The subject says it all. I feel the script writer/author was playing on a stereotype (american at least) of the frilly feminine type woman, vs the Butch macho type woman, both lesbian stereotypes in the USA.
(Sorry if I offended anyone out there with my stereotyping!)
Did anyone else get this feeling about the two main characters?
there wasn't anything obvious like that in the book. the very last line was something like "i put my head on ichigo's shoulder, like i might with a lover" as the two rode off on ichigo's bike. but that was it, i think. in both book and movie, ichigo fell in love with the guy from th pachinko parlor
shareYeah, I just thought there were just really close friends. I don't think the author was really going for that thing, it just probably seemed like the two most opposite characteristics, so that's why he used them.
shareIn fact, it´s quite common to see this sort of friendship in Japan. Bonds between girls are always strong, and eventually you can find a pair/group matching clothes, walking around shop districts. Lesbianism exists, but is discreet, rarely shown on streets.
The funny thing is, I lived near Shimotsuma when working for an electronic products company. That river is, possibly, Kinugawa River. The train station and many other locations are actual, nothing was changed. This is really countryside, w/ ricefields everywhere. I couldn´t check for Lolita girls walking around (very surreal indeed), and biker girls I guess it´s more Osaka stuff (clothes, bikes and slangs), and, actually, they don´t mix, everybody have his/her own "crew" . The point is, everybody loved the movie, and it made Shimotsuma, Ibaraki, a hype place for a while.
"Platonic Lesbian-type relationship"
Kind of contradictory.
First of all I love this film, I never expected it.
I did kinda sense a homo-erotic kinda thing(can't really describe it). But remember when Momoko called Ichiko from the train station,
Momoko said "I need to see you." (english translation), Ichigo says (in a very pleased almost sensual tone) "I can't believe you're asking"
well that whole conversation was kinda suspicious, considering they had'nt even known each other that long. But even if the characters had been written lesbian, I think that would have made the movie that much more intresting.....te he
Ichigo thinks Momoko is the most individual,unique person she knows,that's why she says that,she's surprised,she's been forceful,violent sometimes in her attempt at friendship up until then,to get that call is something she wasn't expecting...
Incidentally,my comment is based solely on the movie,I wasn't aware it was adapted from any source....
I had this feeling too. But i think Momoko and Ichigo are just friends, very very good friends. I read the Chinese translation of the original novel as well as the sequel (by the same author, Novala Takemoto, of course)- which is the end of the story and it was only out this summer. In the sequel there's a paragraph explaining Momoko's feelings towards Ichigo- that she does love her very much. Note: in Japanese culture, there's a very strong bonding between female friends and they talk of love always, to me this sort of creates a big gray area). Momoko continues to say that however this is not a lesbian kind of love, just as when she's in love with Lolita clothes, she won't want to get married with the clothes or something. So Momoko's love for Ichigo is purely 'platonic'. And she would do anything for her, even letting her have the guy (i think it was a junior policeman) with whom she also fell in love with.
The story ends by Momoko leaving Shimotsuma for Tokyo in order to further her designer career.
I agree with Stacey. The rest of you lot're crazy.
If you want lesbian overtones, go watch The Initiation of Sarah, once it comes out on DVD.
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Having no clue what you were talking about, I looked it up on Wikipedia; quite interesting!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shipping_(fandom)
What's the title of the next book?
I can't find mention of a sequel anywhere.
:]
Hi Skitler,
I think the sequel of Kamikaze Girls has only been translated (from Japanese) into Chinese and not English yet (or maybe it won't be translated into English after all), guess that's why u can't find it. But it's available in the bookstores in Taiwan and Hong Kong, and I glanced through it in a bookstore in Hong Kong a while ago, that's why I sort of know the plotline of the story... it's got a detective element thrown in, some murder case that concerns Akimi (the bike gang leader), and ends by Momoko's helping to solve the crime mystery, then leaving for Tokyo to further her designer career while Ichigo has found a boyfriend... Kind of a sad ending for me, I don't really want to see them part. But oh well...
Here is the product info of the sequel on yesasia and commercial press hong kong; unfortunately the book title is in Chinese...
http://global.yesasia.com/en/PrdDept.aspx/code-c/section-books/pid-1004475230/
http://www.cp1897.com.hk/BookInfo?BookId=9789571033273&SectionId=10
I hope this helps. :-)
-Stacey
they had a very close relationship for sure. i don't think that stereotypes were being used in a lesbian way but more of a "even complete opposites can learn to be friends" kinda way. but there were a couple of times i was wondering myself if they did love each other. all in all even if they are in love everything is pretty much speculation on our parts unless the authour comes out and says "this is how it is".
shareYeah, at a few points I thought it was seemed to be a little bit yuri. In the ending credits when their faces got really got close a few times, I thought they'd kiss or something... I first thought it seemed yuri when Ichiko was screaming over Momoko's unconscious body in Baby The Stars Shine Bright. It looked like the ending of a love story tragedy lol!
Buuut... I think they were just really close friends and some of the moments may have just seemed lesbian to an audience heavily influenced by US stereoptypes.
Yeah, only when I saw the ending credits did I think it might be taken the wrong way - that their relationship might be romantic - but the rest of the movie just shows two girls doing their own thing. I kinda liked the movie; I like seeing strong female protagonists.
Do The Mussolini! Headkick!
I feel like there's very often a strong homo erotic tension between the two leads in japanese movies/series. Be it female or male.
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