Usagi Drop (film)
Encyclopedia
is a 2011 Japanese drama film based on the manga of the same name by Yumi Unita. The film is directed by Sabu
, and the screenplay was done by both SABU and scriptwriter Tamio Hayashi. Usagi Drop stars actor Kenichi Matsuyama, who will play the role of Daikichi, who is a office worker and a single man. Child actress Mana Ashida
also plays Rin, a six-year old illegitimate child of Daikichi's grandfather, in the film.
Usagi Drop made its international debut at the 14th Shanghai International Film Festival
, where it was warmly received. It was subsequently released in Japanese cinemas on 20 August 2011.
's Feel Young women's magazine officially announced that the manga Usagi Drop
was going to have a live-action film adaptation on June 8, 2010 It was announced that the film Usagi Drop will be directed by the director Sabu
. SABU made his directorial debut with the film Bullet Runner in 1996, and since then, he had directed many other widely acclaimed films at various international film festivals. Sabu, together with scriptwriter Tamio Hayashi, is in charge of adapting the screenplay of the film from the manga Usagi Drop
. However, none of the film's cast members was revealed in the announcement.
The cast of this film was officially announced on 5 August 2010. There, it was announced that Kenichi Matsuyama, who had previously starred in films like Death Note
and Gantz
, will be the lead actor in Usagi Drop. He will act as Daikichi, a 30-year old who natures the illegitimate child of his granfather. This will be the first time Kenichi will be taking on the role of a father. Co-starring alongside him will be child actress Mana Ashida
, who will play the role of Rin, the illegitimate six-year old child of Daikichi's grandfather. Mana Ashida is a much-watched child actress who starred in the television series
Mother. Actress Karina will also play the role of a single mother who sends her son to the same nursery as the one Rin attends. Other cast members of this film announced that day includes Chizuru Ikewaki, Ryo Kimura
, Baijaku Nakamura II, Jun Fubuki
and Kitakimayu.
in Kanagawa Prefecture
. The filming started on 21 July 2010, and is completed end-July 2010.
Dierctor Sabu mentioned that the entire filming was done without a prepared script. He had reportedly done that because he wanted to have a natural reaction from the actors. The filming staff was told of this just before the production of the film began. Therefore, Mana Ashida and Ruiki Sato, who is playing the role of Rin's kindergarten classmate, did not have a prepared script to follow during shooting. Instead, they spent one month with the film's assistant director going through each and every scene in detail before the actual filming.
During the filming, Eiga.com reported that Mana Ashida's laughter was always echoing around in the set, creating a peaceful atmosphere. A video of the filming showed that actor Kenichi Matsuyama was like a "natural parent" to fellow child actress Mana Ashida. In a scene where they were shopping at a department store, Kenichi looked peaceful while choosing bags and shoes for Mana Ashida.
Later, it was announced that Usagi Drop will be tying up with the The Japan Crime Prevention Association and it will participate in their public advocacy program. As such, Usagi Drops posters were placed in public areas such as the police headquarters, educational institutions etc.
, and the same song will also be used for the anime
television series adaptation of the same manga.
The theme song was officially announced on 2 April 2011. The duo said that they are a big fan of the original Usagi Drop manga series. They added that they used "lovely flowers" as material for this song. "Sweet Drops" is also released on the 15th anniversary of Puffy
's debut into the music scene.
. Actor Kenichi Matsuyama made a surprise appearance there, and received a very warm reception from the audience. All of the approximately 3000 seats available for the film's six screenings at the festival were all sold out.
Usagi Drop had a special screening prior to its cinema release at Osaka Station City Cinema in Osaka Station
, Umeda
, Osaka
on 12 July 2011. Director Sabu
and the lead actress Mana Ashida
were present to greet the audience there. Another special screening was held at Roppongi
cinema in Tokyo on 18 August 2011. There, actor Nobuhiko Takada
made a special guest appearance.
Usagi Drop was officially released in Japan on 20 August 2011. The film's cast were present to greet the audience at the film's debut ceremony at the Shinjuku Piccadilly. Actress Yumi Yoshimura
also made a surprise guest appearance at the event. Usagi Drop was released on 110 screens across Japan on its debut weekend.
labelled the film Usagi Drop
as "Bunny-based drama is a warm but overly fluffy tail" and gave it a overall score of 2.5 out of 5. He praised the main cast, saying that "(Kenichi) Matsuyama ... works well with pint-sized costar Ashida." and added that Kenichi was like a "like a caring, playful big brother". He also praised child actress Mana Ashida, saying that she "seamlessly accomplishes her evolution from forlorn waif to perky if unusually perceptive kid, while effortlessly charming everyone.". However, the reviewer criticized the film for "the lack of friction between the (main) characters". He also criticized the "tear-jerking cliches" in the film, which he said was "Sabu's biggest problem as a director".
