Locomotive Teacher

2004 2h 3m JA

🤯

10.0

MASTERPIECE

★10.0TMDB · 1

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Seigo Yoshioka (Kenji Sakaguchi) is a teacher that became mute after a kendo accident. He feels lost after the accident and eventually decides to teach again on a small island where his mother was born. The children there on the island quickly name him "Kikansha Sensei" (Teacher Locomotive) after learning he is mute. The parents on the island are mostly hostile to Seigo Yoshioka, believing he is incapable of teaching their children. But with Seigo Yoshioka's determination and kindness, a strong bond develops between the students and the mute teacher, which then changes the parents' opinions of Seigo Yoshioka. Suddenly, tragedy then strikes ...

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Kenji Sakaguchi
Masaaki Sakai
Mitsuko Baisho
Nene Otsuka
Masatô Ibu
Naoyuki Morita
Mantaro Koichi
Matsunosuke Shofukutei

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Ryuichi Hiroki
Writers: Masato Katō, Shôtarô Oikawa
Languages: Japanese
Countries: Japan

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 22 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

CRAFT

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Ryuichi Hiroki, shot by Kazuhiro Suzuki. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Ryouichi Kuniyoshi. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Hani Mituhashi shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Kenji Sakaguchi and Masaaki Sakai and Mitsuko Baisho carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0492662 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 1 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Ryuichi Hiroki directs. Kazuhiro Suzuki behind the camera. Ryouichi Kuniyoshi scores. Hani Mituhashi cuts. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 22 years ago.
2Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
3Directed by Ryuichi Hiroki, shot by Kazuhiro Suzuki. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Ryouichi Kuniyoshi. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Hani Mituhashi shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Kenji Sakaguchi and Masaaki Sakai and Mitsuko Baisho carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0492662 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 1 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.