The Blue Bird
Higashigaoka Junior High School is in turmoil as one of the pupils, Noguchi, who had been bullied, attempted suicide last term. On the first day of the new term, a substitute teacher arrives to take the second year class. When the teacher, Murauchi (Hiroshi Abe), introduces himself, the pupils are surprised by his stutter. He has a speech impediment. Unable to speak eloquently, Murauchi faces his pupils with ‘words of truth’. His first instruction to the pupils is to return Noguchi’s desk and chair to the original place in the classroom. Every morning Murauchi greets the empty desk, “Good morning, Noguchi.” This causes a ripple beyond the classroom and among other teachers and parents, but Murauchi will not stop doing it. Eventually the day comes when Murauchi must leave.
Cast
Hiroshi Abe
as Mr. Murachi
Kanata Hongo
as Shinichi Sonobe
Ayumi Ito
as Ms. Shimazaki
Hajime Inoue
as Mr. Ishino
Osamu Shigematu
as Mr. Miyazaki
Hiroyuki Kishi
as Mr. Koizumi
Taiga Nakano
as Inoue Takeshi
Tsugumi Shinohara
as Takagi Sunae
Riho Takada
as Chiba Reika
Hiroto Itô
as Maekawa Shugo
