Just like the boys in WATERBOYS tackling synchronized swimming, in SWING GIRLS Shinbou Yaguchi has cute high school Japanese girls taking the challenge in learning how to play wind instruments.

Tomoko, played by Juri Ueno is the main character of the movie. Her character's antics and mischief are what Alfred Hitchcock would call The MacGuffin.

Tomoko drives the story and flow of the film. It was her idea to convince the girls in her summer make up math class to join the band. Summer make up class is another word for Summer School F.Y.I. However with no intention of ever learning really but to instead play hookie, little did she know that she and the girls would actually enjoy playing in the band.

How ironic indeed.

Tomoko and her four friends gets in and out of trouble and it is the joy of watching them deal with their current situation that makes the pacing and the story a pleasure to watch. There is so much events and key funny scenes in this movie you'll literally will have to watch it numerous times to be able to enjoy everything that is happening in the film.

You will quickly get attached to the five main characters in the film. Tomoko, the leader, plays the Saxophone; Nakamura, the bumbling pianist, Sekiguchi plays the Trombone--she and Tomoko are my favorites! There's also Tanaka, she plays the Drums; and Yoshie, she plays the Trumpet. Together they are the nucleus in what is to become the jazz big band that is going to be lead by Tomoko and taught by Ozawa, and no one will dare stand in their way.

This movie is so much fun. I've watched it I don't know how many times and still I enjoy every minute of it. I personally love the scene where they go picking matsutake mushrooms out in the woods and what ensues is probably one of the funniest scenes ever incorporated with a classic tune from the last century. I must say I laughed my jaws off and ended up teary-eyed, it's that funny!!!

Naoto Takenaka plays Tadahiko Ozawa, their Math Teacher turned Jazz teacher. His performance in this movie is so funny, so hilarious you simply like the guy. He has a simple humor about him, he's hilarious in a quiet subtle way just like the character he played in WATERBOYS as the Dolphin Trainer. Having Naoto Takenaka in any movie is a major plus.

You don't have to like Jazz in order to enjoy SWING GIRLS, you don't even have to like music period. The sheer amount of joy you'll get watching this movie is enough to glue your eyes to the television for its entirety. If you happen to like Jazz however there's no question you'll get a kick out of this simple, hilarious, Japanese comedy. As you watch you'll slowly see how the girls develop and become the full-blown Jazz artists they all worked so hard to become, the performance towards the end of the film is simply breathtaking, I swear it made the hair on the back of my head stand on end not to mention it gave me goose bumps.

Everyone can relate to Tomoko's trials and the things that she goes through in the movie. Friends that stuck with her through the end, and discovering the shallow acquaintances whom she thought were friends. This movie is chock-full of Japanese humor, simple and effective punchlines are scattered throughout the movie and never tries too hard. It doesn't have to because the different scenarios are so full of different jokes and madcap hilariousness that the viewer only has to pay attention, and they will be taken for a very refreshing Japanese comedic ride.

Thank God for Shinobu Yaguchi for bringing us another Japanese comedy gem. SWING GIRLS, like WATERBOYS is like a bottle of spring water, it's ahhhh.....so refreshing!!!