How to Become Myself

(Ashita no Watashi no Tsukurikata)

An elementary school girl, Juri (Riko Narumi), loses sight of herself while acting out a false self in order to play along with her friends. One day, Kanako (Atsuko Maeda), a classmate who used to be a popular girl but has been bullied, tells Juri that the girl she is now is not her true self, and Juri sympathises. The two become high school students and no longer have a chance to talk to each other. Having heard that Kanako has moved to a new school, Juri Starts sending her e-mail stories under a false name about a fictitious girl with tips on how to be popular. Kanako copies the girl in the story and becomes popular, but starts feeling perplexed at falsifying herself. Juri is also in anguish over losing a sense of herself. Then Juri receives a telephone call from Kanako. Having revealed concerns to each other and coming to terms with themselves, the two pledge to each other to live by their own values. This film is Jun Icikawa (director of Tony Takitani)'s 20th and penultimate feature film.