Sabu (director)
is the pseudonym of Japanese actor and director .-Career:Born in Wakayama Prefecture, Sabu studied at an Osaka fashion school before deciding to go to Tokyo to become a professional musician. It was suggested he try acting and in 1986 he made his film debut in Sorobanzuku...
, and the screenplay was done by both SABU and scriptwriter Tamio Hayashi. Usagi Drop stars actor Kenichi Matsuyama, who will play the role of Daikichi, who is a office worker and a single man. Child actress Mana Ashida
Mana Ashida
is a Japanese child actress, Tarento and singer from Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture. She is currently represented by JobbyKids.Mana Ashida first acted Asahi Broadcasting Corporation's ABC Short Movie 2, though she rose to prominence only after she starred in the popular television drama Mother...
also plays Rin, a six-year old illegitimate child of Daikichi's grandfather, in the film.
Usagi Drop made its international debut at the 14th Shanghai International Film Festival
Shanghai International Film Festival
The Shanghai International Film Festival , abbreviated SIFF, is one of the largest film festivals in East Asia.Along with Tokyo International Film Festival, the SIFF is one of the biggest film festivals in Asia. The first festival was held from October 7 to 14, 1993, and was held biennially until...
, where it was warmly received. It was subsequently released in Japanese cinemas on 20 August 2011.
Plot
The film is about Daikichi, an unmarried office worker with no girlfriend, who ends up living with the six-year-old illegitimate child of his dead grandfather. This girl is called Rin, and Daikichi suddenly declares that he will raise her himself while his relatives discuss arrangements to put her in a foster home.Cast
- Kenichi Matsuyama as Daikichi Kawachi
- Mana AshidaMana Ashidais a Japanese child actress, Tarento and singer from Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture. She is currently represented by JobbyKids.Mana Ashida first acted Asahi Broadcasting Corporation's ABC Short Movie 2, though she rose to prominence only after she starred in the popular television drama Mother...
as Rin Kaga - Mirei KiritaniMirei Kiritani-Filmography:*Hanazakari no Kimitachi e *Otomen *Kimi ni Todoke *Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac *Snow Flake *Usagi Drop *Gyakuten Saiban...
as , Daichichi's sister - Mayu Kitaki as Masako Yoshii, Rin's mother
- Ruiki Sato as Koki Nitani, Rin's classmate in kindergartenKindergartenA kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
. - Karina as Yukari Nitani, Koki's mother
- Go AyanoGo Ayano', born January 26, 1982 in Gifu Prefecture, is a Japanese actor.-Film:*Life *Aquarian Age *Sakigake!! Otokojuku *Naoko *Crows Zero 2 -External links:* * *...
as - Ryo KimuraRyo Kimurais a Japanese actor who debuted in 2002. His first movie was Moonlight Jellyfish, in which he co-starred with Tatsuya Fujiwara. He played the role of Michio, a mentally challenged 15-year-old boy diagnosed with an incurable skin disease called XP .-Dramas:*Water Boys 2 - Hideki Sano *Division 1...
as - Atsuko TakahataAtsuko Takahatais a Japanese voice actress.-Live-action:* Space Witch Gilza in Juspion* Maribaron in Kamen Rider Black RX* Calra/Miyuki Fukano in Tokkei Winspector * Hidemi Takeuchi in Tokusou Exceedraft...
as - Chizuru Ikewaki as
- Jun FubukiJun Fubukiis a Japanese actress. She received a Japanese Academy Award Best Supporting Actress nomination for her role in Muno no hito, and won at the Hochi Film Awards. This role also won Fubuki the "Best Actress" award at the Yokohama Film Festival...
as , Daikichi's mother - Baijaku Nakamura II as , Daikichi's father
Development
ShodenshaShodensha
is a Japanese publisher of mostly non-fiction magazines and books, though it has recently begun publishing light novels and manga, including magazines which contain both...
's Feel Young women's magazine officially announced that the manga Usagi Drop
Usagi Drop
is a Japanese josei manga series by Yumi Unita. The plot follows thirty-year old Daikichi as he becomes the guardian of Rin, the illegitimate six-year old daughter of his grandfather....
was going to have a live-action film adaptation on June 8, 2010 It was announced that the film Usagi Drop will be directed by the director Sabu
Sabu (director)
is the pseudonym of Japanese actor and director .-Career:Born in Wakayama Prefecture, Sabu studied at an Osaka fashion school before deciding to go to Tokyo to become a professional musician. It was suggested he try acting and in 1986 he made his film debut in Sorobanzuku...
