Pika*nchi Life Is Hard However Happy (2002)

This is really just a funny story about friends exploring Harajuku and event that happen to all five of 5. It was completely different than what i was expecting.

Of course i decided to watch this for Arashi. And well....their characters were extremely funny, weird, and cool. especially Ohno, he has an act at acting...weird haha.

I really loved the theme for this movie. It has a rock vibe but is still pop-like Arashi.

all in all, it's a really cute movie & it doesn't hurt that all 5 arashi members are in this movie. for how, I guess, plain the plot sounds, it was a good movie and I rewatch it all the time

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The reason I watched this film was mainly because I'm an Arashi fan, and because I like to watch their dramas and films whenever possible. I was expecting to watch a mediocre film with some comedic scenes and that's exactly what I got. Watching this, there really wasn't a moment where I thought this film was brilliantly written and one of the best I've seen. All this film was about was basically a group of 5 quirky guys who go through minor trials that test their friendship and in the end have them grow stronger. I did like the bong they shared in the film, because it reminded me of how close they are in real life and gives you a glimpse of reality.. Except without the odd character traits.

The acting was good. All of them portrayed their characters well and I did enjoy watching them. However, I do have to admit that Aiba Masaki's acting performance was probably the lowest of the latter, and I think he's actually known for that, but it wasn't anything bad enough to stop watching. Although.. I haven't seen him in much of anything, so I could be wrong, but in this film he didn't really stick out to me as an outstanding actor. Ohno Satoshi did the best, in my opinion, out of them all. I couldn't help but laugh throughout the film because his character was just dorky enough to love.

The music was alright. Nothing too great to mention, but they were songs that were very fitting for the film and worked with the theme of it.

Overall, this film was a great one-time watch. It had it's funny moments that had me laughing, and I thought the ending was really well done and appropriate because of the events in the film, so I was satisfied with it. I don't think I'll be re-watching this anytime soon... Maybe if I'm bored I'll revist this film, but in the meantime I'd rather watch other things. I recommend this film if you're an Arashi fan, and if you're looking for something that provides comedy and the theme of friendship.

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I was hesitant to watch this movie as it sounded pretty generic to me, but gosh I was wrong!
This charming movie was really entertaining; it combined comedy, slice of life and drama genres effortlessly and was a very sweet movie.

The 5 main characters all have very different personalities, stories and struggles, and each one is developed really well, I enjoyed watching the antics of each character. The acting from all 5 members was pretty good, being early days in their acting careers.

The music perfectly reflects the rock/rebelling feel of the movie. The contrast of these rock themes with the schoolyard songs is again reflective of youth against maturity.

I definitely feel this is a movie that can be re-watched over and over due to its easy pace and interesting storylines.

It very well embodies the average life struggles, highs and lows of teenage boys as they move inevitably towards adulthood.
For an Arashi fan this is a must-watch, but even non-fans are sure to get something out of this movie!

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You want to see Arashi members at their debut, so you will.
You want to have fun and laugh with the five of them. So you will.
You want to listen to their music, so you will (just a bit though)
You want to know what it was, to live in Tokyo suburbs in the beginning of the 2000's (i'm pretty sure everyone is eagering to know such a thing). So you will.
You can watch this movie just because you are a fan of Arashi, or because you want to spend a funny evening after a hard day at school/college/work or whatever you want. It will work, undoubtedly, and there is no need to read more.

But this movie is not what you are expecting.
Pikanchi is for sure on the Plan to Watch list of every Arashi fan. If it isn't, then you should add it right now.
Don't be misled by the scores, i'm not the kind to give a 10 easily, even if I really enjoyed a drama/movie. And I enjoyed a lot this one.
It's just that sometimes the story is not as deep as such a subject may suppose. And that we can see that the five leads have not yet developp all their acting skills. They have showed better interpretations since that movie, but do not forget that they are still young.

Nevertheless, not only the five Arashi members, but the entire cast is great and is able to convey this strange atmosphere of warmth and confinement in this area. So close, yet so far from the Tokyo megalopole. Aiba, Matsumoto, Ninomiya, Ohno and Sakurai portrays five friends which different values and ambitions, at a decisive time of their life. How to become an adult, how to deal with reality and move forward when everything around stick you to the ground, or at least, to that area. How Japanese are able to deal with emotions and with such a complex subject through so much weird and funny scenes is still surprising. That's what attract me the most in this movie. Moreover, through many details, from emulation to jealousy, the friendship stays the main subject, and it's always a great pleasure to see how those five guys manage to convey such a wonderfull bond.

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