Yurikos Aroma (2010 / Eng. sub)

Yuriko, a woman in her thirties, is employed as an aromatherapist at a salon specializing in aromatherapy. Her work involves using essential oils and gentle hand movements to create a calming and rejuvenating experience for her clients' inner selves. Yuriko has a unique secret that she cannot share with anyone. She gets incredibly turned on by the sweaty scent of a high school student named Tetsuya (Shota Sometani).Tetsuya is the salon owner Jun Miho's nephew. In the meantime, Ayama, a customer at the salon, requests to try aromatherapy, but her true intention is to push her large breasts against Yuriko. To begin with, I had never heard of the 2010 Japanese romantic drama "Yuriko No Aroma" (aka "Yuriko's Aroma") until I stumbled upon it by chance in 2023. As it was a Japanese movie I had not yet seen, I decided to give it a watch.

Writer and director Kota Yoshida has created a highly original movie with "Yuriko No Aroma". The plot and narrative are strange, bizarre, and unique, and are exactly what one might expect from a Japanese film. Although the story deals with some unusual fetishism, it is also a coming-of-age tale intertwined with a relationship story, and it works well as a complete viewing experience.

While the movie's fetishism may be difficult for some audiences, I was genuinely entertained by the story. Noriko Eguchi's excellent performance as Yuriko, along with Shota Sometani's as Tetsuya, made the film enjoyable and watchable.

Because of its unusual storyline, "Yuriko No Aroma" may not be an easy or enjoyable viewing experience for everyone. It is somewhat of a niche movie, more suited for fans of Japanese cinema. Nevertheless, I would suggest that if you have the opportunity, you should sit down and watch "Yuriko No Aroma" because it offers such a unique movie experience.

I rate "Yuriko No Aroma" six out of ten stars.