Tokyo Trash Baby

The film after which this blog was named, Tokyo Trash Baby follows the transformation of Miyuki (Mami Nakamura), a lonely and directionless, 20-something waitress. Miyuki lives in a tiny Tokyo apartment decorated with the rubbish of her musician neighbour Yoshinori (Kazuma Suzuki) and fantasizes about becoming his girlfriend. One evening, after sorting through yet another bag of Yoshinori's rubbish, she discovers he already has a girlfriend and in fit of jealousy, decides something must be done. After keeping an eye on his apartment to identify her target, Miyuki makes herself known to Yoshinori's girlfriend and manipulates her into leaving him. She then hones in on Yoshinori, however, the path of true love goes awry when Miyuki learns that he has been aware of her rubbish collecting and secret adoration for some time. This is the catalyst for Miyuki to re-assess and literally clean up her life. At times a sparse and slow-moving film, TTB is a graphic representation of how those who live without meaning and purpose can lose perspective and how even the most defeated can be spurred into re-gaining control...