THE RESEARCH ON THE NARRATIVE STRUCTURE AND FILM LANGUAGE OF TETSUYA NAKAJIMA’S FILMS

Abstract

 This study examines the narrative structure and film language of Japanese director Tetsuya Nakashima’s films, focusing on six representative works released between 2004 and 2018. Renowned for his fusion of non-linear storytelling and highly stylized visual expression, Nakashima’s films address social issues such as gender inequality, juvenile delinquency, and family disintegration. Employing a textual analysis approach, this research investigates character construction, conflict, thematic concerns, film language, editing, sound design, and symbolic imagery across selected films including Kamikaze Girls, Memories of Matsuko, Paco and the Magical Picture Book, Confessions, Kawaki, and It Comes. The findings reveal a clear progression from the director’s early use of vivid, theatrical aesthetics to a more restrained and psychologically driven style in his later works. Recommendations for future research include categorizing Nakashima’s early and later works, comparing them with the styles of international directors to better understand his unique artistic voice, and contrasting his adaptations with their source materials to fully grasp his interpretation of original texts and his approach to social critique.