The Essence of Japanese Cinema Woven by Director Haruhiko Arai and Actor Go Ayano: 'Hoshi to Tsuki wa Ten no Ana' to be Released on Wednesday, July 8, 2026!

You are in love with a body—

Directed by Haruhiko Arai, a leading Japanese screenwriter and five-time Kinema Junpo Script Award winner With a career spanning half a century, Haruhiko Arai is one of Japan's most prominent screenwriters, having won the Kinema Junpo Script Award five times for works such as 'Vibrator' (2003) and 'Backwater' (2013). In films he has directed himself, including 'It Feels So Good' (2019), he has consistently depicted the human instincts of "love and sex," stirring the emotions of his audience. His latest work, 'Hoshi to Tsuki wa Ten no Ana,' is the long-awaited film adaptation of Junnosuke Yoshiyuki's work, which won the Minister of Education Award for Fine Arts. It weaves together eroticism and pathos to chronicle the daily life of a novelist in his 40s who, fearing love due to past divorce, finds his desire to be loved becoming increasingly complicated.

Starring Go Ayano, who reunites with director Arai following 'Karu-kusa' The protagonist, Katsuji Yazoe, is played by actor Go Ayano, who previously teamed up with Arai for 'Karu-kusa' (2023). Ayano, who has steadily built a solid reputation and career, reveals a withered, masculine allure never seen before. He brings to life a comical yet poignant character who, despite fearing love due to past trauma, finds himself unable to stop seeking it, torn by the contradictions between his heart and body.

Featuring a unique cast of actresses who toy with the protagonist, Yazoe The women surrounding Yazoe include the newcomer Sakuya, who plays the college student Noriko, innocently stepping into the heart of a man who rejects women. Rena Tanaka, appearing in her third Arai film, plays Chieko, a prostitute familiar to Yazoe. Her interplay with Ayano's character marks a new frontier for her as an actress. The supporting cast, including Tasuku Emoto, Akari Misaki, MINAMO, and Junko Miyashita, helps create the film's unique worldview. Set against the backdrop of Japan's turbulent year of 1969, this deeply flavorful Japanese film captures the private story of one man, offering a sense of "learning from the past to create the new." This R18-rated, unconventional work—the true essence of actor Go Ayano guided by the script of master Haruhiko Arai—is set to make a significant impact on the film industry.

▼ 'Hoshi to Tsuki wa Ten no Ana' Production Information 【Cast】 Go Ayano Sakuya, Akari Misaki, Mutsuo Yoshioka, MINAMO Kazuo Hara / Tasuku Emoto / Junko Miyashita / Rena Tanaka

【Staff】 Screenplay/Director: Haruhiko Arai Original Work: Junnosuke Yoshiyuki "Hoshi to Tsuki wa Ten no Ana" (Kodansha Bungei Bunko) Executive Producer: Keisuke Konishi Producers: Mayumi Shimizu, Takashi Tanabe Line Producer: Tamotsu Kanamori Assistant Director: Masaaki Takeda, Cinematography: Koichi Kawakami, Miho Niikoko Lighting: Minoru Kawai, Sound: Akira Fukada, Art Direction: Yasuaki Harada Decoration: Jun Terao, Editing: Chieko Suzaki Costume Design: Yoshie Ogasawara, Hair & Makeup: Michiko Nagae Intimacy Coordinator: Momoko Nishiyama Production Manager: Makoto Kariya, Casting Producer: Tsuyoshi Sugino Music: Itsuo Shimoda, Theme Song: Aya Matsui "Ichido Dake" and others Photography: Sakiko Nomura, Hitoshi Matsuyama Associate Producer: Hajime Morota Production/Distribution: Happinet Phantom Studio Production Company: Kirishima 1945 Production Cooperation: Mede...