Kikujiro (by Takeshi Kitano)

Irena · May 13, 2003, 22:17

Konnichiwa!
Anyone has seen "Kikujiro-no natsu" by Takeshi Kitano?
What does the name Kikujiro mean?
Thanks for the answer, I would really really like to know. Bye for now, Irena

thomas · May 13, 2003, 23:32

Hi Irena, I watched it a while ago, but was not very impressed

=> http://forum.japanreference.com/show...&threadid=1373

I'm not sure if there's any deeper meaning to the name "Kikujiro". I haven't seen Takeshi's last movie "Dolls" yet, but reviews are even worse. Anyhow, who cares about other film reviews?

Irena · May 14, 2003, 01:35

Hi Thomas,
Well, I wasn't VERY impressed either, but it was a nice family movie anyway (^-^)
I am just curious, I watched this movie with English subtitles (or maybe Polish, I don't remember), and it seemed to me that the main character's (played by Takeshi Kitano) name was not mentioned in the movie... only in the title (but I don't know what kanji was there), only the last sentence of the movie was: "what's your name? Kikujiro - damn it!". Deeper meaning or not, I just think it has ANY meaning. It always has, doesn't it?. I already learned "-ro" in the names means "son", the same about "-jiro" (is it true?).

**NANGI** · May 15, 2003, 00:26

Konnichiwa Irena-san!

"Kiku" is a chrysanthemum in Japanese.
"jiro" or "jirou" is common name in Japan and means "one's second son". "Ji" means "second" and "rou" means "man" or "son".

I watched this movie too.

NANGI

Chipi · May 15, 2003, 00:57

I saw it

I think it was really warm-hearted, nice movie and I was impressed in a way. It left a really good feeling...and made me want to travel to Japan even more...

Irena · May 15, 2003, 02:15

Hallo again, everybody!
Thank you, Nangi! (Konnichiwa, again)
Do you think the name has any symbolic meaning in the movie? A name of a former Yakuza, acting like aaaa ... like many of Takeshi Kitano's characters (^-^)... in fact... an angel(^-^)
(Well, last time I saw the actor in "Battle Royale", as a "Teacher of Death"... - I like that movie very much, too).
Well, I wasn't AS MUCH impressed as I was with "Hana-bi"... but, yes, that's what I thought after watching this: I want to go to Tokyo again ... (last time I was there, I lived near Asakusa, and there are few sights of Asakusa there...)

(Well, but I probably think this after EVERY japanese movie I am watching lately, lol)
Bye! Irena

Twisted · May 15, 2003, 05:24

I loved this movie. The fact that it was completely without tension (and more or less rather pointless) made it outstanding. Something like this just doesn't happen in Hollywood movies.

Irena · May 15, 2003, 21:53

Hey, it wasn't pointless at all!
Wasn't it about a small kid and a big rude tatooed Yakuza man (violent to some, but warm-hearted, and sometimes clumsy... do you remember how he was learning to swim?!) who helped the kid to survive the ultimate horror of being left by his own mother... whereas Kikujiro's own mother is... etc.
;)
The more we talk about this the more I like it

Irena · May 15, 2003, 22:09

But in a strange way it was also pointless... ;)

Gee, it was really a good movie... what Takeshi Kitano's movies do you like best, and why, by the way?

thomas · May 15, 2003, 22:40

I liked "Hana-bi" best. It's a bit violent, but not to the same extent as Takeshi's previous movies. I was very touched by the way he narrated the stories of the cop's wife who suffered from cancer and his collegue who became paralyzed after a shoot-out. The aspect of self-sacrifice is very moving, as well as the emotional contrast spanning from deep melancholy and violence to subtle humour and tenderness. Takeshi at his best.

Irena · May 15, 2003, 23:08

I also like "Hana-bi" best... the juxtaposition of silent tenderness, and violent rage... hmm. ...Makes me silent.

Sekabin · May 16, 2003, 00:27

I do think 'Hana-bi' is his most rounded work, but personally I think my favourite is 'Kids Return'... dunno why!

Irena · May 16, 2003, 01:01

Oh, I remember "Kid's Return" was on TV the day I was leaving for Japan

... so I haven't seen it :-(

(Hallo to a fellow sociologist, Sekabin! ;)

Irena · May 17, 2003, 02:11

And what do you guys think about "Brother"? At first I disliked it (it seemed too violent, or something) ... and later I suddenly started to think about it again... and, yes, I think it was a good movie!

