After his parents’ divorce, sixteen-year-old Kazuo and his mother move to her hometown, Nagano. Kazuo used to live here when he was in kindergarten so he is confident he will settle right back in. On his first day at school, he is introduced to the class. Suddenly, a girl gets up, recognizing him from the time they were in kindergarten. Her name is Kazumi and she used to be best friends with Kazuo a long time ago. She even reveals that he wetted his bed and had to wear her underwear one time. Kazuo remembers the incident but pretends to be oblivious. After class, he comes to Kazumi, asking her to stop telling everyone about the embarrassing stories of the past.

 

 Kazumi’s boyfriend Hiroshi interrupts them and is jealous of their friendship. After school, Kazumi follows Kazuo behind as he tries his best to get rid of her. She reminds him of his favorite noodle he used to have at her mother’s noodle shop. When he says he doesn’t remember, she brings him home. Her family is delighted to see him after so long but Kazuo feels uncomfortable because he hardly remembers them. While Kazumi’s mother cooks the noodles, she is asked to show Kazuo the Shabishira spring. The water used to make the noodles comes from the spring which is the secret ingredient.

 

The two walk for a few minutes before reaching the place. They have to take different paths especially meant for two genders to get to the spring. Kazumi picks up a dipper so Kazuo can taste the water. They stand on either side of the spring which causes them to struggle for the dipper and fall into the spring. When they come outside, they have miraculously changed their bodies with each other. Kazuo doesn’t realize this and makes his way home without saying anything. He takes off the wet clothes and the first thing he notices is that he is wearing a skirt. Confused, he looks into the mirror and sees Kazumi instead of himself. It doesn’t take him long to register that he has changed bodies with her. He runs outside to tell his mother who thinks he is a perverted girl trying to seduce her son. She makes him wear a jacket before kicking him out.

 

After that, Kazuo goes to Kazumi’s home and finds her crying hysterically. Her family is also just as confused as everyone else. They think the kids hit their heads while on their way to the spring and are not in their right minds. Moreover, since Kazumi is not wearing enough clothes, they assume Kazuo did something to her. Before their anger escalates, Kazuo runs away with Kazumi on his bicycle. Kazumi’s biggest concern is Kazuo touching her breasts but Kazuo argues that he has no interest in her. He brings her to his home, asking her to act like a man as much as possible. They decide to stay in each other’s places until they find a way to get back into their respective bodies.

 

At first, Kazuo experiences the difference in gender roles when he is made to serve dinner to everyone in the family. Moreover, he learns that he has to eat quickly because if not, the family will devour everything. Meanwhile, Kazumi is doing just fine at Kazuo’s home. She cooks for his mother, surprising her with a delicious meal. The mother goes on a rant about an indecent girl like Kazumi for barging into their home, unaware that her son is the same indecent girl. Kazumi doesn’t know about Kazuo’s parents’ divorce so she asks questions like when will his dad return home. Kazuo’s mother thinks it is a joke and asks him to be more compassionate towards her.

 

She also discovers that Kazuo broke up with his long-term girlfriend Akemi before moving here. A while later, Kazuo calls Kazumi, asking her to keep his phone strap safely. It was a gift from his father and is close to his heart. Kazumi, on the other hand, is having problems of her own. She is shocked by how his genitals changed when she tried to take shower. Kazuo orders her to stop looking at his body and ends the call. The following morning, Kazuo wakes up in Kazumi’s room and remembers what happened yesterday. Then, he checks himself in the mirror and to his distress, sleeping hasn’t turned him back to normal. Kazumi breaks in through the window with Kazuo’s school uniform that he left at his home yesterday. She also teaches him how to wear a bar but just then, her mother interrupts them.

 

She assumes the worst and calls the entire family into the room. As they yell at their daughter, Kazuo and Kazumi trick them and run away to school. They promise to do their best as each other before walking in. During music class, Kazumi is asked to play the piano because Kazuo was known as a talented pianist in his former school. When she is in the front, she gets a panic attack and runs to the rooftop. Kazuo follows her behind while being followed by the teacher. They meet each other on the roof where the teacher inquires about what is going on. Kazumi panics again and accidentally knocks the teacher out.

 

Hiroshi finds Kazuo and Kazumi together and suspects something is going on between them. After school, the two sit by the river and discuss their situation. Kazumi touches Kazuo’s body, reminiscing about her older self but to a man walking past them, it looks like they are doing something else. He tries to join them in the fun and holds Kazuo’s hand. To defend himself, Kazuo kicks him in the nuts and runs away with Kazumi.

 

In the following scene, both Kazuo, Kazumi, and their mothers are called to an older gentleman’s home. He is the father of the guy they beat up earlier. He wants to press charges against Kazumi but has to consider otherwise after discovering his son wanted to kidnap the girl. Then, Kazuo and Kazumi are together when Kazuo gets a text from Hiroshi. He is jealous of their growing relationship and is ready to break up if that is what Kazumi prefers. Kazumi replies that she loves him and asks him to give her some space. At home, Kazumi’s mother notices that her daughter is acting more strange day by day. She lays down like a man, speaks like one, and has forgotten how to cook. Hence, Kazumi’s older brother is called from Tokyo to take care of her. Kazuo has been more sensitive than normal because his period is near.

