800 Two Lap Runners

An essential Hiroki, but one that's been unavailable to us mere Westerns until very recently. It's one of the first films where he shifts his focus from pinku to purer drama. There are still some pinku influences left, but 800 Two Lap Runners is very much a typical and capable early 90s sports romance.

When Ryuji is caught with a female student, his principal forces him to join the track team. He sees a great athlete in Ryuji, but so far he's been a bit lazy and frivolous. He joins the 800m runners and quickly establishes himself as one of the top runners on the team. He only has one big rival, and they're both eyeing the same girl.

The performances are solid, Hiroki's eye for drama is already present and the pacing is fine. Other than that though, it's a pretty basic Japanese affair. It's not comparable to the amazing films he would direct at a later stage in his career, but if you're looking for a solid drama and you're a completionist like me, this is a superb film.