Kamikaze Girls (2004)

Country: Japan
Genre: Comedy, friendship, lolita-yankee
Format: movie
Cast: Tsuchiya Anna, Fukuda Kyoko, Abe Sadao, Okada Yoshinori, Miyasako Hiroyuki, Koike Eiko, 
Synopsis: Momoko is a lolita, who sells his father´s old bogus brands to cover her expensive outgoing. One day she meets self-styled "Yankee" Ichigo. Between them bonds a friendship.
Rating: 4/5
It gets one bonus star for being my first Japanese movie and for introducing Japanese movie-industry to me. Even though it is my first Asian movie, I consider "Nobuta wo Produce" as the start of my addiction. I stumbled on the movie by accident on Youtube because I have always had a thing for cute lolita clothes, even though I have never worn them myself.

It´s a really great movie about friendship and of course fabulous lolita-clothes. The main brand "Baby, Stars Shine Bright" is an actual lolita brand, that was founded by Akinori Isobe and his wife Fumiyo. Throughout the movie you can see Momoko wearing lolita clothes, Sweet-Lolita style to be accurate, which means a lot of cuteness and laces.
I love the up-built of the movie. It has interesting start and amazing effects, which make the movie even more interesting. I like that they explain almost everything about Ichigo's and Momoko's life, but it is sad that they did not explain exactly Momoko's attitude. They say that she was like it since she was born, but to me it is inconvenient. But she has amazing sewing skills *jealous*

In addition, they show right emotions at the right time, except that Momoko had almost no feelings (beside her fantasy things). Even though Momoko says she does not need anyone, I think that actually her grandmother played a much important role in her life, than it seemed like. But maybe I think it like this because of my life..  Despite looking like a "small kid" and lacking of social skills, she is extremely smart and educated. Due to influences from Rococco-period, she is into classical music, reading and handcrafts. Fukuda Kyoko is absolutely brilliant in her role.

I knew Tsuchiya Anna before, but I knew her as a singer and voice-actress for "Nana". Ichigo is deliquent, her writing skills are equal to a first grade student. She is equally lacking in social skills, but with the difference that her actions are mostly inappropriate and rude. Compared to Momoko, she has a strong sense of justice and takes her promises seriously. At the same time from her backstory you can see that she once used to be smart average girl, but as a victim of school bullying, she decided to make the change. Ichigo gets on the bad side with her former gang and  Ahh, one thing about Ichigo's name! If someone does not know, then "Ichigo" meaning is "Strawberry", but "Ichiko" is "First child", that's why Ichigo thought that her name is not suitable for her as yankee.

There are many great lines in script, but I do not think they all are true. It is just my personality which does not want to agree with them. For example: "Woman cannot cry in public, always cry alone!" - Actually my mother raised me up with this saying too and for long time I held everything in me, so no-one could see me hurt, but in the end it is too painful. Now (like you have understood it already) I am pretty much a crybaby, though I never cry for stupid reasons! Only when I am hurt or when I see some sad movie.

Second line: "If there is something you like, take it! If there is something you want to do, do it!" - YES! People should be more adventurous, more spontaneity! ..but please obey the laws... it is not that great if you take everything you want or do what you want and end up in jail..
The last one: "Humans are cowards in face of happiness! Humans need courage to face it!" -
It all depends on, "what is happiness?" - if it is love and relationships then it really needs courage, but if it is something small like seeing a butterfly - does watching it needs courage? Yes, if you are afraid of butterflies, but then again, it would not bring happiness, people are supernatural if they work hard on want they want, so if you have big will power and won't give up, there is a high possibility to get what you want.

It is wicked and totally funny movie with many surreal scenes. It might seem to be girlish movie at some moments, but it is totally worth watching as it does not get boring. This movie has so many messages - friendships, broken marriages, bullying, fighting, illnesses, following your dreams, differences between city and country etc. There are so many things in it to what people can relate or find interesting.