Six Shiseido hair care sponsors to star in multi-generational "Flowers"

by Chris MaGee

Yu Aoi, Yuko Takeuchi, Lena Tanaka, Yukie Nakama, Kyoka Suzuki, Ryoko Hirosue - all very attractive women, right? Of course. You'll get no argument from me there, and you won't get an argument from the folks at Shiseido Cosmetics. The company has signed on all of these actresses to promote their Tsubaki brand of shampoos and conditioners, but now these beauties will be teaming up to do more than sell hair care products.

Tokyograph is reporting that Toho is producing a new film titled "Flowers" that will star these six actresses in what is being described as "six related stories, spanning three generations". At the helm of the film will be "Gachi Boy" director Norihiro Koizumi. Quite the shift from a story about a pro wrestler with short term memory loss, huh?

"Flowers" begins in the 1930's with Yu Aoi (above left) who plays the mother of three daughters who as adults are portrayed by Lena Tanaka, Yukie Nakama, and Yuko Takeuchi (above center). Takeuchi's character is widowed after her husband is killed in a car accident, Tanaka's character must decide between a marriage proposal and her career, and Nakama's character dies after giving birth to her second child. Both her children are portrayed by Kyoka Suzuki and Ryoko Hirosue (above right).

If you're wondering how Toho got all these same Shiseido sponsors to star opposite each other in a film, well, the solution is simple - Takuya Onuki, Shiseido's creative director, is one of the behind the scenes producers of "Flowers". Cross-marketing, huh...? Very smart, but all the actresses' hair better look bouncy, well conditioned, and for god sakes, free of split ends!

Toho is aiming to release "Flowers" in Japanese theatres this June.