Sekabin · May 17, 2003, 04:07

I'm the same - at first I was a bit disappointed with Brother, but the second time I saw it I liked it a lot more. Still hate the ending though - it just doesn't seem Kitano, more smoltchy hollywood.

Irena · May 17, 2003, 06:14

Nooo, the ending was really cool... heh, as for a movie made in Los Angeles...

No, seriously: I like it (the ending)

**NANGI** · May 17, 2003, 12:30

Konnichiwa Minasan!

I don't know "Hana-bi", but I like "Brother" from the first!

NANGI

KanjiKat · May 25, 2003, 01:12

I thought Kikujiro was long in some parts...I like artistic stuff but it got a bit tiring in places for me...but I really loved the movie as a whole. It had me laughing hysterically most of the time. Kitano's character was just so rude and blunt I thought it was hilarious.

joshua dearing · Jun 3, 2003, 08:48

Kikujiro
This is quite simply one of my favorite movies of all time.. I love the realtionship that takeshi has with the boy.. the slow moving pace.. the feel of the movie and the soundtrack was awesome.

Brother
Loved it just as mich.. tried to get my picture taken at all the places they filmed that I could recognise in LA... I really like Japanese films and when they are done in my city Los Angeles I lvoe them even more. But the movie in general a typical Takeshi Yakuza film.. he could keep making these for 20 more years and I woudl continue to purchase them... even though my favorite one is Violent Cop.

Musashi · Jun 3, 2003, 19:35

Brother had some really bad actors in it and it kind of gave me the same feeling as when I hear my favorite band go R&B or something like that for the first time. But it's still my favorite band...

Kikujirou was just awesome, something to see on a rainy sunday afternoon, basically. It's about aging, becoming an adult and yet becoming young again. Innocence is the basic theme here (I guess

).

Kids return too is nice, especially thanks to composer Hisaishi Joe's score, a true story about hybris, nemesis and katharsis. A Greek tragedy on brotherhood.

Has anyone seen Sonatine? Fun to watch and a good ad for Okinawa!

CFP · Jun 6, 2003, 16:44

I think Kukijirou is a delightful movie, though at times a little awkward and slow moving. But thats to be expected in a movie like that I guess.
Brother was cool. The ending... a bit of a disappointment to me.
Gohatto, was good too. Takeshi didn't direct it, but he was one of the main characters.

kiyokuma · Sep 4, 2003, 23:47

Kikujiro's meaning was explained very well by Nangi. So I am not doing that again. But here, I like to tell you the meaning in a cultural sense.

Kikujiro is:
-old-sounding Japanese name (of a previous generation),
-yakuza-sounding name (as his character was),
-as being the "second son" has a sense of freedom
(in Japan, traditionally, the first son takes care of parents,
stay with them, must marry and have kids... not much
freedom. This movie cannot be named Kikutaro --taro meaning
first son -- as the sense of freedom would not have been
implied.)

Irena · Sep 5, 2003, 23:47

Thank you, Kiyokuma-san!

Your explanation is very interesting.
The explanation about the second son makes me think again of a short scene about Kikujiro coming to see his own mother.. and looking at her from afar, choosing not to say a word to her. Is he taking care of her.. or he isn't? Is it so that he just chooses not to disturb her? Well, the whole movie is about the kid who wants to find his mother and bring her back to his life. By the way, is the kid's name mentioned in the movie? - I don't remember.

Now I also wonder... as you say it's the yakuza-sounding name - a stupid question perhaps - why is it so? Do people in Yakuza change their name when entering Yakuza? Or is just this old-fashioned name of a second son making one to think about Yakuza by sheer association?

And - by the way - anyone has seen the "Kikujiro and Saki" by Takeshi Kitano (in that drama "Kikujiro" seems to be the name of his own father)?
http://www.japantimes.com/cgi-bin/ge...20030629cs.htm

Bye!
Irena

;)

Kyoko-san · Sep 12, 2003, 07:38

Konnichiwa!

