The Lines That Define Me

2022 1h 47m JA

👍

7.3

SOLID

★7.3TMDB · 19

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Sousuke Aoyama is a college student who suffers painfully from the loss of his parents in a traffic accident. He meets Kozan Shinoda, a suibokuga (India-ink painting) artist, at an exhibition. Kozan becomes interested in Sousuke and surprisingly accepts him as his disciple. However, Kozan's niece is dismissive of Sousuke and declares to compete with Sousuke for the "Kozan Award." Although Sousuke seemed uninterested in painting at first, he gradually becomes drawn to it by each stroke he draws...

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Ryusei Yokohama
Sousuke Aoyama
Kaya Kiyohara
Shinoda Chiaki
Kanata Hosoda
Furumae
Yuumi Kawai
Kawagishi
Yosuke Eguchi
Nishihama
Tomokazu Miura
Shinoda Kozan
Yasuko Tomita
Todo Suizan
Kenichi Yajima
Museum director

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Norihiro Koizumi
Writers: Sho Kataoka, Norihiro Koizumi
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 / 6

ERA

Did you know

Released 4 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 6

CAST

Did you know

Ryusei Yokohama and Kaya Kiyohara and Kanata Hosoda carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 6

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt21816922 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 6

WILD

Did you know

Only 19 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Norihiro Koizumi directs. Masaru Yokoyama scores. Junnosuke Hogaki cuts. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 4 years ago.
2Original score by Masaru Yokoyama. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
3Editor Junnosuke Hogaki shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
4Ryusei Yokohama and Kaya Kiyohara and Kanata Hosoda carry the top of the cast.
5IMDB entry: tt21816922 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
6Only 19 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Original score: Masaru Yokoyama
Editing: Junnosuke Hogaki
Production design: Kei Itsutsuji
Sound: Masaru Ohgawara
Runtime: 107 min · 1h 47m
Status: Released
Original language: JA
IMDB: The Lines That Define Me (2022)

Also by

Norihiro Koizumi

Community reviews

What people are saying

Alunauwie2025-09-29
★ 10/10
The Lines That Define Me is a beautifully crafted film adapted from Togami Hiromasa’s novel, offering a surprisingly deep and meaningful story about self-discovery. With natural acting and strong character development, the film avoids clichés and instead focuses on emotional healing between two wounded souls. Visually captivating and rich in artistic expression, it’s a must-watch for cinephiles who appreciate films rooted in art and introspection. Read the full review here: (Indonesian version : alunauwie.com)

Production companies