Pure Japanese

Pure Japanese is a 2022 Japanese action film directed by Daishi Matsunaga and starring Dean Fujioka. This is also Fujioka's first created and produced film. Daisuke Tateishi (Fujioka), an eccentric man with no social skills and a devotion to Japanese culture, is now in charge of sound effects for ninja shows, despite his outstanding physical abilities. One day he saves a high school girl named Ayumi (Aju Makita). She and her grandfather Ryuzo (Tetsu Watanabe) are being harassed by yakuza gangsters. When Ayumi asks for his help, Tateishi releases the violent impulses he has kept sealed away due to past trauma.

Pure Japanese
Theatrical release poster
Photograph by RK.[1]
Directed byDaishi Matsunaga
Screenplay byTatsuo Kobayashi
Produced by
  • Dean Fujioka
  • Hitoshi Endo
  • Shinji Ogawa
  • Shunsuke Koga
  • Masayoshi Jonai
Starring
CinematographyTakahiro Imai (J.S.C.)
Edited byRyo Hayano
Music byHiroko Sebu
Production
company
THEFOOL Inc.
Distributed byAmuse Inc.
Release dates
  • January 28, 2022 (2022-01-28) (Japan)
  • July 17, 2022 (2022-07-17) (Amazon Prime Video)
[2]
Running time
88 minutes
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese

The event that led to the creation of Pure Japanese was that Fujioka starred in the 2018 drama The Count of Monte Cristo: Great Revenge. He had been performing abroad, but as he looked at Japan objectively, he began to wonder, "What defines Japanese people?" To this question, he hypothesized using the concepts of "Nihongo-Bito" (Japanese language-people) and "Japanese language OS," resulting in a script with violence and religion as themes. The shooting took place in September 2020 in the Nikko region of Tochigi, as well as at the theme park Nikko Edomura. The film was re-edited many times to make it a more multi-layered story.

Pure Japanese was released in Japan on January 28, 2022. It was screened in the Nippon Visions section of the 22nd Nippon Connection Japanese Film Festival in Germany in May 2022. It was also released on Amazon Prime Video worldwide on July 17, 2022. It received mixed reviews; The Japan Times felt the film was "likely to be misunderstood," and Asian Movie Pulse rated it as having "quite a lot of positive points."

Plot

Daisuke Tateishi, a man who works at the theme park Nikko Oedomura, makes it a daily routine to work hard on unscientific training secretly at the shrine. He is an eccentric person with no social skills and a devotion to Japanese culture, and people keep their distance from him. He is traumatized by an accident that occurred on a film set he participated in the past. For this reason, despite his outstanding physical abilities, he is in charge of sound effects for ninja shows instead of action.

A farewell party for Tateishi's colleague is held at a pub. There is Ayumi, who is a high school girl but works there cheating on her age, as well as Jinnai, Saeki, and other members of the local yakuza Nagayama-Gumi. The yakuza are colluding with the prefectural assembly member Kurosaki. They are plotting to sell the land where Ayumi lives with her grandfather Ryuzo to a Chinese broker. The yakuza ask Ayumi to persuade Ryuzo.

Meanwhile, Saeki tries using a tool called the P(ure) J(apanese) kit, which is widely available to the public, to measure the purity of Japanese people. However, his result is a mediocre 50%. He forces the nearby ninja actors to take the test as well, but Tateishi refuses. Later, Tateishi saves Ayumi from being entangled with Saeki, and one day she gives him a PJ kit. When he uses it at home, the number comes up as 100%.

Tateishi participates in the ninja show as a replacement for a former colleague. However, he fails terribly when Ayumi comes to watch the show. He is unable to perform because he has put a limit on violence due to his trauma.

As the harassment against Ayumi's house continues, Ryuzo is injured and hospitalized. Tateishi tells Ayumi that Kurosaki did it. They barge into Kurosaki's office, but he plays innocent. Tateishi explodes in anger and destroys his office. He is affirmed by her for his violence for the first time.

However, the police come to Oedomura to question Tateishi about the destruction of Kurosaki's office. In addition, a rumor about his past also reaches his boss, and he is fired. Meanwhile, after Ryuzo's death, the yakuza try to forcibly take the land from Ayumi. Taking advantage of the opportunity, she escapes and asks Tateishi for help. As heavy machinery is brought onto the premises of her house and excavation starts forcibly, Tateishi marches into there and releases the violent impulses he has kept sealed away until now.

