I saw this on the airplane while everyone else was watching Narnia or something. It was nuts - in an old skool style similar to the Marx Brothers. I think if you were Japanese you would look down on it as puerile rubbish. But it was just so silly I loved it.
The story is simple enough. A Japanese businessman skives off work to go fishing and has various misadventures before a feelgood ending.
I couldn't believe that this was in fact the 16th film in the series. I thought the title just happened to have the number 16 on the end. As far as I can tell the series follow this happy-go-lucky central character. I can't think of a Western series that has gone on for this long. Maybe that's a good thing! Certainly in the UK we would see this more as a TV series than a film franchise - but then I'd have missed it. What it does show however is that perhaps we need more likable characters in films. Most central roles in the West are either idiots, nasty or devious.
The story is simple enough. A Japanese businessman skives off work to go fishing and has various misadventures before a feelgood ending.
I couldn't believe that this was in fact the 16th film in the series. I thought the title just happened to have the number 16 on the end. As far as I can tell the series follow this happy-go-lucky central character. I can't think of a Western series that has gone on for this long. Maybe that's a good thing! Certainly in the UK we would see this more as a TV series than a film franchise - but then I'd have missed it. What it does show however is that perhaps we need more likable characters in films. Most central roles in the West are either idiots, nasty or devious.