. SABU made his directorial debut with the film Bullet Runner in 1996, and since then, he had directed many other widely acclaimed films at various international film festivals. Sabu, together with scriptwriter Tamio Hayashi, is in charge of adapting the screenplay of the film from the manga Usagi Drop
Usagi Drop
is a Japanese josei manga series by Yumi Unita. The plot follows thirty-year old Daikichi as he becomes the guardian of Rin, the illegitimate six-year old daughter of his grandfather....
. However, none of the film's cast members was revealed in the announcement.
The cast of this film was officially announced on 5 August 2010. There, it was announced that Kenichi Matsuyama, who had previously starred in films like Death Note
Death Note
is a manga created by writer Tsugumi Ohba and manga artist Takeshi Obata. The main character is Light Yagami, a high school student who discovers a supernatural notebook, the "Death Note", dropped on Earth by a god of death, or a shinigami, named Ryuk...
and Gantz
Gantz
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiroya Oku. Gantz tells the story of Kei Kurono and his friend Masaru Kato who die in a train accident and become part of a semi-posthumous "game" in which they and several other recently deceased people are forced to hunt down and kill aliens...
, will be the lead actor in Usagi Drop. He will act as Daikichi, a 30-year old who natures the illegitimate child of his granfather. This will be the first time Kenichi will be taking on the role of a father. Co-starring alongside him will be child actress Mana Ashida
Mana Ashida
is a Japanese child actress, Tarento and singer from Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture. She is currently represented by JobbyKids.Mana Ashida first acted Asahi Broadcasting Corporation's ABC Short Movie 2, though she rose to prominence only after she starred in the popular television drama Mother...
, who will play the role of Rin, the illegitimate six-year old child of Daikichi's grandfather. Mana Ashida is a much-watched child actress who starred in the television series
Japanese television drama
, also called , are a staple of Japanese television and are broadcast daily. All major TV networks in Japan produce a variety of drama series including murder romance, comedy, detective stories, horror, and many others...
Mother. Actress Karina will also play the role of a single mother who sends her son to the same nursery as the one Rin attends. Other cast members of this film announced that day includes Chizuru Ikewaki, Ryo Kimura
Ryo Kimura
is a Japanese actor who debuted in 2002. His first movie was Moonlight Jellyfish, in which he co-starred with Tatsuya Fujiwara. He played the role of Michio, a mentally challenged 15-year-old boy diagnosed with an incurable skin disease called XP .-Dramas:*Water Boys 2 - Hideki Sano *Division 1...
, Baijaku Nakamura II, Jun Fubuki
Jun Fubuki
is a Japanese actress. She received a Japanese Academy Award Best Supporting Actress nomination for her role in Muno no hito, and won at the Hochi Film Awards. This role also won Fubuki the "Best Actress" award at the Yokohama Film Festival...
and Kitakimayu.
Filming
The filming of Usagi Drop took place started in a residential area of KawasakiKawasaki, Kanagawa
is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, between Tokyo and Yokohama. It is the 9th most populated city in Japan and one of the main cities forming the Greater Tokyo Area and Keihin Industrial Area....
in Kanagawa Prefecture
Kanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...
. The filming started on 21 July 2010, and is completed end-July 2010.
Dierctor Sabu mentioned that the entire filming was done without a prepared script. He had reportedly done that because he wanted to have a natural reaction from the actors. The filming staff was told of this just before the production of the film began. Therefore, Mana Ashida and Ruiki Sato, who is playing the role of Rin's kindergarten classmate, did not have a prepared script to follow during shooting. Instead, they spent one month with the film's assistant director going through each and every scene in detail before the actual filming.
During the filming, Eiga.com reported that Mana Ashida's laughter was always echoing around in the set, creating a peaceful atmosphere. A video of the filming showed that actor Kenichi Matsuyama was like a "natural parent" to fellow child actress Mana Ashida. In a scene where they were shopping at a department store, Kenichi looked peaceful while choosing bags and shoes for Mana Ashida.
Post-production
The release date of Usagi Drop was officially announced as 20 August 2011 on 21 February 2011. In the same announcement, the film poster of this movie was also unveiled to the public. Separately, the official film teaser was put up on the film's official website on the same day. Later, the official full-length trailer of the film updated onto the film's website on 29 April 2011.Later, it was announced that Usagi Drop will be tying up with the The Japan Crime Prevention Association and it will participate in their public advocacy program. As such, Usagi Drops posters were placed in public areas such as the police headquarters, educational institutions etc.
Theme Song
The theme song of this film is the song "Sweet Drops". The song is sang by the duo PuffyPuffy AmiYumi
or Puffy AmiYumi is a Japanese rock duo that is currently signed with Sony Music Japan. The group continues to go by the moniker of PUFFY in Japan, but in order to avoid legal naming conflicts with Sean Combs, it has adopted the name Puffy AmiYumi outside of Japan...
, and the same song will also be used for the anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
television series adaptation of the same manga.
