Bitter Honey (2016)
Akako, a shape-shifting goldfish in the form of a coquettish nymphet clad in diaphanous red dresses, naively plays the role of erotic muse and adoring pet for an aging writer seeking greatness. Things quickly get complicated for the odd couple, however, when the writer's deceased former student/lover enters the picture as a ghost and helps Akako realize her own desires, activating her agency and frustrating the one-sided male fantasy the writer is so keen to continue.
Director: Gakuryu Ishii
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Fumi Nikaido as Akako Akai |
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Ren Osugi as Old Writer |
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Yoko Maki as Yuriko Tamura |
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Kengo Kora as Ryunosuke Akutagawa |
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Hanae Kan as Maruko Maruta |
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Masatoshi Nagase as Goldfish Seller |
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Kiyohiko Shibukawa as Bartender |
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Koichi Ueda as Doctor |
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Seiko Iwaido as Woman |
| Art | Satoko Saito | Production Design |
| Editing | Takahiko Takeda | Editor |
| Editing | Gakuryu Ishii | Editor |
| Camera | Norimichi Kasamatsu | Director of Photography |
| Directing | Gakuryu Ishii | Director |
| Writing | Saisei Murô | Novel |
| Writing | Takehiko Minato | Writer |
| Production | Akira Morishige | Producer |
| Costume & Make-Up | Kazuhiro Sawataishi | Costume Design |
| Costume & Make-Up | Shigeo Ômori | Costume Design |
| Production | Yasushi Minatoya | Line Producer |
| Directing | Yoshimasa Fujie | Assistant Director |
| Production | Konuma shugou | Production Manager |
| Sound | Toshiyuki Mori | Original Music Composer |