"I'll fight till the end" ... Friendship drives him!
"You have no clue how a woman feels"... Love eludes him!
"Ever wonder why we go on living, knowing we're going to die?"...Youth defines him!

"Growing up" - in all its gut-wrenching, shining glory!
POLE TOPPLING, a film based on the 2002 Kido Award-winning screenplay.

The coveted Kido Award has become famous for lauding works that have been adapted to film, including "Yuukai" starring Tetsuya Watari and "Rendan" starring and directed by Naoto Takenaka.

Starring the sensational w-inds, the rising stars of Lead and FLAME's Kyohei Kaneko.

The trials and tribulations of a boy's teen years are depicted in "Pole Toppling" -- the gripping intensity of competitive sports where both sides hold nothing back in their determination to win explodes onto the screen!

Airi Taira plays Sayuri, the secret object of the hero Tsugio's amorous obsession. Tomokazu Miura, who has recently starred in the acclaimed film "Nagori Yuki", plays their cynical teacher. Veterans Mitsuru Hirata and Miyuki Matsuda also support the noteworthy cast.

Directed by Tetsu Maeda, winner of the Grand Prix Award in the Kinderfilm Festival for "Pakodate Nin" starring Aoi Miyazaki. Music by Japan Academy Award winning Kensaku Tanigawa. "Pole Toppling" follows mega-hits "Waterboys" (01) and "Ping Pong" (02) as the next "hot" sports/coming of age film.

A film about "friendship"and "honor" as the heroes, Tsugio and Isamu stake their youth on leaving their mark in history.

"Let's do it! "Let's give it all we've got!"

Isamu fervently urges Tsugio to join him in the Pole Toppling competition in the upcoming Sports Festival.
Tsugio and Isamu, who at first share nothing in common, join forces and recruit an off-beat band of team members and begin their secret training program to defeat the Polytech team to whom they have lost 49 times.

"What will you be remembered by?!"
"Have you done anything in your life that's unforgettable?!"
"Haven't you ever felt the fire?!"

Grappling with his pent-up feelings for Sayuri, Tsugio finds his mission while training with Isamu, channeling all of his frustrations into his quest for victory.
Isamu, who secretly hides a heart condition, stakes his life on winning the competition and settling up the score with the unscrupulous Polytech team - but a few days before the Sports Festival, Isamu is reluctantly hospitalized...

Infuriated by the underhanded tactics of the Polytech team, Tsugio and his team vow to gain revenge for Isamu, to rewrite Pole Toppling history, and to redeem their glorious youth. But will Tsugio be able to lead the team to victory without Isamu?

CAST OF CHARACTERS：

Tsugio Takayama (17).... Shinya Taniuchi (Lead)
The highlight of his uneventful high school life has been a secret crush on his classmate, Sayuri. Easygoing Tsugio is quite unremarkable, except for his unusual talent in tree climbing. His persistent classmate Isamu persuades him to enter the Pole Toppling event in the School Sports Festival, which eventually drives Tsugio to rise to the challenge!

Isamu Hisanaga (18).... Kyohei Kaneko (FLAME)
The athletic Isamu holds an obsessive grudge against the school's Commerce Club that has ridiculed his Generalist Club by calling them "worthless and mundane". He revives the Pole Toppling event and tenaciously pursues Tsugio to join his team to defeat the Commerce Club once and for all. But, he secretly hides a chronic heart condition...

Manabu Sudo (17)... Keita Furuya (Lead)
A soft-spoken, nerdy classmate of Tsugio, who quickly analyzes Pole Toppling data and masterminds a winning strategy for their team.

Atsushi Tabuchi... Akira Kagimoto (Lead)

Toru Akasaka... Hiroki Nakadoi (Lead)

Sayuri Konno... Airi Taira
The object of Tsugio's infatuation, who is actually dating the World History teacher. Disappears on the day of the Sports Festival.

Keigo Kamoshita... Ryuji Sainei

Yoshiki Horiguchi (16).... Katsuya Kobayashi
The baseball player who determines to participate in the Pole Toppling competition to exact revenge on the school's baseball team that has ousted him.

Miki Takayama (16) ... Yukari Taki
Tsugio's younger sister who supports their Pole Toppling team

Shuichiro Takayama... Mitsuru Hirata
Tsugio's father who left the family a few years ago for another woman. His sudden reappearance into their lives infuriates Tsugio.

Yumiko Takayama (43) ... Miyuki Matsuda
Tsugio's mother, who works hard to keep the family together after her husband has abandoned them. Tells Tsugio to never run away from his problems as his father did.

Kotaro Ishigaki... Tomokazu Miura
The World History teacher who is having an affair with Sayuri.

 

STAFF:

Planning: Issei Hashiguchi
Script: Minoru Matsumoto
Director: Tetsu Maeda
Production: Katsuhiko Takemasa, Hajime Choko, Isao Takenaka, Haruhiko Matsushita, Wataru Suzuki
Producers: Hirofumi Ogoshi, Natsuko Kitani, Haruhiko Yoshida, Norio Enomoto, Takafumi Ohashi
Director of Photography: Hiroshi Takase
Lighting: Junichi Akatsu
Sound: Shigeru Abe
Art: Tetsuji Takita
Music: Kensaku Tanigawa
Editor: Mototaka Kusakabe
Costume Design: Kumiko Ogawa

Production: "Pole Toppling" Film Partners
(C)2003 "Pole Toppling" Film Partners (2003/90min./35mm/Color/Vista size)