Jellyfish Eyes

Masashi Kusakabe (Takuto Sueoka) has just moved to a suburban town, where lush, green rice paddies stretch out on both sides of the road, to start a new life alone with his mother, Yasuko (Mayu Tsuruta). Although overwhelmed with sadness after losing his father (Kanji Tsuda), Masashi acts cheerful for the sake of his mother. As he goes about carrying boxes into their new apartment, Masashi feels a mysterious presence in the room.

The next day, upon returning home from visiting the new elementary school, Masashi encounters a strange creature that looks like a jellyfish. Masashi names the adorable creature, which loves chee-kama (cheese-and-fish-cake sticks) and freely flies around, Kurage-bo (Jellyfish Boy). Despite the lack of a common language, they take to each other immediately and become friends.

Masashi goes to school with Kurage-bo hidden in his backpack. He is anxious that someone might find out his secret, but then is astonished to discover that everyone in his new class has one of these strange creatures, which they call F.R.I.E.N.D.s, as his or her companion. The minute the teacher turns her back to the classroom, the children take out their controllers, called Devices, with which they generate and manipulate their F.R.I.E.N.D.s. Tatsuya's F.R.I.E.N.D. Yupi challenges Masashi, but Kurage-bo comes to his rescue and beats Yupi in combat with impeccable kung-fu skill.

Masashi comes home to find his uncle, Naoto (Takumi Saitoh), who works at the local research center, arguing with his mother at the door. "This town is dangerous," Naoto appeals to Yasuko. She retorts with anger, "You want us out of here?" Later, Naoto makes Masashi promise to report to him if he notices anything strange. Although Naoto takes note of Kurage-bo in Masashi's backpack, he doesn't bring it up.

One day on his way home from school, Masashi comes across his classmates playing on the grounds of a shrine, making their F.R.I.E.N.D.s fight one another. The boys try to force Masashi to join the battle, but Kurage-bo is nowhere to be seen and the F.R.I.E.N.D.s are upon him. At the crucial moment, enormous and powerful Luxor appears together with Kurage-bo and they fight the F.R.I.E.N.D.s off. Luxor, Masashi finds out, is his classmate Saki (Himeka Asami)'s F.R.I.E.N.D.

Saki reveals to Masashi that her Device was given to her, at a time when she was feeling down about family problems, by the top-level members of the research center. Cloaked in black, the four told her that the Device would give her "a friend who will never betray." They gave out Devices to all the elementary school students in town. Soon the children started pitting F.R.I.E.N.D.s against F.R.I.E.N.D.s in battle, and now these battles take place all over.

Meanwhile, a school festival is going on at the University, where Naoto's research center is located. The cult group to which Saki's mother, Shizuko (Asuka Kurosawa), belongs claims that the research going on at the University is evil and dangerous. They have organized a protest. When Shizuko presses Saki to pray with her, Masashi and Saki run away hand-in-hand and end up stepping into the midst of the research center. The Black-Cloaked Four, seeing the powerful energy in Masashi, start plotting to trap him in their hands.

Having shared their problems with one another, Masashi and Saki start to develop a bond. But Tatsuya and Juran, who have found out that Naoto works for the research center, conspire against Masashi and kidnap Kurage-bo. When the gym teacher saw this, she punish Tatsuya and the group for hurting Masashi and Saki getting bumped in the head. While visiting Masashi, who is injured by Yupi and hospitalized, Naoto gives him a Device "as protection," but something seems amiss.

Later Masashi's mom tells him that Naoto fell of the building and died. At the forest Masashi looked for Kurage-bo but he was not seen. Saki came along and finds him and she ask Masashi where is device is. Masashi said that his device didn't work and Kurage-Bo's gone, blaming Tatsuya and Juran for this mess. Saki still believe that she hates fighting but they have to try and she and Masashi head to the lab. At the Lab, Tatsuya and Juran meets the Cloak Four to challenge Koh, a boy who lives in the Orphanage. Koh uses a Anime girl named Ko2 and battled Yupi and Shimon and managed to defeat both of them. As she was about to finish them off until Masashi saves them. Masashi was then being choke by a F.R.I.E.N.D Naoto before Kurage-bo saves him. Tatsuya and Juran tells Koh that he doesn't have to be alone. The real Naoto comes out just in time to fight the duplicate. Ko2 finishes the fake Naoto out as she throws him.

Naoto tells the Cloak Four why they did this, to reveal that they want to be reborn from the destruction, in which Naoto said that they're insane. Naoto tells the others to head outside before the Oval destroyes everything. Koh stays behind to find the Oval's weak spot while the others head back to the main street. Tatsuya calls Manato to look outside which he tells the other kids to call every F.R.I.E.N.D.s outside to fight the Oval.

Saki, meanwhile, tried to saved he rmother but she got caught and tries to hold on the iron railings in the Oval's mouth just as so as she falls Masashi catches her and getting her safely to the ground Naoto tells Masashi that the Oval's weak spot is on the glowing orb on the head. Masashi finishes the Oval off and all of the F.R.I.E.N.D.s disappear into the vortex, Including Kurage-bo.