The theme song was officially announced on 2 April 2011. The duo said that they are a big fan of the original Usagi Drop manga series. They added that they used "lovely flowers" as material for this song. "Sweet Drops" is also released on the 15th anniversary of Puffy
Puffy AmiYumi
or Puffy AmiYumi is a Japanese rock duo that is currently signed with Sony Music Japan. The group continues to go by the moniker of PUFFY in Japan, but in order to avoid legal naming conflicts with Sean Combs, it has adopted the name Puffy AmiYumi outside of Japan...
's debut into the music scene.
Release
Usagi Drop made its film festival debut at the 14th Shanghai International Film FestivalShanghai International Film Festival
The Shanghai International Film Festival , abbreviated SIFF, is one of the largest film festivals in East Asia.Along with Tokyo International Film Festival, the SIFF is one of the biggest film festivals in Asia. The first festival was held from October 7 to 14, 1993, and was held biennially until...
. Actor Kenichi Matsuyama made a surprise appearance there, and received a very warm reception from the audience. All of the approximately 3000 seats available for the film's six screenings at the festival were all sold out.
Usagi Drop had a special screening prior to its cinema release at Osaka Station City Cinema in Osaka Station
Osaka Station
is a station on the West Japan Railway Company located in the Umeda district in Kita-ku, Osaka, Japan. It is the city's main rail terminal in the north....
, Umeda
Umeda
Umeda is the main commercial and central business district in Kita-ku, Osaka, Japan, best known as the city's main northern railway terminus .Umeda is a large traffic hub, as well as the principal office and hotel district...
, Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
on 12 July 2011. Director Sabu
Sabu (director)
is the pseudonym of Japanese actor and director .-Career:Born in Wakayama Prefecture, Sabu studied at an Osaka fashion school before deciding to go to Tokyo to become a professional musician. It was suggested he try acting and in 1986 he made his film debut in Sorobanzuku...
and the lead actress Mana Ashida
Mana Ashida
is a Japanese child actress, Tarento and singer from Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture. She is currently represented by JobbyKids.Mana Ashida first acted Asahi Broadcasting Corporation's ABC Short Movie 2, though she rose to prominence only after she starred in the popular television drama Mother...
were present to greet the audience there. Another special screening was held at Roppongi
Roppongi
is a district of Minato, Tokyo, Japan, famous as home to the rich Roppongi Hills area and an active night club scene. Many foreign embassies are located in Roppongi, and the night life is popular with locals and foreigners alike...
cinema in Tokyo on 18 August 2011. There, actor Nobuhiko Takada
Nobuhiko Takada
Nobuhiko Takada is a Japanese mixed martial arts fighter and professional wrestler. He is best known for helping to popularize shoot-style professional wrestling, as one of the biggest stars of the Universal Wrestling Federation and Union of Wrestling Force International in the '80s and '90s. He...
made a special guest appearance.
Usagi Drop was officially released in Japan on 20 August 2011. The film's cast were present to greet the audience at the film's debut ceremony at the Shinjuku Piccadilly. Actress Yumi Yoshimura
Yumi Yoshimura
is a member of the Japanese pop duo PUFFY, along with Ami Onuki.She was born in Neyagawa, Osaka, Japan. In 1995, she learned that there was a talent search underway in Tokyo. She successfully tried out and was paired with Ami Onuki to form the group PUFFY.From 1999 to 2003 she was married to singer...
also made a surprise guest appearance at the event. Usagi Drop was released on 110 screens across Japan on its debut weekend.
Box Office
During its debut weekend on 20-21 August 2011, the film Usagi Drop became the 9th highest grossing film in Japanese cinemas. Between this two day period, Usagi Drop attracted an audience of around 80,000 people, and grossed about 100,060,000 yen nationwide.Critical Reception
Mark Schilling of The Japan TimesThe Japan Times
The Japan Times is an English language newspaper published in Japan. Unlike its competitors, the Daily Yomiuri and the International Herald Tribune/Asahi Shimbun, it is not affiliated with a Japanese language media organization...
labelled the film Usagi Drop
Usagi Drop
is a Japanese josei manga series by Yumi Unita. The plot follows thirty-year old Daikichi as he becomes the guardian of Rin, the illegitimate six-year old daughter of his grandfather....
as "Bunny-based drama is a warm but overly fluffy tail" and gave it a overall score of 2.5 out of 5. He praised the main cast, saying that "(Kenichi) Matsuyama ... works well with pint-sized costar Ashida." and added that Kenichi was like a "like a caring, playful big brother". He also praised child actress Mana Ashida, saying that she "seamlessly accomplishes her evolution from forlorn waif to perky if unusually perceptive kid, while effortlessly charming everyone.". However, the reviewer criticized the film for "the lack of friction between the (main) characters". He also criticized the "tear-jerking cliches" in the film, which he said was "Sabu's biggest problem as a director".