Claudio Carvalho Momoko Ryugasaki (Kyôko Fukada) is the daughter of a smalltime gangster (Hiroyuki Miyasako) that forges Versace brand and a lowlife woman. Momoko is smitten by the Rococo period and dresses in a Lolita style, with frilly dresses and embroidery bonnet. She is raised by her father since her mother divorced him to marry her gynecologist, and he has taught her how to perfectly embroider. When Mr. Ryugasaki includes the Universal Studios brand in his products, he is forced to move to the rural Shimotsuma with Momoko to live in the house of her grandmother. Momoko decides to sell her collection of forged Versace and Universal Studios to make money to buy her expensive clothing. The rebel "yanki" Ichigo Shirayuri (Anna Tsuchiya) visits Momoko to buy clothes and soon they begin the most unlikely friendship. "Shimotsuma monogatari", a.k.a. "Kamikaze Girls" is an absolutely original and surreal movie. The definition of department stores and groups in the Japanese pop culture is awesome. Unfortunately I found this movie too related to the Japanese sub-culture for youths, very different from the Western one, and I did not enjoy as much as I expected. My vote is six.Title (Brazil): Not Available

Gilles Gravier It's a Japanese movie. You may find the acting a bit caricatural or extreme, but I guess this is due to the history of Noh theater strongly present in Japaneses culture. Past this possible barrier, the movie itself is entertaining. The two main characters are played deliciously by remarkable actresses (again, considering that they are acting in the Japanese style).The movie immerses you into the Gothic Lolita culture, as the heroin is the typical representative of that movement. Lots of insights into the whys and hows of that culture. There is also a fun vision of the Japanese punk subculture, represented by the Yankis.It's a comedy, so you laugh or smile a lot. But the above mentioned aspects also make it a very interesting movie.I'll watch it again. More than a few times.

fetboy Just when I was about to give up on Japanese cinema ever producing anything good, other than a Techno-Horror, I ran across this gem at the video story.American audiences may think that Momoko and Ichigo are extreme examples of Japanese girls, when in fact they are actually well developed profiles of 2 of Japan's most prolific subcultures. In Japan the bike riding Yankis are everywhere (and typically the women quit the gangs after getting knocked up, an example of which the actress Anna Tsuchiya followed), and the Momoko (The lolitas, but I always referred girls like her as "Raggedy Anns on crack") like styled girls can be find shops for their clothing all over Shibuya and Harajiku (The "Baby; The Stars Shine Bright" is an actual label, but quite a few of the "Raggedy Anns on crack" make their own clothes just as Momoko did).To me the Momoko and Ichigo characters were like so many Japanese girls I have met, and the ordeals that they went through were like re-tellings of personal stories I had heard so many times before.I loved this movie so much I had to buy it just so I will know I will always have it when my own Japanese-American daughter grows up, but this movie is a must see for anyone who wanted to know anything about Japan or wants to see a touching movie about 2 girls who come into their own.Movies this insightful are rare, and this is the best "coming of age movie" for women I have ever seen in any language.

jmaruyama Nakashima Tetsuya's wonderful "Shimotsuma Monogatari" (Shimotsuma Story) is quite a unique and charming film. I had my doubts at first but the film turned out to be a refreshing surprise. Mixing anime, quirky narrative, inventive storytelling, outrageous comedy and Japanese Pop Culture charm this movie is a really endearing movie.Stylistically, as others have noted, it does recall movies like "Trainspotting" and "Run, Lola, Run" but I think "Shimotsuma Monogatari" is much closer in style to Yaguchi Shinobu's "Swing Girls" and "Waterboys", both of which are also really wonderful.J-Pop singer/actress Fukuda Kyoko is infectiously cute as Momoko, the "Lolita" fashion obsessed girl with a naive yet surprising take on life. Her French 17th Century (Rocco) styled fashions are at times oddball and avant-garde and yet surprisingly cool looking that it's little wonder why American Pop Singer Gwen Stefani has drawn inspiration from this fashion trend for her L.A.M.B. fashion line and to dress her Harajuku Girls.Anna Tsuchiya is also a wonderful surprise as Ichiko/Ichigo, the tough talking "Yanki" Sukeban with a heart of gold. She has most of the best lines in the movie and is also quite a cutie (behind the Sukeban makeup).The only criticism I have for the film is the stupid American title "Kamikaze Girls". It really doesn't do justice to the film at all and is a real turnoff as it brings to mind a "Yakuza" film or perhaps a war picture in a stereotyping tongue-and-cheek way. Why not just call it simply "Momoko and Ichigo" (i.e. Peaches and Strawberry) or some other title that is a bit more relevant.Other than that this film is a pure joy and delight and a welcomed change to Japanese cinema.