User reviews

I think it captured the high school feeling of despair better than any other movie. The high school movies I am used to usually transform everything into a battle between characters where in the end the good guy wins. Or maybe he loses. But what if you don't want a battle? What if you just don't know what to do or you just don't care?

In Aoi Haru a deadly game decides who the leader of the school will be. A lonely quiet guy wins the game, but he does it only because he doesn't care enough to fear for his life. He actually does it for the game, not for the leadership. That annoys the hell out of his friend, ex boss himself, who can't understand someone that does not want to abuse his power. In the end their friendship is brutally ended.

There are some interesting metaphors in there, like the flowers that the boys are trying to grow, even if just one of them lives to see them blossom. It is also interesting that it is a boys only high school, maybe that's the norm in Japan, I don't know.

There is also in the movie the hidden message that neglect and inaction can do more damage than acting badly. I am talking here about the teachers in the film, that are just dictating machines with no will to educate or care. I mean, doctors can be accused of malpraxis. Lawyers, too. Yet teachers, who are supposed to create social beings from adolescents, are not held responsible for their mistakes.

Enough babble. This is a good film, maybe a bit long, but it does need almost every scene. The soundtrack is also very nice and fits the plot. It is worth watching.

I'm told the title Aoi Haru can be read two ways: "blue spring" or "teenage years". Anyway, I liked this movie. What I liked were the dark aspects of this movie and the attempts at symbolism. What I didn't like was the somewhat aimlessness of the plot and the attempts at symbolism. I find it a lot like "go" which also has Hirofumi Arai (Aoki). Both violent highschool movies. Some people have compared it to Battle Royale... although I think this has a better basis in reality. Someone mentioned this movie was strung together from several short manga stories, which makes sense, since we tend to jump through several character's story lines. It isn't necessarily a bad thing, as we get to see where each character is coming from and where they end up. The variety is nice but it I felt like the movie lost it's focus at points. Overall, though, I felt it draws the viewer in and manages to stay kinetic throughout. There was rarely a boring moment. Even a girl waiting for her boyfriend ended up being very amusing. The movie is rather violent and disturbing at points, but managed to still be funny and introspective. I'd probably recommend it to people who can still remember what highschool was like.

If one pays scant attention to the news in Japan, seen Iwai Shunji's _All About Lily Chou Chou_, or read short stories and novels by Murakami Ryu, one knows that Japan, like other countries, suffers from an escalation of violence in schools. This violence works in three ways: student vs. teacher, teacher vs. student, and, the most common, student vs. student. Although it is still rare, the newspapers and news programs are peppered with stories of bullies beating someone to death or the bullied killing his bullies. Murakami Ryu and Yu Miri have both focused on these subjects in their literary works. Toyoda Toshiaki, through his film _Blue Spring_ also touches on this controversial subject.

The kids attending the all boys Asahi High School would basically be considered the dregs of Japanese society. The school is rundown and the teachers teach such a drypan, apathetic manner that it is not surprising that the kids could care less. The only teacher who seems to actually care about any of his students is a dwarf who waters the flowers on the school grounds all day.

However, although the teaching might be unstructured, there is a rigid code of hierarchy enforced by the tough kids. A leader is chosen by a suicidal ritual in which a student claps his hands as many times as possible while falling backwards. After he claps a certain amount of times, he grabs the guardrail. Miss the guardrail, instant pancake.

At the beginning of this film, after the "graduation" of the senior class, Kujo, played by the extraordinarily handsome Matsuda Ryuhei, wins the contest. Kujo is a bit indifferent to his new found power, but goes along with it because he has the support of his friends: Aoki, Yukio, Yoshimura, and Kimura.

Although many of the students are not satisfied with the way their lives are shaping, they seem to basically concede that good jobs and college are not in their future and that they are either on the track to become either a menial laborer or a member of the Yakuza.

_Blue Spring_ is an interesting film that depicts individuals who are not on the "normal road of becoming a good Japanese citizen": i.e. Graduation, work, stable family. It shows the dregs, but the dregs also show that social hierarchy exists from the lowest to the highest.

I think that the film is quite well done. The filming is dark, but it fits the atmosphere of the film. The soundtrack is excellent.

