MovieChat Forums > Ima, ai ni yukimasu (2004) Discussion > help with the plot

help with the plot

posted 16 years ago by dkarantoniss
16 replies | jump to latest

Hi to all,
I have recently seen the movie and made a very good impression.

But, it seems like I have some problems understanding the plot. I am a bit confused concerning Mio’s decision at the hospital after the car accident. Does she imagine the whole thing about having a family? Does she actually meets Takumi and lives the life she had dreamt off while being at the hospital? And why does she decide to die and return (meaning, is it necessary to die)? Finally, what about the little dolls that Yuji used to hang on the net? Do they mean something?

I have seen many Asian movies and can tell that this is one of the most weird (in a good way) movies I have ever seen (including ‘A tale of two sisters’ and ‘Il mare’).

By the way, does anybody know the title of the novel that this movie was based on and if it has been published around the world?

Thanx,
Dimitris

[–] caseijoe 16 years ago

Hello,

I don´t think she imagines the whole thing as Yuji gets his birthday cake (she arranged in the "present" that he would get one for each birthday until he turns 18). Remember when Takumi is reading her diary at the end? That backs up that they didn´t imagine it imho.

She decides to die and return? You mean when she returns to her body to awake from the coma to meet Takumi?

In the present she learned that her love isn´t one sided but also what fate she would expect if she chooses to marry Takumi. Despite facing certain death (at age 28 iirc) she chose to go and meet Takumi in that kind of "sunflower garden".

With present i mean the timeframe when Yuji was a child.

I didn´t think that this movie was weird/confusing(or are you talking about the timeframes?), maybe you should watch it again sometime.

Totally love this movie :)

[–] dkarantoniss 16 years ago

Hi,
thanx for the quick response.

I am a great fun of asian movies and agree completely with you that this movie has been a wonderful experience.

I still think it is weird, but i mean it in a good way. Let's say that it is something different than ordinary movies, very cleaver and sentimental.

While watching it, i didn't understand what happened at the hospital, after Mio's car accident. If i am not annoying you, maybe you could write down in a few lines concerning what happened there. I mean, what sort of deal had she made on that hospital? Did she agreed with her self to return from the dead or is it her imagination, etc...As far as the diary and the birthday cake you are mentioning, they could be also inside Mio's dream, that continues after the rainy season ends and Mio's leaving.

In any case, you are correct, i should watch it again.

Do you happen to know the novel that the movie was based on?

thanx

[–] caseijoe 16 years ago

Ok, this is how i understood it:

In the "past" when she got hit by the car she fell into a coma. Her consciousness then appears in the "present" (Yuji a child). That´s why she is so confused and can´t remember anything from the past because she didn´t experience it yet. In the present she learns what her future with Takumi would have been like(or rather would become?). She also meets her son Yuji, i think she died when giving birth to him, so it´s her first and last time seeing him. That´s why she´s ordering the birthday cakes in the present.
When the rainy season ends her consciousness returns to her body, therefore she awakens from the coma and decides that it´s worth dieing for that love because Takumi really loves her from the bottom of his heart and their child Yuji.
If she hadn´t learned what she has she would´ve probably given up on Takumi and married someone else, thinking this was just a one sided love.

Future would be when Yuji is a teenager and Takumi is old and reading the diary. Sorry if my text is a bit confusing but english isn´t my mother tongue so i can´t express myself as well as i´d like to.

It could also be possibly that she is imagining everything while sleeping in coma and that´s why we never saw her getting out of the hospital. But that would be too cruel for me.

I don´t know the name of the novel but from i´ve read in this forum it was never released outside asia. I´d be interested in the book as well :)

And i too fell in love with asian movies. They´re so different (weird sounds so negative in my ears :p) from western movies that it´s really refreshing. Maybe it´s also because of the missing advertisement, that i usually only have a vague idea before watching them. Some caught me really offguard and hit me hard (emotional).

[–] dkarantoniss 16 years ago

Hi again,
many thanks for the explanation.

