Cover Art

Credits

Director: Toshiaki Toyoda Starring: Ryuhei Matsuda, Hirofumi Arai, Sousuke Takaoka and Yusuke Oshiba Screenplay: Toshiaki Toyoda (based on a comic by Taiyo Matsumoto) Country: Japan AKA: Aoi haru

The story centres around the power struggles and classroom politics of a somewhat bleak Japanese high school. The students are more concerned with the power politics of who is in control amongst their number, rather than gaining any academic prowess. The deciding factor as to who is 'boss' over the students is in the conducting of a dangerous 'clapping' game. This 'game' involves going to the highest level of the school building, standing on the outside of an iron railing fence and clapping without falling. The one who can do the most claps and still manage to grab back onto the iron railing is the winner, and also becomes 'boss'. Disaffected youth Kujo manages to win this 'game' and becomes the new 'boss'. However, his disinterestedness results in some disillusionment within the lower ranks, and his friend Aoki quickly becomes his opponent, vying for the position of power. Things escalate until the ultimate and inevitably tragic climax.

Blue Spring, though brutal at times, is a strangely haunting and beautiful film. Director Toshiaki Toyoda handles the material exceptionally well and is aided by a superb cast, who manage to give their characters real depth and feeling. Ryuhei Matsuda, who plays Kujo, is outstanding, stealing the show in every scene he's in. He makes the role of Kujo his own, imbuing a tangible sense of nihilism and hopelessness into his character.

Sure, Blue Spring is a bleak film, but it's that very factor that makes the whole thing so lyrical and emotive. The violence is never overdone, with much of it happening off-screen, but it's still potent stuff – sometimes less is more, as they say, and this film proves that very point. However, the violence is a part of the fabric of the story, so it needs to be there, to show the utter hopelessness and despair of the situation the characters have found themselves in, and to show their complete amorality and disregard for the rules of ordinary adult society.