We Couldn't Become Adults

In the final moments of “We Couldn’t Become Adults,” Sato’s realization hits hard. After many years, he reconnects with Kaori through Facebook, only to discover she is happily married with children. This revelation surprises him because he’d held onto her memory as the person who defined what was ‘not ordinary’ in his life and who inspired him to rebel against the mundane. He had believed that living by his own rules meant avoiding the “ordinary,” but now he sees that his obsession with being different kept him trapped in a kind of emotional immaturity.

Kaori’s words haunted him — “It’s not where you go but who you go with” — emphasizing that life’s richness comes from the connections and relationships, not from trying to stand out or be unique for the sake of it. Sato had spent decades pretending to be extraordinary, but in doing so, he missed out on real growth and genuine happiness. His life, which he always viewed as ‘ordinary,’ was actually filled with moments and experiences that he failed to appreciate because he was obsessed with avoiding the ‘ordinary’ and living in a dream of his own making.

Ultimately, the film’s ending reveals that Sato’s inability to fully embrace adulthood wasn’t just about age; it was about his refusal to accept the reality of life’s ordinary, yet meaningful, stages. His youthful rebelliousness kept him from truly maturing. The story closes on his quiet reflection, acknowledging that true growth involves accepting life as it is — messy, ordinary, and often unpredictable — rather than trying to live a version of life that’s always just out of reach. In the end, Sato understands that growing up means recognizing the value in the simple, everyday moments he once dismissed as boring or meaningless, and embracing them as part of what it truly means to be an adult.

Last Updated: June 25, 2025 at 08:58