I read a review of "Blue Spring" on a movie festival page, and thought it sounded interesting at the very least. I purchased it blindly, hoping it would live up to some of the rave reviews it received. Not only did it live up to it's billing, it replaced Takeshi Kitano's "Fireworks (Hana-bi)" as my all-time favorite movie.

From the opening scene we get the feeling that this is not your normal highschool and these are not your normal students. However, the students face problems that are extremely similar to the problems we have all had. However, we come to realize that the setting and the characters are not that different and that the story is in fact believable. This above all else is the reason why "Blue Spring" touched me so much.

The main character Kujo wins a game of "Clapping" and becames the boss of a gang at an all-boy high school. The idea of the game is to clap as many times hanging from a roof-top fence without falling to your death. At first he finds his role mildly amusing as he deals out punishment to anyone who disrespects him or his best friend Aoki. Eventually, as with everything, he grows tired of his role and begins to lose his control of the school.

Aoki is dependent on Kujo. He needs Kujo to tell him what to do, how to act. But when Kujo alienates Aoki, it sends him into a tail-spin of destruction.

The other members of the gang hit were very easy to identify with. One member devoted his entire childhood to chasing the dream of taking the baseball team to Nationals. However, when he blows their chance on the final pitch of a game, he can't get past it and is unable to move on with his life. What makes this even more difficult for us to watch is the fact that he is a tutor of sorts to a freshman student who is beginning to take the game too far and is seemingly destined to live out the same fate.

Another student has no absolutely no direction. No clue as to what he wants to do. As the time for him to decide begins to run out the pressure becomes to much for him and he commits an unbelievable act. Perhaps my favorite character in the entire film.

Other kids include many who are controlled by the whims of the leaders, some who genuinely want to get out of there and go to school and one who is cruely called "Ghost" (even by teachers) because he has a terminal illness.

The direction is simply amazing. Toshiaki Toyoda always manages to find the right angle. Some scenes are absolutely beautiful. One example is when a character waits on the rooftop after school lets out and the camera fast-forwards through the entire night and into the morning as he waits for the next day to begin. Another is when Ghost is seen running away from school, as other students contemplate his motivation. Yet another example is one student's penchant for coloring things black and there is a quick shot of him standing atop the school, which has been seemingly been painted black over night, only to have a another cut back to reality shows the school is still white leaving the viewer thinking "Did I just see that?"

Dramatic moments are intercut with shots of the beautiful cherry trees that border the school (one character takes care of them with extreme devotion), blooming flowers, clouded skylines ect. Even in moments of extreme violence or desperation we are never allowed to forget that this is a beautiful film. The soundtrack is simply one the best I've ever heard. The Japanese punk-rock fits in perfectly as it pounds our ears during slow-motion shots and equally well with chases through the school and acts of violence.

The ending of the film is unforgettable. It's one of those endings that - when the credits roll - you're just left staring and wishing it didn't end, but you know it couldn't have ended any other way. I've never given a film a 10/10 before but I whole-heartedly believe this film deserves it. It's not particularly easy to watch but it's undeniably moving and powerful.

This felt like a depiction of school as purgatory, and as such, is one of the grimmest portrayals of high school I've seen in recent memory.

Even without the violence, the way the camera never leaves the school grounds (there might have been one scene early on where it did, but even then, it's still on campus over 95% of the time) and the way almost none of the adults seem to care about the students (with the exception of the one teacher who looks after the garden) creates this sensation that the school is a prison, or somewhere that feels impossible to escape from.

It's quite suffocating and intense, and then when you factor in the scenes of violence, it becomes nightmarish. Much of the violence happens partly or fully off screen, which I think was a good move. It still packs an impact, and ensures that the violence is never accidentally made "cool" or impressive.

If you're okay with something downbeat and intense, I could give this a pretty easy recommendation. It's not flawless, and you could criticise the fairly loose story (it ends with a great climax, but I'm not sure if the movie as a whole built to it completely successfully, for example).

But it's well made, decently acted, and packs a punch. It's also currently on YouTube in decent quality and with English subtitles.

The closing night movie for the SF Indie Fest is a vaguely coming of age type drama, set entirely within the grounds of a Japanese boy's school. Here, the kids all run around in gangs, sleep in lectures and fight at break times. Every wall in the place is covered in graffiti. Ryuhei Matsuda (the effeminate guy from GOHATTO) stars as Kuja, a senior who becomes the school's official gang leader by winning at "The Clapping Game". This game involves the kids hanging from a railing on the edge of the school roof, letting go and seeing how many times they can clap their hands before their nerve fails and they grab back on.

