Riko-chan has finally done it. She has finally gotten that long over-due feminine kiss in her latest release ‘Shoujo-tachi no Rashinban’. This truly calls for a celebration. Gil-sama, please bring out the wine of the Kings…

*cheers*

Shoujo-tachi no Rashinban Main Cast

Where to begin…

Perhaps I should start by wondering why exactly the lovely goddess Riko-chan hasn’t ruled the industry yet!

Let me tell you something about Riko-chan. She is but my favourite Japanese actress of all time. It’s nothing big….like hell it isn’t?! I have been stalking Riko-chan even since I can even remember. I have watched everything she has starred in (yes, even the non-yuri like 1 litre of tears, jon Q and more) since she was even yet to be a teen. Riko-chan is like the only Japanese celeb I am pretty sure is into cute girls. She herself has made it quite clear, publicly so in fact. She is sometimes referred to as a ‘geezer’ and for good reason. And I shall not even begin touching her acting skillz!

So not only is she a very hardworking (the girls is busy), awesome actress but she is also into girls. How awesome she she getter?! (See what I did there?No? Well, think harder).

And well, this Riko-chama stars also in this lovely all girl cast (as I always expect Riko-chan’s movies to be) with three other somehow familiar girls. If one has been into JDramas for a while, they should be able to recognise them, if not by the names then by face….Here they are…

Shoujo-tachi no Rashinban is…Have you ever watched a movie that was so confusing that at one point you decided to give up trying to follow what was going on and instead go with the flow? This movie did it to me. I have to confess that going into it, I had no idea it would be that twisting a movie but half way there, (it is a two hour movie too) I simply gave up. In fact I gave up so hard I had to pause the movie and go to sleep because my puny brain couldn’t handle the plot. And so it took me two days to finish this movie.

Come next day as I commenced the viewing pleasure, I began to wonder if I was just tired the night before since the plot seemed to make sense…Only it wasn’t! By the end I was scratching my head still. Like, WTH was up with that ending?! How was I supposed to take it? WTH was going on!?!

 

The short take on the movie (from my point of view), it’s about four girls that start an independent drama society. They actually start out three but confiscate a girl from the neighbouring school into their group and thus Rashinban is born. Starting out on the streets, they are soon recognised by the crowds and soon they are entering national competitions. But as all dramas go, things don’t go quite as planned…blah…blah…drama….and so on and so forth. In fact things turn so ugly that one of the girls (Kaname – it’s always the nice ones) gets raeped and soon murdered! yep, I actually forgot this was supposed to be a thriller thanks to the deceiving beginning. And it was delivered so well that I give it a Wham! scene award (as opposed to Wham line).

That all happened four years ago. The movie starts in the present, spends most of its time in the past and ends in the present when the suspect is brought to justice. Thank the gods that the transitions between timelines were not many and all over the place. Quite nicely done and I didn’t get confused at all where these were concerned.

I have to admit though that the suspect’s identity took me by complete surprise. I for one had a very different suspect in mind cough-Ran-cough).

But of course I did not spend all this blog space just to talk about that nonsense. I don’t know if anyone else feel like I do but my heart always feels like it’s gonna explode when I am watching scenes like this…

 
 

Anxiety and adrenaline pumps into my veins as i struggle with what I should do. Should I cheer her on or should I protect the sleeping beauty. I always spend like 30 minutes watching a seconds worth of a scene because I keep pausing after each second because I am afraid of what’s gonna happen.

“Play + Pause”

Stop it Bata! What the hell are you thinking?! girls don’t like it getting kissed while they are asleep! ‘Think for one frikkin second’ – Patrick Bateman..

“Play”

 

“Pause”

Stop it! What if she opens her eyes?! Oh God, she’s gonna open her eyes right before they kiss, isn’t she? I mean this is Riko-chama we are talking about. there is no way they are gonna make her kis-…But I wanna see it So…

“Play”

 

“PausePausePausepause”

OhGodOhGodOhGod Oh god, they touched! Their lips touched! Bata kissed Rumi and she hasn’t even opened her eyes yet! Oh god! This is…Oh God..

“Play*

 

“Pause”

Ah snap! They are open! She’s awake. This is gonna end badly and you know it. I warned you Bata, I did. Oh Lawd, what is she gonna do? This is so gonna be bad! Oh well, it was good as long as it lasted.

Sigh…

“Play”

 
 

“Pause”

Damn~ Even Bata looks miserable cause she knows flames are coming her way. Oh god, please let it be over quick!

…

Wait, what?!

…

A completely natural reaction?! In my movie?!! OMG! Best movie ever! Oh god!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Of course not talking about what happened starts to affect both Rumi and Bata. their interactions are also affected which leaves Kaname and Ran to wonder as to what exactly happened between the day before and now!

In fact things very bad that even getting paired together in their play is a No No and Rumi starts ignoring Bata and her calls as well. That wasn’t a good idea as Bata is a wrist-cutter! What, did I shock you, well, they shocked me too so we are even. She really didn’t seem the type for that sort of thing so you can imagine my surprise. Bata cuts herself once more having realised the mistake she made in kissing Rumi like that. (See, I told you! you shouldn’t kiss girls in their sleep. It’s totally creepy!)

But things are not destined to end this way.

 
 
 
 
 
 

On their way to the competition, Bata confronts Rumi and they finally have the talk!

I apologise but you will really have to see it for yourselves to fully appreciate the awesome scene and come up with your own conclusion of these two’s relationship as this is the last time it is touched upon for the rest of the movie. It is this reason in fact that this movie isn’t making it into my top 10. They easily forgot about Rumi and Bata’s relationship growth after this, well, to the other observes that is. To me personally, this was enough. In fact I was surprised by how far they went on with it since this wasn’t a romance movie to begin with and in fact would have gone on without any romantic aspects just fine.

But to me the fact that both Rumi and Bata were derailed in confusion by that kiss (Yep, even Bata was surprised she had kissed Rumi) also the fact that though seemingly  jokingly, Bata did say she like (like as in really like) Rumi as they ran into the light at the end of the tunnel (oh shi….is there a hidden meaning in there?) made me believe that something did happen between them after wards.

Also…

 
 

That scene where Rumi cried her eyes out, the way Bata handled the situation was somehow telling!

“I am here for you Rumi” – The scene seemed to scream out at me.

Also later on as regards to this incident actually, Bata went to the Teacher (who is the cause of the tears) and apologised on behalf of Rumi (Rumi really has a short fuse) and thus saving her from expulsion, said to me how Bata seemed to have placed her rights on Rumi. And Rumi seemed really taken aback and appreciative of the gesture, just like a couple really.

~

All in all, this was one good movie and I can totally see how the book it was based off won Best New-comer thriller award. It sure kept me on my feet and my blood flowing.

And let’s not forget…Riko-chama got a kiss! That Narumi Riko!!!

Sigh

I am never getting over this. Okay, this might just make it up on that list just for this simple fact! too bad I didn’t get to see it in all it’s Full HD glory!

Okay, that’s it, come next year I am getting a BD Drive and getting the Bluray of this movie. Yep, there is a Bluray versions but just like Shodo Girls (Another Riko-chama movie) those greedy folks don’t want to share the BD versions! Damn them!

And that is all I have to say about Shoujo-tachi no Rashinban.

What?

Recommendations?

Are you frikkin kidding me? What are you still doing here, go and watch this movie pronto!

Jesus Christ!

Ahem….

Narumi Riko RULES

~DOWNLOAD~