Sang-il Lee
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6.9 Hula Girls (2006) 6.7 Villain (2010) 6.5 Rage (2016) 6.5 The Wandering Moon (2022), 6.9 Kokuho (2025) | Links: |
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Sang-il Lee (Japan, 1974) debuted with
Blue Chong (1999), followed by
Toei (2003), an adaptation of Ryu Murakami's novel,
Scrap Heaven (2005),
Hula Girls (2006),
Villain (2010), his first adaptation of a Shuichi Yoshida novel,
Unforgiven (2013), which is a
Japanese remake of Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven (1992),
Rage (2016),
his second adaptation of a Shuichi Yoshida novel,
and The Wandering Moon (2022), an adaptation of Yu Nagira's novel.
Lee then directed his third Yoshida adaptation, Kokuho/ National Treasure (2025), written by Satoko Okudera and based on Shuichi Yoshida's novel "Kokuho" (2018), a three-hour historical drama spanning five decades (from 1964 to 2014) and a sort of tribute to the art of Kabuki. Kikuo, known as Toichiro on stage, and Sanjiro's son Shunsuke are raised together and coached together by Sanjiro. Sanjiro is the son of a Kabuki actor, heir to the Tanbaya house of kabuki, and his son Shunsuke is expected to replace some day Sanjiro and become the new hair of the Kabuki house. Sanjiro pairs them in a Kabuki show. Sanjiro introduces them to an older onnagata who has achieved the status of kokuho ("living national treasure"): Mangiku. They witness his performance in "Heron Maiden". Kikuo has an affair with a geisha, Fujikoma. She loves Kikuo and wants him to have his own theater. One day Sanjiro has a car accident and breaks a leg. Everybody expects his son to replace him but instead Sanjiro picks Kikuo as his replacement to the costernation of his wife. Shunsuke feels humiliated. Kikuo trains in Sanjiro's hospital room for the forthcoming show. Shunsuke encourages Kikuo at the opening. Shunsuke leave sobbing in the middle of the premiere, realizing that Kikuo is so much better. Shunsuke has a daughter and decides to reunite with her and her mother. Shunsuke is gone for eight years. Sanjiro decides to give his family's name to his adopted son Kikuo, causing another shock to his wife. This is made public in a succession ceremony during which the ailing Hanjiro dies and in his last moments he calls Shunsuke's name. Kikuo feels guilty of accepting the family's name. In 1982 Kikuo visits Shunsuke and his wife Harue. Kikuo is secretly paying Sanjiro's debts, but a newspaper article reveals that Kikuo has the tattoo of a yakuza and desrcribes him as thief who stole Shunsuke's last name. Kikuo begins a sexual relationship Akiko, the daughter of a powerful Kabuki investor, has a crush on Kikuo and he takes advantage of her, but this becomes a second scandal because everybody thinks he did it only to advance his position. Kikuo is ruined. Kikuo, having disgraced the famiy, loses his status as heir to the Tanba-ya house and Shunsuke regains it. He loses everything. He tries in vain to make peace with Shunsuke but gets beaten by him. They punch esch other in front of Akiko. Kikuo leaves with Akiko and restarts from zero, performig in small venues. while Shunsuke becomes famous and respected. In 1986 Kikuo is even beaten by thugs in an alley. The old Kabuki star Mangiku resurrects his career by offering a role in a show. Kikuo makes peace with Shunsuke and they reform the old duo to great success. Shunsuke discovers that gangrene has spread to a leg and his leg has to be amputated below the knee. Shunsuke nonetheless performs even with the prosthetic leg. Shunsuke dies after an epic performance. In 2014 Kikuo has become a kokuho. He is interviewed before a performance of "Heron Maiden" that is meant to be a tribute to Shunsuke. The photographer of the magazine is Ayano, Kikuo's illegitimate daughter with geisha Fujikoma. She tells him that he sacrificed everybody for his stardom. After the tribute performance the curtains come down and he stares at the beauty that he has created with his magical performance but he is also completely alone.
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