From here we follow the progress of his friends and enemies throughout a part of the school year, the challenges to his leadership and the pressure of the school system felt by everyone. There's a hell of a lot of violence goes on in the school, and we get the impression that life as a Japanese school boy is a difficult dangerous business.

It's a pretty bleak and cheerless vision - between this and BATTLE ROYALE you'd be forgiven for thinking that the Japanese school system was on the point of explosion or collapse, with the youth as disaffected as they come. How close this is to reality I don't know, but the friend I saw it with tells me that the classroom scenes are pretty close to how it actually is.

The cast all perform well - Ryuhei Matsuda has such a striking appearance that he doesn't really need to do anything to create an impression, and indeed he spends most of the movie being aloof and impenetrable. This contrasts with the energies and frustrations evident in the other characters, particulary his best friend Aoki.

I enjoyed the movie a lot... good characters, and well filmed/scored, with interesting developments. It's based on a collection of autobiographical short stories from a manga artist, which shows a little bit in the episodic nature of the plot, but it's all weaved together well for the movie. Worth looking out for if you don't mind your high school movies nihilistic, violent and bleak.

I really enjoyed watching this film despite all those scenes that aren't every good to watch. You have to have a strong stomach to watch this film because there are some very disturbing scenes in this film. To me, I think its a movie about losers who can't forget about what they really want in life. The ending was good and every emotional. The film kind of reminds me of when I was in high school, choosing what I want to accomplish in life. Plus, the music went along so well with the movie, in fact I heard the songs played in the movie before I got my hands on the film.

Overall, 7/10...there were some scenes that I just didn't enjoy watching.

'Aoi Haru' is a very bleak movie that derives its beauty precisely from the haunting sense of nihilism. The almost ruined school with its dingy rooms and dense graffiti is not just the set to the action, it seems to represent the characters' lack of prospects. A movie that makes something of a pun on the word 'adolescence' (together the kanji for 'ao' and 'haru' read as 'adolescence') cannot help but make considerations about the future but these are without a doubt not promising. The school-ground is a yakuza recruiting ground in the most literal of ways and the initiation into gangs is not so much a temporary revolt from troubled teens as it is a preparation for a life of crime. Dreams are hinted at only to be thoroughly dashed. Violence runs rampant but is handled soberly by a camera that know just how much to show to elicit a reaction.

It is against this background that the main story unfolds: a friendship between two boys gone wrong. Matsuda (Kujo) gives a stunning performance, his cool demeanor matches sociopathic tendencies very well and make him believable as a ruthless and detached young man with little interest even in his own life. The clapping game will have anyone hold their breath and is shot in such a way as to make it even more disturbing. Arai (Hirofumi) is also very competent as the bosom body whose fall out seals his descent into darkness.

A strong soundtrack adds to the impression of things going wrong in an artistic way. Juvenile delinquents or not the human aspect of boys in a sticky situation provides reasons for the viewer to see past the almost intrinsic seediness of it all. Ryuhei cutting Araki's hair as they discuss what to do when they grow up is surprisingly moving and the climax of the movie brings it all home in a painful but excellent way. Apart from these two leads there are minor characters that are equally interesting such as the sickly boy fascinated with worms (that despite being so peaceful frightens Kujo because he has a purpose), a psychopath in the making, the boy that wants to go to Koshien. All people that are adrift without guidelines.

Grownups are not absent but they appear sparingly and only the little person teacher that teaches the boys how to water flowers is a positive influence. The focus is strongly placed on the young actors and they truly do shine.

'Aoi Haru' is realistic despite being a very artistic movie. It should be seen back to back to Miike's 'Crows Zero' that is a take of the same concept in a much more fanciful and less bleak way. But 'Aoi' is brilliant in its own right by adhering so steadily to an ethos of bleakness and loss. Growing is, without a doubt, not easy.

