If
Orpheus and Eurydice lived in this charming Japanese village instead of ancient
Greece, they might have had a better chance at cheating death. In Kamakura
humans and spirits (as well as a menagerie of other mythical creatures) openly
cohabitate as friends and neighbors. It is a lot for Akiko Isshiki to get her
head around when she marries a Kamakura native, mystery novelist and part-time
detective Masakazu Isshiki, but she will see even more fantastical things when
she is forced to visit the realm of death in Takashi Yamazaki’s Destiny: The Tale of Kamakura (trailer here), which screened
during the 2018 Fantasia International Film Festival.
Viewers
get a rather scenic introduction to Kamakura, along with the incredulous Akiko.
There are cute little kappas living in their yard and all kinds of spirits selling
wares at the night market—not all of them are friendly. In fact, one sinister
goblin tries to kill the Isshikis with poisoned mushrooms. However, that brush
with death allows Masakazu to temporarily perceive agents of death as they go
about their business. They are not bad folks, really. In fact, the agent
assigned to his faithful editor Honda is quite personable. Together, they help
the distressed man to make arrangements that allow him to continue to watch
over his family. In this case, he is forced to reincarnate immediately as a toad
spirit.
About
midway through, we learn there is a malevolent entity out there that resents
the Isshikis’ married bliss. It will do anything to break them up, including
divorcing Akiko’s spirit from her body. At this point, Destiny takes a turn towards the territory of Richard Matheson’s What Dreams May Come, but it always
remains sweet and indomitably optimistic.
Despite
being based on Ryohei Saigan’s mid-1980s manga, which doesn’t seem to have much
readership here, some hip distributor ought to pick it up, because it could be
the geek date movie to end all geek date movies. The Isshikis are a completely
winning couple and their story of love reincarnated in successive lives is
deeply romantic. It also tops the wonder of Vincent Ward’s vision of the
afterlife, which was the best aspect of his Matheson adaptation.
Masato
Sakai and Mitsuki Takahata are altogether charming as the Isshikis. Their chemistry
develops naturally and they are both refreshingly earnest and even virtuous.
Yet, Sakura Ando (probably best known for 100 Yen Love) steals scene after scene as the big-hearted, snappy-dressing grim
reaper. In addition, the film is fully loaded with colorful supporting characters,
many of whom are played by some of Japan’s most recognizable thesps.
