Hanagatami

Hanagatami is a 2017 film adapted from a novel written by Kazuo Dan, directed by the renowned Japanese filmmaker Nobuhiko Obayashi. The movie, taking place in the early 1940s, right before Japan's entry into World War II, takes us on an exploration of youth, life, death, and the impermanence of everything that people hold dear, seen through the eyes of a handful of adolescents. The movie features Shunsuke Kubozuka, Shinnosuke Mitsushima, and Keishi Nagatsuka, along with an ensemble cast of youthful and talented Japanese actors in various intricate roles that vividly capture the essence of Obayashi's artistic vision.

The film starts with the arrival of Toshihiko Sakakiyama (Shunsuke Kubozuka), a seventeen-year-old boy, who comes back to his relatives in Karatsu, Saga Prefecture from Amsterdam, where his parents live. It is through his eyes that we experience the narrative. Being the protagonist, he guides us through the story and helps to draw the audience into his personal experiences and those of his friends who also find themselves on the precipice of the war.

One of the critical characters Toshihiko befriends is Kira (Shinnosuke Mitsushima), a physically weak but mentally robust individual who constantly battles tuberculosis but does not let this dampen his spirit. He embodies the film's theme of living life to the fullest, despite the circumstances. Another important character is Ukai (Keishi Nagatsuka), a symbol of a bleak future because of his enlistment in the army, representing the country's vast population conscripted to fight in the war. The movie demonstrates how these young lives navigate their hopes, dreams, love interests, and friendships, knowing their world is on the brink of significant change and upheaval.

As is characteristic of Obayashi's cinematic style, Hanagatami doesn't shy away from employing theatrical, surreal, and stylistic elements. He combines these with meticulously orchestrated scenes and color schemes, creating a highly heightened reality which becomes a form of hyper-realism. These specific cinematic techniques serve to further emphasize the increasingly surreal reality that these young characters find themselves thrust into, quite against their will and much before their time.

The cinematography, sound design, and use of music are other dominant highlights of the film. Attention to minute details enhances the dexterously designed mise-en-scène. There's an unreal, even dreamlike quality imbued within each frame, which only serves to make the characters' emotional grapples and dilemmas even more poignant. The original score of the film, composed by Kosuke Yamashita, is stunning and contributes significantly to setting the film's mood.

Hanagatami is much more than a coming-of-age story. It seamlessly blends themes of adolescence, war, mortality, and existentialism, thus making it a unique addition to Obayashi's illustrious filmography. True to its name, Hanagatami, which means 'flower basket' in Japanese, the film presents a bouquet of emotions, experiences, and moments that remain evocative long after the film concludes.

The performances by the lead actors Shunsuke Kubozuka, Shinnosuke Mitsushima, and Keishi Nagatsuka are commendable. Their portrayal of young adults grappling with the harsh realities of a world on the brink of war is highly convincing. The supporting cast, too, adds depth and variety to the story, each balancing the narrative's high drama with their subtlety.

Overall, Hanagatami is an ambitious film that successfully breaks free from the narratives traditionally associated with war. It provides a unique perspective on the war's impact, focusing not on the battleground but the hearts and minds of those who are left behind – the innocent youths whose lives are forever marked by the coming devastation. It's an emotional, thoughtful movie, undeniably shot with an artistic vision that resonates with the viewers, transporting them to the depicted era, immersing them into the unfolding narrative, and coaxing them to contemplate the individual and collective human experience in times of war.