Tora-san, Wish You Were Here

From 1969-97, director Yoji Yamada oversaw the production of 49 films starring comedian Kiyoshi Atsumi as Torajiro “Tora-san” Kuruma, an itinerant peddler from Shibamata in Tokyo with a brash no-nonsense attitude and infectious grin. Twenty-two years later, on the 50th anniversary of the first Tora-san film, Yamada presents the 50th and final entry in his beloved film series. Interspersing footage from the previous films (beautifully restored from 4K scans), Tora-san, Wish You Were Here continues the story by centering on Tora-san’s nephew Mitsuo (Hidetaka Yoshioka)—now a middle-aged single father and successful novelist—and reintroducing Mitsuo’s teen sweetheart Izumi (Kumiko Goto). A heartwarming and nostalgic film about family and the passage of time that is sure to produce new Tora-san fans and elate longtime devotees of the series.

Follow up your viewing of Tora-san, Wish You Were Here with a selection of newly restored Tora-san titles in our Classics section, including the iconic first film from 1969 and two films that are especially significant to the new film.

• “An obvious local crowd-pleaser whose heartfelt charm will impress even those film lovers who haven’t grown up with the franchise.” —The Hollywood Reporter

• “The highlights from the series’ glorious past are full of an energy, warmth and laughter seldom found in Japanese films today. ‘Tora-san, Wish You Were Here’—indeed.” —Japan Times

Available streaming territory: U.S. only

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