This follows the story of illustrator Okusawa Ritsu and salesman Ikegami Fumiya. They met at an old coffee shop and eventually fell in love and lived happily together. However, a misunderstanding gradually arises between Ritsu, who lives freely, and Fumiya, who is swayed by it. After a fight one winter day, Ritsu leaves the house and is involved in an accident, and loses consciousness. Upon awakening, Ritsu had lost only the memory of Fumiya. Wanting to start their relationship over from scratch, Fumiya hides the fact that he was dating Ritsu and resumes their joint life. However, Ritsu asks him to take him to a familiar place in order to regain his memory. Fumiya is reluctant, but the two of them start a "journey" to follow the trajectory of their relationship. The coffee shop where they met for the first time, the riverside road they always strolled, the places they both traveled to before dating... Sweet memories and bittersweet memories, the time they spend together haunts Fumiya's mind. Ritsu, on the other hand, finds himself gradually becoming attracted to Fumiya while losing his memory.
Both movies have aspects of bullying. YourName Engraved Herein focuses more on LGBTQ+ struggles. Both movies have a love story between two students who are being ostracized by the cruel society that we live in. Both are sad, poignant and just amazing. Also, I noticed some similarities with the art direction for both films. Great acting, cinematography and dialogue is seen in both films. So go watch both of this critically acclaimed films.
HEAR ME OUT ON THIS ONE...
If you were into the quiet, aching tension that gnawed in their hearts between Jia-han and Birdy, you might like Soulmate. It follows two girls who've known each other since childhood, they grow up really close together, but then start drifting apart as they get older as life pulls them in opposite directions. The movie isn't mainly classified as an queer movie, but its essence captures a deeply intimate, tragic bond between two souls who refuse to acknowledge the deeper layers of their connection—but then lose each other on the way.
Soulmate would be YNEH if it was Yuri, Korean, and if the director was homophobic—not in a "kill the gays" type of way, but more like the director had internalized homophobia and had to project that hatred onto a minority (NO HATE). For me, the ending of Soulmate was tragically beautiful. You won't get the same type of closure as in YNEH, but it's enough to move on from the movie.
If you were into the quiet, aching tension that gnawed in their hearts between Jia-han and Birdy, you might like Soulmate. It follows two girls who've known each other since childhood, they grow up really close together, but then start drifting apart as they get older as life pulls them in opposite directions. The movie isn't mainly classified as an queer movie, but its essence captures a deeply intimate, tragic bond between two souls who refuse to acknowledge the deeper layers of their connection—but then lose each other on the way.
Soulmate would be YNEH if it was Yuri, Korean, and if the director was homophobic—not in a "kill the gays" type of way, but more like the director had internalized homophobia and had to project that hatred onto a minority (NO HATE). For me, the ending of Soulmate was tragically beautiful. You won't get the same type of closure as in YNEH, but it's enough to move on from the movie.
A change in the stakeout team throws Onoe, reporter for a weekly magazine, together with his contemporary, Kaburagi, a photographer. Onoe secretly considers Kaburagi his rival, and Kaburagi's haphazard way of doing things goes against Onoe's strong sense of ethics. There's nothing but conflict between them. But, in joint pursuit of a scandal, the two of them begin to care about each other...? ~~ Adapted from the manga "Ameiro Paradox" by Natsume Isaku
