Elisa Yanagi

21st Century Girl is an omnibus feature that is of the girls, by the girls and for the girls. The work of 15 women directors under the age of 30, each of whom contributed an 8-minute film, the package highlights a range of genres, visions and thematic concerns.

Soyo, a student in a school with only six students, develops feelings for the new student, Hiromi, who has moved from Tokyo.

Makoto Gousuke has just transferred to a new high school with the intention of being the toughest kid there. Little does he know that there‘s an entire group of toughs who already rule the school, and they‘re all girls! After being humiliated by their leader, the pretty Misaki Shizuka, he vows revenge and starts a lengthy battle between the sexes at the school.

Pursued by loan sharks, Aoyama is rescued by a mysterious man in orange overalls, and spirited away to “The Town,” where other dropouts hide out from debtors, abusive partners or the police. It’s a perpetual holiday resort where every need is catered to but hidden in it is a sinister conspiracy.

Part-time worker Hazuki lives with her younger sister, high school student Koharu, and their mother Sawa. One day they receive word that their estranged father is on his deathbed, so Sawa asks Hazuki and Koharu to visit him and take one last photo to remember him by.

Asako, a comic book artist in her early forties, is devastated by the death of her precious cat, Saba, which kept her company for over 15 years, as her assistant Naomi watches on with concern. Naomi is a young woman in her early twenties, who has her set of worries about love and future. Then one day, Asako meets a new cat, Gu Gu, which brings new joy and vitality to her life. What is more, she finds potential for love in a man named Seiji. Like Asako, Naomi, too, embarks on a new life plan.

With their hair salon business now on track, longtime couple Sakura and Makoto mull over inviting Sakura's estranged father to their upcoming wedding.

To reward himself for his new teaching gig in Sapporo, 29-year-old Manabu decides to celebrate New Year's Eve with a little treat at a local sex club. On the verge of... climaxing, he's struck by a brain hemorrhage and ends up buck naked at the hospital surrounded by his worried family who want to know how this happened.

Four dramas about brothers and sisters, each of whom lacks a certain emotion.

A depressed ex-boxer (Yosuke Kubozuka) self-medicating for the injuries that ended his career finds a stray cat that brightens his day, but she is snatched up by a comical grungy mechanic (Kenji Furuya). Calling each other by the competing names they gave the cat, Maru and Lily, the odd pair is abruptly sucked into a political conspiracy with Saeko (Yui Ichikawa) and her son at the center. Witnessing another injustice in which the economic and social elite prey on the vulnerable, the two strays set off on the road to redemption, or at least peaceful cat ownership. (Fun fact: in addition to acting together in Alley Cat, Yosuke Kubozuka and Kenji “KJ” Furuya released the single “Soul Ship” in 2017. Kubozuka performs as Manji Line and Furuya in the band Dragon Ash.) -JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film

An unconventional coming-of-age film depicting ganguro gals—girls who tan their skin, use light eyeshadow, grow out their nails, and walk around in platform shoes. The story intertwines the high school days of girls who embraced the ganguro culture and lived their youth to the fullest in a rural town in Ishikawa Prefecture, and their present lives 14 years later as they reach around thirty.

Widow Chloe travels to Japan for work where she is welcomed by an old friend, Toshi. Sliding between the melancholy of loss and the awe of perspectives changed, Chloe wanders an unfamiliar landscape where love has carved all the guiding grooves.

Naruse Uta is a "unique" 13 year old child. She possessed the talent to read sheet music even before she could speak, but has now come to the point where she hates playing the piano. Her father was also a piano virtuoso, but mysteriously disappeared from her life at a young age. Because of her father's disappearance Uta's mother had to move out of their posh home and into a far modest working class neighborhood. In this working class neighborhood there is a local grocer. The grocer's son Kikuna Oto happens to be a budding musician, but lacks the drive to truly succeed. That is until Uta Naruse comes into his life...

