GKIDS announced on February 3 that LOVE & POP, the 1998 live-action feature debut by Evangelion director Hideaki Anno, will get its first-ever North American theatrical release. New York City’s IFC Center will screen the film on February 21, followed by Los Angeles’ American Cinematheque Los Feliz 3 starting on February 23.
GKIDS added that additional cities are coming soon, recommending the film to ages 18 and over. It described LOVE & POP: “LOVE & POP is radical in its stylistic approach, taking to the streets of Shibuya with handheld digicams, distorted lenses, and unconventional camera angles. Criminally underseen for years, LOVE & POP remains a singular portrait of Japanese youth coming of age in the Y2K era.” Anno’s other live-action directorial credits include Cutie Honey, Shin Kamen Rider, and Shin Godzilla (co-director).
In addition to the film, GKIDS’ upcoming releases include WITCH WATCH: WATCH PARTY and Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX (Anno collaborated on the script). It recently released Naoko Yamada’s The Colors Within.
LOVE & POP adapts Ryu Murakami’s novel of the same name, subtitled Topaz 2. The story follows high school girls engaging in compensated dating as the main character Hiromi Yoshii (played by actress Asumi Miwa) tries to save up to buy a topaz ring. The film is notable for its experimental and low-budget style. Per Excite, Anno’s pitch to author Murakami was simply, “We can shoot it on digital video and do it all on location with a low budget,” to which Murakami consented.
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Sexual themes are core to the story, as with Murakami’s works generally according to the author. Speaking to Book Club Kai in 1991, he suggested this wasn’t his intention, but rather his works simply explore individuals who oppose systems, with sexual themes being an unavoidable occurrence.
One of Murakami’s favorite lines comes from Topaz 1, the preceding film to LOVE & POP and a film he directed himself. It comes when a 44-45-year-old Yakuza man buys time with a 22-year-old girl from an S&M club. After some “hard play,” the man says, “Come here a second. You’re 22? After only 22 years of living, is there anything you can state with absolute certainty? Not that the Earth spins on its axis, or that the DNA model is a helix, but something about yourself?“
She replies, “That I’m a person with no talent.” He replies, “I’ve lived 44 years and done many things, but the one thing I know is that I’m a pervert.“
LOVE & POP from director Hideaki Anno will premiere in North America on February 21.
Source: GKIDS via X (formerly Twitter)
© 1998 LOVE & POP Production Organization
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