Akihiko Shiota, director of Moonlight Whispers, says: 'Everyone has a dark side . . . but this is not a bad thing.' Photo Ricky Chung
Kenji Mizuhashi (left) and Tsugumi in a scene from Moonlight Whispers
BOY LOVES GIRL. Boy loses girl. Boy wins girl back. It's a familiar tale. But when you place the well-worn in the hands of Akihiko Shiota, you'll soon find yourself entering a brave new world.
In Moonlight Whispers (Gekko No Sasayaki) - Shiota's directorial debut - 17-year-old Takuya (Kenji Mizuhashi) loves and worships 17-year-old Satsuki (Tsugumi). It's a love that flows both ways until Takuya declares he wants to be Satsuki's 'dog'. She then discovers he has been taking photos of her arms and legs and has even recorded her urinating. She wants out but he carries on regardless, following her around and obeying her every order. At first she is disgusted but soon she finds she enjoys her power - and the relationship is rekindled.
'Although it sounds weird, compared to the common concept of love, this is pure,' 39-year-old Shiota says during a visit to Hong Kong to promote the film. 'I believe that this is a beautiful love story. We can survive without money, but life would be different without love. Every-one has a dark side . . . but this is not a bad thing.'
Moonlight Whispers is adapted from Masahiko Kikuni's controversial Japan-ese comic series of the same name. Adapting comic books for film is commonplace in Japan, he says, where their status is 'very high and [they are] part of our culture, just like novels are in the United States'.
'A friend recommended that I read the comic. I was shocked by the idea of sadomasochism among teenagers,' Shiota says. 'But I was interested not because it is an unusual story, but by the way it talks about love. Satsuki comes to understand how Takuya expresses his love. And she finally accepts and likes his demands.'