Japanese Romance/Teen Movies Recomendation

Here is a list of Japanese Romance/Teen Movies that I would recommend.

(Listed in order)

From Me To You

Japanese Title : Kimi Ni Todoke

This movie is like a first step. If you have not watched any Japanese Romance/Teen Movie Yet, you should start with this one. This one is like the basics. And we should start with the basics always.

Of course, the Manga and Anime of ‘From Me To You’ is better, and I would recommend you to read the Manga or watch the Anime too. But the movie has done pretty much justice to the Manga’s story and tells the story of the ‘coming of age’ kind of High School Life, and First Love of Innocent Girl Kuronuma Savako, in a simple and lovable way.

Story : Kuronuma Savako (Tabe Mikako), is a silent girl with long black hair, which resembles the hairstyle of ‘Sadako’, a ghost from Japanese Movie ‘The Ring’. Because of this, and her silent nature, everyone in the High school is scared of her, calls her ‘sadako’, and there are many scary rumors spread around about her. But Savako who believes in doing one good deed a day, thinks that for her classmates’ happiness, she should not speak with them, and continue to be the ghostly girl for their sake. However, Kazehaya Shouta (Miura Haruma), the most popular boy in the school thinks different. He try to speak with Savako and with his help, she gets new friends and starts to interact with the class more.

Blue Spring Ride

Japanese Title : Aao Haru Raido

It is a good story that is well directed. But you should totally read the Manga as well, because Manga is really really good. But the movie has portrayed the Manga in really good way, and followed the story exactly. The movie is well directed, by that I mean, it’s not just some acting and dialogue delivery. It gives out a feel of that whole first love and pains and problems. And the only work where the younger version actors and older version actors looks similar and feels like they are one and the same person.

Story : Yoshiyoka Futaba (Honda Tsubasa), is a slight tomboyish girl in High School. One day, she meets a boy who looks similar to her first love, Tanaka Kou. Tanaka Kou was her classmate in Middle School, and both of them had some mutual feelings going on, which they had not admitted to each other. They had promised to meet up for a fireworks festival. But Tanaka Kou had not shown up, and later Futaba had found that he had moved away from Tokyo to Nagasaki. Now, she see this guy who looks similar to her ‘Tanaka Kun’ (Higashide Masahiro). But his whole attitude and aura is different from before. Even his surname is different. It’s Mabuchi Kou now. Tanaka-kun who was always so warm, shy and liked to smile is now cynic and slightly dark natured Mabuchi Kou.

Jinx

It is actually a really cute and feel good sort of movie. And we would really love the awkward couple Yuske and Kaede.

(The best part is that, in the end, Yuske and Kaede just ends up together. If it was some normal ‘seen too many times’ type story, Yuske might have started to fall for JiHo and ended up with her. But giving out the real feel of love, Yuske sticks on to his feelings for Kaede and they end up together.)

Also, come on…you should watch this for Yamazaki Kento. He is the cutest guy ever in Japan, I think. :D

Story : Yoon Ji-Ho’s (Hyomin [T-ara]) boyfriend pass away in a traffic accident. To recover from the grief of that, Ji Ho movies to Japan from Korea. She starts to live in a girls hostel where she meets Yamaguchi Kaede(Shimizu Kurumi), a slightly introverted and not-conventionally-girlie-pretty girl. Ji Ho, who is happy natured and extrovert forcefully try to be Kaede’s friend. Then she finds out that Kaede has a crush on their classmate Nomura Yuske (Yamazaki Kento), who had been her classmate since Middle School. Yuske is a shy and not-so-popular boy, who has feelings for Yamazaki Kaede but does not have courage to act on his feelings. Jo Ho takes the task of her friend’s love life up on herself, and starts teaching Kaede the rules of dating in South Korean Style. But then, she finds out Yuske also needs some tutoring in proposing to a girl in a romantic way. While trying to teach Yuske about romance, she gets reminded of her dead boyfriend and feels hurt. But sometimes facing the pain helps more than avoiding it and pretending to be happy.

