Rockers (2003): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2003, Rockers is an action, comedy, drama and music film directed by Takanori Jinnai, running about 105 minutes.

What it’s about. Guitarist Ko-chan is a mess of sexual repression after a childhood at the mercy of two elder sisters eager to use him as a guinea pig for their make-up skills. Bassist Gaku-chan keeps a bucket in the wings for whenever his nerves get the better of him, and drummer Momo-chan is doomed to forever carrying the botched childhood attempts at self-tattooing. It's not until this foursome is forced to look for an additional guitar player after Jin's dad burns his Stratocaster, that attitude and musical ability enter into the equation. Leather-clad, shade-wearing Tani (Tamaki), inseparable from his black Les Paul, is introduced as the king of R'n'R cool and Jinnai keeps him firmly seated on his throne throughout the film, retroactively proclaiming the guitarist, rather than himself, as the band's true hero.

Who’s in it. Rockers stars Shunsuke Nakamura as Jin, Takashi Tsukamoto as Ko-chan, Ryuta Sato as Gaku-chan and Hiroshi Tamaki as Tani, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.6/10, Rockers has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Rockers page.

If you liked it. Fans of Rockers tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.