Watches
October 30, 2021
A slightly more mundane Ichikawa drama. Don't come here hoping to see his minimalist style, Tokiwa is more of a traditional Japanese drama, about a manga collective in the 50s. It's a quality production and there are scenes where Ichikawa's talent shines through, but it's not Ichikawa's most notable film.
Hiro Terada lives with Osamu Tezuka in an apartment building. When Tezuka leaves, other mangakas take his place and in no time the place has become a haven for up and coming artists. Terada is the leader of the group and tries to help the younger members, as they try to figure out how to make it in a cut-throat world.
The performances are fine, the cinematography is decent, the pacing a little slow and the narrative somewhat wandering, but that's expected from a Japanese drama. I personally didn't care too much for the setting, people with an interest in the Tokiwa collective might get more out of it. A fine drama, but I expect a bit more from Ichikawa.