The Memories of a Teenage Amnesiac

Japanese Title : Dareka ga watashi ni kiss wo shita (Someone Kissed Me)

For you to like this movie, you have to understand the mindset of a person that has gone through a traumatic event, and also understand a depressed person. I had first read the book of this movie. It’s an English Novel ‘The Memories of a Teenage Amnesiac’ by Gabrielle Zevin. And I really could relate with all the characters at that time.

Story : Sukuse Naomi (Korikita Maki) who lives in USA, falls from her High School Steps one evening and hits her head and wakes up in Hospital with Amnesia. She can’t remember anything since she was 8 years old. So now she has t re-assemble her life which contains the three following boys : 1) Ace Zuckerman (Anton Yelchin), a boyfriend she does not remember, 2) Miva Yuji (Matsuyama Kenichi), the mysterious and super-depressed and half-crazy guy who had found her when she had accident; with whom she is forming a chemistry, 3) Hazegawa Mirai (Tegoshi Yuya), her best friend whom she can get along really well with even after her memory loss.

The Liar And His Lover

Japanese Title : Kanojo wa Uso o Aishisugiteru (The Girl Who Loved Lies)

This movie captures your heart with some good acting, honest characters and really good music. Seriously, I can’t get the song ‘Sotsugyo’ sung by Riko out of my lips. That song is so good.

Story : Ogasawara Aki (Satoh Takeru) is a 25 year old Song Writer-Music Director, who makes the songs for the popular band ‘Crude Play’. He is like a secret member of Crude Play, and does not like to make public appearance. For now, he has become really tired with his monotonous life and making music for money. He has started to lose his passion for music. That is when he meets High School girl Riko (Ohara Sakurako), who brings back love and passion to his life.

5 Centimeters Per Second

Warning, the movie is slow. The story, if there is one, moves really slowly. But that’s the beauty of this. This is the most beautiful animation I have ever seen. It’s pretty in every shot. And the slow story, the pain of that waiting in that slowness can make you feel hurt and sad. It can make you cry and feel sad in the helplessness of the love of some really young hearts.

Note : This movie was awarded for Best Animated Feature Film at the 2007 Asia Pacific Screen Awards.

Story : Tono Takaki and Shinohara Akari were best friends in elementary School. But then when they goes to Middle School, Akari has to move away from the city. The friends part from each other sadly. While in Middle School Akari writes letter to Takaki about her life, and about how she and her family will move again, and this time to a farther place. So Takaki decides to go visit her. But the train ride is slow because of the heavy snow. When they finally meet, they are just in pain because of realization of their first love. They part at morning. Years later, Takaki is in High School now, and Sumida Kanae, his classmate has a crush on him. But Sumida realize that Takaki is in love with someone else, to whom he writes mail all the time and does not send. That someone for Takaki is Akari. Years later, Takaki and Akari are adults now, still keeping a place for their first love in their heart, but moving on with their respective lives.

'The Girl Who Leapt Through Time' Series

There are 3 movies in this series. And no, it’s not continuation type of series. 3 movies have their own distinct stories. Just that the basic plot is the same. The movies are based on the Novel ‘The Girl Who Leapt Through Time’ by Tsutsui Yasutaka written in 1965-66. The first movie, is the one that is the most similar to the novel’s story. The second and 3^rd one does not follow the main story, but just takes in the concept of the girl travelling through time.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time(Toki o Kakeru Shōjo)

(1983 Movie)

Story : Yoshiyama Kazuko (Harada Tomoyo), a third-year middle school student, is cleaning the school science lab with her classmates, Fukamachi Kazuo (Takayanagi Royochi) and Asakura Goro, when she smells a lavender-like scent and faints. When she wakes up, she goes through a hectic night where the city experiences an earthquake and Goro’s house gets a small fire because of that. After that night, when she wakes up, she realizes that she is going through the same day and night again and again, experiencing the same events again and again. She discusses this with her friend Fukamachi, who explains to her that this situation could be called as a time leap. He tells her if she does not go back to that time in the science lab, her life could go on in circle like this with each day as the same. So she try and go to the science lab to the time she had fainted, there she meets Fukamachi, who tells her that he was in fact a guy from future traveling to this time… Kazuko who loves Fukamachi request for him to not take away her memories of him, but he has to do that.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

(2006 Animation Movie)

Story : Konno Makoto is a cheerful tomboyish High School Girl, who enjoys her High School life with her two best friends, Tsuda Kyoske and Mamiya Chiaki. One day, when Makoto discovers a message written on a blackboard at her high school, she inadvertently falls upon a walnut-shaped object. On her way home, Makoto is ejected into a railroad crossing when the brakes on her bicycle fail and is hit by a train. She finds herself transported back to the point in time when she was riding her bicycle right before the accident. Her aunt, explains to her that she might have ‘time leaped’.

