April Story (1998) [Film Review]

April Story; or, My Dearest Senpai

     When I made it into university, Moriyama, my home-room teacher congratulated me, saying "It was a miracle." But if it was a miracle, I want to call it a miracle of love.
Encouraged by numerous recommendations from East Asian Cinema Enthusiastic group, I decided to check out more works of the awesome director Shunji Iwai. Needless to say, my journey began with the director’s 1998 feature, under the intriguing title, April Story.

Release Info

Directed by: Shunji Iwai Starring: Takako Matsu, Seiichi Tanabe

Language: Japanese Original Title: 四月物語 Runtime: 67 min

Synopsis
Uzuki Nireno (Takako Matsu) is a typical countryside girl, living on Hokkaido. However, she unexpectedly decides to move to Tokyo and begin her studies there. The family sees her off at the train station and they send in necessary things via a moving company. Strangely enough, Uzuki does not get along well with the stuck-up students from Tokyo. Gradually, Uzuki’s true intentions behind her departure from Hokkaido are revealed: to find her high-school crush, Yamazaki (Seiichi Tanabe).

Pretty with Red Umbrella
I must say that April Story feels very much like a companion piece to my favourite Iwai’s film Love Letter (1995). The tone and nostalgic style are similar and even the school theme is reused to a certain degree. However, April Story handles it very gently. The movie does not provide extensive backstories of the characters but emphasises everyday personal interactions, which we all experience.

One of the MDL users described the film as Notice me, senpai: The Motion Picture in the comments section of the film’s profile page. Indeed, that’s the simplest way of looking at April Story. To me, Iwai’s movie is not so much about a girl stalking her senpai (that would be a great idea for a horror film, by the way) but it’s a story about growing up. The main heroine has to learn how to live independently, become confident, and leave her safety bubble. This resonantes greatly in Uzuki’s interactions with the moving guys, the strange neighbour, and some random scientist.

To be honest, it is worth watching the film just for Shunji Iwai’s amazing cinematography and the loveable performance of Takako Matsu in the leading role (Love Generation for life!). In addition to this, the movie was promoted by a trailer which is a work of art in its own right (see the clip below).

A word about the availability of the film. Similarly to Love Letter, it seems that only a Korean DVD release is the only good option to watch the film with English subtitles. However, HD versions are also available online.

Recommendations
All things considered, If you want to check out a joyful and innocent story about a girl finding her way in life, then I recommend April Story. In the age of movies filled with excessive violence and illogical plotlines, we need more peaceful films like this one.Overall score: 7/10

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