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Mizu ni Sumu Hana (2006)

Release Date: May 27, 2006

Director: Kenji Goto

Cast: Aki Maeda, Mizuho Takasugi, Takezai Terunosuken


    Mizu ni Sumu Hana (Romance of Darkness/ 「水に棲む花」) is a manga currently being put together by manga-ka Chie Shinohara (Red River) in Betsucomi magazine and published by Shogakukan. It was turned into a film and released in May of 2006 under the same title. However, unlike the manga, the movie is told from the point of view of a detective investigating the bus crash that the main character survives. The story is about a girl named Rikka Nikaido whose life was changed in a bus accident. The bus rolled off of the road and fell into the lake. Everyone on the bus died but she was the only one to survive. Her life being spared was not a coincidence, however, since leaving the hospital she's experienced attacks by water. She later discovers that the person behind it is a beautiful water spirit of the same name. Apparently human Rikka has something that the water spirit Rikka Mizuchi wants. Well, that something is a magical seed that in born from a single flower that only blooms once every 49 years.

    Like Nikaido, Mizuchi was also on the brink of death when, Izumi (another water spirit), gave her the seed and made her his lover. Well, since then, Mizuchi has always taken the seed to live 49 years longer. Unfortunately it appears that Izumi has lost interest in Mizuchi and gives Nikaido the seed in hopes to make her his new lover. Naturally Mizuchi is pissed, now add the issue of water assimilation into the mix and there is a serious problem. As Nikaido gains life, Mizuchi is losing it. But the price to pay is living in a mermaid-like state, no fish body but a constant need to be in the water. Nikaido doesn't want this life, especially since she is madly in love with her cousin (OMG! incest!) Yuzuru, but if she gives the seed back she dies and if she doesn't she must live with Izumi.

     Not willing to lose sitting down, Yuzuru embarks on a search to find a way to have Nikaido live without assimilating with water (with unexpected help from Mizuchi) and Nikaido must fend off advances from Izumi and death wishes from Mizuchi. This square of problems is proving to be VERY provocative, especially when the lives of other family members are put in danger. On top of that, there is a time limit. When the seven lotus flower tattoos that Mizuchi bears disappears and completely reappears on Nikaido, the assimilation will have been completed and Mizuchi would be dead with Nikaido stuck with Izumi.

    The acting in this movie was very average, and at times pretty bad. However, as Keiko's first role in a movie (outside of PGSM) she didn't do bad at all. She was killer as the evil water witch and fell into the role of the complex character pretty well. The movie was only released in select theaters and almost went strait to DVD. It wasn't anything special but it was enough to put Keiko, even a little bit, on Japan's movie making map.

Buy "Mizu ni Sumu Hana" on DVD @ YesAsia
    

Thanks to Bunny from T-L.net Forums for putting this up for download and Shoujo Magic for providing scanlations of the Mizu ni Sumu Hana Manga! Below are a few pages from Volume One Chapter One of the Manga that shows Rikka Nikaido's reaction to Rikka Mizuchi's sudden appearance one day while practicing with the swim team.

Rikka Mizuchi

  
   Rikka is a sadistic water spirit, who continually attacks a young girl of the same name, through bizarre incidents involving  water. She's bold, violent, and powerful--the full femme fatal. Apparently, the human girl, Rikka Nikaido, has stolen a seed that the water spirit wants back. Why? Because the seed is the thing that keeps Mizuchi alive, without it, she dies.

     But as the story progresses, it appears that Nikaido didn't steal anything and Mizuchi's loss of possession was caused by her man, Izumi, who has turned away from her and is looking to make Nikaido his bride. Nice. Well, needless to say Mizuchi is one pissed little mama and she will stop at nothing to kill Nikaido and overthrow Izumi, who has taken her for granted. I actually have come to admire Mizuchi's determination and hate Nikaido's indecisiveness. But then again, I've always favored the anti-heroine (since she isn't....THAT evil) in stories like this. Keiko did pretty okay in this role, the best scene is when she is first introduced in Nikaido's class. Keiko's fake laugh and sweetness is priceless in the realm of evil villainesses!
 

Toi Teens + ♪♫ Friend ♫♪

   Toi Teens is an all girl choir group that does covers of famous Broadway and gospel songs in addition to their own music. It's INCREDIBLY difficult to find information on these girls but they are high school students. The song "Friend" was used as the ending song in "Mizu ni Sumu Hana" and ultimately serves as the movie's theme song. It's actually pretty good but surprisingly upbeat considering the dark nature of the movie.

Toi Teens- Friend


01. THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE
02. FRIEND
02. OH HAPPY DAY