So Makoto discovers that she has the power to jump back in time. Makoto starts using her new found talent in all sorts of stupid things as to get the pudding her sister had ate, to fix her friend Kyoske with a girl who likes him. That is when she feels that Chiaki is going to ask her out. She avoids the situation multiple times by using time leap. But then, Kyoske falls in to a dangerous situation because of her time manipulations. Makoto cannot do anything but cry…Then the time around her just pauses, and Chiaki comes out and tell her that he was the one who was the owner of the walnut-shaped object, which allowed the time leaps. Chiaki says that he was from the future and really liked his time here. Now the time leaps was excessively used and the walnut shaped object was at its limit. He has to go back now… Makoto then realizes that she loves him.

The Time Traveler : The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

(2010 Movie)

Story: In 2010, Yoshiyama Kazuko works as a pharmaceutical researcher secretly developing a formula for time travel. After a car accident, she is left comatose. She briefly regains consciousness and tells her daughter Akari (Naka Riisa) to travel back in time to 1972 and deliver a message to her first love, Fukamachi Kazuo. She mistakenly travels to 1974 and befriends Mizorogi Ryota (Nakao Akiyoshi ), who lets her stay in his apartment until she can return to her time. Ryota aspires to be a famous director, and Akari helps film a movie with him during the time they spend together.

Hana Yori Dango Final

It’s the final part of the Famous Hana Yori Dango Series. Han Yori Dango is a super popular ‘manga’ that was made in to live action drama in Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese Languages. And this movie, shows the story that was not in the Manga, while following the characters later life after the official story (of manga and dramas) ends.

For fans of Domyoji Tsukasa and Makino Tsukushi (or Gu Jun Pyo and Geum Jan Di in Korean), this movie is a must watch, as they end up happily married in this movie. In the sense of a movie, it’s a good one, which explores the strength of a relationship as it faces hardships. Is the relationship strong enough that they should get married??

Story : Domyoji Tsukasa (Matsumoto Jun) and Makino Tsukushi (Inoue Mao) couple has got engaged and is facing marriage. The Domiyoji household presents Makino family with a traditional Tiara, which has been passed on to them for generations. It’s a precious item made of diamonds and precious stones. But some nights before the marriage, the tiara gets stolen by a thief. Without the tiara, they can’t get married. So Tsukasa and Tsukushi go to places following the thief. They face many problems like distrust among themselves, and stuff. They even get stranded in a deserted island, when they face the real problem to decide if their relationship is strong enough…

The Girl in the Sunny Place

Japanese Title : Hidamari No Kanojo

This movie might not be for everyone. Some might find it strange or bizarre. But I loved this movie and totally loved the strangeness of the story. It’s an unusual story, and you may not find this kind of story anywhere else.

Story : Kouske (Matsumoto Jun) who works in an advertisement agency is just a normal guy, with a normal life. One day, in a business meeting, he suddenly meets Mao (Ueno Juri). His high school friend. Back in high school, Mao used to be bullied by the classmates for being stupid and strange. Only Kouske has stood by her side that time, and they had become friends and each other’s first love. However their relationship could not move further since Kouske suddenly had to transfer school. They meet after 10 years, and re-kindle their love and start dating and even get married. Kouske knows that Mao’s past is strange, and that she was suddenly one day found in the highways, naked, when she was 13 years old. And that she has no memory of her life before that time. Still he loves her. Living with her, he finds out that there is more than one thing that is strange about Mao.

(I am not going to spoil the movie for you here. You should see the movie to see the strange story).

Strobe Edge

The Manga is better. I had really liked the Manga when I read it years back. And it’s finally a movie. The movie is good. But somehow it feels something is lacking some ‘so good’ factor that the Manga had. Still it’s a good high school romance movie. But still, I would recommend the Manga more. First read the Manga and then watch the movie.