Cast

Cast list sourced from Cinema Today:[3]

  • Dean Fujioka[4] as Daisuke Tateishi, an action actor
  • Aju Makita[4] as Ayumi, a high school girl
  • Tetsu Watanabe[1] as Ryuzo, Ayumi's grandfather
  • Daichi Kaneko[1] as Ninomiya, a swordplay actor at the theme park Nikko Oedomura
  • Tsukasa Kuroiwa as a swordplay actor at Nikko Oedomura
  • Shinpei Okita as the head of the swordplay troupe at Nikko Oedomura
  • Hideto Washizu as a swordplay actor at Nikko Oedomura
  • Ryutaro Ninomiya as Saeki,[5] a member of the local yakuza Nagayama-Gumi
  • Long Mizuma as a Chinese land broker
  • Kumi Kureshiro as a Chinese proprietress of a pub
  • Haruki Takano as a member of Nagayama-Gumi
  • Bob Suzuki as a member of Nagayama-Gumi
  • Takayuki Suzuki as a member of Nagayama-Gumi
  • Yukio Sakaguchi[1] as Jinnai, an executive of Nagayama-Gumi
  • Jun Murakami[1] as Chida, an acquaintance of the head of the swordplay troupe
  • Kyusaku Shimada[1] as Suzuki, the mayor of Nikko Oedomura
  • Tetsuya Bessho[1] as Kurosaki, a prefectural assembly member

Production

Development

When the release of Pure Japanese was announced, Dean Fujioka, who created, produced, and starred in the film, said the following: "After the end of my performance in the 2018 drama The Count of Monte-Cristo: Great Revenge (Fuji TV), in the vortex of unusual energy that had been condensed in the days of filming up to that point, my raw self having finished my performance was left behind―――. What should I do to move forward? After much thought, I decided to create and produce original video works."[4] Many of his projects didn't go through. However, Pure Japanese was the first project that would work well both an entertainment and an economic activity, and that also had a clear meaning of "why he creates this to the world."[6]

He had been performing abroad for a long time, but in 2011 he also started working in Japan, where he was born and raised. And as he looked at Japan objectively, he began to wonder, "What defines Japanese people?" As a result, he came to a hypothesis that "people who use the 'operating system' called the Japanese language are 'Nihongo-Bito' (Japanese language-people). The Japanese language OS controls the thoughts and actions of the 'Nihongo-Bito.'"[7][4] He further wondered, "If the Japanese language OS treats individual life as just a vehicle, delivering Language OS DNAs to the future, where will this demigod-like language OS take the Nihongo-Bito?"[8] He decided to portray this idea as "a case study of Japanese language users" on the theme of "violence" as one aspect of culture.[6]

He also made "religion" a theme of the film.[9] He got producer Shinji Ogawa to introduce director Daishi Matsunaga and encouraged Matsunaga to read a book on the relationship between religion and violence before starting filming.[10][11] In an interview with Rooftop, Matsunaga said the following about this: "For those who believe in religious teachings, believing and fighting is a just cause. ... Everyone talks about the right thing, and that's where the collisions and the violence occur. ... Is Tateishi truly a mad person while violence isn't eliminated from the world?"[11] Also, the setting in which the main character is crushed in absurdity and disappears like a sacrifice is one that Fujioka had portrayed from the beginning.[6] Meanwhile, he felt that "it would be nice if there were more opportunities to demonstrate the ability of stylistic beauty that Japanese action has." Therefore, he made it one of his missions to shed light on the existence of action stars and stunt-men in creating this film.[12]

Matsunaga spent a lot of time discussing Fujioka's idea with him, and Matsunaga, Ogawa, and screenwriter Tatsuo Kobayashi stayed overnight for about five days to write the script. In the process, Matsunaga added his taste.[13][11] According to an interview with Fujioka and Matsunaga in Joshi SPA!, in creating the script, he placed great importance on a kind of "Japanese context," that is, how Japan came to be the social structure it is today. In doing so, the idea of interweaving various cultures, such as using the words of Ludwig Wittgenstein, Yukio Mishima, and Yoshida Shoin, was increasingly generated.[14]

