What is Yuichiro Sakashita's new film Blonde about?

Blonde, Yuichiro Sakashita's latest film, is a sharp satire that explores Japan's outdated school rules and the growing generational divide, as a meek teacher's life spirals after his students stage a "blonde-hair protest".

How does Blonde reflect Sakashita's own fears about aging?

Sakashita has said the film's protagonist, a 30-year-old teacher struggling to connect with younger generations, is rooted in his own fears about losing touch as he grows older and society keeps moving forward.

What is the significance of the "blonde-hair protest" in Blonde?

In Japanese schools, having any hair color other than black is often seen as a mark of delinquency, so the students' "blonde-hair protest" against the school's restrictive rules triggers a strong reaction and becomes a nationwide spectacle.

Home / Arts and Entertainment / Rebel Students Spark Nationwide Spectacle in Japan's "Coming of Middle-Age" Comedy

Rebel Students Spark Nationwide Spectacle in Japan's "Coming of Middle-Age" Comedy

31 Oct

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Summary

Rising director Yuichiro Sakashita's new film Blonde satirizes Japan's restrictive school rules
Protagonist is a meek teacher whose life unravels when students stage a "blonde-hair protest"
Film explores the growing gulf between Japan's older and younger generations

Rebel Students Spark Nationwide Spectacle in Japan's "Coming of Middle-Age" Comedy

In the lead-up to the 2025 Tokyo International Film Festival, rising 38-year-old director Yuichiro Sakashita is set to premiere his latest film, Blonde, in the festival's main competition. The film is a sharp, quietly damning satire that takes aim at the conformity and restrictive rules within Japan's education system.

Blonde centers on a meek junior-high teacher, played by popular singer-turned-actor Takanori Iwata, whose life unravels when his students stage a "blonde-hair protest" against the school's highly restrictive and outdated appearance policies. As the modest revolt rapidly morphs into a nationwide spectacle on social media, the protagonist is forced to confront his own apathy and lack of conviction.