Tokyo Pop

I really enjoyed this movie. The characters are real and likeable and the story is entertaining. The script is excellent and the exchanges between the Japanese and gaijin characters genuinely amusing and realistic. I loved the way the hero (Hiro) was always several beats behind in his responses to English. Anyone who has spent some time in Japan and has an interest in the Japanese music scene will find a lot to take delight in here. And the occasional desperation of a gaijin, feeling lost and alien in Japan, is cleverly portrayed. The people who made this movie really knew what they were on about, from the Japanese and the gaijin point of view.

The two lead actors are very believable and the other cast members are all excellent. The band scenes and the portrayals of the varied types of musicians are great fun.

I had never heard of this movie before I watched it and it was a revelation to find something so amusing and true about a place and a music that I love. Thank you to these film makers!

I loved this film. A lot. Though my tastes may be a bit different than most people I've met, I really did enjoy both the comedic and romantic aspects of the film, and I thought both blended very well. My favorite example of this was when Hiro (played by Tadokoro Yutaka of Red Warriors), takes Wendy (fantastically played by the late Carrie Hamilton) to a hotel; the movie makes a good point of explaining just how much of a problem language barriers can be, though in a way we can all laugh at, which I found to be great ...

Overacted in some parts, underacted in a few, and misdirected in many, this film is my idea of a great time, and I hope those of you who feel the same way make an effort to see it for yourself.

A woman goes to Japan and ends up joining a band with a man she stars dating. They inadvertently become famous singing Do you believe in Magic and he falls in love with her. But she realizes that she doesn't belong and has to decide her fate.

This is a great look at late 80s Japan with loads of scenery and culture BUT it's also a cute little rom-com (ish) about music and following your own path. In a way it's similar to Lost in Translation (but obviously pre-dating that) in tone, but has a more bittersweet vibe. DEfinitely an overlooked movie that deserves more attention as it's cute and lighthearted.

I have never been to Japan -- the closest I've ever been to Japan has been the Sanrio store in my local mall during the time period when this film was made -- but I was once a young woman caught up in the post punk music scene and the character of Wendy (Carrie Hamilton) was very familiar to me. This film takes us to 1988 Japan through her eyes and is very effective at conveying her sense of isolation in a foreign land. Watching the movie 36 years after it was made still feels totally fresh, totally timeless. Our current fascination with K-pop gives us some familiarity with the Asian hit-making machinery and now there is not only one Sanrio store in my local mall but four! I highly recommend this movie to any of my young fellow shoppers. The creative force was also involved in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the titles are Keith Haring's work. "Tokyo Pop" is an entertaining cultural artifact that, in this sparkling preservation, is an undiscovered gem. A rare treasure by a woman director that deserves more recognition.

This is a cute little film. Ultimately it doesn't really go anywhere, but at the very least it's an extremely realistic portrayal of what it'd be like to suddenly fly to Japan with no friends there, no command of the language, no knowledge of the culture and conventions, etc. I suppose part of the reason the film succeeds so well in this is that it's a Japanese-U.S. co-production.

One of the best parts of the movie is the soundtrack. The track by the new wave band that the main character is in at the beginning of the movie is very nice, but "Rakuen, Rakuen" by Papaya Paranoia is wonderful! Even better is being able to watch P.P. perform -- just too bad they didn't include the whole number. So much energy and adorableness from this all-girl Japanese rock band.

The real shame is that the soundtrack's out-of-print worldwide. The Papaya Paranoia track is not available on their other albums, which are hard enough to come by as it is.