The movie doesn't waste any time in getting straight to the point. We first see the up and coming boxer Taichi (Haruhiko Kato) winning his bout and ridding away with his girlfriend on his motorbike. A terrible accident follows, when an un-insured driver smashes straight into Taichi's bike, which puts Taichi in a coma (his girlfriend escapes with minor injuries). Awakening from his coma he is told by doctors that spinal injury caused by the accident has left him paraplegic and facing a life in a wheelchair. Taichi deals with the news as anyone would and initial shock soon turns to depression. Rejecting his girlfriend and friends he becomes angry and frustrated with his new life in a wheelchair and the prospect of never boxing again. Taichi struggles to deal with his disability and depression soon leads to thoughts of suicide, a fellow patient whom has befriended him stops him from taking a pill over dose with the advice "think about it in another seven years".

Taichi soon learns to deal with his disability and the new people he has found in his life certainly make this easier. Amongst the changes that occur in him is deciding to take up a martial art. There are some funny scenes where he travels around to dojo's asking to be accepted as a student and a particularly funny Karate dojo scene where he has just been turned away and shows them exactly what he thinks of their school. During a visit to one of Taichi's newfound friends the "Shrine Maiden" (Tomosaka Rie), he sees a demonstration of Daito Ryu Aikijutsu and instantly sees this as something incredible and approaches the mild mannered Salary Man (Ryo Ishibashi) who is the sensei of the Aikijutsu dojo. Ryo Ishibashi plays the role of the sensei very well and really brings a touch of class to the movie as well as a sense of the power to be had through Aikijutsu.

Sensei teaches Taichi that he must never resist his attacker but instead accept him, harmonize with him and then the Aiki will be effective no matter what ability your foe has. During all these changes he drags him-self from the slump of unemployment and finds love in the shape of the quirky Tomosaka Rie, who is shrouded by mystery, which is never quite explained.

Such a beautiful movie and it makes you laugh without feeling guilt considering the theme, but that's a credit to Tengan and the vibrant actors/actresses he got to do this movie. There are some very sad scenes and some gruesome surgical moments, and the scene at the exhibition demonstration near the end of the movie is very amusing but at the same time Tengan delivers the message in no uncertain terms.

All in all I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and the characters really stood out as individuals each with their own agenda but at the same time working in harmony in each other's world. Great dialogue and fantastic vision from the director makes Aiki a quirky, thought provoking and funny movie.

by Paul Swainson
http://www.misogi.com.au