Ikigai

Ikigai (2024)

FamilyDrama

'Ikigai' follows Mayumi, a 9-year-old girl, as she tries to find balance in her Japanese identity and American nationality. Hanako, her mother who celebrates their culture through Nihon Buyo, sees Mayumi's new school as an opportunity to share their culture with the white students. When Mayumi is assigned a show-and-tell presentation, she takes it as a chance to prove to her classmates that she is not that different from them. But, that plan is soon ruined when Hanako unexpectedly shows up and teaches the class a Japanese dance, embarrassing and exposing Mayumi's cultural background. After coming home ashamed of her mother and Japanese identity, Mayumi receives guidance from her parents that motivates her to return to school and redo her show and tell in a way that would make her ancestors proud.

Director: Maren Emiko Elardo

Casts

	Natsuko Aoike as Hanako Nakaji
	Brian Takahashi as Kenji Nakaji
	Julia Saito as Mayumi Nakaji
	Becca Bell as Mrs. Anderson
	Mary Lapari as Katherine
	Sullivan Lapari as Jackson
	Joilena Fang as Yumi
	Jared Hayes Lawrence as Andrew
	Sayana Kitagawa as Yuka
	Joventino Fuentes as Jason
	Frankie Fuentes as Keith
	Joe Fuentes as Alan
	Kameron Gallegos-Whittaker as Nicholas
	Ransom Melton as Bethanne
	Parker James Logie as William
	Corrine Fuentes as Background Parent
	Kristen Lapari as Background Parent
	Mayumi Elardo as Background Dance Parent

Crew