‘Metoshiera‘(=Methuselah) means a person living for a long time. This name exists in the book of Genesis, and is mentioned including listing his age at the time of his death as 969 years. This is the longest lifespan recorded in the Bible. Because this is in the five "books of Moses", this exists in the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic scriptures.
Why does this a Metoshiera need to live this long time? What does Metoshiera need to convey to the next generation? Why do I exist to live a life?
When I saw this poster of the film, my imagination goes thus:
A woman waiting since Edo period due to a legacy or destiny, a man reborn and lived through many times until they finally came across each other to unite. This is not just a man and woman’s love, it is a love story for human beings.
The main character established in this film is Shunsuke who is a loner and shut himself down against anyone who gets close to him. Later in the film it was explained that he was abandoned by his mother and grew up in an orphanage, and learned to live without involving anyone around him. He likes to live as an unknown and unidentified person. One day he heard a lullaby from a room number #369 where located next to his room. He went into her room to ask her not to sing during night, but she told him that she was waiting for 400 years to be his wife. Very interesting beginning. ８6 year-old classy grand mother figure who lost her son during WWII, and a man grew up without motherly love. They needed each other to survive. They tied a knot with a love (not with Éros, but mix of Agápe, Philia and Storge ) Definitely this is a love story, but more like searching ‘missing piece’ love story.
I saw this film on Saturday at West Los Angeles, the 2 directors had a speech before the film, they were exTV producers who love Kurosawa’s. This film seems to have a link with Kurosawa’s ‘Ikiru’, which was an ordinary man who found a passion to live a meaningful life and relive his life fully. Yea…I see the connection…