A compelling human drama about the growing social problems and public responsibilities regarding the welfare and ethical treatment of neglected dogs and cats at animal shelters. The story is told through the eyes of tormented vets who are relentless in their efforts to change the system to serve these animals with dignity.

Anata wo matteimasu is a feature-film comedy directed by Shinji Imaoka (Underwater Love, Uncle’s Paradise, Frog Song, Lunchbox, The Woman of Shinjuku).

A young woman, Ako, wanders around a sparsely populated housing estate in a rural city, Mito, where she spends her time speaking to objects and plants.

There are no heroines, there are no heroes. The six girls in this film are victims of their own excess and lack of worth. The film is set in a Drug Rehabilitation Centre. The girls are rehearsing the play 'Death of Domomata' for the annual Christmas Eve recital. On the morning before the recital, Tobe, who plays the leading role, dies suddenly. How do the girls left behind manage to go on with the show and how do they cope with Tobe's death?

Saori, a school girl, is molested on the notorious "molester train" of the Hanagawa line and rescued by another school girl who witnesses the act. The girl who rescues her turned out to be a new student of the same high school Saori attends. The mysterious new student Yuriko is rumoured to be a "parent killer". Yuriko then leads Saori and her friends to hunt molesters.

Kanichi works at wet tissue company in Mito, Japan. He runs into Gondo. 10 years ago, Gondo was fired from his job as a teacher for secretly filming others. He is now with Mihari who works as a hostess. He took away her away from Tokyo. Kanichi falls in love with Mihari at first sight and takes her away from Gondo. Meanwhile, due to a female student on the video Gondo secretly shot, an unexpected disturbance is created.

This story follows the journey of an ill-fated young man whose ambition is to be a professional antiques dealer. A hard-up young man, who makes his living by selling old items in flea markets, meets a nurse and he falls in love with her. He decides to become a successful antique dealer. So he participates in a huge auction in the mountains but he makes a fool of himself. At the same time he ends up being in the netherworld, and hovers between life and death.

A girl unable to speak, a man unable to write a poem, a crisis line manager unable to help might find in the gloomiest of all places what they have been longing for - Hope and courage.

A young man who showed little promise while a high school student becomes a master detective, just like his grandfather.

At the height of his career and powers, Japan's master fixer, who has guided politicians and business heads through some of Japan's biggest scandals, discovers that fixing his family is harder than fixing a country.

The main character provides a highly unusual service by offering his companionship in exchange for the humble fee of covered transportation costs and payment of his food and beverage tab. Joining others to file legal papers, enjoy a denied icy treat, or to ride a train’s entire loop just for the fun of it, are typical of the requests he takes on. He is blessed with a young son and an extremely supportive wife. Interestingly enough, this person who does nothing, save for answering the simplest of questions, manages to warm the hearts of the people he meets.

About a lady and her cat. The lady's cat dies and she loses all inspiration to continue living, and doing her work from home job. One day when forced to get out of her house for a while she finds and orphaned kitten in the park. The kitten is sick and she takes the kitten to the vet. This kitten brings her out of her depression and gives her new hope.

Ookuwa Kitaro is a jack-of-all-trades who travels nationwide across the country working part-time jobs in order to repay his debts, while dealing with all kinds of troublesome situations.

The super sentai group Kankaku Senshi Gokan Five have protected the earth but with the start of a more peaceful period, the members have drifted apart. Gokan Red and Gokan Blue run a bar with an airsoft shooting range, which takes up most of their time. But Red still feels its their responsibility to be prepared and he tries to find a replacement for Gokan Peach, who died in battle 10 years ago. He has high hopes for Momoka, a 17-year old school girl, who just wanted a part-time job a the bar and isn't yet sure about joining the Gokan Five.

Based on a novel by Jun Ioka, the Hulu series follows the relationship between Keisuke Okuyama, a brilliant attorney and his troubling client Tatsuya Ando who tormented and robbed him of his family in the past.