"Youth 18x2: A Journey Towards You" - A film deeply rooted in Japanese and Taiwanese culture.

Just three days after its release,Youth 18x2: A journey towards youIt grossed over 6 billion VND, becoming the highest-grossing Taiwanese film in Vietnam in terms of early screenings.

The movieYouth 18x2: A journey towards youInspired by a travel story titled "Youth 18x2 Japan Slow Train Wanderings," the film tells the story of Jimmy (played by Hsu Kuang-Han, a 36-year-old game programmer) who is fired from his company and decides to take a trip back to Tainan, his hometown where he lived and grew up. There, he meets Ami (Kaya Kiyohara), a Japanese backpacker who accidentally lost her documents and is trying to stay in Tainan for a while.

Is it simply a movie about love?

Youth 18x2: A journey towards youThe film tells a simple yet pure love story between the two main characters. Although it lacks dramatic climaxes and is essentially just unrequited love between them, the film has touched the emotions of many viewers. Jimmy, an 18-year-old, is disillusioned with life and seems lost even after being accepted into university. Ami, a tourist who has unexpectedly fallen on hard times, must find a way to survive in Taiwan. They meet at a karaoke bar where Jimmy works, and Ami applies for a new job.

What stands out about the film is that it doesn't focus too much on the interaction between the two main characters, but instead focuses on different perspectives of the scenery, travel, and culture. This connects the storyline and evokes empathy from audiences in both Japan and Taiwan. The historical, cultural, and social connections are skillfully handled so that people from both countries can quickly relate to the film.

A metaphor for the history and culture of Japan and Taiwan.

Jimmy is a game enthusiast and loves reading and watching Japanese manga and anime. He's a big fan of Slam Dunk, a popular manga from Japan. Ami, on the other hand, insisted on choosing Taiwan as her travel destination.

Reflecting on the historical context, Japan once colonized Taiwan, making it the first colony of the people of the Land of the Rising Sun. It seems that every boy and girl like Jimmy was exposed to Japanese culture from an early age and was easily influenced by Japanese ideology, stories, and people.

For Ami, her work at the karaoke bar and the fresh energy it brought was similar to how the Japanese have made significant contributions to Taiwan in almost every aspect of life. She also said, "Southern men are strangely gentle."

This line serves as an explanation for the final scene where Ami recounts that, of all the places she could go, Tainan was one of the first she visited and she didn't want to go anywhere else. This detail alludes to the long period of Japanese occupation of Taiwan, where the country was considered a base for further colonial expansion.

Taiwanese culture gradually emerges through the film, as scenes show Jimmy taking Ami on his motorbike to the night markets. Taiwan is peaceful, small, and simple, with delicious food, bubble tea, and warm hospitality. Japanese culture, on the other hand, is already woven throughout the film, with Jimmy's natural inclination towards Japan. He studies Japanese, watches Japanese films, plays Japanese games, and has a distinctly Japanese style and appearance. Furthermore, throughout the film, Japanese culture is clearly evident in the melodious music of Mr. Children and the popular movie Love Letter…

The film "promotes" tourism between Japan and Taiwan.

Instead of focusing on close-up shots and enclosed settings,Youth 18x2: A journey towards youIt's truly a "television tour" for viewers. The beautiful, peaceful, and tranquil image of Tainan is presented, with its streets, golden lights, and the scene of the two main characters releasing lanterns into the sky—a scene deeply rooted in Taiwanese culture.

When Jimmy takes his trip to Japan, director Fuji Michio has the character ride a bullet train through snow-covered, frigid landscapes. The snow-covered villages and wide-angle shots encompassing vast areas make Japan appear more majestic and captivating than ever. While Taiwanese summers are warm and full of laughter, Japanese winters are quiet and profound.

Youth 18x2: A journey towards youThe film concludes with Jimmy's reflections and regrets for Ami, as well as a farewell to his innocent youth, his connection to Japanese culture, and the cherished memories of Tainan. Now that Jimmy has grown up, everything is just a memory. This subtly alludes to the passage of time, the transformation of all things, and the fragility of love.

The film's strengthsYouth 18x2: A journey towards youThe film's strengths lie in its subtle and metaphorical interweaving of cultural elements, as well as its gentle and innocent love story. However, a drawback of the film also lies in the love story itself, as the dialogue in many places is considered stiff, clichéd, and repetitive. The acting of the two main actors is not significantly different, but their chemistry lacks the appeal for the audience to truly feel their emotions. The cinematography and color palette are also strong points of the film.

Youth 18x2: A journey towards youIt is both a pure romance and a film with subtle metaphors about youth and national culture. The film encourages young people to live life to the fullest, bravely embark on their own journeys, and complete their individual paths to personal growth.

Phuong Thao is an editor at Travellive magazine. She is passionate about traveling and enjoys capturing moments with her camera in every place she visits. Travel, art, and lifestyle are Phuong Thao's favorite writing topics.

Ha Chu