Free and Easy 12: Big Holiday Bonus Project (2001)
A warm Japanese comedy about office life, fishing dreams, and the irresistible urge to escape it all — even without a single vacation day to spare.
Free and Easy 12: Big Holiday Bonus Project - Movie Information
- Original Title: 釣りバカ日誌12 史上最大の有給休暇
- Release Year: 2001
- Directed by: Katsuhide Motoki
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Comedy
- Runtime: 1h 51m
- Original Language: Japanese
- Spoken Languages: Japanese
- Release Date (Theatrical): August 18, 2001 (Japan)
- Alternative Titles: The Fishing Nut 12 (US), Tsuribaka nisshi 12: Shijo saidai no kyuka (JP)
- Production Companies: Shochiku
- Production Countries: Japan
Free and Easy 12: Big Holiday Bonus Project - Plot
Mr. Takano, a company employee, announces plans to take an early retirement so he can return to his home town and spend his days fishing. Su-san and Hama-chan envy his decision, and Hama-chan conspires to visit Takano, even though he has no vacation time left.
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Free and Easy 12: Big Holiday Bonus Project - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Katsuhide Motoki
Main Cast
- Rie Miyazawa
- Toshiyuki Nishida
- Rentaro Mikuni
- Yukio Aoshima
- Miyoko Asada
- Takeshi Katō
- Ken Nakamoto
- Ren Osugi
- Takashi Sasano
- Toshio Shiba
Writers
- Yoji Yamada
- Yoshitaka Asama
Producers
- Mitsuo Sejima
- Hiroshi Fukasawa
- Shigehiro Nakagawa
Free and Easy 12: Big Holiday Bonus Project - FAQs
What is Free and Easy 12: Big Holiday Bonus Project about?
The film follows Mr. Takano, an office worker who announces early retirement to return to his hometown and spend his days fishing. His colleagues Su-san and Hama-chan are deeply envious, and Hama-chan hatches a scheme to visit Takano despite having absolutely no vacation days remaining.
Who are the main actors in Free and Easy 12?
The film stars Toshiyuki Nishida as the lovable fishing enthusiast Hama-chan and Rie Miyazawa as Kido Kubo. The ensemble cast also includes Rentaro Mikuni, Yukio Aoshima, Miyoko Asada, Takeshi Katō, Ren Osugi, and Takashi Sasano, among others.
Is Free and Easy 12 part of a larger film series?
Yes, it's the twelfth installment in the beloved Tsuribaka Nisshi (Free and Easy) franchise, based on a long-running Japanese manga. The series follows the misadventures of Hama-chan, a cheerful, fishing-obsessed salaryman, and has been a staple of Japanese popular cinema since the late 1980s.
Who directed Free and Easy 12: Big Holiday Bonus Project?
Katsuhide Motoki directed the film. It was produced by Shochiku, the storied Japanese studio behind the entire Tsuribaka Nisshi series, and written by Yoji Yamada and Yoshitaka Asama, who shaped the franchise's warm, comedic tone across many entries.
When and where was Free and Easy 12 released?
Free and Easy 12: Big Holiday Bonus Project was released in Japan on August 18, 2001. It is a Japanese-language production filmed in Japan and distributed by Shochiku, one of Japan's oldest and most respected film studios.
How long is Free and Easy 12: Big Holiday Bonus Project?
The film runs for 111 minutes, or just under two hours. That's a comfortable length for a lighthearted Japanese comedy — long enough to let the story breathe and the characters charm you, but brisk enough to keep the pace enjoyable throughout.
What are some movies similar to Free and Easy 12?
If you enjoy the easygoing, feel-good spirit of Free and Easy 12, you might also like The Man Who Sued God (2001), The Great Seduction (2023), Playing with Fire (2019), The Postman (1994), and Atún y chocolate (2004) — all films that share a warm, comedic, and community-driven heart.
Who wrote the screenplay for Free and Easy 12?
The screenplay was written by Yoji Yamada and Yoshitaka Asama. Yoji Yamada is a highly regarded Japanese filmmaker and writer, best known internationally for the Otoko wa Tsurai yo series, and his warm humanist sensibility is very much present in the Free and Easy franchise.
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