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Twelve-year-old Koichi lives with his mother and retired grandparents in Kagoshima, in the southern region of Kyushu, Japan. His younger brother Ryunosuke lives with their father in Hakata, northern Kyushu. The brothers have been separated by their parents’ divorce and Koichi’s only wish is for his family to be reunited. When he learns that a new bullet train line will soon open linking the two towns, he starts to believe that a miracle will take place the moment these new trains first pass each other at top speed. With help from the adults around him, Koichi sets out on a journey with a group of friends, each hoping to witness a miracle that will improve their difficult lives.
 
Written and Directed by
Hirokazu KORE-EDA
Production
SHIROGUMI INC.
Producers
Kentaro KOIKE
Hijiri TAGUCHI
Coproduction
BIGX
Coproducer
Satomi ODAKE
DP
Yutaka YAMAZAKI
Editor
Hirokazu KORE-EDA
Original Music
Quruli
Set Designer
Ayako MATSUO
Sound Editor
Yutaka TSURUMAKI
Costumer Designer
Miwako KOBAYASHI
Special Effects
Ryo HIGUCHI
Children
Koki MAEDA Koichi
Ohshiro MAEDA Ryunosuke
Ryoga HAYASHI Tasuku
Seinosuke NAGAYOSHI Makoto
Kyara UCHIDA Megumi
Kanna HASHIMOTO Kanna
Rento ISOBE Rento
Adults
Nene OHTSUKA Nozomi (Mother)
Joe ODAGIRI Kenji (Father)
Yui NATSUKAWA Kyoko
(Megumi’s Mother)
Masami NAGASAWA Ms. Mimura
(Teacher)
Hiroshi ABE Mr. Sakagami
(Teacher)
Yoshio HARADA Wataru
(Grandfather’s Friend)
Kirin KIKI Hideko (Grandmother)
Isao HASHIZUME Shukichi (Grandfather)
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I WAS SO RELUCTANT TO LET GO OF THE MOVIE THAT I SAT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE FINAL CREDITS. The whole second half of the film is a nonstop smile.´- Stuart Klawans, The Nation
“A REMARKABLY CREDIBLE REPRESENTATION OF CHILDHOOD FANTASY AND LONGING.” – Chris Chang, Film Comment
“A lovely and piquant examination of childhood.” – A.O. Scott, New York Times
“AFFECTING.” – David Edelstein, New York
“SOMETHING OF A REVELATION. Grade A-.” – Eric Kohn, Indiewire
“I loved I WISH. A gem of world cinema by a gifted master of the craft” – Jason Solomons, The Guardian
"Delightful and uplifting. Brilliant filmmaking in every respect” -Deborah Young/Hollywood Reporter
“Touching - full of life and heart.” – Noel Murray, AV Club
“The rare example of film that actually understands kids. Touching, never-treacly—realistic and sweet.” – Erik Mcclanahan, Indiewire
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