On its surface Iwai Shunji's second film for television seems quite simple. However, even in his work for a mass television audience, Iwai's creation has a certain style that makes his films unique. Fireworks, short for _Fireworks, should we see them from the bottom or from the side, takes place in a small seaside village called Iioka. A town so small that classrooms are filled with students of various ages, including our protagonist Shimada Norimichi, his love interest Oikawa Nazuna, and his gang of friends who range from a Minoru who looks like he is around nine to Kazuhiro who looks to be around fourteen of fifteen years old.
Life seems to be quite simple for Norimichi and friends. They tell bawdy jokes, play Super Famicom games, and, as for one of the older students, grope their young teacher. However, Nazuna's family life is far from ideal. Her mother plans to divorce her father and move to Tokyo, taking her young daughter with her. Miura-sensei, not wanting to let her students know that Nazuna won't be returning after summer break, keeps it a secret from her students.
Later, Norimichi and his friend Yusuke race each other in the school's pool. Unbeknowst to him, Nazuna had decided to ask out the winner of the race. Unfortunately, Norimichi bangs his foot on the side of the pool so Yusuke is asked out instead. If only he had not banged his foot...
It is at this point the film shifts and Iwai goes on to show what would happen if Norimichi had not banged his foot. This is a lovely little film with some quite tender moments of puppy love. Check it out if you want to see all of Iwai's films.
Life seems to be quite simple for Norimichi and friends. They tell bawdy jokes, play Super Famicom games, and, as for one of the older students, grope their young teacher. However, Nazuna's family life is far from ideal. Her mother plans to divorce her father and move to Tokyo, taking her young daughter with her. Miura-sensei, not wanting to let her students know that Nazuna won't be returning after summer break, keeps it a secret from her students.
Later, Norimichi and his friend Yusuke race each other in the school's pool. Unbeknowst to him, Nazuna had decided to ask out the winner of the race. Unfortunately, Norimichi bangs his foot on the side of the pool so Yusuke is asked out instead. If only he had not banged his foot...
It is at this point the film shifts and Iwai goes on to show what would happen if Norimichi had not banged his foot. This is a lovely little film with some quite tender moments of puppy love. Check it out if you want to see all of Iwai's films.