Casting

In July 2021, the names of Fujioka and Aju Makita were announced as the principal cast members.[4] Regarding his inclusion in the cast as well, Fujioka said in an interview with Oricon: "It's the sense that I used 'Dean Fujioka as an Actor' in making this film project work."[15] About co-starring with Makita, he said in an interview with Fujiteleview!!: "I was hoping that the relationship between Tateishi and Ayumi would be like the distance between Léon and Mathilda in the film Léon. ... I'm glad that the actress Aju Makita was able to infuse this film with something like the echo of her soul at that time."[16] In October 2021, it was announced that professional wrestler Yukio Sakaguchi participated in the film, in addition to Tetsuya Bessho, Tetsu Watanabe, Daichi Kaneko, Jun Murakami, Kyusaku Shimada, and others.[1] In an interview with Rooftop, Matsunaga said of Sakaguchi: "Dean-san originally built up his body for this film, so I thought it would be better if the actor playing the role of Jinnai also had a built-up body. The visual persuasiveness of the real thing, that 'this person is really strong,' is very powerful in images. I thought that Sakaguchi-san could bring out that."[13] Fujioka also said in the introductory speeches at the film's completion preview in January 2022: "I think Sakaguchi-san's appearance was a major factor in making the film a winner."[17]

Filming

The shooting took place in September 2020 in the Nikko region of Tochigi.[18][5] It also took place at the theme park Nikko Edomura.[19] This location was chosen because it was a perfect place to artificially purify and display things that have been lost or no longer exist, like a museum exhibiting stuffed animals that have become extinct, and also because it was the perfect place to have Ninja shows.[6][19]

According to Fujioka, he had been practicing action scenes for about three months before the shoot. That's because actual action and the Ninja shows were completely different in style. For the action, he got a basic flow at the action team's studio first. He learned the Ninja moves after going to Nikko. He practiced a few times with the actual Ninja players at Nikko Edomura. He also kept working out between the shoots.[20]

The climactic action scene was first created by Fujioka and action choreographer Eiji Morisaki. Since the location was slightly changed on the day of filming, the action assembly was also slightly modified.[19] According to Fujioka, he wanted to be very particular about the action, but there wasn't enough time, and he couldn't make the ideal schedule.[21]

Post-production

In the post-production phase, Matsunaga and the engineers took the lead, while Fujioka oversaw the entire production as the project's creator.[8] Considering "how it would look not only to the Nihongo-Bito but also to people who don't understand the Japanese language or have no interest in Japan," they re-edited the film many times, changed the script, and rearranged the story once again.[12] Fujioka's English monologue was thought up after the editing was finished. Fujioka said in an interview with MOVIE Collection: "I think that as long as I can carry out my original intention, the expression can be changed if there is a better way to do it. The shooting script and the completed work are, therefore, totally different. I think the script was of sufficient quality for shooting the material, but we persisted in elevating it to a more multi-layered story."[10] The film took more than three years from creation to completion.[9]

Release

The teaser and main visuals for Pure Japanese, created by photographer RK, were unveiled on August 19 and October 7, 2021, respectively.[22][1] The film was released theatrically in Japan, where it was distributed by Amuse Inc., on January 28, 2022.[3] It was screened in the Nippon Visions section of the 22nd Nippon Connection Japanese Film Festival in Germany in May 24 to 29, 2022.[23][24] Meanwhile, it began distribution simultaneously worldwide on Amazon Prime Video on July 17, 2022.[2]

Music
The Film "Pure Japanese" Original Soundtrack
Soundtrack album by
Hiroko Sebu
ReleasedMarch 23, 2022[25]
GenreSoundtrack
Length31:33
LabelPony Canyon (PCSP-04089)[26]

The soundtrack was released only for distribution.[26] Hiroko Sebu composed all 16 tracks.[25]

Home media

The film was released on Blu-ray and DVD by Amuse Soft on November 16, 2022. Both discs have English subtitles and special features, including trailers and audio commentary. The Blu-ray, a deluxe edition, also includes making-of Pure Japanese, a video of the stage greeting to thank for the film's release, and a photo book.[27][28]

Reception

James Hadfield of The Japan Times gave the film three stars out of five, saying that "Pure Japanese is likely to be misunderstood ― all the more so, given that it's played totally straight. ... "It's closer to the self-reflexive cinema that Takashi Miike and Sion Sono used to do so well, giving audiences a bit of the old ultra-violence while forcing them to question what they're watching."[29] Hideyuki Nakazawa of Cinema Today gave the film three stars out of five. He felt that it "reeks of a bad cult" and described it as "a controversial work that reflects a Japanese man who seeks identity in the unscientific illusion of 'pure Japanese' and goes mad quietly, and a collapsing Japanese society."[30] Another Cinema Today's film critic, Hibiki Kurei, also gave it three stars out of five, saying that "Fujioka's eccentric sense as a creator, who previously directed I am Ichihashi: Journal of a Murderer, is apparent at a glance, as the modern ninja he plays, who is completely crazy with a disturbing atmosphere similar to a mysterious man in the film The Man from the Sea. Therefore, in the development where Tateishi confronts the Chinese broker and the yakuza, the absurdity of trying to justify his way of life explodes while he looks like a hero who saves the world."[30]

