Thoughts on watching the movie 'Sunset Sunrise'

Good morning. It is 16.5°C and sunny. Yesterday, my child's potty training went well. Every day, we just have to step up to the plate (the toilet seat) and do our best together.

Let's get right to the topic of the title!

A story about relocation entertainment

'Sunset Sunrise,' which was available for unlimited viewing on Netflix. It stars Masaki Suda and was written by Kankuro Kudo. It is a film that shows various life dramas triggered by the relocation of a young office worker played by Suda, who became able to work remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is likely the original script. I might want to read the book as well.

My own values changed significantly because 'COVID-19' and the 'birth of my child' overlapped, and I became conscious of changing how I work and am currently in the middle of taking on that challenge. In our home, relocation is a topic that comes up occasionally, especially due to my wife's wishes, so it was a movie that we as a couple enjoyed very much. I like the atmosphere of the visuals and the movie logo; it has the touch of a movie that makes me think, 'I want to watch this!' It has an image similar to 'Our Little Sister' or something like that. Also, I am interested in Fumiyo Kohinata's acting, so those who want to see him should definitely watch it. His acting, where he smiles while also conveying a sense of fear, is wonderful, isn't it?

The issue of vacant houses is a matter of sentiment

The problem of vacant houses is spreading across Japan. Why are vacant houses increasing? I thought it might not just be due to population decline, but also a matter of sentiment regarding each individual house. A vacant house is a place with memories where someone definitely used to live. It is lonely to completely erase all those memories. I find it interesting that this is a problem that takes time because we must think about regional revitalization through the renovation of vacant houses while also being sensitive to these emotional issues. I could understand why the president of the company where Suda's character works, Cymbal, is working on a vacant house business—it is precisely because the challenge is so great that it leads to business.

The appeal of the Imoni-kai (taro potato party)

The appeal of this movie lies in the inclusion of the Imoni-kai. I remember that when I was an office worker, we used to have barbecues when human relationships became strained, when mutual understanding was still shallow, or when I felt that more people were becoming dissatisfied. There is something about both Imoni-kai and barbecues that smooths out human relationships.

The word 'ke'

In the Tohoku dialect, it means 'eat.' There are quite a few scenes where 'Ke!' appears, and there are many scenes in the movie where you feel that it's great to have food scenes.

Is wanting to live in the countryside just a parent's convenience?

This might be a major departure from the main point of the movie. My wife and I often talk about living in the countryside at home. I think there are many couples in their late 30s or 40s who don't want to live 100% in the countryside yet, but have a longing for it and aim for a dual-base lifestyle between the city center and the countryside. My wife and I also share that goal to some extent. Although, I also want to live abroad.

However, what is always in the back of my mind is the thought that my child might not want to live in the countryside. This is partly because I grew up in the countryside, but I think the countryside is fun until about the lower grades of elementary school. After that, however, it is boring. There is little interaction with people, and you only see the same faces. I wanted to know a wider world and interact with people with various values. I always wanted to challenge myself in a new world. For that reason, we live in the city center, but I would like to ask my child someday which one they would prefer to live in.

Becoming interested in working for a local government

This is also something I thought about again while watching the movie. I am interested in doing business with local governments. When I reach my 50s, the competition will likely be quite high and there will be age restrictions, but I sometimes think that working as a public servant might be an option. Solving local problems might be fun. It is a movie that makes you feel things like that.

Thank you for reading today as well!