The book was published in book form by Chuokoron-Shinsha on 1 February 1995, and in paperback by Kodansha on 13 March 1998.[1] This work is a best-selling novel with a total circulation of over 1.5 million copies.[2]
Takashi Tsuruga once had a woman whom he saw from the train and fell in love at first sight. One day, when he met his best friend Tomohiko, he was introduced to his girlfriend. That lover was Mayuko, the woman Takashi fell in love with at first sight. Takashi is intensely jealous of Tomohiko. One day, however, he realizes that Mayuko is his girlfriend. Takashi is torn between two world lines, wondering if it is a dream or reality.
Main characters
Takashi Tsuruga
He works for Vitec Corporation, a general computer manufacturer. He is currently enrolled at MAC Technical College, a research and educational institution of the same company as Tomohiko.
Tomohiko Miwa
He and Takashi were together from junior high school to graduate school and are best friends. He has a bad leg and is introverted. He is smart and sharp. Enrolled in MAC Technical College.
Mayuko Tsuno
Beautiful woman. She is a researcher at MAC Technical College. She is Tomohiko's lover and Takashi's lover at the same time.
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The film Parallel World Love Story was released on 31 May 2019, distributed by Shochiku. The leading role is played by Yuta Tamamori. The theme song is “A Life to be Jealous of” by Hikaru Utada.
This work was said to be difficult to visualize,[4] but according to director Yoshitaka Mori, he expressed two different worlds in which Takashi wanders into, each filmed in a different way. Mori also said that he created two separate scripts for each of the two films, and then combined them into a single film.[5]
During filming, Yuta Tamamori, the lead actor, was instructed by director Mori to play the role with the feeling of giving everything you have.[6] Therefore, Tamamori poured all his energy into the role, saying, "I have no choice but to play the role with the will to die."[7] Mori also requested Tamamori that he face himself and look at himself again. So Tamamori looked back on his life from his upbringing to the present, itemized the differences between himself and Takashi, and said that he tried to create the role while thinking about the differences.[6][2]
Shota Sometani, who played Tomohiko, said that he played the role with the importance of his love for Takashi as his best friend above all.[8] Tomohiko and Takashi are best friends, but there are many scenes in the film where the two clash. Sometani and Tamamori even discussed the theme of "what is a best friend" before filming.[8]
Riho Yoshioka, who played Mayuko, said that since the film was based on a work that was said to be difficult to visualize, the script was difficult to follow, and that is why the director was so strict and she played the role with the feeling of fighting with the director every time.[9]
According to the June 3, 2019 Movie Audience Ranking (according to Kogyo Tsushinsha), this film ranked fourth with approximately 112,000 visitors and 143 million yen in box office revenue over the two days of Saturday and Sunday (June 1 and 2, 2019).[10]
Synopsis
Takashi Tsuruga graduated at the top of his graduate school class and joined Vitec, a company that conducts cutting-edge research. While conducting research with Tomohiko Miwa, his best friend since junior high school, he and Mayuko Tsuno, a junior colleague, became lovers.[11] However, one day he woke up to find that Mayuko was Tomohiko's girlfriend. Tomohiko was in love with a woman whom Takashi felt in love with at first sight on the train.[12] As he woke up in different world lines, Takashi became confused as to which world is the real one.
The protagonist of this work. He is good looking and smart. He once saw Mayuko on a train and fell in love with her at first sight. Tomohiko has been his best friend since junior high school. He is confused as to whether Mayuko is actually his or Tomohiko's lover.
Japan