A chronicle of two election campaigns by the same Japanese politician, before and after Fukushima, which sheds light on the many political, cultural and societal aspects of Japanese society
J IS FOR JAPAN
There is nothing better than when an individual-centered documentary returns with a sequel to let the viewers know how their favorite protagonist is doing, and to fill us in on the other timelines. This is the case with the Campaign series, a chronicle of two campaigns run by the same candidate, Kazuhiro Yamauchi. In the first film he is a young, naive aspiring politician who represents the ruling Liberal Democratic Party while using its many resources to conform to the rather odd campaigning rules that exist in the country.
In the second film, Yamauchi has quit the party and is running a guerrilla non-traditional campaign to oppose the government’s handling of Fukushima. To watch the growth of an individual, and the way political and personal life intermingle in Japan, is a priceless experience. Mind you, Yamauchi is no Ocasio-Cortez, but he is an odd, well-meaning guy who never fits in, a type just as important for our current zeitgeist because, well, aren’t we all?
Campaign (選挙 ), 2007, and Campaign 2 (選挙２), 2013
Director: Kazuhiro Soda
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