And well you should watch the movie more for Fukushi Sota, the second most cute guy in Japanese Movies (First in my list is Yamazaki Kento). But yes, Fukushi Sota’s smile is to die for. Drool…

Story : Kinoshita Ninako (Arimura Kasumi) is normal high school girl, who had never been in love before. Then she meets Ichinose Ren (Fukushi Sota), the school’s most popular boy. She falls for him. But then hears that Ren has an older girlfriend. Yet she confesses her feelings to Ren, who politely rejects her. They agree to be friends. After that Ren has a painful breakup with his girlfriend, Mayuka. Along that time, Ninako befriends Ando Takumi (Yamada Yuki), who starts to have a crush on her. After the breakup Ren starts to develop feelings for Ninako. But then Ninako finds out that Ando was Ren’s best friend in Middle School. Their friendship had been broke because Ando’s girlfriend loved Ren and had used Ando to get closer to Ren. Now finally, Ando and Ren seem to get closer. Ninako does not want to be the reason for their friendship to break again…

Heavenly Forest

Japanese Title : Tada, Kimi o Aishiteru (I Love You, Only)

When I first watched the movie, I did not find it any special, and thought its same old as all those movies with some depressing ending. But for some reason, this movie stayed in my mind even after a long time after I watched it. When I watched it for a second time, I felt this movie does have some charm to it.

Story : On the first day of college, Makoto (Tamaki Hiroshi) and Shisuru (Miyazaki Aoi) meet. Makoto is usually a shy boy who normally does not get along well with people. But he found it easy to talk to Shizuru who is childish and sort of under developed personality. Shizuru takes a liking to Makoto’s hobby of photography. Because of that these two becomes friends. But then, Makoto starts to have a crush on another classmate named Miyuki, who is beautiful and lady like. Shizuru, seeing this, hints to Makoto that she will grow up to be a beautiful woman, and he will be sorry for not picking her. One day, she tells Makoto that she wants to take a photo of them kissing in the forest as a present for her birthday, which they do. After that Shizuru leaves the place. This leaves Makoto devastated and he realizes that the one he actually loves is Shizuru. Years later, he gets invited to a photography exhibition of Shizuru. Reaching there at the exhibition, he finds that Shizuru is already dead. Among many photographs displayed he finds a photograph of Shizuru which she took herself, in where she looks grown up like a mature lady, and really beautiful. There is also the photo of the two of them kissing in the forest, with a caption saying that this was her one true love.

Paradise Kiss

This Manga Based Movie tells a coming of age/realization of dreams story along with a simple love story. The character of the male lead is a bit interesting, and the couple has a nice chemistry.

Story : Hayasaki Yukari (Kitagawa Keiko) is a High School Student, who is a bit tired of her life. She has been having an unrequited love for her classmate, Tokumori Hiroyuki (Yamamoto Yuske), who has no idea that she likes him. Yukari is a good student and her to please her mother she has to work harder in studies. She does not really know what ‘her’ dream in life is. Then she accidently comes to meet a group of students in the Fashion High School, who runs a small fashion brand ‘Paradise Kiss’. These students are designers, preparing for their Graduation’s Fashion Show and is in need of a model to wear the clothes made by them and walk on ramp. They like the figure of Yukari and request her to be the model. She does not really want to be the model, and she gets in to a fight with Koizumi Jouji (Mukai Osamu), the leader and main designer of the group. Yukari finds Jouji really annoying and full of himself. However, she agrees to be the model for ‘Paradise Kiss’. And at this she realizes that she rather enjoys being a model. Also, she gets closer with Jouji.

High School Debut

It’s funny and entertaining, and has a good romance story. It might be a bit too much slapstick comedy and awkward hairstyles and characters to be similar to an Anime. That’s why the movie came down in the list. Too much anime like. Still, I like the couple and their love story. It’s just too cute.

And well, before Fukushi Sota and Yamazaki Kento came to Japanese Movies, I was really a big fan of Mizobata Junpei. So I recommend this for Mizobata Junpei’s sake too. Also Ito Ono is too cute as well.

