Wow! Such a good movie.

Very Cool!!!

Too much of everything

Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

Momoko Ryugasaki (Kyôko Fukada) is the daughter of a smalltime gangster (Hiroyuki Miyasako) that forges Versace brand and a lowlife woman. Momoko is smitten by the Rococo period and dresses in a Lolita style, with frilly dresses and embroidery bonnet. She is raised by her father since her mother divorced him to marry her gynecologist, and he has taught her how to perfectly embroider. When Mr. Ryugasaki includes the Universal Studios brand in his products, he is forced to move to the rural Shimotsuma with Momoko to live in the house of her grandmother. Momoko decides to sell her collection of forged Versace and Universal Studios to make money to buy her expensive clothing. The rebel "yanki" Ichigo Shirayuri (Anna Tsuchiya) visits Momoko to buy clothes and soon they begin the most unlikely friendship. "Shimotsuma monogatari", a.k.a. "Kamikaze Girls" is an absolutely original and surreal movie. The definition of department stores and groups in the Japanese pop culture is awesome. Unfortunately I found this movie too related to the Japanese sub-culture for youths, very different from the Western one, and I did not enjoy as much as I expected. My vote is six.Title (Brazil): Not Available

The opening of this movie certainly impresses, using different media and a riot of colours. The story also seems off-beat with a gangster world mixed with fairy tales. However after about 20 minutes the movie settles for a more linear approach and all the jokes and quirkiness disappear. The problem is that the story itself is pretty boring: biker chick wants to find herself with the aid of rococo girl. Most acting is 1 dimensional in this sometimes surreal world.I just wish directors like this would distribute all the gimmicks throughout the length of the movie and also to keep the story interesting, I just didn't care for the characters. A lost opportunity.

A completely enchanting and engrossing comedy-drama about two 17 year old girls, vastly different from each other (one a self-absorbed dreamer with a love for Rococco period fashion and behavior; the other a rebellious biker chick), who become friends and change each other's lives. The film makes the most of this simple plot line, and it's the compelling personalities of the characters, beautifully overplayed by Kyoko Fukada and Anna Tsuchiya, respectively. The film is told through a color-saturated visualization and stylish direction by Tetsuya Nakashima, who adopts a manic style not unlike that of Jean-Pierre Jeunet in AMELIA or Tom Twyker in RUN LOLA RUN, with jump-cut flashbacks, bizarre cut-aways and edits; the effervescent vitality of Nakashima's direction coupled with the performances of the lead and supporting cast really make this film a fascinating and repeatedly watchable experience. Also of note is a terrific score, which varies from J-Pop to American hard rock and punk, to classical (one fight scene is set to Strauss' Blue Danube) and really sets the film's aural tone and pacing; Yoko Kanno (MEMORIES, ESCALFLOWNE, GHOST IN THE SHELL: STANDALONE COMPLEX, and Nakashima's previous SUMMER TALE) is responsible for the underscore and several of the songs.

Nakashima Tetsuya's wonderful "Shimotsuma Monogatari" (Shimotsuma Story) is quite a unique and charming film. I had my doubts at first but the film turned out to be a refreshing surprise. Mixing anime, quirky narrative, inventive storytelling, outrageous comedy and Japanese Pop Culture charm this movie is a really endearing movie.Stylistically, as others have noted, it does recall movies like "Trainspotting" and "Run, Lola, Run" but I think "Shimotsuma Monogatari" is much closer in style to Yaguchi Shinobu's "Swing Girls" and "Waterboys", both of which are also really wonderful.J-Pop singer/actress Fukuda Kyoko is infectiously cute as Momoko, the "Lolita" fashion obsessed girl with a naive yet surprising take on life. Her French 17th Century (Rocco) styled fashions are at times oddball and avant-garde and yet surprisingly cool looking that it's little wonder why American Pop Singer Gwen Stefani has drawn inspiration from this fashion trend for her L.A.M.B. fashion line and to dress her Harajuku Girls.Anna Tsuchiya is also a wonderful surprise as Ichiko/Ichigo, the tough talking "Yanki" Sukeban with a heart of gold. She has most of the best lines in the movie and is also quite a cutie (behind the Sukeban makeup).The only criticism I have for the film is the stupid American title "Kamikaze Girls". It really doesn't do justice to the film at all and is a real turnoff as it brings to mind a "Yakuza" film or perhaps a war picture in a stereotyping tongue-and-cheek way. Why not just call it simply "Momoko and Ichigo" (i.e. Peaches and Strawberry) or some other title that is a bit more relevant.Other than that this film is a pure joy and delight and a welcomed change to Japanese cinema.