Clearly there are problems in Japan especially with boys in schools and employment afterwards, particularly with the bullying and rather high suicide numbers. Another complication is that teachers rather overlook the problems and just continue to look only at the compliant boys. The film is a fantasy with very good music and excellent cinematography and realistic violence although it has to be said it is something of a nightmare. One difficulty is that there is not really much of a story but there is the clapping scary game at the edge of the building and an idea maybe joining nothing else than the Yakuza. It is rather nihilistic and gruelling and certainly something rather different and maybe can look as something like Battle Royale (2000).

so i decided to get around to watching this after seeing a pretty screencap from the film and googling it, reading a synopsis that sounded interesting and finding out that it had a cult following among both western and Japanese fans. i've viewed the film and *gasp* dear god my opinion is blasphemous--i really wasn't a fan. I was surprised to only see one other negative user review thinking it was my fault but nah not really. FIRST, i enjoyed the cinematography, acting and score. the j-alt/punk rock soundtrack was amazing utilized, not a lot of diversity but it was as rattly and raw as what was unfolding on the screen so props for that. the acting was also nothing crazy but the nihilistic tones of the film were conveyed very well with sincere acting that depicted withdrawn yet oddly human characters. the imagery and overall cinematography was quite beautiful, and visually it was pleasant to watch; special mention to the sakura porn that popped up every once in a while because those were especially beautiful but thats just my inner weeb talking. BUT i really wasn't a fan of the actual characters and plot. i thought they were icy--and i'm not talking reserved icy--i mean detached, disconnected and barely relatable. so as the events were unfolding throughout the film, i didn't really care to keep up with the people at the centre of the conflicts. i also didn't like the plot as it was vague with seemingly random events at times. i've seen other reviews defending the film saying its a fascinating take on disillusioned teenage Japanese boys a-la battle royale and how they struggle to find their meaning as adults blah blah blah. i'm not going to argue against that, i've just seen similar ground covered in related works that make this film look weak and barely pointed. if anyone's seen suicide club, i think that touched on similar themes but really drove the meaning home. in terms of trying to find one's place, NANA & a bunch of other manga series make a much greater effort and execute their message effectively. i didn't see that in this film, and a bit of metaphor and musing from characters for 5 minutes max definitely doesn't interest me towards the whole coming-of-age story its trying to push. maybe i don't get it, maybe if i was Japanese it would make more sense but i've enjoyed works in a similar vein and found little to love with blue spring (aoi haru)

I watched this film for the first time a few nights ago, and it was still in my mind as i took my hour's long morning walk to work.it was still not enough time to properly reflect on what i'd just watched. it really touched me deep, it effected me as much as Battle Royale. even though i couldn't get subtitles on my computer the story was easy to pick up and i didn't realise i wasn't reading them. if i could strongly recommend any film other than 'Battle Royale', 'All about Lily Chou-Chou' and 'moonlight jellyfish', it would most definitely be this one.its quite a powerful film. there's more to the story than just whats on the surface and we get to see some of our most lovable Japanese actors play totally new roles. one of which is the lovely 'Sosuke Takaoka' who plays the slightly psychotic 'Yukio', who gives 'Kazuo Kiriyama' a run for his psycho-status.even though he goes out too early he is the one who sticks strongly in my mind,he can change such a simple little tune into one that is quite haunting.all the characters add something special to the film.in my opinion its too short.i love long films and would have liked to get to know a little more of each character,especially 'Yoshimura' ('Shugo Oshinari') 'Yukio' ('Sosuke Takaoka') and 'Takashi Tsukamoto's' character.the violence is strong but none the less kept realistic and believable right up until the breath-holding end,which kind of pulls on the heart-strings but doesn't disappoint in the quality of the ending, only for the fact that we're left with feeling of sadness for 'Aoki', one of the main characters.this film ends in totally the right way to be true to the film.this film was done with pure excellence and is capable of showing beauty through the darkest of violence.many people forget what its like for young kids growing up and the situations, challenges and decisions they have to face. this film can really bring you back down with a truthful slam to the ground.this is one story that will stay firmly set in my mind for a very long time and one that should be acknowledged,all the actors really pull of this film with the highest quality.other than the above mentioned Japanese films, you really will be hard pushed to find such a powerful film to beat this one,you will not be disappointed, guaranteed. Lisa Sawyer(21)

With a Soundtrack from 'Thee Michelle Gun Elephant' that most English Indie Producers would kill for, and amazing cast and crew. Aoi Haru draws us into the lives of Japanese teenagers who aren't so lucky in life, who have to make their own destiny from the left over scraps of others who happen to throw them their way.

