cast & crew profiles

Novala Takemoto, Author of “Shimotsuma Story”

His debut was a collection of essays, “Soleinuit: How to Become a Proper Maiden,” published in 1998. His first novel, “Mishin” (2000), is the story of a charismatic Lolita punk band singer and the high school girl who adores her, and it became an instant hit over 500,000 copies. “Shimotsuma Story” (English title: “Kamikaze Girls”), published in 2004, established his name as a cult novelist.

Takemoto was nominated for Yukio Mishima Literary Prize twice with “Emily” (2002) and “Lolita” (2004). He also designs clothes and products in collaboration with Baby, The Stars Shine Bright. 

Novala Takemoto's Official Website: www.novala.net

Tetsuya Nakashima, Director

Born in 1959 in Fukuoka. Won many awards as a TV commercial director and directed numerous TV series. Directed the films Beautiful Sunday (1998), Natsu Jikan No Otona Tachi (1997), and Bakayaro! Watashi okotte Masu (Segment 2) (1988). Currently working on his next film, slated to open next year.

Interview with Tetsuya Nakashima

Kamikaze Girls stars Kyoko Fukada (right) and Anna Tsuchiya (left)

Kyoko Fukada, Actor

Born in 1982 in Tokyo. Known as one of the most famous Japanese female “idols.” She started her acting career in her mid-teens doing several TV shows before landing a role on the big screen in Ring 2 (1999), directed by Hideo Nakata, at age 16. Fukada stars in cult director “Beat” Takeshi Kitano’s 2002 film Dolls, as well as many others.

Fukada, like other female “idols” in Japan, has managed both a singing and modeling career in addition to acting.

Interview with Kyoko Fukada

Kyoko Fukada's Official Website: www.Kyoko-Channel.com

Anna Tsuchiya, Actor

Born in 1984 in Tokyo as the second daughter of an American father and a Japanese mother. Tsuchiya began her modeling career in “Seventeen” magazine, becoming one of the most charismatic fashion models in Japan. She also serves as front woman for the punk-rock band Spin Aqua. Kamikaze Girls was her first movie and won numerous awards. She also appeared in Cha no Aji (A Taste of Tea) (2004), directed by Katsuto Ishii.

Tsuchiya married soon after film's release and gave a birth to a baby boy.

Interview with Anna Tsuchiya

Anna Tsuchiya's Official Website: www.anna-t.com

Yoko Kanno, Composer

Yoko Kanno is one of the most famous and popular composers/keyboardists known for her performances and musical scores in anime and game titles, such as animes Cowboy Bebop, Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Wolf's Rain, Escaflowne, Please Save My Earth, Macross Plus, and game Nobunaga's Ambition. 

She was the lead member of a band called The Seatbelts, which was formed for the sole purpose of making the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack.

Apart from anime and games, Kanno also composes for films and TV commercials. Kamikaze Girls was her third film working with director Tetsuya Nakashima.

Interview with yoko kanno

Shoichi Ato, Director of Photography

Worked on TV commercials and feature films including Natsu Jikan No Otonatachi (1997) and Beautiful Sunday (2002), directed by Tetsuya Nakashima.

Also worked on the feature tokyo.sora (2002), directed by Hiroshi Ishikawa.

Towako Kuwashima, Production Designer

Worked on TV dramas and commercials directed by Tetsuya Nakashima for the last decade. Kamikaze Girls is her first feature film to participate in as a production designer. Also involved in the production of Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation (2003).

Masahide Yanagawase, VFX

Worked on many TV commercials directed by Tetsuya Nakashima for the last decade. Also worked on feature films Kino (1998), directed by Masahiko Sato, and Mizu no Onna (2002), directed by Hidenori Sugimori.

Chiaki Toyama, Editor

Worked on TV commercials and feature films Natsu Jikan No Otonatachi (1997) and Beautiful Sunday (2002), directed by Tetsuya Nakashima.

Also worked on the features Robinson's Garden (1987), directed by Masashi Yamamoto, and JYAN (1993) directed by Takashi Komatsu.