A FILM that uniquely, perhaps even radically, portrays loneliness as a cheerful human condition is Call Me Chihiro. In addition to doing so, it addresses the place of sex workers in our society. The compelling and intriguing storyline, as well as the underlying message, make up for the often lacking cinematographic aesthetic sensibilities of this colorful and vibrant film. 

About the film

   Call Me Chihiro is a Japanese drama that was released in February, 2023. The film is directed by Rikiya Imaizumi and stars actress Kasumi Arimura. The story follows the cheery Chihiro, played by Arimura. She quits her job as a sex worker and moves into a small, seaside town to work at a bento shop called Noko Noko. She quickly establishes friendly relationships with the customers. Thereafter, she makes a big impact on several of the residents in the town by making them feel more connected with themselves and others. 

   Despite its intriguing plot, the film is unable to execute it in an equally compelling form. The movie’s cinematography is arguably far from aesthetically pleasing. There is hardly any use of camera movements, as the lens often just stands in front of what needs to be understood in a scene. Additionally, the almost unrealistically colorful pastel color palette—which appears in everything from the setting to the food to the characters’ clothing—is combined with the raw depictions of nature sceneries, such as the ocean. This juxtaposition between the unrealistic and natural clashes, often creating inconsistent imagery. 

   Nonetheless, Call Me Chihiro’s strength lies in its message. The film’s theme revolves around loneliness. Chihiro and the other characters all experience loneliness, albeit due to different causes. Through its plot, dialogue, and below-average cinematography, the concept of loneliness is uniquely portrayed as a condition that should be embraced, rather than escaped from. 

Chihiro as the embodiment of loneliness

   The film creates an almost utopian scenario in which only a handful of people judge Chihiro for her past as a sex worker. Chihiro openly tells people about her past as a sex worker with no reservations. Many people in the town are quick to either embrace Chihiro’s friendship or feel strongly drawn to her cheeriness. 

   Nevertheless, through this seeming “easy” acceptance of Chihiro, the film also stresses how sex work is an especially alienating experience in society. Chihiro is mostly valued by others for what she can offer. Her cheery energy that makes the customers at the bento shop begin their days with a smile and her infectious happiness that helped her friends, Kuniko and Makoto, to feel more connected within their dysfunctional families are just a few examples of why she is regarded so dearly in the seaside town. Chihiro, however, often faces a solitude that not many people can relate to. This is indicated through a dialogue Chihiro shares with the sick wife of her boss, “When I said, ‘This is nice,’ I wanted somebody to say, ‘That’s nice.’ When I asked, ‘Right?’ I wanted somebody to answer, ‘Right.’ I guess...that’s all I ever wanted.” Chihiro’s desire may seem like simple, everyday interactions to many. Nonetheless, her need for such an “elemental” connection indicates the inherent loneliness the character feels, despite being welcomed by the town’s people and helping others feel more connected. 

   This aura of loneliness in sex work is well translated off-screen into our contemporary society. Setting aside the common stereotypes surrounding sex work, the film portrays the loneliness and desperation for companionship that participants in this business face. In one of the scenes of Chihiro’s past, she is shown caressing the hair of one of her clients, as he tells her his theory of how people are from different planets, which makes it nearly impossible for full understanding to occur. Occasionally, only a lucky few have the chance to cross paths with someone from their own planet. This exchange neither victimizes nor demonizes sex workers and their clientele. Rather, it indicates the inherent property of loneliness in people, and how continuously fleeing from it can result in people making the decision to buy and sell their most intimate moments.      

Takeaways on loneliness

   In the film, loneliness is an inherent part of the human condition, and the acceptance of this knowledge is a cheerful escape. Such a message is indicated poignantly through the vibrant pastel color palette. From Chihiro’s seaside house to Noko Noko to the clothes the characters wear, though everyone in the film is going through some form of loneliness, their surroundings indicate otherwise. The contradiction between the characters’ gloomy feelings and the cheery environment demonstrates that the bounty of life’s beauty continues to exist outside and independent of our feelings of loneliness. 

   Chihiro is a character who is coming to terms with accepting loneliness as an inherent human condition. Though she is surrounded by genuine companionship with various people throughout the film, Chihiro is often there as a presence that caters to the needs of others. Most importantly, she seems to be detached from expectations for her friendships to fill in any sense of loneliness she has—which are expectations that most people have. Chihiro’s acceptance of isolation is shown in the conversation she has about food with her friend Kuniko, who expresses how, despite her mother’s savvy cooking skills, she is unable to taste the food at her family’s dining table: “They say food tastes better when you eat with other people. But eating with certain people makes the food taste worse. And delicious food tastes great even when you’re alone.” This belief of hers demonstrates her detachment and acceptance of loneliness, which not only brings her much peace of mind but also propels her to enjoy more deeply the small instances of the connections she has with others.  

   The film’s portrayal of the acceptance of our loneliness as a cheerful escape is a unique and reasonable perspective. This idea reveals to us the scary yet fascinating truth that our life depends solely on ourselves. At the end of the day, there is no one or nothing to blame for our feelings of loneliness. The acceptance of our perpetual state of alienation is an escape from our constant chase for feelings of companionship. This knowledge can hence enable us to appreciate more the small moments in life where we find people who make us feel that companionship in all its intensity—despite the knowledge that loneliness will persist. As Chihiro tells one of her closest friends during a late-night conversation, “That’s the way of the world. Welcome those who arrive but set them free when they leave.”

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   Call Me Chihiro is yet another example of why a film should not be judged by its cover. While the film’s cinematography is hardly of a competitive caliber, Director Imaizumi brings to life a compelling discussion on human loneliness. In addition, the film deviates from the generic portrayal of sex workers as being defined by their work or societal prejudices. Rather, Chihiro stands tall in bravery, as she walks into a peaceful acceptance of loneliness. By doing so, she allows others to witness how, while feelings of loneliness are intrinsic to the human condition, they are also universal, which makes them the starting point of togetherness.