His Motorbike, Her Island is a 1986 romance film directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi and staring Kiwako Harada, Riki Takeuchi, Noriko Watanabe and Tomokazu Miura. The film follows a motorcycle enthusiast that falls in love with a young woman after teaching her how to ride. His Motorbike, Her Island is a youthful coming of age film about teenage rebellion.
The film starting with Koh the motorcyclist stating that his life was a mess due to youth showing the coming-of-age dynamic in the film he is a creative student with a side job. That gets run over as he is a biker showing the rebel motorcycle culture in Japan as he gets beaten up as he has broken up with another bikers then virgin siter showing the trials and turbulations of youth in a coming of age story. This is further shown when it is shown that motorcycles are his life, and he treats his like a woman. He feels freedom on the open road, as he has monochrome dreams instead of coloured ones as he wants to find his own personal freedom. He then has a meet cute with Miyoko, they seem like kindred spirits as she is infected with his bike taking photos of it linking into the coming-of-age themes of youthful love. They are both free spirits and although Koh wants to stay with her, he thinks about Miyoko. He meets Miyoko another free-spirited girl he knows and allows her to ride it. They go out on a nightmare looking ride seeing people out on bikes and topless women on bikes as they undress and go to the camp. This allows the coming of age nature of the film about youthful rebellion and sexual maturity. Koh and Fuyumi both get naked underneath a waterfall and have sex however she cries from it whilst he is uncaring then caring. This shows the trials and tribulations of youth with sexual experiences being emotional and complicated. Koh eventually breaks up with Fuyumi as all she does is cry and cook. He wants rebellion linking into the coming of age as aspects. Koh’s decision to leave Fuyumi draws ire from Hidemasa as they have a jousting duel on motorbikes that Koh wins. This links into the coming-of-age story of people fighting over relationships and then ending in fighting as well as the youthful rebellion of bikers fighting.
Koh then goes off finding Myoko the girl at the beginning of the film in a mountain spa naked showing this has a happy coincidence like they have a destiny to be together. She wants him to take her away on his bike as they are both free spits as she drives off on her bike as he then dives off as he states she made a broken heart a happy memory. This links to coming of age themes as young love with heal and you can always find love. Koh goes to Tokyo to break up with Fuyumi properly and in doing has a motorcycle medieval style duel with her brother who is also a biker. He ends up winning the duel knocking the brother off his bike allowing him to break up with her. This linking to the coming-of-age themes of the messy brake ups of youthful relationships and how it can negatively affect others. Koh then meets Fuyumi at a bar they used to go to together. She refuses his money, and they say goodbye. She signs an emotional song about her breakup. He states that she was boring and all she did was cook and cry. She runs away as he lets the other guy go after her. This links into the coming-of-age themes of emotional breakups of relationships and the impossibly of finding the one.
Koh receives a letter from Miyoko and photos as they exchange letters about riding a bike out of boredom and talk over the phone. This links into the themes of romance in the film with the idea of an innocent youthful relationship. This also showcases the coming-of-age themes of the film as he must go out to try and find his possible one. He agrees to visit her on her island in the inland sea as ashes going home for the Obon festival. He the travels via ferry with his motorbike to her however, he admits he was more excited about the island’s freedom and the open road. This links to the coming-of-age elements in the film of finding love and starting fresh and wanting freedom.
Koh meets Miyoko and losing himself in it all feeling alive, as she is a natural on the motorcycle and they bond linking to the coming-of-age elements of the film. He visits her dad who tells him about everything as they live in a traditional Japanese house. Her mum died when she was young, and she is spoiled. The two of them go to a dance in town and to a shine are people who died on the island as they do the pilgrim dance and song. He eventually must go back as time flies there as they talk about motorbikes and form a relationship. This inks to the coming-of-age elements in the film being the trials and tribulations of youth and how everyone is looking for an escape. Koh goes back to the mainland and mends his bonds with his ex’s brother as he meets Fuyumi as the film shows the ups and downs of a coming-of-age story. Koh and Miyoko are just two people trying to escape the boredom of life and navigate the seesaw game of love as the filmi is about the misery of youth and how people just want an escape from there dull lives through love.
When they go back to the mainland, they find out that Fuyumi has become the bars resident singer songwriter as Koh sees his old flame again singing about her old love, as Miyoko then signs Koh’s version of sunshine girl with is sadder than the pop version. This shows the coming-of-age elements of old loves coming back and people moving on from the past. Ogawa and Koh then head out on their motorbikes with Ogawa smashing the side mirrors of passing cars with a wrench. However, they find out that Miyoko was riding behind the whole time and Ogawa was in on it. He feels betrayed however they kiss and make up. This shows the coming-of-age themes of youth and how there are ups and downs within a youthful relationship. They go of on the motorcycle riding together with Koh. Teaching her how to ride a bike. He expresses that the island is open and tiny as they dance to music around the campfire as the wonder why they are together, but they do love each other. This shows the coming page elements of finding love and the young love of jumping into a relationship blind. They meet up with Miyoko’s brother as she goes off on his powerful bike as Koh worries about her as he finds out his ex is doing well. she is a motorcycle prodigy and worries that she’s going to die as he makes excuses for her into getting her licence. This coming-of-age elements can be seen from both perspectives on one hand he feels emasculated by her being better than him but on the other hand she is reckless, and he is worried she is going to die.
Koh takes Miyoko’s bike to deliver something in the rain. However, she returns later having driven off on his bike. She states that he’s just jealous because she’s better, he fears that she’s going to die but she says she would have no regrets if she did. This is interesting because both sides are right and wrong in this situation. Koh is genuinely worried about her but also feels emasculated by her talents. Miyoko on the other hand wants to do things her own way and didn’t do anything wrong and is reckless and dangerous and might die. Six months later Koh’s life has been destroyed. Six months later Fuyumi is pregnant with Ogawa’s baby and Miyoko has disappeared taking Koh Kawasaki with her. This shows how this coming-of-age love and lead to a dark downfall and ruin his life. With the relationship seemingly over Koh takes his rage out on a car that cut him up leading to a comedic fight as he gets arrested. This shows how youth and the bad sides of it can lead to violent outbursts. From letters written to Koh and Fuyumi, Koh learns that Miyoko has returned to her island as he realises, he was in love with that one girl. This shows that coming of age themes of that one love getting away and finding true love.
Koh ultimately wanted his freedom but without Myoko it has been taken away from him, as Koh rides back to the island to reunite with Miyoko and they kiss, as they end up riding becoming one. This showing the coming-of-age elements of finding true love. They end up racing to the drive in taking different routes. Koh reaches the place first but overhears people talking about an accident. They say a woman on a motorbike swerved to avoid a hare on the road and that she crashed into a truck and was killed instantly. This demonstrates the coming-of-age elements of the tragedy of lost young love and that sadness of possibly losing the one you love. The film ends with Koh running out thinking its Myoko and when she appears she apologies for being late as he stets “She was there form one summer to the next. She became my story.” As they take a photo together with the bike in a field. This shows the coming-of-age idea of finding the one you love and finding their own freedom and happiness.
His Motorbike, Her Island is a coming-of-age film celebrating teenage rebellion. The film celebrates the idea of finding the one person you love and from this finding your own freedom and happiness.