Initiation Love (2015)

It's so difficult to make a review of this movie without giving some stuff away, but I'll try.

If you're looking for a great movie, just watch Initiation Love. Don't read the plot, because, just going by that, I would probably never have watched it. I started it because one of my favourite actors, Matsuda Shota, is in it, but as the minutes passed I forgot about him and got sucked into the story.

The plot itself is nothing special: we're in the '80s, and a nerdy, overweight guy meets a cute girl and falls in love. While he thinks he can never be with her, the girl, Mayu-chan, actually seems to like him despite his looks and personality (which, I need to say, are completely normal and there's really nothing wrong with him.) Takkun - the nickname Mayu-chan has given him - then decides to "become a better [looking] man" for her sake. Change of scene, a very fit and 'kakkoii' Takkun gets transferred to Tokyo for work, and, gradually, his and Mayu-chan's relationship starts falling apart. But, and this is stated at the very beginning of the movie, there's a "secret" to this whole story, and it's up to the viewer to figure it out before the ending.

The acting is... I mean... it's Matsuda Shota. That guy could star in a dorama where he has to stand still in a silly pose and still make the whole thing shine. Man, what an actor.
I didn't know any of the other actors, but I loved Maeda Atsuko as Mayu-chan - even though I couldn't stand her character for sooo many reasons. (But there's no likeable character here, really.)

The music was perfect for the dorama, but I don't have much to say about it. I remember liking it, but I don't remember the actual songs. I think they were all era-appropriate though.

The rewatch value is very high because, even if you do know the story, you will want to watch it again because now you do know everything.

Overall, a beautiful movie with great actors that I really recommend to everyone - Matsuda Shota's fans in particular!

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Story : I usually use skip feature when watch a film. My favorite skip range is 3 second, because as long as you have a good subtitle you still can keep with what happen in the story. Nobody change their move in 3 seconds drastically. its become my habit because watching korean drama in 16 -24 episodes, and each episode has more than 70+- minutes really waste my time. this is my first time I regret using skip feature because I get wrong conclusion at the end. after go to MDL, read the comments, watch it again, finally I get it. and even getting better when I rewatch it.

Acting : I fall in love with atsuko maeda in this movie. I don't know is it because the character that she played or because she played her character properly. or it just because both of them. the rest actor and artist was not bad. But atsuko maeda stole my attention.

Music : the music is good. there is a backsound with rap song that the note is really similar with Indonesian song "sakitnya tuh disini" and Bollywood movie's soundtrack dilwale. I know it just coincidence because the genre is totally different. even it is not 4-5-3-6 chord that I really like and often used in J-music, it still okay for me.

Rewatch value : without giving a break, I already watch it 3 times just after the movie is finished. searching for a detail in this movie was really fun. and I still can rewatch it again if you ask me.

Summar : Perfect. one of the best Japanese movie.

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I've already watched the South Korean remake 5 months ago, and I actually forgot about the remake a little bit but somehow when I saw the warning from the producer at the beginning of this film, it made me think for the first 10 minutes, then I suddenly remembered the remake. That, honestly, makes me really regret my brain behaviour, I feel like cursing myself for knowing what "secret ending" means in the warning.

Honestly I think this original version and the remake are both good, both giving the same level of pain and stinging, except for the burning anger in my heart that I can't repeat because I already know the ending.

The storyline is the same but there are many differences in it. Like Mayu, played by Atsuko Maeda, it is said that she works as a dental hygienist but she is never shown working, while in the remake, her character is a nurse, shown when she works. It didn't have much effect on me, because the actress played well, so they both experience the same suffering.

Hmm... what should I type more? I don't feel like to compared further of this original and the remake, also not really want to dig deeper.

Ohh...

Atsuko Maeda or Acchan, playing Mayu is built into a figure of dream girlfriend, she is kawaii, adorable, loveable, appealing, sweet, enchanting, captivating, endearing, precious and she also seems smart and a future wife material as long as the man can appreciate and take care of her. Her voice is charming, feels soothing, I want to hear it every day, that "Takkun~" makes my heart flattered because it's so sweet.

Kinda wish I was born earlier so I can experience Acchan in her AKB48 days. Doesn't mean I regret to born younger tho, because I love my kami oshi in my Profile Picture.

I don't feel like to mention the remake, just in case there's somebody who have watched the remake but more stupid than me, that they're not realize they already watched the remake so they're still surprise with the ending. I don't want to ruin it for them if they read this blabbering.

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It's the type of movie that will either have you loving it or hating it at the end of it all.

BUT...

It does keep you invested and intrigued throughout.
It pays good attention to detail and makes the viewer focused on what's happening and more importantly what isn't happening.
The acting was well done and the production value was top-notch.

I do however ended up not liking the bittersweet taste of the apple at the end because it really just shows that love isn't defined as normally as it should but I do praise the writer and director for taking a bold approach to tackle the subject of true love with it's counterpart being sorta... imitation.

The rewatch value isn't there for me but I feel like this could very well be a cult classic. Time will tell.

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