this is one of the stupid movies i've ever seen so far. i was very mad at this movie since it's just so stupid like a children's fantasy story, illogic, unreasonable and absolute childish. by using a background scene in the beautiful japanse countryside, a foolish looking moronic man good for nothing, could be a husband and father. the main character of this role was unluckily played by an annoying actor who i just failed to find it acceptable even for such stupid fantasy. the kid in this moronic movie was quite cute though, and of course the actress who played that fairy tale like spiritual and ghost-like wife/mother was such a beautiful actress. i often think that being an actor sometimes is the worst occupation that a person could ever do. because when a stupid screenplay with stupid scenario, storyline, plot, no matter how unreasonable and stupid it would be, once you signed up for such casting, the only way you could do is to put aside of your real-life logic, reasoning ability, or whatever normality you have, you have to follow it and play along. but to a viewer like me, you just couldn't accept anything on the face value. this movie is one of the hardest experiences i have encountered, because it's so stupid and moronic over-the-top foolish. a daylight fantasy, dreaming up by the Japanese comic generation with so many unexplainable flaws so big that could drive a semi container truck through. don't be so sentimentally stupid and so stupidly romantic to be fooled by this disgusting day dream.

Though i've used IMDb for a long time, i felt compelled to finally create an account and write a comment on this movie - though it looks like these comments are just going be preaching to the choir! I'm 30 years old, and i can count on one hand the number of times that i have cried in my adult life. This is not to say that i completely lack emotion, nor is it to say that i haven't had tough times. It just seems that, even in my saddest moments, i can't even MAKE myself cry. Not only that, but i doubt i've shed more than a tear or two *ever* because of a movie - and i have a rather large collection.That was before i watched this movie. I cried more during this movie than i've cried in my entire adult life. I was completely blown away by how beautiful and touching it was. All of us dream of finding true love - someone who inspires you so much that your feelings become poetry in your head. Someone who can stand next to you on the coldest autumn morning and make the sunrise feel like spring dawning. But what if you met that person, and you lost them? This movie asks that question, and it shows you how powerful and important love is.I really can't say enough good things about this movie. I watched it without knowing anything about it at all. I didn't read the back of the movie, nor did i read any of the reviews - i just knew that it was a well regarded movie (i tend to do that with foreign movies). Although it took a while to really start feeling attached to the characters, by the middle of the movie i was emotionally on the edge of my seat. The movie is beautiful and inspirational. And i think you can tell by the torrent of 10/10s for this movie, it is a movie you will not soon forget.

This film, like most other Japanese human dramas I've ever watched, is somewhat slow paced but I like its poetic representation. What I liked the most was its brilliant plot that told audiences the greatness of love through surprising turn-over. This film is really deeply touching and heartwarming. Although the story of this film is unrealistic fantasy, I'd like to recommend this film to everyone and even to those who love the realistic human dramas.One thing that bothered me a little was the casting of Shido Nakamura as Takumi, the male lead. In fact, what bothered me was not his performance but his aggressive images that I happened to built from my previously watched films where his role was a scary karate fighter (in Fearless) or a tough general (in Red Cliff) or a cold blooded lieutenant (in Letters from Iojima). It was a little shock for me that Shido Nakamura was playing Takumi who tended to be so gentle, shy and even wimpy. Despite Shido Nakamura's good performance, I couldn't stop his aggressive Yakuza-like images being overlapped on Takumi and it eventually made the beginning part of the film the Beauty and the Beast-like-fairy tale for me. However, I think all the actors in the film including Shido Nakamura, performed fairly well and it went well with the story. If you had not yet watched Shido Nakamura's acting performance other than in this film, you would surely be surprised by his drastic change in his other films from a shy office clerk to a cold blooded fighter who throws deadly karate chops. ;-)

Doi Nobuhiro began his career directing a string of successful Japanese TV melodramas such as the poignant student-teacher romance "Majo No Joken" ('99) and the emotionally charged "Beautiful Life" ('00). Doi's beautiful storytelling style easily won over audiences and it was just a matter of time that he would bring his skillful talents to the big screen.Based on the tearful novel by Ichikawa Takuji of the same name, "Ima Ai Ni Yukimasu" (Lit. I Will Go To You AKA Be With You) was Doi's first foray into movies and is a deeply touching and romantic film that is a definite winner.As many here at IMDb have noted, while the story does seem somewhat sentimental and melodramatic at points, the story is beautifully told and will have you believing in the power of love and destiny."Ima Ai Ni Yukimasu" pulls at the heart strings with its slow and methodical presentation at showing the developing love between the two lovers, Mio and Takumi.Nakamura Shido (Yamato, Letters from Iwo Jima, Ping Pong) and Takeuchi Yuko (Ring) are fantastic and enchanting as the destined lovers and have a magical chemistry on screen. Takei Akashi is a bit overly cute as young Yuji but is likable.The supporting cast is also superb with the talents of 'You' (the derelict mother from "Dare Mo Shirenai" AKKA Nobody knows) and Ichikawa Mikako (Natsuko Aki from "Cutey Honey").Not surprisingly, an American remake is being planned (2007) entitled "Be With You" and is set to star Jennifer Garner in the role of the "Mio" character. Whether it will have the same emotional impact as the original remains to be seen. For now audiences should seek this gem of a movie out. A perfect film for lovers especially on Valentine's Day.