Story : Nagashima Haruna (Ito Ono) had been busy playing softball in Middle School, so she had no time for dating or love. So she decides that she will find love in High School. But she has no sense in clothes or dating, and can’t even get picked up by guys. So she seeks the help of the popular boy, Komiyama Yoh (Mizobata Junpei). Yoh agrees to help her with a condition that she should not fall in love with him. Like that Yoh helps Haruna choose her clothes, and how to talk with boys etc… However Haruna starts to fall for Yoh.

Enoshima Prism

A good story of friendship love, mixed with a good amount of fantasy element. Also with a nice twist in the story at the end. It’s a bit painful…the ending, but that’s okay. It’s a worth watch.

And there is Fukushi Sota in the lead. :D

Also watch for Honda Tsubasa (of Blue Spring Ride). I rather like her, and think she has a good future in the acting career.

Story : Jogasaki Shuta (Fukushi Sota) , Kijima Saku (Nomura Shuhei) and Ando Michiru (Honda Tsubasa) has been friends since childhood. Saku had a weak heart since he was born. When they were in High School, one day Michiru gives a letter to Shuta and ask him to deliver the letter to Saku. Shuta had done so believing that it was a love letter and Michiru had confessed her feelings for Saku. But the letter contained the news that Michiru is leaving the country. To have a talk with Michiru Saku had ran till the Train station, which gave him a heart attack. Like that Saku had passed away, and Michiru had left the country without getting to meet Saku.

Years later, when Shuta comes to Saku’s home to attend his death anniversary ceremony, he finds a book in Saku’s room which is about time travel, and he finds a watch in it. He wears the watch in his hand just for fun. After that he somehow ends up in the past, just one day before Saku’s death. Shuta realize that he has a chance to save Saku from death. He tries out this time travel again and again, and each time trying to avoid the situations that had lead to Saku’s death. But in the past he meets a strange girl, Kyoko, who is a person stuck in time gap, for many decades. Kyoko warns Shuta about the risks of time travel and that he could end up like her, or even if he succeed in changing the past, he will end up changing the fate of all the people around him, which will result in people forgetting everything about him. But Shuta is willing to take all the risks.

We Were There

Japanese Title : Bokura ga Ita

It’s again a Manga Adaptation. It is a really ‘slice of life’ story about a young and helpless romance with many simple yet real-life challenges. Also depicted the struggle of a young teenage boy as he deals with many problems in life.

It’s kind of a painful story… it could make you sad more than one time. Yet it can also make you smile sometimes. And in the end it leaves you with a satisfaction. Even if the journey is full of painful places, it ends in a happy ending.

The movie is split in to two parts. So you have to watch both movies for the full story.

Note : The Manga ‘Bokura Ga Ita’ had won the Shogakukan Manga Award for shojo in 2005.

Story : Takahashi Nanami (Yoshitaka Yuriko) did not really expect to fall in love. But in High School she meets Yano Motoharu (Ikuta Toma). Even if he is always smiling and pretends to be happy, she realizes that he is carrying a lot of sadness in him. She hears about Yano’s past from Yano’s best friend Takeyuchi (Takaoka Sosuke). Yano’s last girlfriend, Nana (Komatsu Ayaka) had died in a car accident after he had discovered that she was cheating on him. Yano is not over Nana yet. Yet when Nanami confess to him, and says she is willing to be beside him despite the fact that he is still getting over Nana, he becomes her boyfriend. Nanami and Yano start dating.

But then there is their classmate, Yuri (Motokariya Yurika), who is the younger sister of Nana. Yano had slept with Yuri after Nana’s death as an attempt to take revenge from his dead-girlfriend. Yuri claims she liked Yano before he was her sister’s boyfriend, and still loves him. Yuri has a bit dark personality with depression traits. She tries to get emotional support from Yano, which she never gets. Yano’s friend Takeyuchi develops feelings for Nanami, but he don’t want to peruse her since she is his friend’s girlfriend. That is when Yano’s mother decide to move to Tokiyo, and Yano has to go with her.

Yano moves to Tokiyo. Yano and Nanami still keep in contact… But eventually the phone calls get reduced, and they lose contact with each other. Years after Nanami now works in Tokyo, and is still good friends with Takeyuchi. Takeyuchi finally ask her to be his girlfriend and tells her that Yano might never come back. That is when she meets Yano again and finds out that Yano now lives with Yuri.

