It is the journey of a child, Masao, and a man. The latter is a bit of a crook and a bit of a yakuza, failed and lonely. He accompanies Masao in his quest to find his mother whom he did not know in a playful and funny road movie on the roads of Japan.
It's a trip filled with symbols of summer in Japan, fireworks, camping, eating watermelons... If these recurring symbols in director Takeshi Kitano evoke melancholy and death in his previous films, here everything transcends this melancholy to make it a happy season. And to overcome nothing beats a good transgression! This licensed thief breaks the rules and if Masao is at first the victim, he will end up being the accomplice. The comical thug, through his clumsiness, becomes a comforting father figure. If this man is dishonest, he is also the protective guide of the child.
This sensitive and touching film shows summer as a season of memories. Summer is a special time. It is the one of the holidays, the one where we build precious moments. Far from nostalgia, these memories are above all alive. Masao is a child full of life, who is on the move as the film opens and closes.
At sea, we are not quite the same. She herself is very changeable. It is fluctuating and alternates between agitation and calm. In Kitano's filmography, the very present ocean is the place of transformation and often the harbinger of a departure. Here Kikujiro becomes a father and the beach is the starting point for Masao's return journey.
"What I Did Last Summer"
The Summer of Kikujiro seems to be a travel diary made by Masao himself. The film also begins its chapters with a photo and a caption in childish writing.
This movie is not called Masao's Summer. For the record, Kikujiro is not only the name of the clumsy crook but he is also the real name of Kitano's father. The whole question is whether this summer is that of Kitano as a child or of young Masao.
It's delicate, funny and we become these dreamy kids again this summer in Japan. Whatever their quest, we focus on the poetry of the moment with this moving duo.
To continue the journey...
Kikujiro Summer - Bande annonce VOST
The Credits of Takeshi Kitano - Blow Up - ARTE
Bibliography
Asakusa Kid, an autobiographical novel by Takeshi Kitano – Available in french
La vie en gris et rose, by Takeshi Kitano - Available in french
Takeshi Kitano – Hors Catégorie, by Lucas Aubry – Available in french