Japanese Dinner (1997)

Synopsis

Young Hiro Kenjiro earns his place amongst the men of his small fishing village by tracking and harpooning a particularly elusive and tasty killer whale that has been taunting the village for years with its acclaimed Hollywood cameos.

Director

Naboro Ayugai

Cast

* Taruki Hamogachi (Hiro Kenjiro)

* Keitaro Akhiko (Stern Village Head)

* Grrrrko (The dinner)

Didja Know?

Originally devised as a shameless propaganda film by the Japanese Whaling Commission, "Japanese Dinner" won critical acclaim and several Oscars, mainly because the Japanese characters were all so unlikeable it was assumed to be an anti-whaling film.

Famous Scenes

Hiro: Can anyone else smell chips?

Village Head: Chips? What, no? Shut up, insolent boy!

Hiro: Well I can. I can smell them on that table in about ten minutes' time, with a whoppping great whale-steak on the side. Yeeee haaaa!

(Hiro harpoons a passing whale and grabs hold of his surfboard as he's flung out off the rocky headland)

Critical Views

"This film, like, totally manages to combine extreme tragedy and awesome A-frames." - Lance Miller, Surfers Against Whaling Magazine