Dr. Akagi, known in

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...

as , is a 1998 Japanese

Comedy-drama Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau ''dramedy'', is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and drama. The modern, scripted-television examples tend to have more humorous bits than simple comic relief seen in a typical ...

film by director Shohei Imamura. For his work on the film, Yosuke Yamashita was awarded Best Film Score at the 1999 Mainichi Film Concours.

Plot

The film concerns Dr. Akagi, a doctor on an island in the

Seto Inland Sea The , sometimes shortened to the Inland Sea, is the body of water separating Honshū, Shikoku, and Kyūshū, three of the four main islands of Japan. It serves as a waterway connecting the Pacific Ocean to the Sea of Japan. It connects to ...

area during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

. He runs into conflict with the military while trying to combat a

hepatitis Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver tissue. Some people or animals with hepatitis have no symptoms, whereas others develop yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes ( jaundice), poor appetite, vomiting, tiredness, abdominal ...

epidemic. Akagi earns the nickname "Dr. Liver" (カンゾー先生 ''Kanzō-sensei'') because of his work, though the townsfolk use it as a humorous dig at his persistent diagnosis. Though the broad circumstance of Japan slowly losing the war is the setting, many of the interactions and situations tilt into humor, for instance; the very music used for the doctor running from patient to patient has an upbeat and light-hearted tone.

Cast

Akira Emoto is a Japanese actor. Career In 1999, he won the Japanese Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in '' Dr. Akagi''. He also won the award for best supporting actor at the 7th Hochi Film Award for ''Dotonbori River'' and '' Hearts and F ...

: Dr. Fûu Akagi *

Kumiko Asō , better known by her stage name , is a Japanese actress. She is also a model and has participated in several commercials. Career In 1995, Asō made her film debut in ''Bad Guy Beach''. With her role in the 1998 film '' Dr. Akagi'', she receive ...

: Sonoko Mannami *

Jacques Gamblin Jacques Gamblin is a French actor. Life and career Jacques Gamblin is a French actor. He studied at the Centre dramatique de Caen (Caen Dramatic Arts Centre). Originally, Jacques Gamblin was not destined to act. As a professional technician ...

: Pete *

Tomorowo Taguchi is a Japanese actor, film director and musician. After leaving Dokkyo University without graduating, he started to earn his living as an illustrator, writer and pornographic cartoonist. He joined a theatre called Hakken no Kai in 1978 and he ma ...

: Nosaka *

Yukiya Kitamura is a Japanese actor represented by Tom company. His father is actor Kazuo Kitamura and his wife is actress Shiho Takano. Biography While in Tokyo Metropolitan Institute Fuji High School, Kitamura was interested in theater and wants to be an asp ...

: Sankichi *

Misa Shimizu is a Japanese actress. She made her screen debut by winning the heroine audition for 1987 film ''Shōnan Bōsōzoku''. She starred in NHK's morning drama series ''Seishun Kazoku'' in 1989. She portrayed Keiko, the female protagonist, in Palme d ...

: Gin *

Masatō Ibu is a Japanese actor and voice actor. He is sometimes credited as Masato Eve. Filmography Films * ''Love Hotel'' (1985) *'' Maison Ikkoku'' (1986) *'' Empire of the Sun'' (1987) – Sgt. Nagata *''Sukeban Deka'' (1987) *'' Toki o Kakeru Shō ...

: Ikeda *

Masanori Sera Masanori Sera ( ja, 世良公則) is a Japanese singer and actor from Fukuyama Hiroshima. He graduated from Osaka University of Arts. As a singer Sera's rock band, Sera Masanori&TWIST appeared in the Kōhaku Uta Gassen twice (1978 and 1979). He ...

Ben Hiura is a Japanese actor and voice actor affiliated with the Seinenza Theater Company. Hiura is known for dubbing over Bruce Willis, Richard Dreyfuss, John Malkovich, Joe Pesci and many more. Filmography Films *''Goyokin'' (1969) – Rokuzo *'' Fuji ...

Kaoru Mizuki is a Japanese actress. She won the Award for Best Supporting Actress at the 15th Yokohama Film Festival for '' Tsuge Yoshiharu World: Gensenkan Shujin''. Filmography * '' Tsuge Yoshiharu World: Gensenkan Shujin'' (1993) * ''Kamen Rider Hibiki'' ...

Sanshō Shinsui was a Japanese actor. Biography Shinsui's ex-wife was Midori Hagio. His older brother was director and actor Ryusaku Shinsui. Shinsui once belonged to Tokyo Kid Brothers. After he left that, he launched the theatrical troupe Mr. Slim Company i ...

Eri Watanabe , who was previously known as , is a Japanese actress. She won the award for Best Supporting Actress at the 21st Hochi Film Awards for '' Shall We Dance?''. Filmography Films *''Comic Magazine'' (1986) *''Crest of Betrayal'' (1994) *'' Shall We ...

Ayumi Ito is a Japanese actress from Tokyo, Japan. Career Ito played a supporting role in ''Tokyo!''. She also appeared in Kiyoshi Kurosawa's 2012 television drama ''Penance''. Filmography Film * ''Samurai Kids'' (1993) – Chizuko Kusubayashi * '' Swal ...

Dutch, British soldiers- US Marines from MCAS Iwakuni MALS-12, Japanese Rugby Team , and representatives of Teachers of English language in Japan.

References

External links

*
Free to Roam
(film review) at chicagoreader.com. Films directed by Shohei Imamura 1998 films Japanese comedy films Toei Company films 1990s Japanese films {{1990s-Japan-film-stub

Plot

Cast

See also

References

External links