Bitter Honey * Drama, Fantasy, History * 2016 JAPANESE

One fateful day, the appearance of Yuriko Tamura (Yoko Maki) materializes. She is a woman from the writer's previous encounters.

Launching April 1, 2016

Starring:

Fumi Nikaido
Ren Osugi
Yoko Maki
Hanae Kan
Seiko Iwaido
Akako, a shape-shifting goldfish incarnated in the guise of a seductive nymph adorned in flowing crimson attire (portrayed by Fumi Nikaido), innocently takes on the role of an erotic muse and beloved companion of an aging writer in search of eminence literary (portrayed by Ren Osugi). However, the dynamic quickly becomes complex for this quirky duo, as the writer's former student and lover (portrayed by Yoko Maki) materializes as a ghost, aiding Akako in pursuing her own aspirations. Together, they awaken his autonomy, contradicting the writer's unilateral masculine fantasies that he fervently wants to perpetuate.

Director Gakuryu (Sogo) Ishii, diverging from his previous punk-inspired repertoire, shows the breadth of his prowess by metamorphosing this peculiar supernatural narrative, adapted from Saisei Muro's novel, into a sensually rich and heavily stylized comic fantasy. The film brims with visual humor and seamless, unpredictable tonal shifts, presenting a captivating exploration of agency, desire, and the transcendence of traditional gender roles.