Lovely Chubby

Marie is a chubby girl who's steadily paying off her debts by working at a brothel introduced to her by a black-market lending company. One day, she meets a guy on the street by the name of Kazu. Taking an instant liking to him, she invites Kazu to come live with her. It soon becomes apparent that he doesn't seem to have a job and the allowance money he receives from her goes straight on playing around. In spite of this, he is always on hand to lend Marie an ear when she talks about her insecurities. Though Kazu is somewhat of a freeloader, she enjoys living with him but things take an unexpected turn when one of her regular clients suddenly proposes to her. Marie confides in Kazu by telling him what happened. After she wakes up next day, she discovers that he has disappeared. Several days later, she finds Kazu and accompanies him to his house. Waiting for them is Kazu's wife, Mitsuko, a beautifully slim lady and the mirror opposite of Marie.

Directed by Hideo Jojo, Lovely Chubby leans on a strong ensemble — Yurika, Umi Mitoma, Toko Namiki — 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 2018.