Virgin Snow

Japanese Title : Hatsuyuki no koi Korean Title : Cheotnun

This is a Japan-South Korea Co-production movie, and is half Korean and half Japanese. It tells a good love story of a Japanese Girl and Korean Boy. It stars Lee Joong Ki. And well Lee Joong Ki is one of the most popular actors of South Korea. We can see him as a teenager in this movie.

Story : Min (Lee Joong Ki), a young Korean boy, moves to Japan with his father, who is a potter. One day at a local shrine, Min meets Nanae (Miyazaki Aoi), a beautiful local girl and aspiring painter. He falls in love at first sight. She is a student at his new school, and their friendship develops despite their cultural and language differences. But then the couple gets separated from each other by fate and meets years later.

The Kirishima Thing

Japanese Title : Kirishima, bukatsu yamerutteyo

This is not a Love Story. But it’s a really good teenage movie. And has an interesting non-parallel way of storytelling, where we can see the same day over and over, again and again through the eyes of various students in a class. It’s basically a message of how during High School, Club Activities are given too much importance than happiness and life. The most interesting thing about the movie is that the title role person ‘Kirishima’ does not appear in the movie even once, but the movie revolves around him and every other student is talking about him. Also, it’s actually a really good story about the division of popular kids and non-popular kids and the problems between the social gap in High School.

Story : Kirishima suddenly disappears. His friends did not know why he did not come to school, and can’t contact him. Kirishima was actually the most popular guy in school, and the life and soul of the basketball team. He was also dating the prettiest girl in the school. The popular crowd students are frantic about Kirishima’s disappearance. And they find out that he had quit Basketball club. They are confused and can’t accept this at all. The less popular kids are just trying to do well in their club activities while trying not to get caught up in the problems of the popular kids, while getting mistreated and looked down up on by the popular kids.

A Gentle Breeze in the Village

Japanese Title : Tennen Kokekkō

It’s such a feel good movie, that takes us to the old times and cozy life of the small village. It’s also a good coming of age movie. It’s a 2007 movie, and was originally a Manga.

Note : This film was ranked as the 2007 Asahi Best Ten Film Festival Number 1, 2007 Japan Movie Best Ten Number 2, and as the 2007 Yokohama Film Festival Japan Movie Best Ten Number 2. Kaho has won two new actress awards from this film, including the Best New Actress award.

Story : There is tiny school in a remote village, that consist of only 6 students. Migita Soyo (Kaho) is the oldest in the school. For her, school happens to be a joyful experience with an extended family of loving little brothers and sisters. She takes care of the rest of the students like an older sister. Then a new student, Osawa Hiromi (Okada Masaki) transfers in to their school. Hiromi is a cool goy from Tokyo, who has entirely different view on life than Soyo. But Soyo happens to be the only girl of his age in the village, and the only girl he can show interest to. Soyo gets attracted to him, and then feels that her attention to him is making her forget who she originally is. So she soon goes back to trying to deal with her life and figuring out her dreams. Soyo and Hiromi becomes a couple, but still Soyo’s passion and first love is her school, her younger schoolmates, and the small village.

Hanamizuki

This is among the first few Japanese Movies I saw. And hence it might have some charm to have stayed in my memory enough to make in to this list when many other movies did not make it in. The story and characters are simple, honest and sweet.

Story : High School Girl, Hirasawa Sae (Aragaki Yui), meets a boy of her age, Kiuchi Kouhei (Ikuta Toma) in a train while she was going to write an important exam. An accident in the train tracks makes her late for the exam. Kouhei tries to help her get to the exam. Later they get to be friends and starts dating. Kouhei studies in fishery high school and is learning to be a fisher man. Despite their differences they get along well as couple. After High School, Sae leaves for Tokyo for attending University and Kouhei stays back in their hometown. The long distance relationship, and Sae’s new life makes Kouhei a bit insecure about their relationship. Both the couple tries to keep their relationship, but eventually breakup because of the problems. Kouhei becomes a fisherman, and dates another girl and eventually gets married to her. Sei also gets married to another guy. But eventually Sae’s husband pass away, and she returns to her hometown, and find the divorced Kouhei.