Aoi Haru is based in a public all boys school called Asahi High.

A extremely miserable place where teachers don't bother to encourage the boys to excel, gang graffiti tags are everywhere marking their turf, and the yakuza's frequently hang around outside the school trying to recruit young members.

The boys learn early on that if you don't fight for what is yours and what you want, then you better keep your mouth shut and stay out of the way. And even though these boys do act tough and dish out violence like a ice cube down the back of your shirt, the boys feel lost and confused due to the fact they cannot understand why they can not make their dreams come true. Almost feeling forced into the violence and self destruction they create because it will be their only real legacy they can leave behind before they enter the real world and pretty much dead end lives.

On the 25th Graduation ceremony at Asahi High a group of the new seniors head up to the Schools roof for a deadly tradition held by the boys who wish to rule the school. A initiation that involves the boys hanging off the side of the building and seeing how many claps they can do before they give up or just fall to their death when they can't grab the rail in time.

And this time Kujo wins the leadership, which does confuse the other boys abit because he is quiet and constantly deep in thought about things but accept it because he won fair and square.

Even though Kujo does seem to be harmless and gentle, when it comes down to it he can be the most violent member of his gang. Though Kujo is the leader of the gang and his Best friend Aoki adores him deeply, Kujo doesn't really want to change anything. He doesn't want to rip the school apart with violence unless he has to. He just feels lost about not knowing what the future holds and what is beyond High School, and constantly asks his friends what they will do after High School because he secretly doesn't know what to do himself. Which annoys Aoki greatly, because he has all of the power and he doesn't want to do anything with it. With this Aoki decides to break off and turn Asahi High into a living hell for everyone who is unlucky enough to get in his way, which in turn rips these Childhood friends apart.

But can they fix their friendship before it's too late?

In the end this Movie really is for all the Gofers, Wanna-bes, Dreamers and lost souls out there. Because everyone can relate to at least one of these characters in Aoi Haru

When i first decided to watch this movie i knew that i would like it, and i had a thing for old asian movies. To be really straightforward, the most thing that i liked about Blue spring was how relatable it was to a lot of people, including me.

The continues contrasting appear was basically what caused the chaos of everything in the movie, ironically it was the most beautiful part of it. The characters were violent but at the same time they were lost and caring, its crazy how you wouldnt really judge them for their actions but instead, strangely while watching you would just accept it, not really giving it much of a thought, but maybe even relating!

The soundtrack. Was. Amazing. It was just perfect, not in a way where its your taste, it fits the mood and the setting and the overall event perfectly. I dont even like Japanese punk music, but i enjoyed it so much whenever it started playing, it made the music sound soft for my ears for some reason.

The theme of the movie being teenage fear, lost, and future-terrified. Being scared to finally bloom into your next stage, adulthood. Although there wasnt much of a character development, mostly because the story did feel kinda rushed in a manner where things happened chaotically and suddenly i think.

As someone who's grown somewhat weary of high school/teen movies, this film clicked with me much more than I expected it would. Its representation of teen angst and troubled youths encompassed by their run-down and violent surroundings with little hope for their futures resonated really well with me. Some of the characters are given more focus than others, but none of them were unmemorable since they're all in the same boat. Given the apparent 'freedom' the boys have in the school which includes wandering out of their classes at will, spraying graffiti around the school's interior, fighting each other in the halls without punishment, and playing a dangerous game of chicken on the school's roof, the school feels like a playground that allows for their behavior to continue, in spite of how several faculty members warn the boys of their situations. A few scenes in this film might be too weird for some people, but given its somewhat unconventional style, I don't think the film is going for realism. Rather, it seems caught between reality and a dream. I don't have much to say about this film in the way of flaws. I suppose the soundtrack teetered on being overbearing every now and then, but not enough to harm the film much. Overall, really enjoyed this one.

As a person who is high school student and don't know what to do with their life, this movie is a top tier for me. Characters, soundtracks, actors, places etc. everything is so good. Btw i wonder if my future will be like one of these characters...

"Flowers are meant to bloom, not to dry up. That's what I choose to believe."

