Ōoku

Ōoku the movie, is the live action adaptation of the popular manga, Ōoku, by Fumi Yoshinaga. The setting of this story is in the early Tokugawa period. At that time, Japan was struck with an incurable disease that only affects men. Eventually, the ratio of men to women decreased drastically, where there was only one man among four women. In this movie, the roles of men and women are reversed.
The main character, Mizuno, enters Ōoku in order to bring in money for his family. Ōoku is the harem of Edo Castle, where the reigning commander lives.
I just finished watching this movie, and I was quite intrigued by the concept. In the daily life of Japan, women does all the work that men are suppose to do. For example, the women in this movie are construction workers, controls and reign the government of Japan and does what men would typically do. Men on the other hand, take on easier jobs. They take on roles similar to prostitutes as well, being showcased in a box for women to drool over. Some of them even 'lend out their bodies' to women to fulfil their wishes of getting pregnant since there are so few men left, getting married is almost impossible for common women.
In Ōoku, there are more than 3000 men servants serving the woman commander that reigns Japan. When Mizuno enters Ōoku, he thought life would be easier. What he did not expect was the world within this forbidden place to be full of dark secrets and deception.
I find this movie really interesting because even if the gender roles are switched, the common problems and ugliness still exists in the roles they adapt into.
For men, who are the minor and weaker gender, taking on jobs similar to prostitution is no different than women in real life doing the same thing. By switching their genders and the whole world around them, it made me think that the real society might be biased towards women. In the real world, people frown upon prostitution (which is mostly directed towards women), but it is normal in the movie where men are displayed for women to drool over and even lend out bodies just so they can have a chance of getting pregnant. In fact, such actions are deemed normal in this movie, unlike in the real world where prostitution is illegal and considered a sin.
I have seen a lot of olden time dramas that focuses on the lies and tricks women use to get higher status, or just to please the king. People often think that women are all evil inside, capable of such schemes. In the movie, men are exactly like that too. They used their beauty and intelligence to achieve higher ranks, to scheme against people who might threaten their place in Ōoku.
On the other hand, women in this movie work in construction sites, moving heavy materials by themselves and does everyday labor men usually do in the real world. All these scenes made me realize that women can do whatever men can. When the society pushes you and you have no other choice, anyone is capable of anything. Gender isn`t an issue at all, it does not hinder one`s will or power.
Here is a trailor: