I decided to watch this film on a whim, intrigued by it’s premise of twins and it’s BL-ness (yay for being shallow). Itsuka no kimi e revolves around “twin” brothers- the older one Noburu is quiet and introverted, compared to his loud and outgoing older brother Ryo. Another guy arrives on the scene and basically changes the older brothers life and brings him out of shell. There is some very light BL going on here- I mean super light AND pretty fluffy too (compared to Boys Love which was pretty angsty and melodramatic).

To be honest it wasn’t bad but it certainly wasn’t the best thing I’ve ever seen. The fact that it derived from a manga was very obvious as the story wasn’t very strong, and had some cliche and silly situations (”coincidences”) which could only be found in a manga. Hell, the entire plot is something you’d only find in a manga. Even the conclusion and the way it was set out was manga-like. Well, anyway…

Fukami Noboru is quiet and talented, studying photography at university. Another student on the same course Kouhei notices him and although at first makes fun at him along with his friends, he is subconciously drawn to Noburu. On one particular day he hasn’t done his homework and goes to the library to find books to help him, and within one of the books he finds a photo of two twin boys: immediatly recognizing the one as Noburu. Now curious he goes to meet Noburu, who never admits it’s him even as he snatches the photo away in defense. Slowly though, he is getting to know more about Noburu and Noboru (unwilling or not) is opening up to Kouhei in return.

The first part of this film is really dull, and filled with cliche- the film is really hard to get into. Kouhei is a little annoying as a character too, as is his girlfriend who doesn’t seem to even serve any part in the entire film apart from screaming loudly and annoying “Kouhei!!!!!” and to look pained as she sees Kouhei losing interest in her for Noboru.

The film does get a little more interesting in the second part where Kouhei sees Noburu entering a bar when walking home late at night, and unable to believe it (Noburu doesn’t seem to be the person to be out that late drinking) he goes to the bar the next night and waits to be able to confront him. Although after waiting for hours it doesn’t seem like he’s going to turn up, but of course just as Kouhei goes to leave he arrives. Kouehei immediatly recognizes it’s not Noburu, younger brother Ryo is loud and outgoing- very different from his brother. They drink and talk- forming a strange friendship whilst getting very drunk in the process. The whole drunk scene was very very amusing. Plotwise, Kouhei has been drawn into the world of the two brothers. You can see him beginning to be more and more obsessed with Noburu- talking about him alot, talking to him to try and get him to open up and now getting to know his older brother.

Finally the film has failed to build up much tension, but the concluding section of the film that follows was pretty interesting- enough to make me forget the cliche and the overall confusion. The twist is finally revealed, that shock horror Ryo is dead…and I think Noburu is just acting as him to keep him alive or something like that. It doesn’t make much sense. Naturally Kouhei becomes the one to hold him as he cries and confronts the pain of losing his brother he has suppressed and it’s all happy happy by the end with Noburu and Kouhei as a couple. I couldn’t have suspected the whole there aren’t no twins thing, and that did make certain things earlier in the film make more sense although the explanation they gave for it was wierd and well, stupid. Doesn’t make much sense overall and a lame conclusion if you think about it properly.

However Itsuka no kimi e was an enjoyable film overall, even if pretty average. Certain bits didn’t really make sense… but I wouldn’t expect it too. I would have appreciated the film to have more depth, and for Kouhei to be a better character. But it was OK, although I think it would have been better left as a manga- this didn’t work that well live action!

(Update: I happened to eventually stumble upon the manga this was based on and it’s definitly alot better, more compact and focused…)