Kids Return

Kids Return (キッズ・リターン Kizzu Ritān?) is a 1996 Japanese film written, edited and directed by Takeshi Kitano. The film was made directly after Kitano recovered from a motorcycle wreck that left one side of his body paralyzed. After extensive surgery and physical therapy he quickly went about making Kids Return amidst speculation that he might never be able to work again. The music was composed by Joe Hisaishi, and the cinematographer was Katsumi Yanagishima.

Contents 1 Plot 2 Reception 3 Cast and roles 4 Soundtrack 5 External links

Plot
The movie is about two high school dropouts, Masaru (Ken Kaneko) and Shinji (Masanobu Ando), who try to find a direction and meaning in their lives—one by becoming a yakuza lieutenant, the other by becoming a boxer.

Reception
At the time of its release it was Kitano's most successful film yet in his native Japan, which until then had been notedly much less enthusiastic about his films than international viewers.

Cast and roles
Ken Kaneko as Masaru Masanobu Ando as Shinji Leo Morimoto as Teacher Hatsuo Yamatani as boxing club manager (credited as Hatsuo Yamaya) Michisuke Kashiwaya as Hiroshi Mitsuko Oka as coffee-shop owner, Sachiko's mother Yuuko Daike as Sachiko Ryo Ishibashi as local Yakuza chief Susumu Terajima as No. 2 in local gang Moro Morooka as Hayashi Peking Genji Atsuki Ueda as Reiko Kotaro Yoshida Koichi Shigehisa as Trainer Kyôsuke Yabe Yoshitaka Ôtsuka as delinquent Masami Shimojô as Yakuza godfather Kazuki Oh Shintarô Hasegawa Kanji Tsuda Yojin Hino as taxi office worker (credited as Yôjin Hino) Ren Osugi as taxi passenger Takashi Hagino

Soundtrack
Kids Return

KidsReturn.jpg

Soundtrack album by Joe Hisaishi

Released 26 June 1996

Label Polydor

All compositions by Joe Hisaishi. 1."Meet Again" − 5:02 2."Graduation" − 1:07 3."Angel Doll" − 2:21 4."Alone" − 1:15 5."As a Rival" − 1:29 6."Promise... for Us" − 5:08 7."Next Round" − 1:28 8."Destiny" − 3:31 9."I Don't Care" − 2:18 10."High Spirits" − 2:03 11."Defeat" − 2:29 12."Break Down" − 3:46 13."No Way Out" − 2:51 14."The Day After" − 0:44 15."Kids Return" − 4:40