Initiation Love (Japanese: イニシエーション・ラブ, Hepburn: Inishiēshon rabu) is a Japanese romance film directed by Yukihiko Tsutsumi. It was released in Japan on May 23, 2015.
The film is based on a novel of the same name by Kurumi Inui.
Contents
Plot
During the 80s in Japan, a college student named Suzuki falls in love with Mayu, a dental hygienist. But dreams beckon him to Tokyo, forcing their relationship to become a long-distance one. As he develops insecurities in their long distance arrangement, his relationship with Miyako, a colleague, begins blurring the lines of friendship and temptation. Under this strain on their relationship, Mayu and Suzuki begin drifting apart.
Cast
Atsuko Maeda as Mayuko "Mayu" Naruoka
Kanro Morita as Suzuki from Side A
Shota Matsuda as Suzuki (also known as Takkun)
Fumino Kimura as Miyako Ishimaru
Takahiro Miura as Kaido
Tomoya Maeno
Noritake Kinashi as Shizuoka Branch Manager
Satomi Tezuka as Shiho Ishimaru
Tsurutaro Kitaoka as Kouki Ishimaru
Miyabi Matsuura as Natsuko
Ayako Yoshitani as Yuko
Ryô Satô as Madoka
Reception
As of June 14, 2015, the film had grossed ¥1.05 billion at the Japanese box office.
On Film Business Asia, Derek Elley gave the film an 8 out of 10 and called it a "well-cast, slickly entertaining '80s rom-com [that] has more than just its Big Twist."