Initiation Love

Initiation Love
Poster
イニシエーション・ラブ
Directed by	Yukihiko Tsutsumi
Based on	Initiation Love by Kurumi Inui
Starring	Atsuko Maeda Shota Matsuda Fumino Kimura
Production company	Office Crescendo
Distributed by	Toho
Release date	May 23, 2015 (2015-05-23)
Running time	110 minutes
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese
Box office	¥1.31 billion (Japan)

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.[1]

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[2]
• Kanro Morita as Suzuki from Side A [3]
• Shota Matsuda as Suzuki[4] (also known as Takkun)[2]
• Fumino Kimura as Miyako Ishimaru[5]
• Takahiro Miura as Kaido[5]
• Tomoya Maeno[5]
• Noritake Kinashi as Shizuoka Branch Manager[5]
• Satomi Tezuka as Shiho Ishimaru[5]
• Tsurutaro Kitaoka as Kouki Ishimaru[5]
• 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.[6]

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."[7]

References

1. イニシエーション・ラブ(2015). allcinema (in Japanese). Stingray. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
2. "映画『イニシエーション・ラブ』". Archived from the original on 27 May 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
3. "MORITA KANRO Profile". Cube Inc. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
4. "Initiation Love". Nippon TV Program Licensing Catalog. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
5. "映画『イニシエーション・ラブ』". Archived from the original on 27 May 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
6. Kevin Ma (June 18, 2015). "Idol anime is surprise Japan box office hit". Film Business Asia. Archived from the original on June 18, 2015. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
7. Derek Elley (June 5, 2015). "Initiation Love". Film Business Asia. Retrieved June 5, 2015.

External links

• Official website (in Japanese)
• Initiation Love at IMDb