is a 2005 Japanese

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

written and directed by

Takashi Yamazaki is a Japanese visual effects artist, television producer, director, screenwriter, and actor. He won the Japan Academy Film Prize for Director of the Year, Director of the Year and Japan Academy Film Prize for Screenplay of the Year, Screenplay o ...

, based on the

manga Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...

Sunset on Third Street is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Ryōhei Saigan. It has been serialized in Shogakukan's ''seinen'' manga ''Big Comic Original'' since 1974, with its chapters collected in 69 ''tankōbon'' volumes as of May 2022. It has ...

'' by Ryōhei Saigan. It was chosen as Picture of the Year at the

Japan Academy Film Prize The , often called the Japan Academy Prize, the Japan Academy Awards, and the Japanese Academy Awards, is a series of awards given annually since 1978 by the Japan Academy Film Prize Association (日本アカデミー賞協会, ''Nippon Akademii- ...

in 2006. The film spawned two

sequel A sequel is a work of literature, film, theatre, television, music or video game that continues the story of, or expands upon, some earlier work. In the common context of a narrative work of fiction, a sequel portrays events set in the same ...

s, '' Always: Sunset on Third Street 2'' (2007) and '' Always: Sunset on Third Street '64'' (2012).

Plot

In 1958, with the impending completion of Tokyo's TV broadcasting tower as a symbol of Japan's escalating post-war economic recovery, rural schoolgirl Mutsuko (Maki Horikita) arrives from the provinces to begin her first job with Suzuki Auto. Initially impressed by meeting company "president" Norifumi Suzuki (Shinichi Tsutsumi), Mutsuko is shocked to discover her workplace is actually a shabby auto repair shop in Tokyo's down-at-heel Yuhi district. Suzuki is a bad-tempered employer but Mutsuko is welcomed by his wife, Tomoe (Hiroko Yakushimaru), and their impish 5-year-old son, Ippei (Kazuki Koshimizu). One of Ippei's favorite haunts is a five-and-dime store managed by struggling serial writer Ryunosuke Chagawa (Hidetaka Yoshioka). Regarding now-successful writers like Nobel-prize winner Kenzaburo Oe, as overrated, Chagawa wants to be more than a hack churning out sci-fi yarns and selling cheap toys on the side. When alluring newcomer Hiromi (Koyuki) opens a sake bar in the area, she gathers clientele quickly—in dramatically compressed manga style—but also finds herself lumbered with Junnosuke (Kenta Suga) the orphaned offspring of the bar's previous tenant. Drunk, and smitten by Hiromi, Chagawa accepts custodianship of the boy.

Reception

The film ranked 15th at the Japanese box office in 2005, and won 12 prizes at the

2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...

Japanese Academy Awards The , often called the Japan Academy Prize, the Japan Academy Awards, and the Japanese Academy Awards, is a series of awards given annually since 1978 by the Japan Academy Film Prize Association (日本アカデミー賞協会, ''Nippon Akademii- ...

, including the awards for Best Film, Director, Actor and Screenplay. It also won the audience award at the 2006

New York Asian Film Festival The New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) is a critically acclaimed film festival held in New York City, dedicated to the display of Asian Film Culture. The New York Asian Film Festival generally features contemporary premieres and classic titles ...

Cast

Maki Horikita is a Japanese former actress. During her career from 2003 until 2017, she starred in numerous Japanese television dramas, television and magazine advertisements, and movies, including roles in ''Nobuta wo Produce'', ''Hanazakari no Kimitachi e' ...

as Mutsuko Hoshino, the apprentice *

Hidetaka Yoshioka is a Japanese actor known for his performance in several movies as a child and lately the award-winning TV drama Dr. Coto's Clinic. He notably played the part of Tora-san's little nephew in the "Otoko wa Tsurai yo" film series, and he appeared ...

as Ryunosuke Chagawa, the writer *

Shinichi Tsutsumi is a Japanese stage and screen actor. Internationally, he is best known for his roles as Koichi Takagi in the ''Monday'' films, Tetsuya Ishigami in the ''Suspect X'' films, and Jo Sawashiro in '' Yakuza: Like a Dragon.'' In Japan, he is best kno ...

as Norifumi Suzuki, the mechanic *

Koyuki , better known by her stage name , is a Japanese model and actress. She rose to fame in the drama '' Kimi wa Petto'' with Jun Matsumoto and gained huge popularity, as well as the hit film ''The Last Samurai''. Career Actor career Koyuki appeared ...

as Hiromi Ishizaki, sake bar owner *

Hiroko Yakushimaru is a common feminine Japanese given name. Name meanings Hiroko can be written using different kanji characters and can mean: *裕子, "kind child" *弘子, "Beautiful child" *寛子, " small child" *浩子, "large child" *博子, "wise child" *� ...

as Tomoe Suzuki, the mechanic's wife *

Kazuki Koshimizu Kazuki (written: , , , , , , , , or in hiragana) is a masculine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include: *, Japanese wrestler *, Japanese anime director *, Japanese footballer *, Japanese footballer *, Japanese footballer *, J ...

as Ippei Suzuki, the mechanic's son *

Kenta Suga is a Japanese actor who is represented by the talent agency, Central Group, then Horipro. Filmography TV series Films Theatre *''Live Spectacle Naruto 2015'' (as Gaara) *''Hyper Projection Engeki: Haikyu!!'' (as Shoyo Hinata) (2015 — 20 ...

as Junnosuke Furuyuki, the abandoned boy

References

External links

* * * * * {{Hochi Film Award for Best Film 2005 drama films 2005 films Films directed by Takashi Yamazaki Films scored by Naoki Satō Films set in Tokyo Japanese drama films 2000s Japanese-language films Live-action films based on manga Picture of the Year Japan Academy Prize winners Sunset on Third Street Toho films 2000s Japanese films