Release Date: 2022
Duration: 14 mins.
Director: Akinori Ikuse
Writer: Takuya Matsuura (Screenplay),
Starring: Ucyu Imagawa, So Morozumi,
Written by Takuya Matsuura and directed Akinori Ikuse, Out of Tokyo 202X is a cheerful sci-fi short that, as an experience, is energising and surprising, hopeful and dazzling as it presents a story of a meeting between two time-travellers at a special event.
Just by looking at the title, one might be able to guess that it has something to do with time travel, the X giving it an indeterminate year, but it is also a reference to the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games which serves as a backdrop to the story which takes place outside the grounds of the Olympic Stadium and captures various sights from the opening day.
We are first introduced to Rika (Ucyu Imagawa) as she watches the Blue Impulse aerial acrobatics team fly over the stadium in the lead-up to the opening ceremony. Her purpose is to revel in the atmosphere of the moment but that is all forgotten when she meets a mysterious man named Shin (Sou Morozumi). In a series of smooth segues from our reality to sci-fi, we learn that these are future people, first when Rika checks her PDA to review footage and uses a screen seemingly implanted in her arm, and then through smoothly crafted conversation which the actors deliver with conviction as they relate their method of time slipping while crowds of onlookers swirl around them.
In a neat twist, it seems that all of the data, be it photos, videos, and blogs we are churning out helps people in the future recreate the past! You’re welcome, future people! The science isn’t gone into great depth but still works for the wider narrative as it turns out that Rika’s time-slip method is just the start of the technology and that her meeting with Shin will inspire something great.
Inspiration is the key word here, whether it is from a historic moment like when Tokyo 2020 opened or the inspiration given by like-minded people as Rika finds herself swept away by Shin.
Audiences will definitely feel her excitement for the moment as the film delivers an energising atmosphere through Ikuse shooting on location around the stadium so that the on-site spectacle gives the film its visual bounce, especially as the actors get caught up in it as they race around the area with glee. The high saturation look and handheld camerawork make it distinctive and energetic to look at and it feels as if it mirrors the rush of inspiration and maybe falling in love. There is also manipulation of footage speed as step printing and slow motion appears to be used when more contemplative stretches are hit.
In a perfect match-up, the soundscape of crowds chattering, cicadas, and traffic bubble away and matches the highly active visuals to give a sense of life and joining its flow. The upbeat music further enhances this feeling and when it is overlaid with the sight of Ucyu Imagawa and So Morozumi enjoying their time together it is hard not to get swept away along with them, especially as they share good chemistry. And so, as they view fireworks together, it really delivers a sense of love blossoming during a momentous occasion to add to the sense of wonder.
That the film ends on an open note of sci-fi speculation, with Rika being given the hint that she will go on to big things, makes it a hopeful story, especially considering it was shot during the Covid-19 pandemic. Some might say, much like the Olympics themselves, the film delivers joy during a period of strife. Regardless of where you stand on that questionable sporting event, the film definitely captures the experience of an ephemeral romance, its style and story matching the rush of motions on might experience. More importantly, it gives a life-affirming message that people and places can create happy memories and inspiration for new ways of living. Maybe these emotions will be felt more if seen on the big screen as it will leave one feeling even more optimistic and romantic.
Out of TOKYO202x was screened at the Osaka Asian Film Festival on March 12. It will be screened again on March 16.