Hankyū Densha Explained

Hankyu Densha
Director:	Yoshishige Miyake
Based On:	"Hankyu Densha" by Hiro Arikawa
Starring:	Miki Nakatani
Studio:	Cocoon Co., Ltd.
Distributor:	Toho
Released:
Country:	Japan
Language:	Japanese

is a 2011 Japanese film. It is based on the novel Hankyū Densha by Hiro Arikawa^[1] and directed by Yoshishige Miyake. It was released in cinemas in the Kansai region of Japan on April 23, 2011, and then in other regions of the country from April 29.

The stage for the story is the commuter railway Hankyū Imazu Line in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.^[2]

Cast

• Miki Nakatani as Shoko Takase, an office lady in her 30s. She was engaged to her boyfriend when she entered the company, but he was stolen away by a younger co-worker.^[3]
• Erika Toda as Misa Morioka, a college student with a good-for-nothing boyfriend.
• Kaho Minami as Yasue Ito
• Tetsuji Tamayama as Ryuta Toyama
• Nobuko Miyamoto as Tokie Hagiwara, a traditional old woman and the grandmother of Ami. The young Tokie was played by Mei Kurokawa.
• Kasumi Arimura as Etsuko Kadota
• Mana Ashida as Ami Hagiwara, Tokie's suffering granddaughter.^[4] Ashida was selected for this role because she is from Nishinomiya, Hyogo, and is able to speak naturally in the Kansai dialect.
• Mikahoa Mina as a housewife who is part of a circle of women who have a rich husband.
• Ryo Katsuji as Keiichi Kosaka
• Yū Koyanagi as Katsuya
• Suzuka Morita as Etsuko's friend
• Mitsuki Tanimura as Miho Gondawara
• Saki Aibu as Mayumi
• Tsutomu Takahashi as Kengo

Film festival

This film was featured in the 3rd Okinawa International Movie Festival in the "Peace" category.^[5]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Mana Ashida joins "Hankyu Densha" cast . Sports Hochi . tokyograph . 28 November 2010 . 2011-02-26.
2. Web site: Ouellette . Kevin . Hankyu Densha . Nippon Cinema . Nippon Cinema . 11 February 2011 . 2011-03-01 . 2011-02-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110216004618/http://www.nipponcinema.com/trailers/hankyu-densha-trailer . dead .
3. Web site: HPriest . Miki Nakatani stars in "Hankyu Densha" movie . Kawaii Joyuu . Kawaii Joyuu . 5 August 2010 . 2011-03-01 . 2012-03-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120314123747/http://www.kawaii-joyuu.com/2010/08/05/miki-nakatani-stars-in-hankyu-densha-movie/ . dead .
4. Web site: HPriest . Press conference held for "Hankyu Densha", starring Nakatani Miki and Toda Erika . Cinema Today, Mantan-Web . tokyohive . 22 February 2011 . 2011-03-10.
5. Web site: Okinawa International Movie Festival Homepage . 2011-04-11 . Okinawa International Movie Festival Execution Committee . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110724103755/http://www.oimf.jp/en/lineup/peace/hankyudensha.php . 2011-07-24 .