ピカ☆☆ンチ LIFE IS HARDだからHAPPY ▫️2004 ▫️Info

We’re so back! My favorite Arashi characters have returned, after a few years of evolving into new and older characters. Nino finally comes back from California and finds out what has happened in his absence. This movie is narrated by Ohno (instead of Aiba like in the first film).

I love how everyone has grown and they came up with some good character developments. Sho is a regular salaryman now and who would have guessed he’d be the first one to start a family. Aiba got really weird and is into knitting but he also matured a lot. Ohno is still stumbling along and maybe needs some therapy but he’s starting to stand up for himself and speak his mind. Jun got in an argument with Aiba and Ohno so he pretended to move away but is still pursuing his chef dreams nearby. Nino got really cool (the hair!! the fit!!) and had to return for everyone else to get back together again. I love that all the new personas all have very specific outfits as well (in the first movie they all kind of just dressed like late 90s teens).

This time around, instead of focusing on being lost as a 17 year old in the suburbs, they focus on another important suburban theme: gentrification. I love that they did this because I feel it pays tribute to the Yashio community and the real situations that people in the suburbs face all the time when large companies exploit them for profit . It almost has a meta aspect of how this movie made money from filming in this location, but as a means to make up for that they actually enrich the community by sharing its story. I love that the people here formed a coalition to fight back against the capitalist giants! Even though Ohno goes a bit over the edge in supporting the cause, I stand with YASHIO PEACE!!!

On top of this modern capitalist story, we get to see more character development and a relatable situation of friends falling apart and figuring out how to come back together. Who hasn’t had to “break up” with a friend for having a different political opinion? Other nice plot lines are Jun’s chef journey, which actually mirrors the first movie (you can’t cook good food when your soul isn’t at peace); Sho’s family journey (having to choose between following your heart or sacrificing morals to make money in order to keep your family safe); Nino’s inner journey (he gets some insight from his father’s ghost and pursues his music dreams). I’m not sure Aiba or Ohno’s characters really have a clear journey, even Nino’s is a bit vague. I suppose Ohno plays a huge role in the Yashio Peace plot, and maybe he represents a difficulty with moving forward—even though he was right, he was too stubborn and passive to see the bigger picture.

This movie was just as fun and silly as the first, with even more surreal aspects. I think I like the first one better overall, but by no means do I dislike this one. This story is actually a bit more exciting and complex. The soundtrack and cinematography are top notch—not surprising since it is the same production crew. One thematic scene I really like is the different shots of televisions, there is actually a lot of fun framing in this one. The theme song is another good one, not quite as ROCKNROLL as the first. Perhaps because the characters and Arashi themselves have matured a bit, too.

I wouldn’t say it’s the best idea to watch this one without watching the first, but you could still enjoy aspects of it because it’s produced well. For me it’s the whole PIKANCHI world that I love to get lost in, so watching them both is key to truly feeling its warmth and joy. I still haven’t even seen the third one, which came out in 2014, so I’m definitely looking forward to that in “10 years”.