Ties (Japanese Film)

Ties, known in Japanese as Hare no Chihare, Tokidoki Hare (晴れのち晴れ、ときどき晴れ), is a 2013 Japanese feature film directed by Akira Uchikata and written by Hiroyuki Yatsu.

Promotional still for the Japanese movie Ties — Promotional still from the film Ties

Plot Synopsis

The story follows 37-year-old Sadatora Ogata, who left his hometown sixteen years prior with aspirations of becoming an action star. Finding himself unemployed and pursued by creditors, he flees back to his hometown of Ushimado.

Upon his return, Sadatora develops an attachment to Teacher Izumi, the younger sister of his childhood friend. To approach her, he takes the unusual step of enrolling in high school. Complications arise when a 17-year-old girl named Miwa confronts him, claiming to be his daughter. Both Sadatora and Miwa end up attending the same high school, navigating conflicts while forging a closer familial bond.

Release and Film Festivals

The film held its world premiere in October 2013 as part of the special screenings section at the 26th Tokyo International Film Festival. It subsequently received a theatrical release in Japan on November 23, 2013, with a total runtime of 117 minutes.

Cast

The main cast members of the film include:

Matsu as Sadatora Ogata
Karen Miyazaki as Miwa Shinozaki
Miho Shiraishi as Izumi Seto
Yasufumi Hayashi as Gota Seto
Tamao Sato as Masae Seto
Ryuichi Ohura as Koichi Yamane
Takaaki Enoki as Detective
Yumi Takigawa as Kiku Ogata
Katsuhiko Watabiki as Toranosuke Ogata
Jun Soejima as Lewis