During the summer of 1962, a young Japanese teen--Tatsuo--is worried, like most of his peers, about his entrance examinations to high school. Moreover, he's developed a crush on his female classmate, Eiko.
It's a nice, somewhat slow-moving coming-of-age film. Tatsuo is a nice kid, very average, and that's what makes his character in this film so appealing. Same deal with his counterpart, Eiko, a somewhat skittish young lady who's just developing into a young woman. Their paths intersect in the countryside, and a relationship develops.
Although it is slow-moving, that's the trademark of most Japanese films. Character determines action, which is why they seem to be slow-moving as opposed to Western films, where it's more of an action-determines-character kind of deal.
What this film has going for it is decent performances by a cast of veterans in Japanese cinema along with the young stars. It also has a terrific ending where the two principle actors share an embrace and swarmed by a million fireflies in a brilliant blaze of light. Worth a watch.
