Title: 僕等がいた 前篇 Bokura ga Ita Zenpen
English Title: We Were There: Part 1
Country: Japan
Language: Japanese
Year: 2012
Cast:
- 生田斗真 Ikuta Tōma
- 吉高由里子 Yoshitaka Yuriko
- 高岡蒼佑 Takaoka Sōsuke
- 本仮屋ユイカ Motokariya Yuika
- 小松彩夏 Komatsu Ayaka
- 須藤理彩 Sudo Risa
- 麻生祐未 Asō Yumi
- 柄本佑 Emoto Tasuku
- 松永隼 Matsunaga Hayato
- 秋月成美 Akizuki Narumi
- 比嘉愛未 Higa Manami
SYNOPSIS
Takahashi Nanami is sulking in the roof top of her high school building because she got 8 points out of a 100 on an exam. When she saw the most popular boy in her class Yano Motoharu, she thought he is also feeling down about getting a low grade on the test and she tried to comfort him. She was very much mistaken though because Motoharu actually got a perfect score.
Nanami has always admired Motoharu because he's a very charming guy that people tend to gravitate to and everyone wants to be around. Nanami is the class representative who is in charge of all the class activities, but she can't seem to make her classmates follow her lead.
Nanami confessed to Motoharu that she likes him, and he then asks her to date him. She agrees to be his girlfriend, but she has to deal with the fact that Motoharu can't seem to get over a past love...
REVIEW
Bokura ga Ita is about young love; specifically how a high school girl wholeheartedly loves someone without reservations, and how a troubled young man wants to move on with his life but he can't seem to get over a past love.
Yano Motoharu and Takahashi Nanami seem to be typical high school students but as always, everything is not always what they seem. But then again, most people really have several facets of their personality, sometimes to the point that one aspect may contradict another.
Motoharu has a dysfunctional relationship with the women in his life; from his mother who can't seem to take care of herself, to his ex-girlfriend that he considers the greatest love of his life, to a cute girl that he said he likes but is actually someone he doesn't hate and someone he likes but not in a romantic way.
Nanami is blinded by her love for Motoharu, that she's willing to be his girlfriend even though it seems that he still has feelings for someone else, and she's always putting him first even if it means that she'll get hurt in one way or another.
I'm a little frustrated with Nanami though, because she tends to butt into other people's business even though she doesn't really know anything. For the most part, I think it's better to try to read the situation before saying things because there are times when it's better to remain silent in conversations with other people, especially if you're not part of the conversation in the first place.
Nanami's interference are sometimes of the harmless sort like when she tried to comfort Motoharu for getting a low grade in an exam because she assumed that he's on the roof for the same reason that she is. By the way, this is a classic case of when people tend to project their own feelings on other people.
But she sometimes interrupts other people's conversations to lecture them about their actions when she doesn't know these people at all. It's even worse because she's not really part of the conversation, so she's quite rude for saying what she thinks out loud and forcing other people to listen.
Bokura ga Ita actually has a running time of around four hours. Bokura ga Ita Zenpen, which is around two hours, is just the part one and covers the high school years of Motoharu and Nanami. 僕等がいた 後篇 Bokura ga Ita Kōhen continues their story for around two more hours.
The movie is fine as it, albeit a little slow. I think with some clever editing and maybe cutting of redundant scenes, then it might be possible to have it shortened to just maybe two hours.
Takahashi Nanami, also known as Nana: Beneath this endless sky, where are you right now? Who did you meet today? What did you talk about? Where did you go? When was the last time you thought about me? Who are you in love with?
Yano Motoharu, also known as Moto: Worries are what set the living apart from the dead, right?
Takahashi Nanami, also known as Nana: Excuse me! I just thought it's not a good thing to talk about someone like that. You don't know how she truly feels in the first place.
Takeuchi Ayaka: In love, it's all about outwitting your opponent.
...
Takeuchi Ayaka: Alright, I'll teach you important points to win in love. One, choose the right partner. Two, be honest.
Takeuchi Masafumi: Moto, what is the thing that you definitely don't want to lose?
Takeuchi Masafumi: I want the person I love to be happy. That's all.
Takeuchi Ayaka: Say, do you know how to get over a past love? No? Find a new love, and immerse yourself in it.
...
Takeuchi Ayaka: If that new love is real, the previous love will become the past. You find a new love not because you want to forget. But you can forget because of that new love.
Takeuchi Masafumi: (That) sounds so stupid. That's the fault of the person who's searching... You didn't even search for him that hard, and you said you couldn't find him?
Takahashi Nanami, also known as Nana: Let's build a future that's way better than then past.
Takahashi Nanami, also known as Nana: So even if my choice is wrong, even if it leads to a unknown future, I will definitely not regret anything.
Takahashi Nanami, also known as Nana: Don't ever feel alone. No matter what happens, you are not alone.
Takahashi Nanami, also known as Nana: It wasn't a plus canceling out the minuses. It wasn't "canceling out". The plus was greater than the minuses.
Takahashi Nanami, also known as Nana: Please God, please protect him. No matter what happens, please don't let him lose heart, don't let him be crushed. No matter how many times he may cry or collapse, please give him the strength to stand again. Please let the people whom he meet be warm people. Please protect him.
Related:
僕等がいた 後篇 Bokura ga Ita Kōhen
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僕等がいた 前篇 Bokura ga Ita Zenpen
