Tokyo Newcomer

A young Chinese Go board game player arrives in Japan for training. He doesn't speak Japanese and becomes embarrassed living there. By dropping his Go stones, he happens to meet an old Japanese woman who sells vegetables on the street. They become familiar with each other. The young Chinese Go player, the old woman named Igarashi and her grandson Shoichi then live together.

Directed by Jiang Qinmin, Tokyo Newcomer leans on a strong ensemble — Qin Hao, Hiroyuki Ikeuchi, Shunsuke Kubozuka — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about romance titles of 2012.