A short but very strong portrait of toxic teens, toxic masculinity, sense of belonging, adulting and growth.

I'm going to keep it short: I do hope this movie doesn't die out along with the jap trend as it is really worth seeing, especially if you are around (or just past the age of the protagonists) or planning to be involved in education. It's got great yet simple symbolism and a teenage-angst ridden realism that isn't try-hard. If you have experienced anything close to that kind of school envimeronment, it hits home. If you have been as privileged as not to, then it might prove to be quite eye-opening. In other words, it is food for thought, paired with a killer soundtrack, that embraces and escalates the feelings of each scene: be it angst, sadness, pressure or the very abscense of any of them.

Some people find it boring from what i've seen all over the internet but i think it really shows a lot of realistic things. It shows the true struggles of finding answers to things you aren't sure of, take the question "what do you want to be when you grow up" for an example. This movie makes me feel things. Im a late 00's kid and it hurts knowing i was born so late. I feel like the early 00's were a time to be alive and to get a glimpse of the 90's before things were how they are now. It's different. It makes me wish i was a teenager then which is why i love movies from the 00's. I could watch it over and over. People find it confusing, but i recommended watching it over and over until you get it right. The director did a good job at casting!! Sorry this review was mostly me ranting abt how much i wanted and wished to be alive then lol.

Wow. Chills all over. Some scenes are so intricate that you are terrified. Friendship, leader, end of school, gangs, power and voilence. Horror. When high school comes to end, we think its the end of life but no, the life goes on. To achieve ones goals isnt worth breaking the only thing that matters, friend, a good friend indeed. The lack of motivation after achieving the goal is lethargic, its the journey that matters. The choice we take... In the sea of all this choas only few people understand us, dont lose them.

mmmm, interesting. saw this & battale royale at a festival, and of the two, this was the more disturbing by far. it doesn't really matter that you don't actually see a student's groinal area getting tenderised with a baseball bat, or another student having a drink can wedged into his mouth before the gang leader stomps on his head - the screaming and the scattered teeth are enough. battale royale's camp qualities & tomato sauce (ketchup for US readers) undercut any identification with real, actual, terrorising highschool-type terror... i gather from this site that battale royale has not been released in the states. where are your priorities, o america fair?

anyway, this is supposedly a rant on blue spring. this girl is very, very glad she's not a student at a japanese highschool, it all seems awfully bleak and graffiti-covered. but fabulous to watch (and the failed baseball player is delicious, for those of you who like school uniforms.) it's occasionally emotive and over-played, but blue spring makes its points about adolescent (and adult) despair with economy and nice lighting. & i particularly liked the way the thrash japanese rock score sometimes plays in the characters' heads & drowns out any attempt at communication...

I don't think i could ever forget how this film made me feel. It's like that depressing but nice feeling that brought me comfort. I admit at first it was confusing but i couldn't deny that the visuals and scenes were shot good. I rewatched it over and over and i somewhat finally got the picture. It made a lot more sense to me but there are things i want to ask still. I had first seen it around summer of 2021 and i couldn't forget it. Im so passionate about this movie that i would want to visit where it was filmed which today, about an hour ago i finally found where it was filmed after a year. (thank you to that person who told me where it was near but couldn't remember exactly where) im praying by the time i can travel to a different country that the building will still be there. Even if i cant go inside or cross that gate, i want to see it at least once. Even a glance and i could die happily. The actors were casted well, everything is good. I really recommend that you should watch it. It may take u some time to understand but i swear its worth it (to me) i will always thank the director for making this happen.

This is what we would get if a cool high school bully in Japan made a movie, and both the good and the bad things on it are closely related to that idea. I think it all depends on how you react to all that over the top slow motion and the stereotypical characters, if you like it, you will like it a lot, if you don´t, you won´t enjoy it as much as the rest.

"What do you want to do, What kind of job do you want, What do you want, You're young don't you have dreams?"

Favorite movie of all time wish I could get a physical copy of it someday. It is really relatable since a lot of students don't really know what to do with their life after school, or they simply don't care at all, want to rebel and cause mischief, give up completely because they don't see any point in anything or just want to spend their young years to their fullest extent and not waste them, which can lead to horrible decision that can end their life then and there. I hope to not have any of the endings that the characters had.