Mixed Doubles

Mixed Doubles

Year: 2017

Runtime: 119 mins

Language: Japanese

Director: Junichi Ishikawa

ComedyRomance

A talented table tennis player seeks revenge on a former boyfriend while also aiming to restore her mother’s beloved table tennis club. To achieve both goals, she enters a mixed doubles tournament, facing unexpected challenges and forming surprising connections along the way. The competition tests her skills and forces her to confront past hurts.

Hopeful
Bittersweet ending
Moderately emotional
Medium intensity
Steady pacing
Simple story

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Mixed Doubles (2017)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Mixed Doubles (2017). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Present day

The events unfold in modern Japan, reflecting today's sports culture, sponsorship, and media attention. The narrative follows a comeback arc, regional competitions, and a high-stakes national tournament. The timeframe anchors themes of resilience and renewal.

Location

Japan

Set largely in contemporary Japan, the story moves from Tamako's hometown to a rundown local table tennis club and the wider national tournament circuit. The action includes the canned food factory where she briefly works and the club’s cramped training space that becomes a community hub. These everyday places underscore how sport can bind a fractured family and a small business together.

🇯🇵 Japan 🏟️ Sports 👨‍👩‍👧 Family drama

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 07:55

Main Characters – Mixed Doubles (2017)

Meet the key characters of Mixed Doubles (2017), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Tamako Tomita (adult) – Yui Aragaki

A former child table tennis prodigy who returns home after her mother's death and the collapse of her career. She is determined, resourceful, and initially wary of re-entering the sport, but her leadership becomes the driving force behind reviving the family club. Her personal history with Ejima and her evolving dynamic with Hagiwara shape the emotional core of the story.

💪 Strong-willed 🏓 Table tennis 🧭 Resilient

Tamako Tomita (young) – Kokoro Hirasawa

The younger version of Tamako, a talented table tennis prodigy whose early training sets up the later arc. Her story provides the foundation for Tamako’s lifelong connection to the sport and her family.

🧒 Young talent 🏓 Prodigy

Ejima Akihiko – Koji Seto

Tamako's ex-boyfriend and a company star player. His infidelity with Airi triggers the breakup and adds tension to the final round. He remains a skilled competitor whose choices contrast with Tamako’s loyalty and growth.

💔 Heartbreak 🏓 Top-level 💼 Corporate athlete

Airi Ogasawara – Mei Nagano

The new female table tennis recruit who stirs competition and romance dynamics within the company. She becomes a key opponent in the final, highlighting talent and ambition in a rising star.

✨ Talent 🏓 Rivalry

Hagiwara Hisashi – Eita Nagayama

A divorced former boxer who joins the club to train and support Tamako. He bonds with the team through his grit and protective instincts, and his personal journey touches on family reconciliation and purpose beyond sports.

💪 Former athlete 👨‍👧 Father figure

Tatsuro Tomita – Fumiyo Kohinata

Tamako's taxi-driver father who is deeply in debt. His financial strain motivates Tamako to help the family, driving the plot’s sense of obligation and resilience.

💸 Debt 🚕 Family support

Hanako Tomita – Yoko Maki

Tamako's mother, whose death is a driving emotional impetus for Tamako’s return and her longing for stability. Her memory lingers as a motivator for Tamako’s decisions.

💔 Memory 👩‍👧 Family

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 07:55

Major Themes – Mixed Doubles (2017)

Explore the central themes of Mixed Doubles (2017), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🏓 Perseverance

Tamako and the club endure early defeats and dwindling membership, training with tough discipline and unconventional help. The gradual transformation—from a five-member team to a competitive unit—illustrates how dedication and teamwork can rewrite destinies. The film highlights the grit required to chase a dream despite financial and personal pressures.

❤️ Family and Forgiveness

The story threads together debt, broken relationships, and attempts at reconciliation within a family and community. Choices between pursuing glory and protecting loved ones drive the emotional arc. Forgiveness and second chances emerge as central forces guiding the characters.

🏆 Ambition and Fame

The national tournament acts as a catalyst for recognition and the club’s growth. Fame expands the audience and transforms the local scene, turning hardship into shared triumph. The pursuit of success tests loyalties and sacrifices.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 07:55

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Heartfelt Sports Comeback Stories like Mixed Doubles

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Narrative Summary

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Bittersweet Journeys of Growth like in Mixed Doubles

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Narrative Summary

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Why These Movies?

They share a specific emotional mix: a medium emotional weight, a steady, forward-moving pace, and a conclusively bittersweet ending that feels earned. The tone is fundamentally hopeful, ensuring the journey is uplifting despite its honest portrayal of setbacks.

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Mixed Doubles Summary

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Mixed Doubles Summary

Mixed Doubles Timeline

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Mixed Doubles Timeline

Mixed Doubles Spoiler-Free Summary

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Mixed Doubles Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Mixed Doubles

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