Happy Date is one of our seasonal Periodicals, temporarily standing in for Friday Flicks, created because of our love for Asian cinema and the fact that it’s February and March – the months of Valentine’s Day and White Day.
What we’ll do with Happy Date is recommend romantic films to watch for your date. After all, we want to be there for you in times of need when you want to cuddle, hang out, or make out with your loved one and while a great film is playing.
Happy Date will be slightly different from Friday Flicks, in that there will be no serious review. Instead, we will have fun with it and tell you why each film is great to watch for your date, and what you can expect out of making each selection.
So without further adieu, let’s get going! Have a Happy Valentine’s Day and White Day, everyone!
This week’s Happy Date: Cyborg She
Cyborg She
Original Title: 僕の彼女はサイボーグ
(Boku no Kanojo wa Cyborg)
(My Girlfriend is a Cyborg)
Country:Japan
Language:Japanese
Genres:Romance, Comedy,
Science-Fiction
Year:2008
Director:Kwak Jae-yong
Main Cast:Ayase Haruka
Koide Keisuke
Trivia
- Does the name Kwak Jae-young sound familiar? It should be, because he is the man who brought to you great Korean romantic films My Sassy Girl, The Classic, and Windstruck.
- Director Kwak also served as writer for the film.
- A manga adaptation by Nakamura Akihiro was released in 2008.
- Japanese singer MISIA’s song “Yakusoku no Tsubasa” was released as the theme song.
Story
Jiro is a university student who seems content with his dull, lonely life. Every year on his birthday, he buys a present for himself at the same department store and has spaghetti for dinner at the same restaurant.
One birthday one year, a mysterious girl dressed strange clothes appears in front of him, looking and smiling in his direction. She accompanies him on his usual lonely outing and turns Jiro’s dull life upside down. The night becomes the most memorable in Jiro’s life, full of pigging out at dinner, running from the cops, and even exchanging gifts.
However, at the end of the night, she runs off and disappears, screaming that she came from far into the future and that she has to return. Jiro is left confused and wondering as to what happened.
Exactly one year later on Jiro’s birthday, the same girl mysteriously appears again. However, she seems different than the cheerful girl who vanished without a trace. She’s cold, super strong, and attacks anyone that poses a threat to Jiro and her.
Later that night, she reveals that she is a time travelling cyborg sent into the past by his future self. She was created with the sole task of helping Jiro in the present time and protecting him from any calamities that might befall him.
As they spend their days together, Jiro starts to develop feelings for the cyborg. However, is it possible for a cyborg to reciprocate those feelings back to him?
The Date
If you loved My Sassy Girl and Windstruck, prepare for a film with a strikingly similar feel.
The film bounces to and from being a romantic comedy to a science-fiction flick. With films centered around time travel, loopholes and contradictions are inevitable. However, we won’t dive into any of that, because we’re here to talk about why you will enjoy Cyborg She as a date movie.
This film is definitely aimed more towards male audiences, as did director Kwak’s other films. But don’t count the female audience out just yet; there are things for everyone to enjoy.
The guys will find enjoyment because they will most likely be able to connect with Jiro (Koide Keisuke), the lead dude. He is basically the ordinary Joe-schmoe who leads a dull and uneventful life. Out of nowhere, a supergirl magically appears in front of him and changes his life forever.
This is the guy-equivalent of the whole girl-and-knight-in-shining-armor fantasy: the dream girl who spices up the guy’s boring life with adventure, danger, and excitement. On top of that, we have an awesome representation of the dream girl in the form of hottie Ayase Haruka.
Ayase’s character is a homage to everything a geeky guy would love. She first arrives on-screen dressed in Neon Genesis Evangelion plugsuit-inspired form-fitting spandex, kicks ass like a Terminator, and can project movies from her body as if she were R2D2. On top of that, she cooks yummy food, records your university lectures so you can sleep in class and study later, and always remembers when to celebrate your birthday.
The girls will join in on the fun with the cute interactions and awkward moments between the two leads. They’ll also appreciate the fact that Jiro doesn’t get away with any kind of mischief he tries to pull on the cyborg, like looking up her skirt. She’ll make sure to give him a pounding when he gets out of line.
And there is hardly anyone who doesn’t like a story about a guy fighting to win the affections of a girl, even if that girl is about as human as RoboCop.
This Japanese film has a very Korean rom-com feel, as what one can expect from a Korean director. This is what sets it apart from the average Japanese romantic film, which generally are dramas. Confessions of deep, honest love and the usage of romantic phrases like “Ai shiteru (I love you)” instead of “Suki da (I like you)” are seldom heard in Japanland’s romantic films, but are prevalent here. Also loaded into this film are the bouncy energy and playfulness between the two leads that make Korean rom-coms loved by the masses.
But, the film isn’t without its tear jerking moments. Guys might even find themselves crying as their teary-eyed soul brother Jiro struggles to win the uphill battle that is moving the heart of a machine.
Ultimately, the film is one big feel-good fest. The leads are adorable and are what bring the film to life. With a bit of romance, a dash of comedy, and a surprising amount of sci-fi elements, Cyborg She is light-hearted and good for any date.
And the music isn’t too shabby either.
Watch this film…
…if you want something fun and light to enjoy. You might even score some cuddles if you decide to make a date out of this film.