[Movie Review] 'Love Trial': A Piercing Message on the Shadows of Idols by Director Koji Fukada
A film written and planned by director Koji Fukada with all his heart.
Starring former Hinatazaka46 member Kyoko Saito, it feels incredibly realistic.
Don't you all have a vague idea of what an idol is?
I saw the tenacity of director Koji Fukada, who threw a stone into that very notion.
If you haven't seen it yet, please go watch it in theaters.
[Movie Review]
Director Koji Fukada sharply dissects the shadows lurking within glamorous idol groups, challenging the conventional wisdom surrounding idols. Moreover, he meticulously researched the reality of idol groups to pursue authenticity.
The hierarchy among the members of the idol group Happy Fanfare is clearly depicted. The group is a collection of friends, but also rivals, and the center position is determined by this hierarchy. At handshake events and photo sessions with fans, the length of the line in front of each member determines their rank. It is cruel in a way that Nanaka, who has been rising in popularity, wins the center spot, but it makes it clear that popularity is the ultimate weapon and the essence of an idol.
However, Nanaka finds herself in a predicament when her relationship with her boyfriend is spread on social media, forcing her to apologize to her fans. This is because an idol is considered the lover of their fans. The contract with the agency also includes a clause prohibiting romantic relationships with the opposite sex. Nanaka remains in the group on the condition that she never contacts her boyfriend again.
Mai, who had been the center until now, happens to meet Mayama, a junior high school classmate who performs street art, and is drawn to his way of life and the brilliance of his craft. There is something pathetic about Mai, who can only watch Mayama from afar. And so, a question arises in Mai's heart.
Unable to shake this question, Mai leaves the group. The agency demands a large sum in damages in accordance with the contract. This is where Mai's trial begins. When the trial hits a dead end, Mai breaks down in tears on the street after seeing a truck driving by with the four members of Happy Fanfare painted on it, playing their song. This one shot is the core of the film.
Mai did not leave the group because she came to hate being an idol; she wanted to succeed brilliantly as an idol. What Mai consistently questioned was the fact that idols have no human rights to have feelings for someone and date them.
When looking at idol groups in the world today, hasn't 'no dating' become an implicit understanding? The piercing message that Director Fukada released to the world, telling us to 'discard such assumptions,' was a revelation of the reality of human rights violations against idols that no one had noticed.
