Directed by: Yusaku Matsumoto
2018
/ 115 minutes
/ Unclassified 15+ (under 15s must be accompanied by an adult)
Akihabara’s dark side shown in a new light
Akihabara is a playground for anime, gaming and idol subcultures, but also home to a shady underbelly riddled with exploitation and isolation. Eight years after the Akihabara massacre, the ripple effects of trauma manifest in the lives of three young adults: Misa, (whose mother was killed in the incident) an underground idol and JK masseuse; Rie, who secretly dropped out of school to hang with the wrong crowd; and Ken, a young man dragged into debt by his own mother, with a festering violent streak waiting to be unleashed.
Idol Kokoro Shinozaki (Miss iD, 2015) shines in her breakthrough role as troubled and complex Misa. Much like her character, the actress experienced a tough family life growing up and worked at a JK (high school girl) massage parlour and as an underground idol as a teenager.
The debut feature film from Yusaku Matsumoto uses three non-linear narrative arcs that fleetingly connect, mirroring the scale of isolation and disconnectedness in the mega-city. As a teenager, the devastation of the massacre and the suicide of his friend left a profound impact on the director: Noise is an emotional tribute to the scars of violence and the consequences of a fractured society.
Event Cinemas Brisbane Myer Centre, Brisbane
Event Cinemas Innaloo, Perth
Event Cinemas George Street, Sydney
The Capitol, Melbourne
Director: Yusaku Matsumoto
Director of Photography: Kentaro Kishi
Screenplay: Yusaku Matsumoto
Producer: Yusaku Matsumoto
Cast: Kokoro Shinozaki, Kosuke Suzuki, Urara Anjo, Kenji Kohashi, Takashi Nishina, Hiroshi Fuse, Yuki Kitagawa, Sakura Kawasaki and Suzu Hinata
Format: DCP colour