Love and the Grand Tug-of-war (2020) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language

2020 · 109 mins · Japanese

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Directed by

Kiyoshi Sasabe

Starring

Takahiro Miura, Ichirô Ogura, Yuichi Nakamura, Mayumi Asaka, Wakana Matsumoto, Yuta Kanai

Following the 2009 financial crisis, Takeshi, a Waseda University graduate, returns to his family home in Sendai after losing his job in Tokyo. He resumes his position as heir to the family construction company, but his relationship with his traditional father is strained by Takeshi's past choices and unmarried status. When a large-scale tug-of-war competition, the Otsunahiki, draws the family together, father and son must confront their differences. Amidst the cultural traditions and vibrant atmosphere of Sendai, Takeshi also encounters Jiheyun, a charming Korean doctor participating in an exchange program, adding further complexity to their family dynamic.