April Story (1998)

A sweet slice of life portrait of a girl's transition from a high school in Japan's northern countryside to university in Tokyo. It's a series of vignettes that begins with her family seeing her off and ends with a reveal of why she went to this particular university. In between we watch her move into her new apartment, cook meals for herself, meet her neighbors and classmates, buy a bike, and browse a bookstore. It may not sound like much but it's very well crafted. Takako Matsu is as endearing as can be. It was a pleasure to see her, as a teenager, play this naive young girl after having recently seen her, at thirty-two, play an archetypal Japanese woman in Villon's Wife.This is a short film, at just over an hour, that doesn't attempt much more than capturing a few moments in the life of a girl who is not only changing her outward surroundings but also following her inward desires. The reason she chose to go to the university in Tokyo is because her unrequited crush on boy one year her senior is attending it. The film could have been longer and explored their relationship but then it wouldn't have ended as poetically as it does right at the moment they meet. Broken umbrellas, a rainstorm, and a barrel full of young love, idealism, and hope. Simply beautiful.

On first viewing I was reminded how Japanese people often use language not to communicate in words but to hint at deeper ulterior meanings. For example, when Uzuki asks how late the bookstore is open, what she is really asking is, "What are the chances I'll be able to see today the man I am in love with?" I felt that this movie was a lot like literature in that we had the opportunity to fill in a lot of details with our imaginations. With this in mind, the second viewing was a remarkable experience. Check out the group of people for whom the moving van has to reverse for. Here we have what will ultimately be (off screen and after the credits) the happy ending, but we see it implied at the beginning of the movie.The name Mushashino itself (as in both the university and bookstore): It refers to the wide plains upon which Tokyo has been built. Even more than a thousand years ago, in what some say is the world's first novel, "The Tale of Genji," Mushashino was considered a poetic place of exile and romantic yearning.That jarring samurai movie may have been well-chosen as well for its symbolic ramifications. It was about Oda Nobunaga, who was the first person to come close to achieving a unification of Japan until he was assassinated by Mitsuhide Akechi: A story of ambush and treachery, just as what was going on with the creep making moves on Uzuki in the movie theater. But in the samurai movie Oda Nobunaga, through trickery of his own, survived that ambush, as did Uzuki. Her fleeing brings to mind Ieyasu who, in the historical time depicted, rapidly fled that dangerous situation with the assistance of the ninja Hattori Hanzo. So we can even make this part of "April Story" into a kind of ninja movie if we wish, with the protagonist successfully fleeing danger and later establishing a grand unification (with her soon to be lover) of her own. Like the one passing in front of the moving van.Not only the movie theater creep was a threat to her fulfilling her chosen destiny but also the leader of the fly-fishing club who wanted to "catch" her. He even got the hook of a lure into her sweater. But what did he want with her after all? He wanted to use her: "If you get one other person to join our club this reel is yours for free."Here in the U.S. young lovers have been known to write or carve their initials within the outline of a heart. In Japan they write their names vertically under an umbrella, on either side of the "handle." And the color of the umbrella she chose: the Japanese character for crimson can be synonymous for passion.I found that the movie resonates deeply if we apply some attention and imagination.What a pleasure it is to watch it, and the amazing performance of Takako Matsu who expressed so much and so deeply with so few external manifestations. By the way, if anyone wondered about the location, she rides her bicycle over a blue pedestrian bridge that had written on it that it was in Kunitachi in the western part of Tokyo next to Tachikawa.

This was my third Shunji Iwai experience...richer than 'Picnic' and far richer than 'Undo'...once you get a glimpse of the artist you already know what to expect...beyond lyrical brilliance there's always a sense of sadness in a way that never really meets the eye...maybe is the music (classical masterpieces wonderfully chosen) or maybe is the loneliness of the characters depicted in a very personal manner...the fact that remains is you can not pass-by such movies w/o being deeply touched in a cathartic way... I somehow knew what to expect from 'April Story'....I have to admit that i red some of the comments posted here prior to seeing the film...and i went seeing it with some preconceived ideas on my mind...and nevertheless i was utterly satisfied...because the master done it again...but take my advice and go see that movie w/o knowing anything about it...it's deeper than a symphony and far insightful than an exhibition...and it's an exceptionally vibrant homage to whatever being a pure woman represents....highly reccomended...9/10

To describe this film as gentle is quite an understatement. It is slightly more interesting (and similar to) a home movie of a girl who moves to the city to attend Uni.Meandering, totally lacking in drama or interest. Clearly, I cannot recommend this film.