Shuichi Okita has made a name for himself by being one of the few filmmakers in Japan who continues to shoot films that are “in the middle”, neither big nor low-budget, and also for his quirky characters and occasional surrealism, both of which, though, are grounded in realism. “The Fish Tale” which is based on the autobiography of Sakana-kun, a celebrity ichthyologist, Youtuber, TV host, illustrator and all-around “fish ambassador” is another title that proves how much he has perfected this style.
“The Fish Tale” is screening on Fantasia International Film Festival
Although a guy in reality, in the film “Meebo” is actually a girl, and a really eccentric and intense one for that, as she is obsessed with anything that has to do with fish since childhood, including drawing them and eating them. An incident with an octopus, which she gets from the sea and decides to take home before her father brutally kills it in front of her and all her friends would be a traumatic event for anyone, but not for her, as nothing seems to deter her from pursuing her love and her dream: becoming a fish expert. Her parents are understandably a little worried, but they go with the flow, as they do not actually have a choice.
The years pass, and teenager Meebo continues in the same fashion, but her obsession actually puts an obstacle in her dream, since she does not have time to study, making it very difficult to become an expert. In the meantime, she manages to reconcile two gangs of teenage delinquents, mostly by shocking them as she guts a living fish, in a scene that highlights her disillusionment about her passion. Even more years later, she is still as quirky as possible, desperately trying to get a job in the field she likes, but continuously failing. The reappearance of some of her friends from childhood and teenagehood, though, helps her eventually find her way.
Shuichi Okita takes a number of creative liberties in this biopic of sorts, particularly in the beginning, where some fish appear as some sort of aliens, as much as Meebo does, who does not seem to have much to do with this world, at least as the others perceive it. Through all the quirkiness, though, a number of messages are presented here, in the most eloquent and intriguing fashion. (Japanese) society demands from people to mature, adapt, study hard and get a job according to their potential, with the people who are not, eventually treated as pariahs. Meebo’s path however, highlights the fact that there are alternative, “not-normal” roads to success, and that following your obsession to the end can actually lead to great things, even if they probably will take a bit more time than the “right way”. That the protagonist remains cheerful even in the face of total failure also sends a message, as much as how important friendship and good parenting (essentially meaning understanding and supporting children even when they do not make sense) can be in the life of anyone. That her will to chase her dreams eventually brings a number of people around her, also sends a message in the same, anti-pariah path.
At the same time, the movie also functions as an encyclopedia for fish and the way to eat them, with the level of detail being astonishing, as indicated in a number of scenes but most of all in the shishamo scene where the whole thing moves on a whole other level.
Furthermore, the film is very much a vehicle for Non to showcase her acting abilities, with her giving an astonishingly dedicated performance, not leaving the quirkiness of her character even for a moment, retaining both an extreme rhythm and a very fitting body movements throughout the part of the movie she appears in. Her presence is actually one of the best traits of the title, with Okita anchoring the film on her and she delivering in the best way possible, with the drunken scene being the apogee of her performance.
Yasuyuki Sasaki’s cinematography captures all the aforementioned elements with an utterly fitting quirky realism, filled with bright colors, while the editing results in a very fitting, relatively fast but also leisurely pace.
“The Fish Tale” is an excellent film, very easy to watch and interesting contextually, as much as a proof that both Okita and Non are currently at the top of their game..
