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is a Japanese film directed by Akihiko Shiota
, and release on 18 January 2003. It features Tsuyoshi Kusanagi
(of the pop group SMAP
) and Yuko Takeuchi
in the lead roles, and stars a number of actors in smaller roles who are (or have subsequently become) well-known in Japanese film and television. A planned English-language remake, to be titled Rainbow Bridge, is scheduled for release by DreamWorks Pictures in 2013.
in Kumamoto Prefecture
, the film begins with two scenes of individuals immediately after they have experienced unexplained and mysterious resurrection
. The man and woman seem aware of their earlier death (and who it is later revealed are a musical duo), and in one case a young boy who finds himself alone in the forest, having suddenly reappeared after vanishing years earlier.
Eventually a representative from the Japanese Ministry of Welfare named Heita Kawada (Kusanagi) appears, whose job is to investigate this phenomenon, which begins to be seen not in just the two isolated cases, but in various locations around the city. He discovers on his way to his first meeting with the boy that the child's DNA has been found to match that of a boy who disappeared years earlier (through a match with the umbilical cord saved by the mother), though the child should biologically be now in middle age.
Kawada, with his team of investigators, meets and interviews those who are purported to have reappeared after death, some of whom have been dead many years. The investigators also interview the families of the resurrected, many of whom have aged greatly since the death of the person who has now reappeared. In the case of the young boy, his mother has grown into an old woman, in other circumstances a youthful wife has reappeared to rejoin a husband now well into middle age.
The movie follows Kawada as he wrestles with the impossibility of the claims, which nevertheless seem to be empirically sound. Kawada himself, a native of Aso, also reconnects with his old friend Aoi (Takeuchi), who shares with him a bitter memory of the death of Kawada's friend (and Aoi's lover) Shunsuke (Yusuke Iseya
).
Akihiko Shiota
is a Japanese film director and screenwriter.-Career:Born in Kyoto Prefecture, Shiota attended Rikkyō University, where he began making 8mm films in the tradition of other Rikkyō students like Kiyoshi Kurosawa...
, and release on 18 January 2003. It features Tsuyoshi Kusanagi
Tsuyoshi Kusanagi
is a Japanese entertainer. Kusanagi is a member of the popular Japanese idol group SMAP and has also appeared in a number of television dramas, variety shows and movies.-Background:Kusanagi grew up in Kasukabe, Saitama, Japan....
(of the pop group SMAP
SMAP
SMAP is a Japanese boy band formed by Johnny & Associates. While originally consisting of six members, the current group members are Masahiro Nakai, Takuya Kimura, Goro Inagaki, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, and Shingo Katori...
) and Yuko Takeuchi
Yuko Takeuchi
is a Japanese actress. She made her big break with NHK's television series Asuka and JT Green's commercial. She has gone on to star in many TV shows, movies, and commercials....
in the lead roles, and stars a number of actors in smaller roles who are (or have subsequently become) well-known in Japanese film and television. A planned English-language remake, to be titled Rainbow Bridge, is scheduled for release by DreamWorks Pictures in 2013.
Plot
Set in the city of AsoASO
-Geography:* Aso , a river in Italy* Aso, Kumamoto, Japan* Mount Aso, a mountain in Japan* Aso Rock, a large outcrop on the outskirts of Abuja, Nigeria-Medicine:* Allele-specific oligonucleotide* Atherosclerosis obliterans* Anti-streptolysin O...
in Kumamoto Prefecture
Kumamoto Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyushu Island. The capital is the city of Kumamoto.- History :Historically the area was called Higo Province; and the province was renamed Kumamoto during the Meiji Restoration. The creation of prefectures was part of the abolition of the feudal system...
, the film begins with two scenes of individuals immediately after they have experienced unexplained and mysterious resurrection
Resurrection
Resurrection refers to the literal coming back to life of the biologically dead. It is used both with respect to particular individuals or the belief in a General Resurrection of the dead at the end of the world. The General Resurrection is featured prominently in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim...
. The man and woman seem aware of their earlier death (and who it is later revealed are a musical duo), and in one case a young boy who finds himself alone in the forest, having suddenly reappeared after vanishing years earlier.
Eventually a representative from the Japanese Ministry of Welfare named Heita Kawada (Kusanagi) appears, whose job is to investigate this phenomenon, which begins to be seen not in just the two isolated cases, but in various locations around the city. He discovers on his way to his first meeting with the boy that the child's DNA has been found to match that of a boy who disappeared years earlier (through a match with the umbilical cord saved by the mother), though the child should biologically be now in middle age.
Kawada, with his team of investigators, meets and interviews those who are purported to have reappeared after death, some of whom have been dead many years. The investigators also interview the families of the resurrected, many of whom have aged greatly since the death of the person who has now reappeared. In the case of the young boy, his mother has grown into an old woman, in other circumstances a youthful wife has reappeared to rejoin a husband now well into middle age.
The movie follows Kawada as he wrestles with the impossibility of the claims, which nevertheless seem to be empirically sound. Kawada himself, a native of Aso, also reconnects with his old friend Aoi (Takeuchi), who shares with him a bitter memory of the death of Kawada's friend (and Aoi's lover) Shunsuke (Yusuke Iseya
Yusuke Iseya
is a Japanese actor.He was born in Tokyo, Japan. With his modeling career , Yūsuke is known for Loreal , Men's Nonno magazine, Prada , and Asahi Aqua Blue....
).
Cast
- Tsuyoshi KusanagiTsuyoshi Kusanagiis a Japanese entertainer. Kusanagi is a member of the popular Japanese idol group SMAP and has also appeared in a number of television dramas, variety shows and movies.-Background:Kusanagi grew up in Kasukabe, Saitama, Japan....
as Heita Kawada - Yuko TakeuchiYuko Takeuchiis a Japanese actress. She made her big break with NHK's television series Asuka and JT Green's commercial. She has gone on to star in many TV shows, movies, and commercials....
as Aoi Tachibana - Yuriko IshidaYuriko Ishidais a Japanese actress and essayist from Nagoya. She was the Japanese voice of "San" in Princess Mononoke. She is older sister of Hikari Ishida, also an actress...
as Reiko - Sho AikawaSho Aikawais a Japanese composer and actor.- Film and TV filmography:2010*Zebraman 2: Attack on Zebra City2008*SS, aka Special Stage*Kurosagi The movie2006*Waru: kanketsu-hen* Taiyō no kizu* "Kurosagi" TV Series* Waru...
as Shuhei - Keiichi Yamamoto as Hideya Nakajima
- Yoshikazu Toshin as Yuichi Nakajima
- Misaki ItoMisaki Itois a Japanese actress and model. Her real name is .-Career:In 1999, Ito became the Asahi Beer "image girl" and a model under an exclusive contract to CanCam magazine...
as Sachiko - Masami NagasawaMasami Nagasawais a Japanese actress under Toho Entertainment. She has performed in many movies and television dramas including Crying out Love, In the Center of the World, Dragon Zakura and Proposal Daisakusen. She graduated from Horikoshi High School in 2006. She is also known as "Ma-chan" or, as Tomohisa...
as Naomi Morishita