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Film Review: Fuku-chan of FukuFuku Flats (2014) by Yosuke Fujita

” is a quirky comedy with a heart-warming spirit. The piece was distributed rather well for such a small film, but the director did not ever really managed to establish himself, managing to shoot only one movie after this, “Only 4 You” back in 2015.

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The story is rather simple. The lead character, Fuku-chan (), is a painter by day, kite flyer by night, with an inability to speak to females after a traumatic childhood experience. His love life is therefore nonexistent, but his heart is oozing with care as he stumbles through the oddities of life, love, and friendship.  

Chiho Sugiura () has left her job to seek her passion of becoming a photographer, but after a few mishaps she bumps into Fuku-chan and realizes his face would be the perfect subject for her art. The two create a charming relationship as Chiho tries to capture the caring warmth that Fuku-chan shares, in this hilariously loving film.

Fujita manages to create a world that welcomes you in with open arms while his outcast characters take you on a journey through their life. There is no urgency to this film, instead you sit back and experience the melodic rhyme that glides along like the very kites our protagonist flies. Yoshihiro Ikeuchi provides a beautiful pallet that captures the oddball inhabitants perfectly with his vibrant and high-contrast cinematography.

The real star here is Miyuki Oshima with her portrayal of the bald comedy protagonist, Fuku-Chan. Her performance captures the tone of the piece beautifully, and her facial expressions are the source of much laughter, as she manipulates every fiber of her face to create larger-than-life smiles. Without this acting a lot of the film would fall flat. The other characters are great but without the anchor of Oshima and her impeccable comedic timing a lot of the jokes and setups would just fail, as it can be pretty obvious at times that the writing isn't the source of humor but Fuku-chan's performance instead. If anything, it just further reinforces the power of casting, as they really nailed it here.

Overall, the film is a relaxing watch, the kind of movie that just lets you take a break from the world and enjoy the peacefulness of another place and setting. You are a tourist at the FukuFuku Flats as you are welcomed in without hesitation. It's the perfect film to watch when you've had a long day and just fancy a stress-free night before you start the next day.

About the author

Robert Edwards

Robert Edwards is a recent film graduate exploring the weird and wonderful world of writing. You can often find him talking about Japanese cinema, or even making the occasional video essay about it.

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