Doki Doki

So a couple weeks ago, we were supposed to attend the San Francisco International Asian American Festival (what a mouthful). Unfortunately, they were in town during a very busy week for me, so I was unable to attend any of the shows. After this mishap, I began to google some of the films. One thing led to another and I ended up getting an older short film called Doki Doki. The movie was produced in 2003 but played during the 2004 SFIAAFF. The title of the film is an onomatopoeia that is commonly used as a slang term by women to describe having butterflies in your stomach, however; that can also mean the individual is having high levels of anxiety.

In a quick synopsis, the movie is about a group of Japanese “strangers” that have ridden the same train for a number of years. Everyday, they depart on the same train, sit in the same seats, and go about through a daily routine. Through the many years they have been together, there was never any real interaction amongst the passengers. The plot begins to take shape when the main character (Yumi) decides to break from the norm. She begins to write down notes about each commuter in hopes of learning who they are. One commuter in particular (Yosuke) has caught her eye, and she ends up following/stalking him in hopes of learning more about him.

Despite not following the main flow, a sub plot develops through another character (Makiko). She brings the title’s message through a different path. She is a high school student that rides the same train, but her story follows a more somber path. Through the movie, she experiences a number of traumatic events that torture her psyche. Not only does she have to deal with the perverts on the bus and the bullies at school, she is still tormented about her father’s suicide. With the surmounting problems, Makiko contemplates her available options. Among the list, it seems as if suicide is a very probably selection.

The two prominent ideas that the director accentuated through the movie were the expression of the individual and suicide. The concept of “breaking out of your shell” is one that practically everyone can relate to. How often have we had missed opportunities? Let’s face it; sometimes we don’t see these windows until they are gone. We, as individuals, are shaped upon the experiences we have had and will have. Without a doubt, it is hard to fathom how a single missed opportunity can have changed your life so profoundly.

On the flip side, a grotesque, yet common practice in Japan is suicide. During the beginning of the film, the train that the characters are on suddenly stops. Another unidentified individual decided to take their life. The intercom on the train suddenly turns and reports the suicide as a 30 minute delay. Everyone knows what just happened, but no one shows any remorse.

This scene made me wonder just how different Japanese society is compared to those in the United States. Upon further thought, it is fairly obvious that they are two worlds apart. The daily problems we face are similar (lay offs, bullying, deaths, and Etc.), and the manifestation of our subsequent actions are heavily influenced by culture. Although somewhat stereotypical, Americans are seen as an extroverted society; we wear our emotions on our sleeves. The center of concern for the individual is themselves. When problems arise, we are quick to blame others while glorifying ourselves. The Japanese, on the other hand, have maintained an introverted culture. When problems arise, blame is quickly shifted towards the individual. Hence, it is somewhat understandable why Japan has the highest suicide rate in the world.

**Sorry for the sloppiness of my writing. I was writing (and watching =D) this at work and was too lazy to write a formal report on the movie. My ideas are just jumping around everywhere