Dreaming of the Meridian Arc Review

Dreaming of the Meridian Arc makes map making incredibly wholesome and surprisingly funny.

Directed by Nakanishi Kenji, the film is based between present day, Katori City and jumps back to the historical Edo period in Japan. In the current day setting, Ikemoto, (Nakai Kiichi) is a regular local government worker in Katori City Hall. His department is in the process of creating a new tourism initiative and decides to sponsor a period drama about the city's famous historical figure Tadataka Ino, a famous cartographer, who is known for being the first person to make a map of Japan in 1821. Ikemoto endeavours to enlist the help of a famous screenwriter, Kato.  In their research, they discover that Ino perhaps was not entirely solely responsible for creating Japan's first map as he may have died three years prior. 

In the Edo Period in 1818,  Ino dies surrounded by his map making colleagues, having not finished the map, a plan is devised to continue making the map and pretend that Ino is still alive. Led by Takahashi Kageyasu (again played by Kiichi Nakai), they work in secret, attempting to conceal Ido's death in order to deliver a map to the Shogun and ensure Ino's life goal is achieved. They overcome multiple hurdles and have to come up with multiple ways to trick the Shogun and his officials that Ino is still living.

In a playful change to regular period films regarding historical figures, the film instead focuses on the team behind the famous Ino and his supporting team.  Casting light on characters throughout history that would often be forgotten. Taking particular care to ensure their narratives, loyalty and determination are portrayed. The result is a genuinely heart-warming film.

Nakanishi, manages to weave modern day effortlessly with the Edo period through the pitching of a television series. Nakanishi  chose to give all the actors, dual characters (in current day and in the Edo period), which allows the switching between timelines to feel natural and consistent, with the same actors taking you through both stories.  

At times, the film falls a little flat in parts and seems to drag in the middle. The director tries to push some of the same comedic parts that work in the modern day parts throughout the historical section which feels a little unnecessary.

Dreaming of the Meridian Arc is a wholesome comedy drama interwoven with just enough history and is an all-round  pleasant watch.

Dreaming of the Meridian Arc is playing as part of the Japanese Film Festival 2022 in Australia. Check out the full program and book tickets here.