Japan Synopsis
初恋
Set over one night in Tokyo, we follow Leo, a young boxer down on his luck as he meets his ‘first love’ Monica, a call-girl and an addict but still innocent. But, little does Leo know, Monica is unwittingly caught up in a drug-smuggling scheme, and the two are pursued through the night by a corrupt cop, a yakuza, his nemesis, and a female assassin sent by the Chinese Triads. All their fates intertwine in spectacular Miike style, at his most fun and anarchic.
Other Titles From Recorded Picture Company
Crime + Action in Japan
188 Japan titles in our catalog blend the Crime and Action genres. Below: the top-rated of them (excluding First Love itself).
The 2018–2020 Japan Window
In the crowded 2018-2020 Japan release window, First Love sits at #369 of 525. The leaderboard below contextualises its neighbours.
#1Sonic Mania Adventures
★ 9.0 · 2018
#2Godzilla vs. Evangelion: The Real 4-D
★ 8.9 · 2019
#3Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
★ 8.7 · 2019
#4Jujutsu Kaisen
★ 8.6 · 2020
#5DARLING in the FRANXX
★ 8.6 · 2018
#6Dr. STONE
★ 8.6 · 2019
#7The Rising of the Shield Hero
★ 8.6 · 2019
#8Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai
★ 8.6 · 2018
The 2010s Japan Landscape
Catalog density by release year across the 2010s in Japan, 1769 titles in total. Highlighted year (yellow) is when First Love premiered alongside 179 others.
Position in Catalog
Released alongside 179 other Japan films in 2019.
The 3938th Japan title from Japan we index (earliest catalogued entry: 1899).
Our Japan catalog contains 4,579 titles in total (2,908 films).
Audience Engagement
268 audience reviews — more than 89% of Japan films in our index.
Review volume (89th percentile) outruns trending popularity (51th) — a durable title with sustained audience attention.
Reception Benchmarks
Ranked #2,719 of 4,579 Japan films indexed here (41st percentile by TMDB audience score).
Rating is -0.2 points below the Japan average of 6.9/10.
Among Japan Crime productions specifically: #206 of 402 (top 51%).
Production Details
| Primary Country | Japan |
|---|---|
| All Production Countries | Japan, United Kingdom |
| Original Language | Japanese |
| Spoken Languages | Cantonese, Japanese |
| Production Companies | Recorded Picture Company, OLM |
| Runtime | 1h 48m |
| Release Date | May 31, 2019 |
| IMDb | tt10228168 |