Recently, Netflix fans have been obsessed with the intense revenge drama The Glory. With its gripping plot, brutal scenes, and steamy moments, the show takes viewers on an emotional rollercoaster.
After finishing The Glory, many might want something more soothing and healing. If that sounds like you, then Call Me Chihiro, starring the lovely Kasumi Arimura, is the perfect pick.
Call Me Chihiro: A Lens on Modern Social Issues
Call Me Chihiro tells the story of Aya, a woman who once worked as a sex worker under the name Chihiro. She carries a painful past. Her family life was far from peaceful, and when her mother died, Chihiro felt nothing, no sadness, no tears, just emptiness. She didn’t even attend the funeral.
Chihiro’s first visit to a massage parlor, where she asked to work, came on a dark day, one where she might have ended her life if she hadn’t walked in. The film doesn’t dive deep into her tragic past but focuses on her current mindset and how she helps others with kindness and compassion.
After leaving sex work behind, Chihiro finds a job at a bento shop. Despite society’s harsh judgment, her boss sees her kind soul and gives her a chance to rebuild her life. But not everyone is so understanding.
She faces mockery. Students refuse to eat food made by a former sex worker. An older coworker snidely suggests she knows how to please male customers because of her past.
Of course, no one would feel comfortable in her shoes, and Chihiro struggles too. Still, she faces everything with as much optimism as she can muster.
The film also touches on lingering patriarchal attitudes through the story of Seo Kuniko, a close friend of Chihiro. Kuniko comes from a well-off family with a successful father and a talented mother who is devoted to her family.
On the surface, Kuniko’s life seems perfect, but behind closed doors, it’s suffocating. Her father treats his words like law, and her mother’s excessive submission makes even small mistakes, like forgetting soy sauce, feel like huge offenses.
Chihiro also supports Satake Makoto, a boy raised by a single mother who is too busy to truly care for him. These are just a few of the issues the film explores. Almost every character Chihiro meets carries their own burdens. Though she hides her loneliness and pain, she becomes a source of healing for others.
A Gentle Story with Standout Performances, Especially from Kasumi Arimura
Despite tackling heavy topics, Call Me Chihiro tells its story slowly and calmly, with beautiful everyday scenes of life in Japan, giving viewers a soothing experience.
The cast delivers strong performances all around. Special praise goes to young actors Toyoshima Hana (15) and Shimada Tetta (9), who play their roles naturally without awkwardness. But the biggest highlight is Kasumi Arimura’s pure beauty and expressive acting.
Born in 1993, Arimura brings subtlety and ease to her role as Chihiro. She skillfully portrays the character’s emotional journey, showing the transformation clearly.
Throughout the film, we see Chihiro’s optimistic exterior hiding deep sadness and loneliness. By the end, she emerges as a woman freed from her past, ready to face a bright future.
Overall, Call Me Chihiro is a deeply healing and meaningful film. If you love Japanese cinema, this is one you shouldn’t miss.
Call Me Chihiro is now streaming on Netflix.
Source: Netflix
