Brash, loudmouthed and opportunistic, Kikujiro is the unlikely companion for Masao who is determined to see the mother he has never met. The two begin a series of adventures which soon turns out to be a whimsical journey of laughter and tears with a wide array of surprises and unique characters along the way.
Direction
Kitano's deadpan timing turns silence into pure comedy gold
Score
Joe Hisaishi's piano will haunt your dreams in the best way
Acting
Sekiguchi's thousand-yard stare out-acts most adult performers
Director
Takeshi Kitano
Takeshi Kitano
Kikujiro
Yusuke Sekiguchi
Masao
Kayoko Kishimoto
Kikujiro's Wife
Yuko Daike
Masao's Mother
Kazuko Yoshiyuki
Masao's Grandmother
Beat Kiyoshi
Man at Bus Stop
The Great Gidayû
Biker Fatso
Rakkyo Ide
Biker Baldy
Fumie Hosokawa
Juggler Girl
Akaji Maro
Crazy Man
Daigaku Sekine
Yakuza Boss
Yoji Tanaka
Yakuza Henchman #3
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Kitano cast his own real-life entourage as the wandering performers, including his actual comedy partner Beat Kiyoshi.
The film deliberately subverts the 'buddy movie' by making Kikujiro genuinely incompetent and emotionally stunted—no redemption arc, just presence.
JP