As you said Irena, the name of Kitano Takeshi's father was Kikujiro. If you want to know more about Kitano-san i sugest that you watch the documentary "Scenes By The Sea".

My favorite Kitano movies are:
Kikujiro no natsu
Hana-Bi
Kidzu Ritan
Sonatine
and Dolls.

Btw: I'm a new member at this forum, I just found it by searching google.com for Kitano Takeshi facts. =)

Btw2: Annyone seen the new Kitano film "Zatchi"?

Regards!

Irena · Sep 12, 2003, 19:53

Thank you, Kyoko-san, if only I will be able to get the documentary here in Poland...
I didn't see Zatoichi yet. I saw Dolls recently. It's very very beautiful.. and very very sad

.One of the best Kitano's films, definitely.
;)

May 13, 2003, 22:17	#1
Irena Regular Member Join Date: May 9, 2003 Age: 43 Posts: 63	Kikujiro (by Takeshi Kitano) Konnichiwa! Anyone has seen "Kikujiro-no natsu" by Takeshi Kitano? What does the name Kikujiro mean? Thanks for the answer, I would really really like to know. Bye for now, Irena

May 13, 2003, 23:32	#2
thomas Decommissioned ex-admin Join Date: Mar 14, 2002 Posts: 4,209	Hi Irena, I watched it a while ago, but was not very impressed => http://forum.japanreference.com/show...&threadid=1373 I'm not sure if there's any deeper meaning to the name "Kikujiro". I haven't seen Takeshi's last movie "Dolls" yet, but reviews are even worse. Anyhow, who cares about other film reviews? __________________ Remember what the dormouse said, feed your head, feed your head!

May 15, 2003, 05:24	#7
Twisted That man in the corner Join Date: Mar 15, 2002 Location: The Netherlands Age: 35 Posts: 1,456	I loved this movie. The fact that it was completely without tension (and more or less rather pointless) made it outstanding. Something like this just doesn't happen in Hollywood movies. __________________ ZenLog Earotic

May 16, 2003, 00:27	#12
Sekabin Regular Member Join Date: Apr 28, 2003 Posts: 57	I do think 'Hana-bi' is his most rounded work, but personally I think my favourite is 'Kids Return'... dunno why! __________________ --------<a href="http://www.sheepchase.com" target="_blank">sheepchase.com</a>--------

Jun 3, 2003, 08:48	#19
joshua dearing Regular Member Join Date: Dec 10, 2002 Location: Los Angeles Age: 35 Posts: 21	Kikujiro This is quite simply one of my favorite movies of all time.. I love the realtionship that takeshi has with the boy.. the slow moving pace.. the feel of the movie and the soundtrack was awesome. Brother Loved it just as mich.. tried to get my picture taken at all the places they filmed that I could recognise in LA... I really like Japanese films and when they are done in my city Los Angeles I lvoe them even more. But the movie in general a typical Takeshi Yakuza film.. he could keep making these for 20 more years and I woudl continue to purchase them... even though my favorite one is Violent Cop. __________________ [ -_- ] joshua dearing joshuadearing@dearingfilm.com http://www.dearingfilm.com

May 14, 2003, 01:35	#3
Irena Regular Member Join Date: May 9, 2003 Age: 43 Posts: 63	Hi Thomas, Well, I wasn't VERY impressed either, but it was a nice family movie anyway (^-^) I am just curious, I watched this movie with English subtitles (or maybe Polish, I don't remember), and it seemed to me that the main character's (played by Takeshi Kitano) name was not mentioned in the movie... only in the title (but I don't know what kanji was there), only the last sentence of the movie was: "what's your name? Kikujiro - damn it!". Deeper meaning or not, I just think it has ANY meaning. It always has, doesn't it?. I already learned "-ro" in the names means "son", the same about "-jiro" (is it true?).

May 15, 2003, 00:26	#4
NANGI Tutor Join Date: Jan 8, 2003 Location: I live in Kansai. Posts: 2,276	Konnichiwa Irena-san! "Kiku" is a chrysanthemum in Japanese. "jiro" or "jirou" is common name in Japan and means "one's second son". "Ji" means "second" and "rou" means "man" or "son". I watched this movie too. NANGI

May 15, 2003, 00:57	#5
Chipi Yancha-Kunoichi Join Date: Mar 10, 2003 Location: UK, Manchester / Finland, Lahti / Japan, Minokamo Age: 28 Posts: 357	I saw it I think it was really warm-hearted, nice movie and I was impressed in a way. It left a really good feeling...and made me want to travel to Japan even more...

