‘Happyend’ REVIEW: A Near-Future Tale of Rebellion, Friendship, and Growing Up
‘Happyend’ REVIEW: A Near-Future Tale of Rebellion, Friendship, and Growing Up
Happyend follows best friends Yuta (Hayato Kurihara) and Kou (Yukito Hidaka) as they prepare to graduate high school in near-future Tokyo. When threats of an earthquake posed by the government arise, it sparks unrest and uproar among the youth. After Yuta pulls a prank on their school principal, surveillance and control come to the forefront, leading Yuta and Kou to respond differently.
The official poster of Happyend / Photo taken from IMDb
Neo Sora’s feature fictional narrative debut offers a coming-of-age story filled with youthful shenanigans, teenage existential angst, and standing up against injustice. Although not as “futuristic” as science fiction films often are, the film’s depiction of a near-future Tokyo may not be as far ahead as it seems. Aside from the “new” technology — such as faces serving as fingerprints — rumors of an earthquake centuries in the making are set to hit the area, with Japan’s prime minister spreading fear among its citizens.
Despite being set in the near future, the film hits close to home, particularly in how it reminded me of my senior year in high school not too long ago, of how my world, which I felt was big enough for my idealistic dreams, was actually smaller than I thought. I would often think about little nuggets of wisdom taught in class, but I fondly remember when my friends and I used to fool around, thinking life wouldn’t hit us like a roaring freight train a couple of years later. No, we were young enough to see it coming but old enough to feel how quickly it was slipping away.
Happyend has this charm to it that resonates with you, even if you're no longer in your teenage years. Or better yet, it becomes a fitting experience of remembering who you once were — the friends you used to hang out with all the time, the mistakes you made that felt monumental at the time, and how much has changed since you last reflected on your high school days.
Yuta (Hayato Kurihara) and Koi (Yukito Hidaka) in Happyend / Photo taken from IMDb
Yuta is a sucker for music, particularly underground music. Along with his childhood friend Kou and their friends Tomu (Arazi), Ming (Shina Peng), and Ata-chan (Yuta Hayashi), music becomes a form of escape, especially after Yuta pulls a prank on Principal Nagai's (Shirō Sano) beloved sports car, which looked like an art installation standing on its rear bumper in the school grounds. Unsurprisingly, Principal Nagai views this as an act of terrorism, imposing heavy surveillance on the students that feels like a dystopian authoritarian nightmare.
As the “leader” of the group, Yuta is carefree and the epitome of living in the moment. He’s young, and music is his way of enjoying his youth. On the other hand, Kou, who comes from a Korean background, is slowly distancing himself from being oblivious to things and starting to grow, ultimately being drawn to activism and the spark for change when he becomes close with Fumi (Kirara Inori), a radical classmate.
Meanwhile, themes of xenophobia are seen through the eyes of Kou and his mother, who face discrimination and hate as Koreans living in Tokyo. Through this, we see that Kou has everything to lose, in contrast to Yuta, who enjoys the comfort of his lifestyle and stature. This becomes a subtle yet powerful piece in the film’s narrative, hinting at the slow decay of a friendship that we see bloom at the start when we first meet Yuta and Kou sneaking into the back of a club to feel the pulsating energy of techno music.
Kou, Yuta, Ming (Shina Peng), Tomu (Arazi), and Ata-chan (Yuta Hayashi) glance at their teacher in Happyend / Photo taken from IMDb
When Kou chooses to spend more time with Fumi, where he finds a bit of meaning and purpose, Yuta, as I see it, is left persistent to change. Even Tomu, who is of African-American descent, is moving to America after graduation, while Ming and Ata-chan have their dreams planned after high school as well. While seeing Yuta not amused by the trajectory of his friends changing, we can also empathize with him as this sudden change ultimately becomes a huge smack in the face. After all, these friendships are what made them enjoy their time in high school.
This is why Sora’s screenplay captures the rebellious, often misunderstood nature of youth, painting a portrait of how we gravitate toward the people we are strongly connected to without ever thinking too much about how things can change in an instant. With Yuta, Kou, and the rest of the bunch being dead set on going back to the way things were by taking a stand against the imposed video surveillance, you can’t help but think it feels too divorced from reality — unless the one in power voluntarily hears the plight of the many, for the betterment of everyone.
Students including Kou are monitored through video surveillance at school / Photo taken from La Biennale di Venezia’s website
Lia Ouyang Rusli’s score strikes a balance between roaring, headbanging techno music and futuristic orchestral and melancholic tunes, giving us a glimpse into the world we’re temporarily living in. This becomes an anchor into how the film begins and ends, with a familiar score that becomes a bookend of a story about the highs and lows of teenagers knocking on the doors of adulthood.
Ultimately, Happyend may feel like a glimpse into the future as it opens a doorway back to your teenage years and reminiscing about the moments when everything felt carefree and rebellious.
‘Happyend’ is part of QCinema 2024’s lineup as part of the Screen International program.
