Pakodate-jin

One morning Hikaru Hino, a high school student living in Hakodate, wakes up to find she has grown a tail. She quickly cancels her first date with classmate Hayato, complicating their relationship. Hikaru's sister makes a fake tail to cheer her up and takes her out around town together, but a reporter captures their photo which leads to a huge commotion in Hakodate. As the tale commotion reaches a fever pitch, another person with a tail, Mr. Yoshida, shows up. As a result, the commotion grows into a full-blown incident that involves the whole of Hakodate.

Directed by Tetsu Maeda, Pakodate-jin leans on a strong ensemble — Aoi Miyazaki, Yo Oizumi, Masato Hagiwara — 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 2002.