May 15, 2003, 02:15	#6
Irena Regular Member Join Date: May 9, 2003 Age: 43 Posts: 63	Hallo again, everybody! Thank you, Nangi! (Konnichiwa, again) Do you think the name has any symbolic meaning in the movie? A name of a former Yakuza, acting like aaaa ... like many of Takeshi Kitano's characters (^-^)... in fact... an angel(^-^) (Well, last time I saw the actor in "Battle Royale", as a "Teacher of Death"... - I like that movie very much, too). Well, I wasn't AS MUCH impressed as I was with "Hana-bi"... but, yes, that's what I thought after watching this: I want to go to Tokyo again ... (last time I was there, I lived near Asakusa, and there are few sights of Asakusa there...) (Well, but I probably think this after EVERY japanese movie I am watching lately, lol) Bye! Irena

May 15, 2003, 21:53	#8
Irena Regular Member Join Date: May 9, 2003 Age: 43 Posts: 63	Hey, it wasn't pointless at all! Wasn't it about a small kid and a big rude tatooed Yakuza man (violent to some, but warm-hearted, and sometimes clumsy... do you remember how he was learning to swim?!) who helped the kid to survive the ultimate horror of being left by his own mother... whereas Kikujiro's own mother is... etc. ;) The more we talk about this the more I like it

May 15, 2003, 22:09	#9
Irena Regular Member Join Date: May 9, 2003 Age: 43 Posts: 63	But in a strange way it was also pointless... ;) Gee, it was really a good movie... what Takeshi Kitano's movies do you like best, and why, by the way?

May 15, 2003, 22:40	#10
thomas Decommissioned ex-admin Join Date: Mar 14, 2002 Posts: 4,209	I liked "Hana-bi" best. It's a bit violent, but not to the same extent as Takeshi's previous movies. I was very touched by the way he narrated the stories of the cop's wife who suffered from cancer and his collegue who became paralyzed after a shoot-out. The aspect of self-sacrifice is very moving, as well as the emotional contrast spanning from deep melancholy and violence to subtle humour and tenderness. Takeshi at his best.

May 15, 2003, 23:08	#11
Irena Regular Member Join Date: May 9, 2003 Age: 43 Posts: 63	I also like "Hana-bi" best... the juxtaposition of silent tenderness, and violent rage... hmm. ...Makes me silent.

May 16, 2003, 01:01	#13
Irena Regular Member Join Date: May 9, 2003 Age: 43 Posts: 63	Oh, I remember "Kid's Return" was on TV the day I was leaving for Japan ... so I haven't seen it :-( (Hallo to a fellow sociologist, Sekabin! ;)

May 17, 2003, 02:11	#14
Irena Regular Member Join Date: May 9, 2003 Age: 43 Posts: 63	And what do you guys think about "Brother"? At first I disliked it (it seemed too violent, or something) ... and later I suddenly started to think about it again... and, yes, I think it was a good movie!

May 17, 2003, 04:07	#15
Sekabin Regular Member Join Date: Apr 28, 2003 Posts: 57	I'm the same - at first I was a bit disappointed with Brother, but the second time I saw it I liked it a lot more. Still hate the ending though - it just doesn't seem Kitano, more smoltchy hollywood.

May 17, 2003, 06:14	#16
Irena Regular Member Join Date: May 9, 2003 Age: 43 Posts: 63	Nooo, the ending was really cool... heh, as for a movie made in Los Angeles... No, seriously: I like it (the ending)

May 17, 2003, 12:30	#17
NANGI Tutor Join Date: Jan 8, 2003 Location: I live in Kansai. Posts: 2,276	Konnichiwa Minasan! I don't know "Hana-bi", but I like "Brother" from the first! NANGI

May 25, 2003, 01:12	#18
KanjiKat Junior Member Join Date: May 25, 2003 Age: 25 Posts: 8	I thought Kikujiro was long in some parts...I like artistic stuff but it got a bit tiring in places for me...but I really loved the movie as a whole. It had me laughing hysterically most of the time. Kitano's character was just so rude and blunt I thought it was hilarious.

