Hikoukigumo (2016)

Hikoukigumo 2016 / ひこうき雲 2016 /

In the late 1980s during Japan’s bubble boom, the Gender Equality in Employment Act went into effect and it was a turning point in the way of life of Japanese women. University student Yamada Maruko (Hirose Alice) is a big fan of singer-songwriter Arai Yumi, nicknamed Yuming. She yearns for the lifestyle described in Yuming’s song ‘Hikoukigumo’ and has set her sights on getting a job at a publishing company. However, her job hunt is not going well and she has been dumped by the guy she was dating. Just when Maruko is feeling depressed, she meets a sophisticated girl Yuki Mao (Miyoshi Ayaka), who seems as if she has stepped out from Yuming’s song. Mao positively derives pleasure with a lifestyle of not having to flatter men. Although Maruko identifies with her, she eventually chooses an independent way of life as a female. What does the song Hikoukigumo mean to the two of them?