Miss Hokusai film spoiler review

This movie follows the day to day life of Katsushika Ōi daughter to one of the most famous artist of Japan, Katsushika Hokusai.

This film is the ultimate metaphor for art imitates life. Since it’s a biopic of her life and her experiences it’s hard to nail down a single theme or point of the film. But from what I can gather I think it’s down to a balance and the sacrifices one makes for their craft.

O-Ei’s art was never appreciated even to this day and overshadowed by her father. But I like to believe she lived life according to her terms. She’s depicted as a women ahead of her time and defiant of gender stereotypes. But it also shows the run down life of Hokusai. He’s pretty much out of touch with relationships and his only meaningful one is with O-Ei as a teacher student instead of a father daughter.

I think the film gives the viewer a choice, either devote your life to your craft or just live a normal life. Obviously this is pretty extreme and it’s thru the eyes of one of the greatest artists to come out of japan.

Hokusai becomes a great artists but at the cost of his family and his other daughter who is blind and sickly. It’s hinted in the film that he couldn’t handle being a dad especially to a special needs daughter. In sacrificing everything Hokusai becomes immortal in his art.

O-Ei while finding a balance in her life never really got far in her art. But that’s what she choose to do. She wasn’t occupied with being a great artist just an artist and a sister. She couldn’t sacrifice nor does she want to. She lived life on her terms.