Waterboys

2001 1h 30m JA

👍

6.5

SOLID

★6.5TMDB · 67

Comedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In a Japanese school, 5 adolescent geeks join the new sport teacher and take up the challenge to take part in the synchronised swimming competition, in-spite of the mockeries of the real sportsmen.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Satoshi Tsumabuki
Suzuki
Hiroshi Tamaki
Sato
Naoto Takenaka
Isomura
Koen Kondo
Kanazawa
Takatoshi Kaneko
Saotome
Akifumi Miura
Ohta
Aya Hirayama
Shizuko Kiuchi
Kaori Manabe
Mrs. Sakuma

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Shinobu Yaguchi
Writers: Shinobu Yaguchi
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

RUNTIME

Did you know

90 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

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25 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Shinobu Yaguchi, shot by Yuichi Nagata. 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 Hitomi Shimizu. 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 Ryuji Miyajima 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

Satoshi Tsumabuki and Hiroshi Tamaki and Naoto Takenaka carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0299213 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 67 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Shinobu Yaguchi directs. Yuichi Nagata behind the camera. Hitomi Shimizu scores. Ryuji Miyajima cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

190 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
225 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Directed by Shinobu Yaguchi, shot by Yuichi Nagata. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Hitomi Shimizu. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Ryuji Miyajima shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Satoshi Tsumabuki and Hiroshi Tamaki and Naoto Takenaka carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0299213 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 67 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
9Classified under 10 themes, including "high school", "sports", "bathing", "swimming".