Asako I & II

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1:22

Asako I & II

2019

1h 59m

Romance

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

77%

Tomatometer

48 Reviews

72%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

Asako meets and falls madly in love with drifter Baku who one day drifts right out of her life. Two years later, working in Tokyo, Asako sees Baku again -- or, rather, a young, solid businessman named Ryohei who bears a striking resemblance to her old flame. They begin to build a happy life together until traces of Asako's past start to resurface.

Critics Consensus

Asako I & II's high-concept premise is anchored by thought-provoking themes and confident, compelling work from director Ryusuke Hamaguchi.

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Justin Chang

Los Angeles Times

Aug 22, 2019

[A] peculiarly potent story about life's unexpected little ruptures - those odd coincidences, repetitions and shifts in perspective that can set off aftershocks in the human heart.

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Ty Burr

Boston Globe

Jul 25, 2019

3/4

The movie keeps you guessing, mostly in pleasure, at both its meanings and its methods.

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G. Allen Johnson

San Francisco Chronicle

Jun 20, 2019

1/4

Asako's only appeal seems to be that she's very pretty. Her depth of character she apparently keeps to herself.

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David Pountain

Vague Visages

Dec 12, 2023

With surprising poignancy, Asako channels the humbling smallness of life’s journey...

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Panos Kotzathanasis

Asian Movie Pulse

Feb 21, 2021

"Asako I&II" is an excellent movie, one of the best dramas of the latest years, and a production that combines beauty with meaningful context in the most captivating fashion.

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Dustin Chang

Floating World

Feb 13, 2021

It is refreshing to see a Japanese film that is modern and direct and not trying to be overtly Ozu-y or arthouse poetic or genre-y, yet very Japanese. I very much appreciate Hamaguchi Rusuke's work.

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Henry D

@Henry_Domke May 12, 2026

We’ve now seen five films by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, and we’ve rated all of them highly. This one begins as an unassuming but appealing slice-of-life romance, then gradually opens into something magical, powerful, and meaningful. Hamaguchi has a rare gift for making ordinary moments feel mysterious and emotionally rich. We need more movies by him.

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Rosie D.

@Rosieeeee Feb 7, 2026

Baku represents the purity of love—like the vast sea they never got to see together. Ryohei is the reality of love—like a river that’s murky, yet still beautiful. Such a surreal, hauntingly strange film. I finished it feeling completely dazed and rattled. it's one of those rare films that feels like a fever dream you can't quite shake off.

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Leprechaun K

@LeprechaunKing May 3, 2025

Movie's plot doesn't make complete sense with all the twists and turns, which feels unnatural. The underlying message is that love is blind and irrational, but it drives everything in life.

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Sam F

@Sam_Fisher Apr 11, 2024

Just a star knocked off despite the perfect direction and beautiful acting, and only because this movie verges a little too much into the unreal kind of love/fairy tale.

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steve c

@RT19610513 Jan 22, 2023

I tell you ladies with baggage are trouble. Y'all better know this or learn the hard way.

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Siriporn P

@Malee Jul 6, 2022

I was a bit disappointed as I expected it to end with surprise or twisting but it simply ended in plain linear drama.

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Asako I & II: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Asako meets and falls madly in love with drifter Baku who one day drifts right out of her life. Two years later, working in Tokyo, Asako sees Baku again -- or, rather, a young, solid businessman named Ryohei who bears a striking resemblance to her old flame. They begin to build a happy life together until traces of Asako's past start to resurface.

Director: Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
Producer: Yuji Sadai, Teruhisa Yamamoto, Yasuhiko Hattori
Screenwriter: Sachiko Tanaka, Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
Distributor: Grasshopper Film
Production Co: C&I Entertainment, Bitters End, Comme des Cinémas, Nagoya Broadcasting Network (NBN)
Genre: Romance, Drama
Original Language: Japanese
Release Date (Theaters): May 17, 2019, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 18, 2020
Runtime: 1h 59m

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