First Love (2000): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2000, First Love is a romance film directed by Tetsuo Shinohara, running about 113 minutes.

What it’s about. This coming-of-age story from Japan opens just after 17-year-old Sataka has gotten dumped by her boyfriend. When her mother is hospitalized with a malignant stomach ulcer, Sataka is left alone with her emotionally repressed father; whiling away the hours one day, she comes across a love letter written to her mother 24 years earlier. Deciding to track down the letter's author, Sataka eventually finds Shinichiro (Hiroyuki Sanada), an overweight slob who was abandoned by his wife years earlier and now spends his time hanging around pachinko parlors. Determined to clean him up and reintroduce him to her mother, Sataka nags Shinchiro until he finally agrees to her demands, and a gradual friendship develops between the two as Sataka drags him to the gym and a clothing store. But once Shinchiro's makeover is complete, he turns the tables on his young friend, and when the time comes for him to meet Sataka's mother, all concerned parties find themselves embarking on a new phase in their lives.

Who’s in it. First Love stars Rena Tanaka as Satoka Aida, Mieko Harada as Shizue Aida, Mitsuru Hirata as Yasuhito Aida and Hiroyuki Sanada as Shinichirô Fujiki, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.9/10, First Love 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 First Love page.

If you liked it. Fans of First Love tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Your Name., Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and Cinema Paradiso.