Josee, the Tiger and the Fish By Isshin Inudo: Affection, Friendship, and Personal Growth
Most boy-meets-girl romance movies might be a bore to some because of the countless times it’s been done, and Josee, the Tiger and the Fish is nothing short of that. It is what it is: boy-meets-girl romance with a dash of coming-of-age tropes.
Based on Seiko Tanabe's 1985 Japanese short story of the same name, the story centers on Tsuneo and Kumiko. Tsuneo is a laid-back college student with a part-time job at a mah-jong parlour, and he enjoys what most boys his age do: casual sex, eating, and drinking. He learns of an old woman who pushes a baby carriage in the wee hours of the morning through the mah-jong players at his parlour. Meanwhile, strong-willed yet timid Kumiko [who is suffering from Cerebral Palsy] finds comfort through hand-me-down books and cooking. She adapts the nickname Josee from the 1961 Francoise Sagan novel, Wonderful Clouds.
Their first encounter unexpectedly happens one early morning when Tsuneo's boss asks him to take his dog for a walk. The ominous old woman, based on the players' stories, loses grip of the baby carriage that is with her all the time, and literally bumps into him. Amidst the commotion, he learns that the person inside is actually Kumiko. This, and not love at first sight, is what signals the start of a touching story about a couple of twentysomethings navigating their way through the world, one step at a time.
Aside from its offbeat humour, what sets Josee apart from most love stories is its odd yet straightforward and moving story of affection, friendship, and personal growth—making it a heartwarming experience from start to finish. The only gripe we have with this is its outdated “comedy” regarding Kumiko’s neighbours, one of whom cracks inappropriate jokes and makes light of predatory behaviour.
Its warm soundtrack from the band Quruli, really delivers some nostalgia. Anyone wanting to put it on repeat can listen to it in Spotify.
Finally, an anime adaptation was released last year, as well as a Korean one, Josee [2020], starring Han Ji-min and Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo alum Nam Joo-hyuk.
