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THE SHONEN MERIKENSACK

By Kankuro KUDO

TOEI COMPANY, LTD. - as SALES All rights, World

Drama - Completed 2008

The theme is Punk Rock!! It's a non-stop entertainment about an office lady vs. dirty-old-men rock band.

- Year of production
- 2008
- Genres
- Drama, Comedy
- Countries
- JAPAN
- Languages
- JAPANESE
- Budget
- 3 - 5 M$
- Duration
- 125 mn
- Director(s)
- Kankuro KUDO
- Writer(s)
- Kankuro KUDO
- Cast
- Aoi MIYAZAKI, Koichi SATO, Yuichi KIMURA, Tomorowo TAGUCHI, Hiroki MIYAKE
- Producer(s)
- Makoto OKADA, Tsuguo HATTORI
- Synopsis
- Embattled talent scout Kanna (Aoi Miyazaki) has worked at a record label for two years with nothing to show for it, until she stumbles across a viral music clip online of a live gig by a Punk Rock band that goes by the name of SHONEN MERIKENSACK (Brass Knuckle Kids). Never before has she seen such unfettered energy and shock value in a band performance. Kanna also takes note that the bassist is a “hunk,” always a highly marketable asset. When she rushes off to sign the band, her enthusiasm is quickly doused when she discovers that her “hunk” is a man over 50!
  “Who are you? I’m looking for a handsome bassist named Akio.”
  To her great dismay, Kanna realizes that the viral clip that so impressed her was not of strapping 25-year-old contemporary rockers, but of a band playing 25 years ago! And whose members are now nothing but weather-beaten drunks and has-beens. But it’s too late to turn back now. SHONEN MERIKENSACK has already amassed too huge an online following and her label has announced a nationwide tour!
  Meanwhile, former “hunk” and band leader, Akio (Koichi Sato), welcomes the sudden attention by a major label and the chance for rock star redemption. Convincing Kanna that they can pull of a miraculous comeback, the SHONEN MERIKENSACK reunion gets underway. But a Pandora Box is opened to reveal Akio to be pathetic on the guitar despite his insistence on playing it; their 42-year-old drummer, Young (Hiroki Miyake), can’t sit due to a bad case of hemorrhoids; and their lead vocalist, Jimmy (Tomorowo Taguchi), is afflicted by a speech impediment after suffering brain damage. What’s more, Akio and his brother, Haruo (Yuichi Kimura), the only member with a semblance of true talent, come to blows every time they see each other. At this rate, the tour is sure to spark riots by angry, disappointed Punk fans across the nation. Even the record label is unaware of the truth as it goes about promoting SHONEN MERIKENSACK’s national tour. Convinced that her career is over, Kanna plugs on, clinging to a sliver of hope that the band can somehow win over audiences and recover its lost glory.