Unloved

Mitsuko, a thirty-something Japanese secretary, lives a very simple life devoid of ambition. She has an affair with Eiji, a rich, arrogant and newly divorced businessman who is intrigued by her retiring personnality but she quickly breaks up as he repeatedly tries to make her change her lifestyle and values. While Eiji ponders the reasons of the breakup, Mitsuko falls for one of her neighbours, a young slacker who has the same approach to life as her. But Mitsuko's new lover is fascinated by Eiji's power and social status... A triangle that will inevitably leave one of the characters "unloved".

Directed by Kunitoshi Manda, Unloved leans on a strong ensemble — Yōko Moriguchi, Toru Nakamura, Shunsuke Matsuoka — 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 drama titles of 2001.