Devisated, Masashi cries over is lost friend and Saki was sad too. Koh brings his friends and Tatsuya and Juran apologize for their selfish actions and behavoir. Koh uses his phone and brought back all the F.R.I.E.N.D.s back to the real world. Reutnied at last, Masashi, Saki, Kurage-bo and everyone started to give in to their positive ways and head home. [3][4][5]

[3][4][5]

• Takuto Sueoka as Masashi Kusakabe, a kind-hearted sixth-grader who lost his father in the earthquake and ensuing natural disaster. He has just moved with his mother to Tsugumo City, where his uncle Naoto lives and works. Although he acts cheerfully in front of his mother, he hasn't recovered from the loss of his father or the shock of the disaster. His favorite food is chee-kama, a processed food manufactured by his father's company. He transfers to a private elementary school, Tsugumo Uraka Gakuen, which upholds discipline and safety, but from day one, he becomes the target of bullying by Tatsuya. Through his encounter with Kurage-bo, the only F.R.I.E.N.D. that doesn't require any Device, Masashi learns the meaning of true friendship and the ties that bind.
• Himeka Asami) as Saki Amamiya, Masashi's classmate who cares about him. Mature and cool for an elementary school student, she despises fights and conflicts. She is fed up with her classmates constantly battling against one another through their F.R.I.E.N.D.s. With a strong sense of justice, however, she stands up against Tatsuya and Juran in order to save Masashi. Because her mother is an ardent follower of a new cult, World Salvation Society, Saki has to suffer through many of the cult's gatherings. At home, her parents never stop arguing…
• Masataka Kubota, Hidemasa Shiozawa, Shota Sometani and Ami Ikenaga as The Black-Cloaked Four, a group of four geniuses working on a mysterious research project at the institution set up by the government within Tsugumo University. Supposedly they are colleagues of Naoto, Masashi's uncle, yet there is something suspicious about them. They scheme to summon the most powerful of the F.R.I.E.N.D.s, Oval, by exploiting the negative energy of the children. Ruthless and merciless, the researchers stop at nothing in order to achieve their goals.
• Asuka Kurosawa as Shizuko Amamiya, Saki's mother. In discord with her husband, she is a member of a new cult, the World Salvation Society, and is constantly dragging her daughter to its meetings.
• Kanji Tsuda as Tatsuo Kusakabe, Masashi's father. He owned a seafood processing plant. Although lost to the tsunami, he remains vividly in Masashi's mind as a hard-working, cheerful father.
• Mayu Tsuruta as Yasuko Kusakabe, Masashi's mother. Having lost her husband in the disasters, she starts a new life with her son in a new town. Although full off sorrow and worries, she acts steadfast and cheerful in front of Masashi.
• Takumi Saitoh as Naoto Kōzuka, a technician at the research facility of the Black-Cloaked Four. He is Masashi's uncle and one of the few adults Masashi can rely on after losing his father. Although he values the research he is involved in, he also knows its danger; he has opposed his sister Yasuko and his nephew Masashi's move to Tsugumo City. He struggles with a dilemma between his research and the safety of his family. Moreover, the Black-Cloaked Four's scheme necessitates his apparent death... He rides his Vespa everywhere.

• Kurage-bo

Masashi's F.R.I.E.N.D. 38 cm tall. The only F.R.I.E.N.D. able to exist without a Device, it is a standout among them. In a pinch, it displays brilliant combat capability that belies its goofy appearance. Its fighting technique has elements of kung-fu moves. Having encountered Masashi, full of sorrow, it continues to enhance its power by transforming adversity into energy.

• Luxor

Saki's F.R.I.E.N.D. Approx. 250 cm tall. Largest by far among F.R.I.E.N.D.s, it can always be depended on. It is strong enough to easily pick up children and single-handedly block a collapsing wall. It becomes friends with Kurage-bo right away. Always at Saki's side to ease her worries, it takes daily walks with her.

• Yupi

Tatsuya's F.R.I.E.N.D. Approx. 52 cm tall. Fiercely aggressive, it looks like a mix between a frog and a Komodo dragon. It is equipped with an extendable tongue, a rock-hard head, outstanding jumping power, and the ability to become transparent.

• Shimon

Juran's F.R.I.E.N.D. Approx. 60 cm tall. With a head of steel and 10 vernier thrusters (rocket nozzles), it is able to fly with the help of jet sprays.

• Ukki

Manato's F.R.I.E.N.D. Approx. 26 cm tall. Despite its cute monkey look, it can be quick and sometimes even mean.

• Ko2 (Koko)

Koh's F.R.I.E.N.D. 187.96 cm tall. Controlled by Koh's customized Device, she is a F.R.I.E.N.D. a human-shaped friend with powerful fighting ability. She fights in a style distinctive from the others, using such techniques as Hadōken (Surge Fist).

• Oval

Approx. 40 m tall. The creature the Black-Cloaked Four has been working to summon for some time. It requires a medium in order to appear in this world, and Masashi becomes that long-awaited medium. It is also the embodiment of the energy of all F.R.I.E.N.D.s.

[3][4][5]

The theme song of Jellyfish Eyes is "Last Night, Good Night (Re:Dialed)" by livetune feat. Hatsune Miku, from the compilation album Re:Dial (TOY'S FACTORY).[6]

The film had its world premiere in Los Angeles.

• Janus Films official site
• Jellyfish Eyes at IMDb
• Jellyfish Eyes at AllMovie
• Jellyfish Eyes at Box Office Mojo
• Jellyfish Eyes at Metacritic
• Jellyfish Eyes at Rotten Tomatoes
• Wall Street Journal article on the film
• Gods and Monsters: Murakami Goes to the Movies an essay by Glen Helfand at the Criterion Collection