Tora-san Goes North
1987 [JAPANESE]
Comedy / Romance
7.2
Plot summary
Tora-san, the näive and romantic peddler, returns once more to his home in Hokkaido where, as usual, he falls in love with a lovely young lady. The girl this time is Rinko Ueno, who has come home in an attempt to repair her relationship with her gruff veterinarian father, Junkichi 'Jun' Ueno. Tora-san gets caught up in the entanglements not only between Rinko and her father but between Dr. Ueno and Etsuko, a restauranteur with amorous plans for the ornery veterinarian.—Jim Beaver
February 13, 2023 at 10:44 PM
Director
Top cast
Tech specs
720p.BLU 1080p.BLUMovie Reviews
One of the most memorable entries, thanks to Mifune's inclusion
One thing about a formula is that when you break from it, the mere lack of predictability can be a shock to the system. When this one opened with no dream sequence, the Toraya sweet shop temporarily closed (closed!) and Tora's uncle in hospital, I think my heart rate increased.
The last of those was particularly troubling. The uncle character isn't even my favourite, but I'm so invested in this group of characters that the idea that one of their lives could be in danger was mortifying... if that's not a sign this series has won me over, I don't know what is.
Things got less stressful as it went along. The unique scenery and the presence of Mifune ensured that I didn't mind the focus being on the new characters and their storylines as much as I usually would, and overall, it was a very strong entry into the series.