So, as i understand, you mean that when she falls into the comma she is actually transfered to the future and that it is not a dream, but the 'future reality' (maybe that's why the box she has hidden the diary in, is called - something like - a 'time capsule'). After returning form the coma she actually calls Takumi and when she is travelling by train, she thinks that it worths living a small life with the ones you love (because she knew from the 'future reality' that she was going to die by making this selection).
I think this is a very good explanation and in my opinion, it doesn't make a big difference whether she is dreaming or she is in a 'future reality' state during her coma. Anyway, i agree that it is better if it is the reality!
Also, i don't think that she died after giving birth to Yuzi, because at the beginning of the movie, during her funeral, Yuzi is at the age of 6-7 (can't tell accurately).
Can you think of what were the little dolls that Yuzi kept hanging on the net (i think one for each month that her mother stayed with them during the 'future' state)?
As i have told you, for the last 2 years i have seen about 90% asian movies. This movie touched me emotionally like only few movies have (even if i didn't understood the plot quite well).

Thanx again for the help.
If you want, maybe we can exchange proposals concerning asian movies that we have both seen and liked...

regards,
Dimitris

[–] caseijoe 16 years ago

Yes thats what i think :)
If she hadn´t met Takumis female Co-Worker i too would say it was either the imagination of Takumi and Yujo or the imagination of Mio. I think that scene was in there to imply it was somehow real.

You are absolutely right with the birth thing. I forgot he already went to (junior?)school when his mother was dead for just one year. But he asked his father and his mother if it was his fault that Mio died, when they ask him why he thinks so he responds that the relatives told him. The reason for her death was never told was it?

Theese little dolls closely resemble ghosts. Maybe my memory is playing tricks but he hung the first doll at school on the day before she came? Could have something to do with his four leaf clover wish for her to return. I dont know :(

Asian (almost exclusive japanese) movies i´ve seen and liked were:

Heavenly Forest
http://imdb.com/title/tt0872022/

nobody knows
http://imdb.com/title/tt0408664/

Blue Spring
http://imdb.com/title/tt0309291/

Go
http://imdb.com/title/tt0299937/

Nana
http://imdb.com/title/tt0471834/

Linda Linda Linda
http://imdb.com/title/tt0468795/

Swing Girls
http://imdb.com/title/tt0435434/

Samaria
http://imdb.com/title/tt0397619/

Laundry
http://imdb.com/title/tt0303357/

Fireworks
http://imdb.com/title/tt0119250/

About Love
http://imdb.com/title/tt0456821/

1 Litre of Tears
http://imdb.com/title/tt0494724/

They are in no particular order but the last 2 are a "must see" (in my opinion) if you haven´t already. What are your favorite asian movies?

[–] dkarantoniss 16 years ago

Hi,
you are correct about Takumi's female co-worker and her meeting with Mio, but this could have also happened inside the dream because their meeting takes place when Mio is still in the coma. The more i think about the movie (and i think about it a lot since i saw it the first time...), the more i believe that it makes more sense if it is a dream. But this is just my opinion.
Yes, it gives no information concerning Mio's death. You are correct about Yuji's feeling guilty for his mother's death. And this is enforced by the fact that Yuji took this idea from his relatives (they thought that he was responsible for his mother's death in the first place). But during the fumeral he is already a little child and also he has memories of his mother (remember that he is sad when he understands that his mother has no memories of him). What to say?
Concerning the little ghost dolls, i make simiral thoughts.
I prefer the Korean movies.
Here are some suggestions. Note that these are not only emotional movies, but also violence, war, epic, social, etc, movies, but always the unique ones (not using the 'weird' word again).

