Katte ni furuetero

A romantic comedy that's quirky and quite touching, touching on themes of introversion, unrequited love, and the conversations we have within our minds while trying to find a partner and our path in life. The premise is straightforward; an awkward young woman with a thing for extinct animals has been carrying a torch for a guy for ten years, since middle school, and meanwhile she's pursued by a dorky guy from her office. The first half of it is entertaining though pretty light and frothy, but the second half has a really nice twist that gives it real depth. Mayu Matsuoka (who was also in Shoplifters) plays the young woman and aside from making her character so endearing, has several fantastic scenes, conveying grief especially well. It's a beautiful film with lots of unconventional moments (Amélie came to mind), and Director Akiko Ohku makes use of light and reflections in lovely ways. Very well done, a near miss for an even higher rating.