In 2023, the movie “Return to Simplicity,” adapted from the novel of the same name by director Takeshi Kitano, was released.
The story revolves around the life of architect Sato Mizushima, showcasing in full dimension what kind of person he is, what his life is like, and ultimately how he will love…
Mizushima’s day starts with a simple Japanese breakfast with pickled cucumbers, where he finds deep satisfaction in the humble food. Despite his mother’s long-term illness and hospitalization, the relationship between mother and son is warm and peaceful. Whether by the sickbed or in the face of separation and death, there is no great joy or sorrow, just a continuous flow of mutual care and the everyday destiny of peaceful passing.
As a talented and practical designer, Mizushima pays attention to details, working overtime and traveling extensively to pursue perfection. He earns the love and approval of clients with his hand-drawn design sketches and handmade architectural models, eschewing high-tech shortcuts favored by his colleagues who are more talk than action in design practice. Despite a colleague stealing his work and gaining fame in a design magazine, Mizushima remains indifferent, showing a nonchalant attitude towards the situation.
His two old friends share deep camaraderie with Mizushima, able to joke with each other and weather storms together. Decades of sincere friendship have brought laughter and humor but also shared loss and pain. When friend Takagi publicly mocks their boss during a meeting, Mizushima calmly apologizes without any blame towards his friend. The audience notices Mizushima’s lack of resentment towards the boss for stealing his design not as weakness but as a sign of his carefree attitude – his way of letting things go lightly.
The female lead, Miyuki, is someone who understands Mizushima on a soulful level. They meet at a piano café designed by Mizushima and share an understanding and appreciation for each other’s details and subtleties – his in design and hers in her handcrafted Italian leather bags of many years.
Miyuki, without a phone, unexpectedly opens up to a lifestyle of scheduled coffee meetups that is modern yet discreet and peaceful. Their love story unfolds sweetly but abruptly halts when Mizushima plans to propose. Without any contact information, Miyuki quietly disappears from the café like a drop of water vanishing into a deep well.
As time passes, truths surface about Miyuki’s identity as a pianist, the reason for her accident-induced absence, and her diary expressing responses to Mizushima’s affection. Faced with Miyuki’s brain impairment and paralysis, Mizushima makes a choice – not of conventional abandonment, but to continue walking alongside his different beloved from the beginning.
Fidelity in love and unwavering loyalty through hardships have always been a common theme in ancient Chinese classics and folklore, representing a traditional view of love that may seem ordinary yet extraordinary. The creators of this film have portrayed a modern individual who upholds traditional values and love in a world of his own, showcasing the beauty and extraordinary power brought by traditional values. It is no wonder that viewers may look back on the passing “past” with a nostalgic longing for simplicity.