SALUTES
NY ASIAN FILM FEST - JAPAN CUTS 2012
June 29 - July 15
Lincoln Center - Japan Society (part of Japan Cuts)
LOVE STRIKES!
(モテキ MOTEKI!)
Japan, 2012
'
Directed by: Hitoshi One
Starring: Masami Nagasawa, Mirai Moriyama, Kumiko Aso, Yoko Maki
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Fujimoto-san peeks at porn... |
Fujimoto-san tweets no one... |
Fujimoto-san headphones on |
Love Strikes! (aka Moteki!) is a manga turned drama series turned movie about a young man's "moteki" experiential,
the
period in his life when he becomes most attractive to the opposite sex.
Yukiyo Fujimoto (Mirai Moriyama) is the ultimate virgin geek, texting and tweeting, no girlfriend, no hope.
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Motoko finds fault with virgin editorial |
editor needs to edit out women |
He gets a job at an internet newspaper, where he is singled out as the virgin
by the editor who has too many women in his life, and the sexy elfin-eared co-worker
Motoko, who constantly points out his virgin writing style and failings.
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Motoko berates poor Yukiyo at his desk... |
and in front of co-workers... hang your head Fuji! |
Can the cute but tough Motoko become one of the women in Yukiyo's life?
Moteki! Motoko! let's call the whole thing off!
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Yukiyo laughs, Yukiyo smiles... love strikes! |
actress Masami Nagasawa is the epitome of love... striking! |
Yukiyo, in his endless online tweeting, meets someone who shares his moody online persona and music preferences.
He agrees to meet for a drink with whom he assumes is a male companion, only to meet
the very cute Miyuki
(Masami Nagasawa), who impersonates a man online to stave off creeps.
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Yukiyo rides high on his Moteki soldiers shoulders |
Moteki strikes Manga Yukiyo! |
The two hit it off tremendously, leading to Yukiyo to go through a song and dance routine
in his head, played out in spectacular fashion with the pop group "Perfume".
The movie follows the manga happiness in true art becomes life fashion
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can you see the Moteki in me? |
Moteki dance! Virgin romance! |
Miyuki sleeps over Yukiyo's house, leading to a tittie grab.
poor virgin has no couth!
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Miyuki is sweet... |
Yukiyo grabs teet |
Although Miyuki has a boyfriend, whom she lives with,
she remains Yukiyo's main romantic interest, she is the one for him
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Yukiyo and Miyuko share a latte and a tweet |
a wine and a dine, and a look in your eyes... staring contest! |
when things go wrong on the relationship scope,
Yukiyo freaks out, his inner demons tell him he's doing things wrong,
and he runs through the street telling himself he wants to die!! poor virgin!
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she's got a boyfriend? freak out! |
manga freak out is noticably similar! |
Amidst much teasing from his co-workers, who hack into his twitter account to spy
on his relationship status, Miyuko meets up with the entire crew for drinks, and brings
along her friend Rumiko, who designs toy car transformers. Yukiyo is impressed,
but Rumiko is even more impressed with Yukiyo!
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solo karaoke fun turns to duet... will they do it? |
oops... Yukiyo takes a call mid-date... not a good sign |
buzz-sing... sing a song of b'z |
Both Rumiko and Yukiyo enjoy singing solo karaoke, so Rumiko invites the virgin out to sing along... so sweet!
Rumiko becomes enamoured of Yukiyo and expresses her feelings to him... how can he resist, he is a virgin!
but not for long!
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Yukiyo meets Ai... going for another drunken titty grab! |
Ai tells Yukiyo his type is in demand... so sweet! |
Ai fawns over Yukiyo, but his heart belongs to Miyuki! |
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Miyuki and her successful handsome boyfriend |
Yukiyo interviews boyfriend, what he finds out is astounding!! |
Yukiyo eventually meets Miyuki's boyfriend, a successful promoter, at a concert he's promoting.
Yukiyo tells Miyuki he slept with Rumiko, the worst thing he can possibly do!
Yukiyo is assigned to interview Miyuki's promoter boyfriend for a story, where he finds out
that he has a wife, and Miyuki lives with him anyway! Another freak out for Yukiyo!!
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Motoko kicks some sense into the virgin ass |
beautiful ears, beautiful face, but mean, so mean! |
does she really like him beneath her mean posterior? |
After writing a nasty story about Miyuki's boyfriend he visits her to try and get back
into her good graces, and get her into his life. How can she put up with her boyfriend
having a wife? How can she put up with Yukiyo sleeping with her best friend?
Yukiyo tells Miyuki she is sorry, he cannot be part of her life, she cannot grow with him,
and she never wanted to be a second fiddle to her boyfriend.. so sad, so intense!
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the correlation chart of characters in a big love fest |
Moteki! mania! |
the sweet ladies of Moteki! and Yukiyo's heart |
Yukiyo goes back to his office depressed, but mans up and rewrites the article on Miyuki's
promoter boyfriend to be a stunningly positive feature, which the editor immediately publishes.
Yukiyo has matured with his Moteki! but will that be enough to get Miyuki back?
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Manga Yukiyo and friends say peace |
Tower Records goes Moteki! |
movie Yukiyo says peace |
Love Strikes! is both a comedy and a genuinely honest portrayal of
Yukiyo's Moteki experience, from his sexually frustration to his emotionally naivete,
and gradual maturation, from virgin to stud to hopeless yet hopeful romantic.
Although he is new to the world of sex and women, his resolution to his soul mate
is charming, and the acting of Mirai Moriyama is both hilarious and touching as
the protagonist Yukiyo Fujimoto, the Moteki monster.
A true love fest... four stars.
review by Jefe aka Johnny Chiba
more LOVE STRIKES! reviews
LOVE STRIKES!
screenings at
JAPAN SOCIETY
Saturday, July 14 with party: SOLD OUT
Sunday, July 22
Jefe aka Johnny Chiba publishes
NYAFF2012 - TEST PRESS reviews
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