Initiation Love (Japanese: イニシエーション・ラブ) is a Japanese romance film directed by Yukihiko Tsutsumi. It was released in Japan on May 23, 2015.

The film is based on a novel of the same name by Kurumi Inui.

Plot

During the 80s in Japan, a college student named Suzuki falls in love with Mayu, a dental hygienist. But dreams beckon him to Tokyo, forcing their relationship to become a long-distance one. As he develops insecurities in their long distance arrangement, his relationship with Miyako, a colleague, begins blurring the lines of friendship and temptation. Under this strain on their relationship, Mayu and Suzuki begin drifting apart.

Cast

  • Atsuko Maeda as Mayuko "Mayu" Naruoka
  • Kanro Morita as Suzuki from Side A
  • Shota Matsuda as Suzuki (also known as Takkun)
  • Fumino Kimura as Miyako Ishimaru
  • Takahiro Miura as Kaido
  • Tomoya Maeno
  • Noritake Kinashi as Shizuoka Branch Manager
  • Satomi Tezuka as Shiho Ishimaru
  • Tsurutaro Kitaoka as Kouki Ishimaru
  • Miyabi Matsuura as Natsuko
  • Ayako Yoshitani as Yuko
  • Ryô Satô as Madoka

Reception

As of June 14, 2015, the film had grossed ¥1.05 billion at the Japanese box office.

On Film Business Asia, Derek Elley gave the film an 8 out of 10 and called it a "well-cast, slickly entertaining '80s rom-com [that] has more than just its Big Twist."

External links

  • (in Japanese)
  • at IMDb