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Those who have explored Nobuhiko Obayashi‘s body of work beyond his infamous “House” will certainly know about his feelings of nostalgia for his hometown of Onomichi. After this aforementioned debut feature he would re-visit his childhood and youth in Onomichi time and time again in his movies. “I Are You, You Am Me”, “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time” and “Chizuko’s Younger Sister” may be based on novels, but at the same time, they presented an opportunity for the director to explore his feelings for his hometown, how he grew up and eventually developed a predilection for animation and the arts in general. “Lonely Heart” from 1985 works in a similar fashion, being a coming-of-age story on the one hand, and at the same time, a tragic-comic look back to a youth defined by unrequited love, a somewhat difficult relationship with adults and finding an artistic voice.

Lonely Heart...

After his first feature “House”, which would go on to become a cult classic, Nobuhiko Obayashi would go on to make movies which further explored the themes of growing up, conformity and gender roles within society. “I Are You, You Am Me”, based on a novel by Hisashi Yamanaka, is a coming-of-age story which employs the use of a gender swap as well as the comedic and silly consequences that follow. It is a feature which, despite having some absurd elements, is quite a change coming from a first movie such as “House”, although both stories share a common ground, as the former also includes a coming-of-age theme at its core. However, “I Are You, You Am Me” is much more linear in its storytelling and less experimental in its visuals.

I Are, You Am Me is screening at Japan Society as part of the Obayashi ’80s: The Onomichi Trilogy...