Movie Review: Ashita no Watashi no Tsukurikata(a.k.a. How to Become Myself)

Summary

Based on a novel by 30-year-old Kaori Mado, HOW TO BECOME MYSELF, tells the tale of two girls faced with that typical adolescent choice — fit in or be cast out. Juri portrays the role of the ideal daughter at home and in school, but all she really wants is for her parents to stop fighting. Deep down, she admires her popular primary school classmate Kanako. However, Kanako suddenly becomes the class outcast. Years later in high school and still craving popularity, Kanako begins receiving mysterious emails about a popular girl named Hina. Inspired, she adopts this fake persona. But what happens when the emails stop?

Cast

Riko Narumi ... Juri Oshima
Atsuko Maeda ... Hinako Hanada
Mariko Ishihara ... Satsuki Oshima
Yoshizumi Ishihara ... Masashi Sugitani
Sousuke Takaoka ... Hiroyuki Tamura
Yoshimasa Kondo ... Kenichi Furugaki
Kaoru Okunuki ... Hinako's mother
Tomorowo Taguchi ... Koji Ueshima


Review


At first glance, this seems like another “seishun eiga” or youth drama. But Director Jun Ichikawa transcends the clichés associated with this popular film genre and focuses on how two girls struggle to define their individual identities in modern Japanese society.

Personally I really like this movie. It depicts the struggles of two persons to find their places in society. Juri(Riko Narumi) is a popular girl in their school who struggles to find what family really means in the other hand Hinako( Atsuko Maeda) is an outcast who transfered to another school to avoid her past. They both find strength with each other as they travel the long hard path of life. I recommend that you watch this movie for it is one of those worth-to-watch movies. It will surely touch the deepest part of your heart.

Note: Full version can be seen at crunchyroll.com