Movie: The Blue Bird
Romaji: Aoi Tori
Japanese: 青い鳥
Director: Kenji Nakanishi
Writer: Kiyoshi Shigematsu (novel)
Producer: Shohei Kotaki
Release Date: November 29, 2008
Runtime: 105 min.
Distributor: Nikkatsu
Language: Japanese
Country: Japan
Plot
Higashigaoka Junior High School is in turmoil as one of the pupils, Noguchi, who had been bullied, attempted suicide last term. On the first day of the new term, a substitute teacher arrives to take the second year class. When the teacher, Murauchi (Hiroshi Abe), introduces himself, the pupils are surprised by his stutter. He has a speech impediment. Unable to speak eloquently, Murauchi faces his pupils with ‘words of truth’. His first instruction to the pupils is to return Noguchi’s desk and chair to the original place in the classroom. Every morning Murauchi greets the empty desk, “Good morning, Noguchi.” This causes a ripple beyond the classroom and among other teachers and parents, but Murauchi will not stop doing it. Eventually the day comes when Murauchi must leave.
Cast
Hiroshi Abe - Murauchi
Kanata Hongo - Shinich Sonobe
Ayumi Ito - Shimazaki
Hajime Inoue - Mr. Ishino
Osamu Shigematu - Mr. Miyazaki
Hiroyuki Kishi - Mr. Koizumi
Taiga
Moe Arai
Shuta Aoki
Yuko Araki
Mina Horita
Nao Ishizaki
Hiroto Ito
Moe Karasawa
Shohei Kawakami
Takuya Koizumi
Yuya Marufuji
Ryo Minami
Moe Miura
Misuki Mizushima
Natsuki Mizushima
Akiko Nagayasu
Seiko Nakahara
Tomi Nakaho
Chiharu Numazawa
Ayaka Obata
Yuki Obayashi
Tsugumi Shinohara
Tatsuya Suzuki
Riho Takagi
Yuki Takagi
Kazuhiro Yamaga
Kazuya Yamazaki
Yu Yoshida
Shion Hatakeyama