Don Anelli of Asian Movie Pulse said that the use of a traditional story setting by screenwriter Tatsuo Kobayashi "works incredibly well as a standalone effort. ... There's a series of fun brawls and confrontations that take place here which have a nice energy contained and come across nicely when Daisuke gains a fury and intensity to fight back." Also, he said that the film has some minor issues, such as "the general overfamiliarity present with the storyline by Kobayashi" and "the low-budget qualities," but it "has quite a lot of positive points to like about it which are only somewhat hindered by a minor set of flaws that may not even apply to most viewers."[31]

References
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  2. edoh+ (2022-07-19). "Dean Fujioka stars in Amazon film Pure Japanese". JRock News. Archived from the original on 2023-02-13. Retrieved 2022-07-28.
  3. "Pure Japanese (2021)". Cinema Today (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2023-02-14. Retrieved 2023-02-01.
  4. "ディーン・フジオカ企画・プロデュース・主演「Pure Japanese」完成！ ヒロインは蒔田彩珠＆監督は松永大司" [Dean Fujioka created, produced, and starred in Pure Japanese completed! The heroine is Aju Makita, and the director is Daishi Matsunaga]. eiga.com (in Japanese). 2021-07-30. Archived from the original on 2023-02-16. Retrieved 2022-07-28.
  5. Cinemas Editorial Department (2021-10-29). "ディーン・フジオカ×蒔田彩珠『Pure Japanese』異様な雰囲気漂う場面写真一挙解禁！" [Dean Fujioka and Aju Makita Pure Japanese: Scene photos with an odd atmosphere were unveiled at a stroke!]. Cinemas Plus (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2023-02-19. Retrieved 2022-07-28.
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  7. Shukan Taishu Editorial Department (2022-02-10). "ディーン・フジオカ「僕は自分に満足できない」「キャリアは増えても反比例するように内面はどんどんシンプルになる」【人間力インタビュー】" [Dean Fujioka: "I'm never satisfied with myself," "My career grows, but in inverse proportion, my inner life becomes simpler and simpler" (Human Power Interview)]. Nikkan Taishu (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2023-02-17. Retrieved 2022-10-13.
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  10. Tominaga, Yuki (2022-01-21). "『Pure Japanese』ディーン・フジオカ×松永大司監督インタビュー" [Pure Japanese Interview with Dean Fujioka and director Daishi Matsunaga]. www.moviecollection.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2023-02-17. Retrieved 2022-10-13.
  11. "松永大司(監督)- 『Pure Japanese』あれはどういう事なんだろうという議論に発展してくれるといいなと思います - インタビュー(2ページ目)" [Daishi Matsunaga (Director) - Pure Japanese I hope it will develop into a discussion of what that was all about - Interview (Page 2)]. Rooftop (in Japanese). 2022-01-25. Archived from the original on 2023-02-17. Retrieved 2022-10-13.
  12. anan Editorial Department (2022-02-08). "ディーン・フジオカ、蒔田彩珠には「すごくいいタイミングで演じてもらえた」" [Dean Fujioka says, "I could have Aju Makita play the role at a very nice time"]. anan News (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2023-02-17. Retrieved 2022-10-13.
  13. "松永大司(監督)- 『Pure Japanese』あれはどういう事なんだろうという議論に発展してくれるといいなと思います - インタビュー(1ページ目)" [Matsunaga (Director) - Pure Japanese I hope it will develop into a discussion of what that was all about - Interview (Page 1)]. Rooftop (in Japanese). 2022-01-25. Archived from the original on 2023-02-17. Retrieved 2023-02-18.
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  22. Eiga Natalie Editorial Department (2021-08-19). "全員殺しちゃって！ディーン・フジオカが孤独な少女救う、主演作のビジュアル公開" [Kill them all! Dean Fujioka saves a lonely girl. The teaser visual of the film starring him has been unveiled] (in Japanese). Natalie. Archived from the original on 2023-02-14. Retrieved 2022-07-28.
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