Heavenly Forest (2006)

Bathing in the enchanting glow of the Heavenly Forest, we meet Makoto, a photographer with a heart full of dreams and a mind riddled with insecurities. He embarks on a melancholic pilgrimage to New York during the frost-kissed Christmas season, seeking his enigmatic best friend, Shizuru. Their bond, as profound as it is peculiar, budded at their University Entrance Ceremony and blossomed as time flowed by. Makoto, a man often drowning in the depths of his Inferiority Complex, found in Shizuru an anchor that kept him afloat. She gently unraveled the layers of his reticence, igniting a spark of confidence within him. Their friendship, a beautiful dance of give and take, led Shizuru to cultivate a keen interest in photography. The duo frequently found themselves lost in the tranquil embrace of the forest, armed with cameras and a shared passion. Shizuru's world revolved around Makoto until he found himself drawn to a girl named Miyuki. In a poignant twist of fate, Shizuru chose to embrace Makoto's affection for Miyuki, befriending her and sharing in the love that he felt. On a fateful day, under the canopy of the forest, Makoto and Shizuru shared a moment as intimate as it was fleeting - a kiss captured forever in a photograph, a present for Shizuru's birthday. Yet, in the aftermath of this tender moment, Shizuru vanishes, leaving Makoto in a labyrinth of questions and memories. Heavenly Forest is an evocative exploration of friendship, love, and the haunting specter of absence, set against the picturesque backdrop of nature and the bustling streets of New York.

Heavenly Forest is a drama movie featuring Hiroshi Tamaki and directed by Takehiko Shinjo.

Heavenly Forest is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Rakuten Viki and it's also available on Rakuten Viki.