All About Lily Chou-Chou Special-Edition [DVD]

In a regional Japanese city, Yuichi (Hayato Ichihara), a second-year junior high school student, becomes the target of bullying by Hoshino (Shugo Oshinari), once his close friend, and Hoshino’s group. His only solace is the music of Lily Chou-Chou, a charismatic singer. As the operator of a fan website, Yuichi gradually forms a connection online with someone whose identity he does not know…

Director Shunji Iwai developed this distinctive coming-of-age film from a project that began as an interactive internet novel. Against a backdrop of beautiful countryside, the film brings the darker issues facing young people—including bullying and compensated dating—strikingly close, while delicately portraying their innermost thoughts. Iwai’s message that “every child has a time when they shine” resonates with heartbreaking force, making this a remarkable film that stays with you. (Toshiyuki Matakida)