I love this movie. Not only is Yusuke Kubozuka the man but this movie is just done really really well. It is a very good combination of stylistically surreal scenes such as the basketball scene and the race against the train, along with a plot that delves into issues that are very prevalent in Japanese society. A good friend of mine has experienced quite a bit of this prejudice in Japan being of partially Korean descent. It's actually been a little while since I've seen the movie so I can't really comment on too much of the specifics, but I just remember it as being a very intense experience that came through on a number of levels, combining an interesting love story, cool action sequences, humor, social commentary, and a coming of age story all into one amazing movie. Also it was great to see the actor who played the father again because he was so cool back in "Tampopo".
