Their Backs (2022)
A quiet Japanese romantic drama about longing, loyalty, and the ache of watching someone walk away.
Their Backs - Movie Information
- Original Title: 背中
- Release Year: 2022
- Directed by: Michio Koshikawa
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Drama, Romance
- Runtime: 1h 46m
- Original Language: Japanese
- Spoken Languages: Japanese
- Release Date (Theatrical): October 29, 2022 (Japan - R15+)
- Alternative Titles: Senaka (JP)
- Production Companies: King Records
- Production Countries: Japan
Their Backs - Plot
Hana's boyfriend Shoichiro suddenly leaves her, and now she is in a relationship with Akatsuki, Shoichiro's best friend. Hana keeps waiting for Shoichiro while feeling the sea breeze and the back of the man who left her.
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Their Backs - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Michio Koshikawa
Main Cast
- Riho Sato
- Motoki Ochiai
- Mine Gouichi
- Tsumugi Hashimoto
Writers
- Michio Koshikawa
Producers
- Yukihiko Yamaguchi
Their Backs - FAQs
What is Their Backs about?
Their Backs follows Hana, a young woman whose boyfriend Shoichiro abruptly leaves her. She enters a relationship with Akatsuki, Shoichiro's closest friend, yet continues to wait and long for the man who walked away. The film tenderly explores grief, desire, and the emotional limbo of loving someone who is gone.
Who directed Their Backs?
Their Backs was directed by Michio Koshikawa, who also wrote the screenplay. Koshikawa brings a delicate, introspective sensibility to this quiet Japanese romantic drama, allowing emotion to surface through restrained performances and atmospheric visuals rather than dramatic confrontation.
Who are the main actors in Their Backs?
The film stars Riho Sato in the lead role of Hana, alongside Motoki Ochiai, Mine Gouichi, and Tsumugi Hashimoto. Together they bring warmth and emotional complexity to this intimate story of love caught between absence and presence.
When was Their Backs released?
Their Backs was released in Japan on October 29, 2022, with an R15+ rating. The film is a Japanese production distributed by King Records and was shot entirely in Japan, capturing the country's coastal atmosphere as a backdrop for its emotional narrative.
What does the title Their Backs mean in the film?
The title refers to the recurring image of people leaving — specifically the back of Shoichiro as he walks away from Hana. In Japanese culture, the image of someone's back carries deep emotional weight, symbolizing departure, longing, and the things left unsaid. It becomes the film's central visual and emotional motif.
What genre is Their Backs?
Their Backs is a drama and romance. It leans into quiet, contemplative storytelling rather than melodrama, focusing on the internal emotional world of its protagonist as she navigates love, loss, and the complicated bonds between people who share history.
What are some movies similar to Their Backs?
If Their Backs resonates with you, you might also enjoy Her Story (2024), Last Summer (2021), Nobody Has to Know (2022), Blue Cave (2024), and My Favourite Cake (2024). These films share a similar emotional intimacy, exploring love, longing, and complex relationships with quiet, thoughtful depth.
How long is Their Backs?
Their Backs runs for 106 minutes — just under two hours. It's a well-paced runtime for a contemplative romantic drama, giving the story enough space to breathe and let its emotional undercurrents develop naturally without overstaying its welcome.
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