Hayato Ichihara Movies
- 2008
A young slacker discovers his true purpose in life after falling in love with a knife-wielding beauty locked in an eternal battle against a menacing giant with a chainsaw for a hand director Takuji Kitamura's adaptation of author Tatsuhiko Takimoto popular cult novel. Ever since his best friend died one year ago, Yosuke has been sleepwalking his way through life. It's not that Yosuke lacks intelligence; he just doesn't really see the point in living when life can be taken in the blink of an eye. One night, while wandering the darkened city streets, the depressive Yosuke happens across mournful young beauty Eri. Eri, too, is nursing a painful loss, though she has precious little time to grieve thanks to the menacing giant who falls from the sky determined to carve her up with his enormous chainsaw-hand. It's evident from Eri's arsenal of hidden blades that this is a fairly regular occurrence, and though it's plain to see that she's fully capable of handling the task at hand, Yosuke still can't resist the urge to come to her aid. In helping Eri, Yosuke has finally found something to live for, but why does Eri have to fight in the first place, anyway? ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hayato Ichihara, Megumi Seki, (more)
- 2006
A young man wishes against all hopes for a second chance at love in this romantic drama from Japan. Tomoya Kishida (Hayato Ichihara) is a film student with dreams of one day becoming an important director. While at school, he meets pretty Aoi Sato (Juri Ueno), and the two become fast friends. However, while he lacks the nerve to tell her, before long Tomoya has fallen in love with Aoi. While they remain best friends, after graduating, Tomoya gets a job as an assistant on a film set, while Aoi heads off to visit California. Shortly after sending a picture of a rainbow to Aoi's cell phone, Tomoya receives the shocking news that her flight has crashed and she has died. As he arranges to fly to California and arrange for Aoi's funeral, Tomoya begins having persistent daydreams about the love affair he wanted but never had with her. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hayato Ichihara, Juri Ueno, (more)
Wildly popular filmmaker Shunji Iwai breaks a three-year hiatus following his less than successful April Story with this elliptical drama about teenaged alienation, violence, and celebrity. The film centers on Yuichi Hasumi (Hayato Ichihara), an eighth grader who lives in a sleepy town in rural Japan with his mother, her boyfriend, and the boyfriend's son. At school he is beaten up and harassed by his former friend Hoshino. In order to scrape up the cash to meet Hoshino's daily extortion demand, Yuichi resorts to petty theft and shoplifting. At home he finds sanctuary with his favorite singer Lily Chou-Chou, for whom he has devoted a website called "Liliphilia." One day, he encounters on the net a fellow Lily-phile who goes by the handle "blue cat." As Hoshino's power grows, he demands that Yuichi tail fellow classmate Shiori Tsuda (Yu Aoi), who he is pimping out to older men. Yuichi's suffocating situation at school leads him to consider suicide, something he confesses to "blue cat" -- his only confidant. Things come to a head tragically at a long awaited Lily Chou-Chou concert. This film was screened at the 2001 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hayato Ichihara, Shugo Oshinari, (more)
