Blue (2002 film)

Blue is a 2002 Japanese romantic drama directed by Hiroshi Ando based on the manga of the same name by Kiriko Nananan. The film stars Mikako Ichikawa as Kayako Kirishima and Manami Konishi as Masami Endo. The film was first shown at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2002,^[1] and was released in Japanese theaters in 2003.

Blue
Directed by	Hiroshi Ando
Written by	Yuka Honcho
Based on	Blue by Kiriko Nananan
Produced by	Dai Miyazaki
Starring	Mikako Ichikawa Manami Konishi
Cinematography	Kazuhiro Suzuki
Edited by	Nobuko Tomita
Release date	2002 (2002)
Running time	116 minutes
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese

The film is about two teenage girls, Kayako Kirishima and Masami Endō, who find their friendship turning into something more.

Plot

Kayako Kirishima, in her third year at a high school, feels a sense of isolation in school life and vague admiration and uneasiness about the future. One day she makes friends with Endō, who is isolated from her surroundings because she remained in the same class for another year. Kayako is strongly attracted by Endō, who shows her a world that she didn't know.

Cast

• Mikako Ichikawa as Kayako Kirishima
• Manami Konishi as Masami Endō
• Asami Imajuku as Mieko Nakano
• Ayano Nakamura as Chika Watanabe
• Sosuke Takaoka as Mizuuchi Manabu
• Jun Murakami as Older man

Reception

Variety called the film impressive but overlong.^[2]

Awards

• 24th Moscow International Film Festival : Best Actress Prize (Mikako Ichikawa)^[3]

Location

• Niigata
  • Bandai Bridge
  • Furumachi
  • Niigata Station
• Takaoka, Toyama