Adapted from the novel of the same name published in 2006 by acclaimed Japanese author Natsuki Shiga, Yellow Elephant is directed by Ryuichi Hiroki, known for his insightful portrayals of the emotional journeys of modern women. With the writer’s nuanced touch and the director’s understated cinematic style, the film reveals the small, surprising joys in the ordinary life of a married couple.
Yellow Elephant stars popular Japanese actresses Kou Shibasaki and actor Mitsuru Matsuoka (Image provided by Saizen International)
Kou Shibasaki, who has a deep affection for the novel, once revealed during its promotion that she had always wished to become the heroine. Thus, the adaptation of what was deemed an “unfilmable” novel finally came to fruition. As a devoted reader of Natsuki Shiga, Shibasaki naturally took on the role of the protagonist, portraying a kind and thoughtful housewife who has a shocking full-frontal bath scene at the beginning of the film. This also marks her first on-screen collaboration with heartthrob Mitsuru Matsuoka, whose exceptional acting brings depth to the role of a brooding writer carrying an unspoken past. Furthermore, their numerous tender and passionate scenes have undeniably stirred up buzz, generating major anticipation before the film’s release.
Kou Shibasaki and Mitsuru Matsuoka play a married couple in the film (Image provided by Saizen International)
In the film, Kou Shibasaki plays Toshiko Tomoe, a frail wife who spent lonely days as a child confined to a hospital bed. After reading the picture book “Yellow Elephant,” she develops an incredible ability to communicate with trees and animals, and even imagines the elephant from the book one day taking her on a journey around the world.
As an adult, Toshiko meets Takeshi Takeuchi, played by Mitsuru Matsuoka, under the dim yellow glow of the full moon. They fall in love at first sight and decide to spend their lives together. Though he is an unknown writer, he brings her the same happiness the yellow elephant once did. The couple moves to a seaside countryside, living a peaceful and idyllic rural life. Their newlywed life seems blissful—until Takeshi receives a mysterious letter that gradually changes their relationship. Haunted by guilt and painful memories, he chooses to leave Toshiko temporarily. Before departing, he writes his hidden secrets in a diary. Meanwhile, Toshiko, longing for her husband’s return, experiences her own dramatic encounters. Their seemingly perfect love story gradually unveils heartbreaking truths.….
The numerous tender and passionate scenes between Kou Shibasaki and Mitsuru Matsuoka have generated major buzz, making Yellow Elephant highly anticipated even before its release. (Image provided by Saizen International)
The entire film was shot in Mie Prefecture, Japan. Thanks to cinematographer Atsushi Nabeshima’s lens, the stunning natural beauty of the region is fully captured. The delicious dishes prepared by Kou Shibasaki in the film are especially mouthwatering. The movie also boasts an all-star cast: Akira Emoto and Chieko Matsubara play the couple’s neighbor pair; interdisciplinary artist Lily Franky makes a cameo as a husband who opposes the male lead; child actors Ryusei Hamada and Himeka Asami play adorable childhood friends; and Mao Honda, who played the younger sister in the TV drama “Queen of Housewives,” portrays the young version of the female lead. All these elements infuse the film with a refreshing youthful vibe. Notably, veteran actors like Osamu Nagase, Kazuya Kojima, Sakura Ando, and Kengo Kora lend their voices to the humorous “non-human” animal characters. Paired with the heartfelt theme song “Ice Flower” performed by the Gregorian choir-style group Gospellers, this heartwarming and visually soothing film was selected as the closing film for the 2013 Taipei Golden Horse Fantastic Film Festival, with tickets selling out shortly after going on sale. The film will be released in Taiwan on April 26, sure to spark more discussion among movie fans.
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