a childhood trauma involving molestation from a teacher, she became cold and detached from reality, confusing feelings of sex, fear, and love as all the same. Her meeting with Tomoaki plays a huge part in what untangles her emotionally. - Tomoaki Fujii(Hiroki NarimiyaHiroki Narimiya, better known as , is a Japanese actor.-Early life:He was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. His parents are Okinawan, so he is of Okinawan descent. His parents divorced when he was young, and in his third year of junior high school, his mother died and he and his brother were raised by his...
): Rumoured to be the "Don Juan" of the school, and further rumours involve a girl impregnated by him having an abortion in his father's hospital. However, contrary to popular belief, his world is not so enviable as it seems. - Miki Ozaki (Mikako IchikawaMikako IchikawaMikako Ichikawa is a Japanese actress and model from Tokyo, Japan. She was working as a model for the Japanese fashion magazine Olive under an exclusive contract...
)：Rikako's best friend and classmate. She fell in love with Rikako at first sight, when Rikako played a piano piece. - Eriko Kawana (Aoi MiyazakiAoi Miyazakiis a Japanese actress. She is best known for her pure image and roles such as in Nana and Virgin Snow. Her brother Masaru Miyazaki is an actor, and they starred together in the film Hatsukoi. She married Sosuke Takaoka on June 15, 2007, her partner since she was fifteen.-Career:Miyazaki started...
)：Rikako's younger sister. She's in love with Miki, and therefore is jealous of Rikako. Ogata's classmate. - Takao Sagisawa (Yuma IshigakiYuma Ishigakiis a Japanese actor.-Movies:*Lovers' Kiss *Azumi *Battle Royale 2 *Azumi 2 *Thirteen Assassins -TV drama:* Asakusa Fukumaru Ryokan 2 * Hanazakari no Kimitachi e * Natsu Kumo Agare...
)：He's in love with Tomoaki, and also knows of the pain Tomoaki's hiding. - Atsushi Ogata (Shinnosuke AbeShinnosuke Abeis a professional baseball player with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. He has played for the Japanese national team since 1999 as a catcher. In the 2009 Japan Series, he was named the Most Valuable Player.-Career statistics:...
)：He fell in love with Takao at first sight by the exercise of the land meeting. - Misako Fujii(Naomi NishidaNaomi Nishidais an actress. She won the Best Supporting Actress award at the 2001 Yokohama Film Festival and at the 25th Hochi Film Award for her performance in Nabbie's Love.She married a Japanese shoe designer in 2005, and gave birth a girl on April 7, 2008...
)：Tomoaki's aunt - Junko Fujii(Chikako Aoyama)：Tomoaki's mother, and part of his pain.