-Chan Wook Park's trilogy:
-> Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
-> Old Boy
-> Sympathy for Lady Vengeance
->Joint Security Area (war)

-Kar Wai Wong
->Chungking Express
->Fallen Angels

-Jae-young Kwak
->My Sassy Girl

-Ki-duk kim
->Spring, summer, fall, winter
->Bad Guy (http://imdb.com/title/tt0307213/)
->Empty Houses - 3 iron

-Takeshi Kitano
->Dolls
->Kids return

-Kinji Fukasaku
->Battle Royale

-Zhang Zimu (epic and a bit commercial but very good)
->House of the flying daggers

-Hayao Miyazaki (animation, very good)
->Spirited away

-Zhou Sun
->Zhou Yu's train

-Lou Ye
->Suzhou River

-Ji-woon Kim
->A tale of two sisters
->A Bittersweet Life

-John H. Lee
->A Moment to Remember!

-Hae-sung Song
->Failan

-Masaki Kobayashi
->Harakiri (old but very good)

-Jin-ho Hur
->Christmas in August

-Hyun-seung Lee
->Il mare (http://imdb.com/title/tt0282599/)

-Tung-Shing Yee
->One Nite in Mongkok

-Chang-dong Lee
->Oasis (http://imdb.com/title/tt0320193/)

All the above movies are rated from very good to excellent (in my opinion always), so they are all a must. I hope i have given you material for the next 1-2 years...

From the movies you suggest, i have seen:
->Samaria (very good)
->nobody knows (very good)
->Fireworks (good)

I will try the others you' re suggesting for sure. Good ratings on IMDB.
Seems like you have a preference in movies having to do with music.

if you have any other recommendations please send them on this post or to my e-mail [email protected]
regards

[–] dkarantoniss 16 years ago

I forgor to mention Hero, of Zhang Zimou (http://imdb.com/title/tt0299977/)

[–] bounty-hunter-Kabarakh 14 years ago

The dolls are called teru teru bouzu. Their use was already described in an earlier post. And you can actually still see them from time to time if you keep your eyes open when being in Japan.

You also mentioned movies of Zhang Yimou. Please check out his earlier movies. Although Hero is one of my favourite movies, his real achievements lies in his earlier movies like Huozhe, Da hong deng long gao gao gua, Qiu Ju da guan si and many more.

And a last point: The movie is not weird in the slightest, if you ask me. Very clear and straightforward in it's message. If you want to see really weird(funny) movies check out:
- Gyakufunsha kazoku
- Samâ taimu mashin burûsu
- Kiraware Matsuko no isshô
- movies of Hiroyuki Tanaka (SABU)
(There are many more, but I can't recall their names right now.)
But maybe I mistook, what you meant with saying "weird".

[–] ngchiho 16 years ago

If you want the novel, you can check this out (english version)

http://www.amazon.com/Be-You-1-VIZ-Media/dp/1421507625/ref=pd_bbs_1/105-4440061-6683627?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193205128&sr=8-1

I have read the chinese novel, it is more detailed. Here is the answer of your question: (spoiler warning)

(1) Mio is dreaming during her coma?
No, according to the writer and the original translation of dialog, She "JUMP" into the future (i.e. 8 years after the car accident or 1 years after her death), that mean she experienced a physcial time travelling to the future, dont ask me why as it's a SF element. If you watch carefully, Mio wear the same cloth during the car accident as in she appear in the ruined workshop. Also, she was awkward when she kiss Taku because it was her first kiss. She lost her previous memory in the future due to the time travel (dont ask me why) but was bit by bit recover them after she return to the past timeline, she bear the knowledge of the future and an option is open to her: follow the destiny and choose Taku for the happniess or simply go away from him for an unknown future. She make the choice because she love Taku and dont want to have another choice despite all odd. That why her eye and answer show a solid confident during the meeting in the sunflower field as she bear the knowledge of the future. Also in the video tape of taku, she show confident on giving birth a son before yuji give birth as she already know the outcome.

In summary, the process is (1) car accident =>(2) she jump into the future => (3)she return from the future and awake in the hospital => (4) she make up her mind and called Taku to meet her=> (5)they marry and give birth of Yuji => she cannot avoid the fate and die in the age of 28 => (6) one year latter after her death, Mio "20 age incarnation" appear in the ruin factory then "return" after 6 week.

