‘Ya Boy Kongming! The Movie': J-pop spectacle goes heavy on performances
Many Japanese films are set in the music business, but few devote more screen time to actual performances than 'Ya Boy Kongming! The Movie.'
Based on a TV drama that was in turn inspired by a manga, this strenuously entertaining live-action film traces the improbable musical career of the title protagonist, a famous Chinese strategist of the chaotic Three Kingdoms period (A.D. 220-280) who finds himself reincarnated in modern-day Japan.
Scripted by Nonji Nemoto, who also worked on the TV drama, and directed by Shuhei Shibue, a prolific maker of music videos and TV commercials, the film assumes familiarity with the 'Ya Boy Kongming!' world and Three Kingdoms history.
Those ignorant of both may blank on the references to the real-life Zhuge Liang (played in the film version by Osamu Mukai), commonly known by his courtesy name Kongming, as well to why his reincarnation is advising Eiko Tsukimi (Moka Kamishiraishi), an up-and-coming pop singer, and hanging out with Kobayashi (Mirai Moriyama), the owner of a lounge where Eiko performs. An avid fan of Three Kingdoms history, Kobayashi gives rapid-fire minilectures that may aid the perplexed — or baffle them further.
The film's initial plot trajectory is simple enough: Three major record labels — Key Time, SSS and V-EX — agree to stage a 'music battle festival' with artists from every label competing. Aided by Kongming's strategic smarts and moral support, Eiko is selected as Key Time's singer in the final newcomer slot.
Meanwhile, the spunky Shin (the single-named Utaha), whom we first see busking in the street, is chosen by the SSS agency as their newcomer through the machinations of Jun Shiba (Kamio Fuju), a wily show biz strategist and Shin's brother. Jun also happens to be a descendant of Kongming's Three Kingdoms rival Sima Yi, also known as Zhongda.
As the date of the big concert approaches, Eiko and Kobayashi realize that all is not well with Kongming. He slips into dreams of a temple gate in the midst of a bamboo forest and comes to fear that if he hears Eiko sing, he will pass through the gate and enter the land of the dead.
The solution, Eiko tells Kongming, is for her to stop singing, period. But he can't let her, believing as he does that her voice holds the key to the universal peace for which he has long been advocating.
As this conflict plays out with much agonizing on both sides, the big concert begins. Acts both fictional and real appear, boy band &Team being among the latter. After each performance, fans hold up glow sticks with a color to indicate their favorite — pink for Key Time acts. The spectacle of thousands of waving lights and cheering fans rivals the most extravagant arena shows (though in this case, most of the audience is computer-generated). The music is mostly high-volume, fast-tempo J-pop, with dancers, singers and rappers all going full-throttle from beginning to end. Also, the plot acquires highly hyped twists and turns as the behind-the-scenes maneuvers of the two contending strategists come to light.
The concert is scheduled to conclude with Eiko and Shin, that is, if Eiko is willing to send her biggest fan to the next world.
Will Kongming go out in a burst of glory? Not to say, but 'Ya Boy Kongming! The Movie' features nearly 40 minutes of nonstop musical energy. For those who aren't fans of J-pop, however, it will be more agony than ecstasy.
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