Tora-san Meets the Songstress Again (Tora-san #15)
Also known as Tora-san’s Rise and Fall (among other titles), the 15th Tora-san film is a fan favorite and the second to feature Ruriko Asaoka as Tora-san’s love interest Lily Matsuoka—the most recurring “madonna” of the long-running series who makes five total appearances, including in Tora-san, Wish You Were Here. Traveling through Hokkaido with a disgruntled salaryman seeking a lost love (Eiji Funakoshi), Tora-san runs into Lily, who has gotten divorced since they last saw each other in Tora-san’s Forget Me Not (1973) and is working as an itinerant singer. After a spat in the scenic town of Otaru, they split and meet again in Tora-san’s hometown of Shibamata, where they reconcile. With sparks reignited between the pair, will the perpetual bachelor Tora-san finally find a chance at love?
- Winner, Best Actress (Ruriko Asaoka), 1976 Kinema Junpo Award
- Winner, Best Actress (Ruriko Asaoka), 1976 Blue Ribbon Awards
- Winner, Best Supporting Actress (Chieko Baisho), 1976 Blue Ribbon Awards
Available streaming territory: U.S. only