(2) Is Yuji responsible for Mio death?
Well, partly true but not the whole picture, Mio's health was broken during the process of giving birth of Yuji but not leathal at that moment, the situation geting worse and she cant escape her fate in the later years.
(3) what kind of doll is that Yuji hanging outside the house?
This is a tradition icon of "sun shine monk" which Japanese hang when they pray for a sunny day, Yuji hang it in a reverse position mean he dont want a sun and pray for rainly days as he know from the story book that Mio will leave if rain season gone.

"Ima, ai ni yukimasu" mean "Now I am coming to see you" which is also a phrase she write in her diary when she is on train to the sunflower field. This is a story about redemption where Mio rest the guilt of Yuji (being self condemn for her mother death) when she tell him she chose to give birth to him despite all odd. Mio also rest the guilt of Taku (being self condemn for not able to give Mio happiness) as she tell him "be with you" is the only true happiness for her.

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] caseijoe 16 years ago

Thats a nice list Dimitris, i will check them out.
I´ve seen "My Sassy Girl" and i guess it´s a good example for why i don´t like korean movies that much. The movie would´ve been very good but why were the mad soldier and the frog(future prank?) necessary? They kind of ruined the movie for me because they broke the athmosphere. I liked how they never kissed in the movie and the actors played well too. Definitely a good recommendation though.

Go is about a half-korean (father north-korean) who grows up in Japan. In Linda Linda Linda is a south-korean actress who plays a korean exchange student.

And yes you are right about the music thing ;) Forgot to add "Taiyo no uta" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0844347/ with Yui (japanese musician). You have to check out the movie even if just for the music. Her music is happy and sad at the same time and what a nice voice. Even when japanese people are talking i really like to hear it eventhough i dont understand 99.9% of it. They have so many vocals/vowels in their words it´s almost like music for me :p I usually try to get the movies with the native language and english subtitles. Maybe that´s why i dont watch so many Korean/Chinese movies ... their words sound so strange, no offensive, just my personal taste.

I also watched "House of the flying daggers" and "hero" and sure liked them. The chinese make movies which are beautiful to look at. Very nice pictures and lots of nice colours.

Thanks ngchiho for the book link! It has only 200 pages? I´ll try to get my hands on it for sure.

Also thank to you two for the explanation and clearing up the "ghost dolls" :)
But was there something in the trailer i missed?

[–] dkarantoniss 16 years ago

hi caseijoe,

I agree with you, My Sassy girl is a very good movie, but not one of my very best. In the list i gave you, I am sure that you will find very interesting movies and many korean masterpieces among them.

Though my native language is far from any asian language, i understand what you mean and i like too the Japanese accent.

I also think that the music is very important for a movie. That is the main reason why i loved Wong Kar Wai's Fallen Angels (it is in the list).

As far as the 'Be with you' movie is concerned, i think that the plot has been totally revealed.

regards and keep up with the good asian movies recommendations...

[–] dkarantoniss 16 years ago

than all of you very much for the help.

I think that most of my questions have been answered.

It is indeed a great story and a great movie too.

regards

[–] ngchiho 16 years ago

I am bit surprised that both of your list had miss out films from Shunji Iwai,
one of the most important Japanese director, and you shouldnt miss his famous work - Love Letter (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113703/), one of the landmark in Japan movie history. I cant recommended it enough.

or you can also check this http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0424430/ , a film issued at the same period with Ima, which is the top grossing film that year in Japan(Ima is the 3rd). But IMO, Ima is better.

[–] dkarantoniss 16 years ago

Hi,

i have never heard of the director you mention (i am not a cinema expert in any case) and i think that there are a lot of other directors that we have either forgotten or ignored. So, if you have any other asian movies recommendtation you should post them.I will gladly check Shunji Iwai's work and the movie you are suggesting.

The 'Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World' is in my short-time plans to watch.

regards

[–] MinhHieuVN 15 years ago

Thanks ngchiho for the explanation. I get more interesting details from that though I understand the main events beforehand ^^

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