Camera Japan Rotterdam 2024 Review: LET'S GO KARAOKE! Unites Audiences!

This year, director Yamashita Nobuhiro (Linda, Linda, Linda, Tamako in Moratorium) was the guest of honor at the Camera Japan Film Festival in Rotterdam. The programme showed no less than five films by him, all of which were released in the past year. Three of those ended up in the festival's audience top ten. Two of those were in the top five. And one of them... was the festival's audience favorite this year. That winner was the comedy-drama Karaoke Iko!, the international title of which is Let's Go Karaoke!

Based on a popular 2020 manga by Wayama Yama, the story tells of an unlikely friendship between high-school choirboy Satomi, and Kyouji, a gangster in urgent need of singing lessons. Kyouji's yakuza boss is holding an annual karaoke contest, and the worst performer will have to endure severe humiliation. Normally Kyoji would be safe, but the unfortunate colleague who always loses may not participate this year. So the rest of the gang is panicking, suddenly faced with the possibility of finishing in last place...

When Kyouji hears Satomi sing beautifully in a contest, he decides to strong-arm the boy a bit into becoming his singing teacher, but after a rough start the two find they actually have much in common. Kyouji's career in the yakuza will likely not have a happy ending, while Satomi's prize-winning falsetto voice is about to be finished by the onset of puberty. As Satomi's last choral performance and Kyouji's contest get nearer, both characters need to learn how to deal with their futures.

Yamashita Nobuhiro tackled the subject of a yakuza with singing aspirations in his earlier film La La La at Rock Bottom (reviewed here), but that's where the similarities end. Let's Go Karaoke! is more of a comedy for all the family. For those who fear a neverending barrage of off-tune singing jokes, you can relax: director Yamashita steers clear of making things too easily funny. Rather, he focuses on the relationship between his two leads, played by Saito Jun and Ayano Gō, both of which do fine work here. Having said that, hearing someone belt out an enthusiastic but spectacularly untalented rendition of Neon Genesis Evangelion's opening credits will always be hilarious.

So. Why did Let's Go Karaoke! win the audience award? Yamashita Nobuhiro was present and gives great Q&As, which always helps of course. But the film itself is also a pleasant, satisfying ride, a non-thrilling drama with a few gentle bumps and a lot of heart. And sometimes, like with a fun karaoke-night with friends, just that is enough.