 

Moreover, both Kazuo and Kazumi are forbidden to meet each other outside school after what happened yesterday. He panics since he has no clue what must be done when he gets his period. He also feels awfully weak but passes it as a symptom. The next day, their class is going on a trip to a hot spring. Throughout the bus ride, Kazuo continues puking, worrying everyone. Then, while changing into a swimsuit, his nose starts to bleed. At the same time, Kazumi meets Hiroshi and asks him to come aside. Before she can tell him the truth, he asks her if she is Kazumi. It turns out that he had been observing them for the past few days and has come to this conclusion. Kazumi affirms and apologizes for not telling him sooner. Hiroshi says that he still loves her because he is in love with her soul, not her body. However, Kazumi doesn’t feel the same for him. On the first day after the trip, Kazuo doesn’t come to school.

 

Kazumi is worried but her mother doesn’t let her see Kazuo. Hence, Hiroshi goes over to make sure he is fine. It turns out that Kazuo has had sharp body pain and has been vomiting since the morning. He goes to the doctor’s the next day and they find out that he suffers from an incurable disease and has only two months to live. Kazumi’s parents are shocked and in pain. The doctor promises to do whatever he can to ensure Kazuo’s last days are painless but he cannot help the family other than that. Hiroshi finds out about this and comes to tell Kazumi. She is just as shocked as everyone because Kazuo’s death could mean a lot of different things. She is worried for him and for herself because her body could go away forever. When she goes to visit him, she is initially stopped by her mother. The woman blames her for Kazuo’s condition because he had been acting strangely after her arrival.

 

The doctor convinces her that they should not keep a bed-ridden girl from meeting her friend. Kazumi meets Kazuo and feels responsible for his illness. Since her body has the disease, it is almost as if he is dying because of her. Kazuo assures her that even if that were the case, he would be happy to die in her place. When Kazumi returns home that day, she convinces Kazuo’s mother to go visit him. She agrees and tells her about Akemi. Akemi used to be Kazuo’s girlfriend and is coming to visit him in a few days. Kazumi emails Akemi at night and tells her everything about the situation. In the following scene, Kazumi and Hiroshi welcome Akemi to the city. She has known Kazuo for years and can tell that Kazumi is not him. Later, she and Kazuo’s mother go to visit him. Kazuo shares an emotional conversation with them, making the mother feel like she is talking to her own child. A few days later, Akemi, Hiroshi, Kazuo, and Kazumi are together when Kazuo says he wants to go somewhere far.

 

The adults would not allow him so they decide to sneak out at night. The plan works and they reach the mountains by the morning. Akemi and Hiroshi know that the other two want to spend time together, so they ask them to go ahead. After that, the two are spotted by a group of performers. They join the group and decide to stay with them for the night. Kazumi has a hard time falling asleep so she cuddles with Kazuo and inquires if they can take their relationship a step further. Kazuo says he wants to make love to her but only as a guy. Kazumi understands and hugs him instead. She also takes his top off and says goodbye to her body for the last time.

 

The next morning, Kazumi hears two men talking about her and Kazuo. They are planning to do something to get rid of the couple. Instead of being a burden on them, she and Kazuo leave a while later. Kazumi wants to go home now but Kazuo says there is the last place he wants to visit. Then, they make their way to the Sabishira spring where it all started. Unlike the last time, they do not take the separate gender gates since they are both male and female. They stand on the edge of the spring drinking from a dipper.

Suddenly, they slip and fall into the water for the second time. They somehow manage to come outside but soon realize that they have changed back into their bodies. Kazumi is over the moon that Kazuo doesn’t have to die in her place but Kazuo cannot help but feel sad. She will go away but he will have to continue living without her. They hug each other for a long time before Kazumi says she is happy to die for him. Then, they go to a cliff and watch the sunset together. Cut to a few months later. Kazumi is no more and the world has moved on without her. Kazuo comes to her home often to meet her family. Because of all the time he spent with them, he feels like he is a part of the family.

 

One afternoon, he arrives and finds Kazumi’s grandfather making noodles. He offers to help but unlike the traditional way of kneading, he steps on the dough. This reminds the family of Kazumi and they cannot help but shed tears. It turns out that Kazuo has come to say goodbye because he is moving to a different city for college. We also find out that Akemi and Hiroshi are now dating each other. Before leaving the city, Kazuo visits Kazumi’s grave and wishes her goodbye. What he doesn’t know is that her spirit is watching him with a smile on her face, glad that he is moving on with his life. On his way out, Kazuo passes Hiroshi who has also come to pay respect. The movie ends with a message that says “A person’s lifespan is limited but a story lasts forever” 

 

Movie Name: Tenkosei (2007)

Image Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0997183/