Jun 3, 2003, 19:35	#20
Musashi The Phoenix Swordsman Join Date: Mar 14, 2003 Location: Belgian in Japan Age: 29 Posts: 47	Brother had some really bad actors in it and it kind of gave me the same feeling as when I hear my favorite band go R&B or something like that for the first time. But it's still my favorite band... Kikujirou was just awesome, something to see on a rainy sunday afternoon, basically. It's about aging, becoming an adult and yet becoming young again. Innocence is the basic theme here (I guess ). Kids return too is nice, especially thanks to composer Hisaishi Joe's score, a true story about hybris, nemesis and katharsis. A Greek tragedy on brotherhood. Has anyone seen Sonatine? Fun to watch and a good ad for Okinawa! __________________ In the words of the ancients, one should make his decision within the space of seven breaths. It is a matter of being determined and having the spirit to break through to the other side. - Hagakure

Jun 6, 2003, 16:44	#21
CFP Regular Member Join Date: May 25, 2003 Location: American by birth, Japanophile by choice Posts: 31	I think Kukijirou is a delightful movie, though at times a little awkward and slow moving. But thats to be expected in a movie like that I guess. Brother was cool. The ending... a bit of a disappointment to me. Gohatto, was good too. Takeshi didn't direct it, but he was one of the main characters.

Sep 4, 2003, 23:47	#22
kiyokuma Junior Member Join Date: Sep 4, 2003 Location: US/Japanese Posts: 1	The meaning of the name Kikujiro Kikujiro's meaning was explained very well by Nangi. So I am not doing that again. But here, I like to tell you the meaning in a cultural sense. Kikujiro is: -old-sounding Japanese name (of a previous generation), -yakuza-sounding name (as his character was), -as being the "second son" has a sense of freedom (in Japan, traditionally, the first son takes care of parents, stay with them, must marry and have kids... not much freedom. This movie cannot be named Kikutaro --taro meaning first son -- as the sense of freedom would not have been implied.)

Sep 5, 2003, 23:47	#23
Irena Regular Member Join Date: May 9, 2003 Age: 43 Posts: 63	Thank you, Kiyokuma-san! Your explanation is very interesting. The explanation about the second son makes me think again of a short scene about Kikujiro coming to see his own mother.. and looking at her from afar, choosing not to say a word to her. Is he taking care of her.. or he isn't? Is it so that he just chooses not to disturb her? Well, the whole movie is about the kid who wants to find his mother and bring her back to his life. By the way, is the kid's name mentioned in the movie? - I don't remember. Now I also wonder... as you say it's the yakuza-sounding name - a stupid question perhaps - why is it so? Do people in Yakuza change their name when entering Yakuza? Or is just this old-fashioned name of a second son making one to think about Yakuza by sheer association? And - by the way - anyone has seen the "Kikujiro and Saki" by Takeshi Kitano (in that drama "Kikujiro" seems to be the name of his own father)? http://www.japantimes.com/cgi-bin/ge...20030629cs.htm Bye! Irena ;)

Sep 12, 2003, 07:38	#24
Kyoko-san Junior Member Join Date: Sep 12, 2003 Location: Mother from Sweden, father from Uruguay Age: 23 Posts: 18	Konnichiwa! As you said Irena, the name of Kitano Takeshi's father was Kikujiro. If you want to know more about Kitano-san i sugest that you watch the documentary "Scenes By The Sea". My favorite Kitano movies are: Kikujiro no natsu Hana-Bi Kidzu Ritan Sonatine and Dolls. Btw: I'm a new member at this forum, I just found it by searching google.com for Kitano Takeshi facts. =) Btw2: Annyone seen the new Kitano film "Zatchi"? Regards! __________________ I may not be the best ninja, I may not be one with the universe, but I will tell you this: No one messes with my Brother!

Sep 12, 2003, 19:53	#25
Irena Regular Member Join Date: May 9, 2003 Age: 43 Posts: 63	Thank you, Kyoko-san, if only I will be able to get the documentary here in Poland... I didn't see Zatoichi yet. I saw Dolls recently. It's very very beautiful.. and very very sad .One of the best Kitano's films, definitely. ;)

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