I give my first Love to you

Japanese Title : Boku no Hatsukoi o Kimi ni Sasagu

It could be regarded as one of those typical movies that are there to make you sad and cry. But then, the characters have some freshness and actors have done a good job. Well, it’s worth a watch and it stays in your memory.

Story : Takuma and Mayu had been friends since childhood. Takuma had been the patient of Mayu’s dad who is a doctor. Takuma was born with a hole in his heart and doctors had declared that he would not live past age 20, if he does not get a heart transplant before that. Takuma (Okada Masaki) and Mayu (Inou Mao) grow up together and naturally develops romantic feelings for each other and naturally becomes a couple. However, when they step in to High School, Takuma decides to break up with Mayu, because he thinks being with him is just making her sad because of his condition. Also, if he dies, he does not want her to feel devastated. So he ignores and avoids her in High School. Mayu does not accept that and starts following him around in High School. In High School, another guy, Kou, takes in an interest in Mayu, which makes Takuma reclaim Mayu. Later Kou meets an accident and goes to comatose state. Kou’s heart can be transplanted to Takuma. Everyone, including Mayu keeps it a secret from Takuma that the heart he would get would be of Kou. But eventually Takuma knows the truth, and he does not want to accept the heart of a friend. So Takuma eventually dies.

L-DK

I had liked the Manga…Not ‘loved’, but fairly ‘liked’. And the movie is ‘Okay’. Something is lacking in there somewhere. Still a watchable love story.

But you know why you should totally watch this movie. Yeah…for Yamazaki Kento. It’s cuteness overload. Warning, you will fall in love with this boy.

Story : 16 year old, Nishimori Aoi(Goriki Ayame) ends up destroying the house of her neighbor and schoolmate, Kugayama Shusei (Yamazaki Kento). Shusei declares that he will just live with Aoi till his house is repaired. Aoi did not really like Shusei before because he had rejected and broke the heart of her best friend. But she has no choice, and they starts to live together. Aoi starts to fall for Shusei, but it seems like he is just playing with her feelings. Or more like Shusei do have feelings for Aoi, but he has not have the courage to commit in to a relationship, because of problems of his past.

Lovely Complex

This is recommended only for those people who don’t have the patience enough to watch the Anime version. The Anime is adorable. It’s too good. It’s one of my top three Animes ever (Other two are ‘Kaichow wa Maid Sama’ and ‘Special-A’). The movie has not done any justice to the Anime. It’s too slapstick and the romance does not feel so romantic. Still, if you can’t sit through and watch the full anime, watch the movie instead. Still my recommendation would be the Anime version though. If you can, please watch the Anime instead of the movie. Coz seriously, the Anime is that good.

Story : Koizumi Risa (Fujisava Ema) is a tall girl, and Otani Atushi (Koike Teppei) is a short guy. They are often fighting with each other in class, which gives them nickname of comedy duo. But they have many common interests and stuff which brings them together as friends. Koizumi ends up falling for Otani, but Otani just consider her as a good friend. She confesses her feelings and get rejected. That is when a new teacher, Maitake, comes to the school, that is all cool and handsome. Koizumi makes a fan club for Maitake sensei and is always cheering for him. That makes Otani jealous.

Say “I Love You”

Japanese Title : Suki-tte ii na yo

Okay, this is a good story and a good Anime and Manga. But it failed to be a movie. It was as if watching a drama series. A movie should have a definite parabola that will capture come situation and go through it, and solve it in the climax. It should be like a Ʌ . But Say “I Love You” Movie was like ^^^^^. One problems and gets solves, and another starts and gets solved and like that it goes on. I know that it’s because it’s taken exactly as the story goes in the manga, still the movie feels like an omnibus story. Not having a definite grip. Yet, if you ignore that factor, it’s a pretty decent work. You will like the love story and the characters. And this one has many kiss scenes than usual teenage movies.

But watch for Fukushi Sota. :D

Story : Tachibana Mei (Kawaguchi Haruna) prefers not to make friends because of a trauma of past. She somehow she gets noticed by the popular guy Kurozawa Yamato (Fukushi Sota). They start dating. But encounters many problems.

Movies that almost made in to the list.