Come and enjoy the spectacular World of Japanese Cinema at The Japan Foundation, New Delhi.

 

Theme of the Month : “Fishing for Fun in this Japanese Comedy Series”

 

Color / Scope / 1991 / 96 min. / Shochiku

Staff:

Director               : Kuriyama Tomio

Script                  : Yamada Yoji

                             Horimoto Taku

Photography         : Yasuda Kosuke

Editing                 : Tsuruta Masukazu

Art Direction         : Shigeta Shigemori

Music                   : Nakanishi Toshihiro

Based on a comic by: Yamasaki Juzo

                              Kitami Kenichi

Production            : Naito Makoto

Producers             : Sejima Mitsuo

                              Nakagawa Shigehiro

 

Cast:

Hamasaki Densuke (Hama-chan)      : Nishida Toshiyuki

Suzuki Ichinosuke (Su-san)              : Mikuni Rentaro

Michiko, Hama-chan’s wife               : Ishida Eri

Yukiko                                            : Satsuki Midori

Sasaki, section chief                        : Tani Kei

Akiyama, managing director              : Kato Takeshi

Hisae, Su-san’s wife                         : Tan’ami Yatsuko

Kei, a female employee                    : Togawa Jun

Matsuzo, landlord of the inn              : Hanazawa Tokue

 

Setting: Present day Tokyo and a town on the Izu Peninsula

Synopsis:

Suzuki and Hamasaki are best fishing friends, and even though Suzuki, the old man, is actually the

president of the company, they affectionately call each other “Su-san” and “Hama-chan,” keeping their

relationship secret from employees of the company. They work at a construction company, and for

Hama-chan nothing is more important than fishing — even promotions. Hama-chan and his wife,

Michiko, have been tormented over the fact that they are unable to have a child. As usual, Su-san calls

Hama-chan to lure him on a weekend fishing trip. Hama-chan says: “Let’s go to Hoshigaura on the Izu

Peninsula and do some flounder fishing.” Su-san is surprised at hearing this, for he holds strong

memories of the time he spent half a-year there in the military.

This is only the first surprise. Upon their arrival in Hoshigaura, they happen to go fishing together

with a beautiful lady; Yukiko, who turns out to be the daughter of Su-san’s old girlfriend during his stay

in Hoshigaura during the war. Yukiko informs him that her mother recently passed away. Sad and

shocked, Su-san presents her with money to erect a grave stone after returning home. After thinking

through this situation, Hama-chan thinks to himself, “I bet Yukiko is his secret daughter!”

About this time, a protest movement against the planned Hoshigaura Resort had just begun and

Yukiko and Hama-chan participate in the protests. In fact, Hama-chan’s company is the

development’s planner, although after a while Su-san decides to quit this particular project. Despite

being an employee of the development company, Hama-chan supported the movement, and the

bosses of Hama-chan suspend him from work for two weeks for violating company rules. All the same,

Hama-chan looks forward to fishing for two weeks with Su-san. On the boat, Hama-chan calls

Michiko at the hospital by Su-san’s portable telephone, expecting to hear that they have a baby…

 

Notes:

This is the third outing for this crazy pair of fishermen. Co-written by Yamada Yoji, this film was

released at about the same time as the 43rd Tora-san, as were the former two outings. The original

comic has been serialized in a semi-monthly magazine and became very popular. The hero, Hama-

chan, is an employee of the company; however he is crazy about fishing and goes beyond the ordinary

business relationship in the company. While the subplot seems a bit idealistic in the context of

Japan’s scandal-ridden, no-holds-barred business climate, the movie’s melodrama sets the tone. Like

most of the other films Yamada has been involved in, this story has a profound faith in the warm

friendship between people and is sure to please. The success of this second sequel promises that, like

Tora-san before it, there are many more to come.