U-31

[Machine Translation] The last pride of a man who was given a notice of withdrawal from the war - there is still a view beyond that. Why does he continue to fight? An athlete's time in a sport is surprisingly short. Some feel the limits of their talent, some get injured, and some age and leave the sport they have devoted their entire lives to. Do they end their careers satisfied? Or do they leave with frustration and regret? This is an unprecedented coming-of-age film that questions the true meaning of continuing to fight, featuring an athlete who has passed his prime and is now at a crossroads in his life. --Atsuhiko Kono is 31 years old. He is a professional soccer player. After being fired by a strong team, he returns to his old team, the weak GEM Chiba, and decides to take a chance on a comeback. The condition of the transfer was to wear the number "10" on his back. What awaited him, however, was the management's attempt to use his former glory as a "former member of the Japan national team" as a story, and the cold stare of the young players at him who had been given the number "10" even though he was past his prime. Nevertheless, Kono continued to practice in silence. Eventually, one by one, they were influenced by him.... This is a story of the soul of a man who chose to "fight," depicting his quiet but inner passion.

Special Feature / Bonus Track: interview with players

About Subtitle and Audio Languages: Since most DVDs and Blu-rays available on CDJapan are produced for the Japanese market, please refer to the "Product Details" section for information on available subtitle and audio languages.

戦力外通告を受けた男の最後のプライド―― その先にもまだ景色はある。彼はなぜ、戦い続けるのか? スポーツ選手がそのスポーツに携われる期間は、驚くほど短い。ある者は才能の限界を感じ、ある者は怪我をし、そしてある者は年齢を重ね、人生のすべてを賭けてやり続けてきたそのスポーツの舞台から去って行く。彼らは満足して選手生命を終えるのか? それとも、不満と後悔の念を残して終えるのか? 全盛期を過ぎ、人生の岐路に立たされたあるスポーツ選手を主人公に、戦い続けることの本当の意味を問う、今までになかった青春映画。――河野敦彦、31歳。職業・プロサッカー選手。強豪チームにクビを言い渡され、古巣の弱小チーム・ジェム千葉に戻ってきた彼は、そこで再起を賭けることにした。移籍の条件は、背番号『10』を付けること。しかし、待っていたのは、「元・日本代表」というかつての栄光をネタにしようとする経営側の考えと、全盛期を過ぎたにも関わらず背番号『10』をもらった彼に対する、若手選手たちの冷やかな視線だった。それでも、河野は黙々と練習を続ける。やがてそんな彼の姿に、ひとり、またひとりと影響を受けるようになっていく・・・。これは「戦う」ことを選択したひとりの男の、静かな、しかし内なる熱い思いを描いた魂の物語である――。

特典映像: 『U-31』×ジェフユナイテッド市原・千葉 選手特別インタビュー(MC: 馬場良馬、末永みゆ / ゲスト: 比嘉選手、吉田選手、乾選手、岡野選手)