A mother is someone that cares about you. Someone that only want the best in life for you. No one ever said that a mother has to be related by blood. Here are four Japanese movies that shows how deep a mother’s bond can truly be.
Which one is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below!
1.REBIRTH
REBIRTH
Shochiku
What’s It About: Nonomiya Kiwako is having an affair with a married man. When the married man decides to end the relationship, Kiwako wants revenge. To get back at him, she abducts the mans’ six-month old baby and raises her as her own. For four years the police look for Kiwako and the baby now named Erina. Erina is eventually returned to her birth parents but she doesn’t feel any peace. When Erina becomes an adult, she begins an affair with a married man. Will she follow in the footsteps of Kiwako or will she be able to confront her past?
Starring: Hiromi Nagasaku, Mao Inoue, Konomi Watanabe
Where To Watch: Currently unavailable for streaming
Watch The Trailer Here: (No Subtitles)
2. TRUE MOTHERS
What’s It About: Kiyokazu Kurihara and Satoko are a married couple. After trying for a while, the couple realizes they are unable to have children together and decided to adopt a baby. Six years later, the baby, Asato is now in kindergarten. One day, Satoko recieves a mysterious phone call. It is Asato’s birth mother, Hikari Katakura. She tells them she wants her son back. Will Katakura be reunited with her son or will Satoko and Kurihara tell Katakura that she cannot see him?
Starring: Aju Makita, Naomi Kawase, Hiromi Nagasaku
Where To Watch: Tubi, Plex, Apple TV
Watch The Trailer Here:
3. TOKYO TOWER: MOM AND ME, AND SOMETIMES DAD
TOKYO TOWER: MOM AND ME, AND SOMETIMES DAD
Shochiku
What’s It About: Masaya and his mother live in a small coal mining town. She has finally left her abusive husband and took a job in her sister’s diner. She is raising Masaya on her own. Masaya successfully enters Art University in Tokyo. While in school there, Masaya does nothing with his life. But he does not call his mother to tell her how his life is going. One day, Masaya gets a phone call from his aunt. She tells him his mother has cancer. Masaya calls his mother and she comes to live with him in Tokyo. After living apart for fifteen years, will Masaya finally start to feel like his life is moving again?
Starring: Joe Odagiri, Kirin Kiki, Yayako Uchida
Where To Watch: Currently unavailable for streaming
Watch The Trailer Here:
4. SHOPLIFTERS
What’s It About: In a small corner of Tokyo lives a poor family. Shibata Hatsue is the elderly mother of the group and lives off a pension of her deceased husband. Osamu is Hatsue’s new husband. He works as a day laborer, and one day gets an injury thats causes him unable to work. He and his son, Shota likes to shoplift together to provide for the family. After shoplifting from a store, on their way home, Osamu and Shota discover a little girl living alone in the freezing cold. They decide to bring Yuri home with them. The family only wanted her to stay for dinner, but after seeing signs of abuse, they choose to not return her. Yuri soon bonds with her newfound family. Will she be able to stay or wil Yuri be returned to her neglectful parents?
Starring: Sakura Ando, Mayu Matsuoka, Kirin Kiki
Where To Watch: Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max
Watch The Trailer Here:
