An Adolescent

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Movie: An Adolescent
Romaji: Shôjo
Japanese: 少女～
Director: Eiji Okuda
Writer: Katsuhiko Manabe, Izuru Narushima, Mikihiko Renjo
Producer:
Cinematographer
Release Date: September 29, 2001
Runtime: 132 min.
Language: Japanese
Country: Japan

Plot

During a hot summer in a small town, Tomokawa, a jaded middle-age cop, cycles around on his beat, setting up petty deals and seducing housewives. A beautiful young girl wakes him up in a cafe: "Would you like to have sex?"

She disappears from the hotel room later, but that was the beginning of their stormy affair. Both are searching for something in their wistful days. Yoko, the girl, falls deeply in love with him. Tomokawa in turn starts to lose his carefully cultivated cynicism, and starts obeying his impulses. They become drawn to each other physically and spiritually.

Their relationship becomes complicated as they discovers their lives are more closely intertwined than they thought. Yoko is the sister of Tomokawa's mentally disabled friend, Sukemasa. Her grandfather is a traditional tattooist, the creator of the one-winged bird masterpiece on Tomokawaﾕs back. And Yokoﾕs mother is Tomokawa's ex-lover- the woman who abandoned him and left him fluttering alone, unable to fly.

Yoko becomes more interested in the Chinese myth surrounding the tattoo, and unknowingly wishes to fulfill what her mother left undone. A tragedy triggered by Yoko and Tomokawa enrages her grandfather and destroys their passionate relationship. But while Tomokawa struggles with his guilt, Yoko plays her ultimate gamble...