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Always Sunset On Third Street 1 [J-movie] (Maki Horikata, Shinichi Tsutsumi, Koyuki, Hiroko Yakushimaru, Hidetaka Yoshioka) (updated with English subtitle)

Japanese: Always San Chome No Yuhi

Year: 2005

Director: Takashi Yamazaki

Producer: Shuji Abe, Chikahiro Ando, Keiichiro Moriya, Seiji Okuda, Nozomu Takahashi

Writer: Takashi Yamazaki, Ryota Kosawa, based on the manga series “Yuyake No Uta-San Chome No Yuhi” by Ryohei Saigan

Cast:
Mutsuko Hoshino Maki Horikita
Ryunosuke Chagawa Hidetaka Yoshioka
Norifumi Suzuki Shinichi Tsutsumi
Hiromi Ishizaki Koyuki
Tomoe Suzuki Hiroko Yakushimaru
Ippei Suzuki Kazuki Koshimizu
Junnosuke Furuyuki Kenta Suga
Saburo Masaya Takahashi
Yuichiro Kaga Mochimaru
Theater Manager Toru Masuoka
Realtor Takashi Matsuo
Postmen Hiroshi Kamido, Hiroshi Kanbe
Butcher Magy
Bicycle Shopkeeper Yoichi Nukumizu
Ice Seller Pierre Taki
Policemen Kisuke Iida, Motosuke Iida
Electrician Yuichi Kimura
Kin Ota Masako Motai
Shiro “Akuma” Takuma Tomokazu Miura
Takuma’s Wife Kuniko Asagi
Takuma’s Daughter Airu Shigemoto
Kazuko Furuyuki Kaoru Okunuki
Shizuo Fujio Kenjiro Ishimaru
Secretary Shigemitsu Ogi
Yasunari Kawabuchi Fumiyo Kohinata

Full Summary: Set in a digitally recreated postwar Tokyo (in 1958), Takashi Yamazaki’s Always — Sunset on Third Street tells the story of a few people who live and work in a rundown neighborhood, and their impact on one another’s lives. Mutsuko (Maki Horikita) arrives from the country, awed by the size of Tokyo, and eager to take on her new position working for the president of an automobile company. She’s disappointed when she learns the “automobile company” is a small garage run by the struggling but industrious Suzuki (Shin’ichi Tsutsumi of One Missed Call), and he’s upset when he learns that the auto mechanic he thought he was hiring is actually a bicycle repairwoman. Soon enough, Mutsuko settles in with Suzuki, his wife (Hiroko Yakushimaru of Princess Raccoon), and their impish little boy, Ippei (Kazuki Koshimizu). Across the street, Chagawa (Hidetaka Yoshioka of The Hidden Blade) runs the candy store, but he’s also a frustrated novelist who earns a little money by writing boys’ adventure stories. He has a crush on the local pub owner, Hiromi (Koyuki of The Last Samurai), and she uses that to her advantage when she’s saddled with Junnosuke (Kenta Suga of Godzilla: Final Wars), the abandoned son of an acquaintance. One night, she convinces the drunk, smitten Chagawa to take the boy in, promising to visit occasionally. She does, and soon the unlikely trio begins to resemble a family themselves. Always — Sunset on Third Street is based on a popular manga, and was a hit in Japan, winning a number of awards. The film had its North American premiere at the Subway Cinema’s 2006 New York Asian Film Festival with director Yamazaki in attendance. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide

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Always Sunset On Third Street 2 [J-movie] (Maki Horikata, Shinichi Tsutsumi, Koyuki, Hiroko Yakushimaru) (updated with English subtitle)

Starring: Hidetaka Yoshioka, Shinichi Tsutsumi, Koyuki, Hiroko Yakushimaru, Maki Horikata, Kenta Suga, Kazuki Koshimaru, Fumiyo Kohinata, Miura Tomokazu, Ayame Koike
Directed By: Takashi Yamazaki
Released By: Unknown
Run Time: 146 min.

Trailer

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Sweeping 3.5 billion yen at the box office and 13 trophies at the Japan Academy Awards, Yamazaki Takashi’s nostalgic blockbuster Always - Sunset on Third Street was the runaway winner of 1995. The cast and crew return to even greater acclaim and box office in 2007 with Always - Sunset on Third Street 2. Based on Saigan Ryohei’s popular manga, Always 2 picks up the story shortly after the events of the first film, returning to the bustling lives of the residents of Third Street as they carve out their own small worlds in 1959 Japan. The film has the same winning formula of heartwarming drama and stunning CGI, recreating the sights, sounds, and sentiments of 1950s Japan with crowd-pleasing precision. The second time around, the characters feel like old friends thanks to great performances from the returning cast of Tsutsumi Shinichi, Yakushimaru Hiroko, Horikita Maki (Hanazakari no Kimitachi e), Koyuki (The Last Samurai), child actor Suga Kenta, and of course Yoshioka Hidetaka, who won his second Best Actor trophy at the 2008 Japan Academy Awards with the same role.

Bad-tempered, but soft-hearted garage owner Suzuki (Tsutsumi Shinichi) isn’t any closer to becoming the next Toyota, though country girl Rokko (Horikita Maki) is shaping up to be a great mechanic, and attracting some romantic attention, too. Suzuki’s family of four plays host to seven-year-old relative Mika (Koike Ayame), but the spoiled city girl is less than impressed with their humble living conditions. Across the lane, struggling writer Chagawa Ryunosuke (Yoshioka Hidetaka) wants to prove himself to adopted son Junnosuke (Suga Kenta) and romantic interest Hiromi (Koyuki). Desperately holding on to his makeshift family and fading dreams, Chagawa is aiming for nothing less than the Akutagawa Prize with his great Japanese novel - and all his neighbors seem to be in it somehow. The frustrating process and financial worries, however, are more likely to push him to the end of the road than great literary fame.

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Funniest and Saddest films by Japanese viewers

Survey by Oricon.

Funniest
1. The Uchoten Hotel.
2. Maiko Haaaan!!!
3. Trick.
4. Home Alone.
5. The Mask.

Saddest
1. Titanic.
2. Crying Out Love, In the Center of the World.
3. Armageddon.
4. Ima, Ai ni Yukimasu.
5. Always: Sanchome no Yuhi.
5. Koizora.
7. Grave of the Fireflies.
8. The Green Mile.
8. Taiyou no Uta.
10. Nada Sousou