The Adventures of Yoko: Road to the Agency Star

The Adventures of Yoko: Road to the Agency Star (or known simply as Road to the Agency Star ), known in Bangladesh as Yoko's Agency Road, is a 2003 English-language Bangla-Japanese musical adventure film directed by Noriko Matsumiya and the story was written by Naoko Takeuchi (the artist who behind the Sailor Moon franchise) and Shakib Panna. This film was based on the 2000 musical novella The Adventures of Yoko Takashima by Takeuchi herself. This film was dedicated to Kokoro Minajima.

Jointly produced by Super Talkie International (now Super Talkie Pictures, who behind Eri Naam Dosti/Ties Never Die from 2000) of Bangladesh and Japan Media Group of Japan, this was the first movie from The Adventures of Yoko movie trilogy. It was premiered on November 27, 2003 at the MetLife Dome, and then finally released generally a day later in Japan. It was a commercially successful film from Super Talkie International with over $250 gross. Critics received the film its positive reviews, as well as the voice actress and singer Nana Mizuki's miraculous performance. Nana's official fan club, S.C. NANA NET, is currently distributing the film since 2018.

This film starred Mizuki and Erika Sato in their lead roles, as well as featuring the Indian musician Usha Khanna and the J-Pop singer Mamoru Miyano. This also marked Mizuki's on-screen appearance on film since the 2000 film Bonfire Killers.

The enhanced/revised version was made in late 2019 as The Adventures of Yoko: Road to the Agency Star -re:ATTRACTION- by The Florian Film Project, The Noriko-Patricia Company, innocent starter motion pictures, and DisneyToon Studios (for animation scenes). This version was directed by Noriko's her younger sister Patricia Matsumiya, but never released on theaters. They released a direct-to-video and web video instead. It was released on November 27, 2020 as a DVD/Blu-ray Disc by Project Fate.Alicia Amusement Creative.

Plot synopsis
The film starts at the morning on the Times Square at Manhattan, New York, the opening note says as you can see:

"New York City, 7:45 AM. People love to see the famous stars on the Times Square of New York. They liked their performances of the history of music, but they wanted to see the live again. But the one girl who travelled to the USA but she thought that her jewelery and treasure are missing..."

Yoko Takashima (played by Nana Mizuki), a Japanese foreign girl, seems to be confused about her missing jewellery and an diamond treasure after going a trip to New York, which are from her home. Her family thinks about her jewellery must be stolen by the burglars. However, to get these back, Yoko Takashima, for the best, must dance and compete for her glory! After thinking, she went to the theater and met the manager, Josh Barker (played by Kimmy Katkar), said that Yoko must dance and compete the dancing contest to become the "agency pop star". Her family should wait until Yoko cames back.

She went back to her family, but however, her mother Sultana (played by Usha Khanna) had a bad feeling about the audience. Yoko and her family went into the hotel. Later on, Emiko Hayashi (played by Erika Sato) met Yoko at the hotel, said that Yoko seems to be confused about her missing jewellery and treasure, and let her to be stay gold. Yoko and Emiko teamed-up together to work-out their best to sing and dance! They set up her duo, and wore their idol outfit at the theater's changing room, as well as meeting her friends. Yoko and Emiko's idol adventures begin!

At the half of the movie, the Evil Entertainment Overlord, known as the Parade Raiders, is planning its murder to Yoko Takashima, who became a idol a hour ago. The members of the Parade Raiders went into the Times Square at Manhattan after they accepted its plans, ruining the people's lives at the afternoon. Some are partially killed, and some are injured.

Yoko's parents saw the news that something went wrong within the New York, and decided to call Yoko to stop them, Yoko and Emiko, along with her friends, must fight against the Parade Raiders, as well as its leader, Mangla Hamala (played by Rajesh Kumar). Yoko and Emiko quickly defeated him with their bats, and the Parade Raiders are abolished for good.

At the end of the movie, Yoko and her parents and friends are looking for the next trip on the ship, as the sun sets. They are saying goodbyes to the poeple they saved until the next adventure begins...

Cast
The entire cast of characters according to the ending credits of the film:


 * Nana Mizuki as Yoko Takashima


 * Usha Khanna as Sultana Takashima, Yoko's mother


 * Mamoru Miyano as Hiroto Takashima, Yoko's father


 * Erika Sato as Emiko Hayashi, Yoko's best friend


 * Mariya Takeuchi as Subaru Kinoshima


 * Inori Ishaque as Haruko Oshima


 * Shakib Khan as Susumu Oshima, Haruko's uncle


 * Inori Minase as Yuko Hayashi, a child star


 * Sumar Aka as Vikram Razi, an Indian executive in-charge of the agency


 * Nana Patekar as Jahami Khan


 * Kaori Kumi as Oko Komatsu


 * Crystal Stainton as James Synchell, the announcer for the dance challenge (voice-over)


 * Jack Matterson as Chuck Johnson


 * Ichika Naegi as Inori Razi, Vikram's daughter


 * Rajesh Kumar as Mangla Hamala, the Parade Raiders' leader


 * Hibiki Miyasaki as Emiko Shednam


 * Hiromi Ito as Nang-Kum Jueng


 * Artonia Olivier as Linna Miyamoto


 * Yuko Oshima as Anna Miyamoto


 * Alice Caseline as Emma Drecker


 * Laurence Olivier as a man in Yoko Takashima's flashback


 * Lauren Misker as a woman in Yoko Takashima's flashback


 * Yui Ogura as Riko Takashima, Yoko's daughter


 * Kimmy Katkar as Josh Barker, the agency manager

Production
The Adventures of Yoko: Road to the Agency Star was announced on the 2002 International Japanese Film Carnival at Nippon Budokan, when Nana Mizuki starred on her first film Bonfire Killers, and she wanted her next one. The film was completed in two years.

Story
The Volume 2 of Nana's Magazine had the early stages of The Adventures of Yoko: Road to the Agency Star where the story is being written as revised version from Naoko Takeuchi's 2000 novella. Nana Mizuki said:

"I believe that I'm thought my story is being made by the producers of my film. The Japan Media Group hired me to do my best to my fans, and I was excited for getting my role for Yoko! That was NANA-tastic!!"

Music & Lyrics
A Swedish composer Ericka Johannson, B.K.A. Ericka Holland, performed a music for the film. These are released on December 1, 2003 as Road to the Agency Star: Original Soundtrack. The closing credits theme is "I am Koishiteru..." by Nana Mizuki, the actress for her lead role for the film. This song is included on her eighth single "still in the groove" and third album DREAM SKiPPER. Nana even used her awarded song "What cheer?", which also from her album, for the film's finale segment (final battle against the Evil Entertainment Overlord). "I am Koishiteru..." was also used as the trailer song for the 2019 Friends Forever mini-special The Dylan and Patricia's Eternal Love with King Records and Walt Disney Records.

Release in Bangladesh
Due to being co-produced by Super Talkie International and Japan Media Group, The Adventures of Yoko: Road to the Agency Star was released in Bangladesh by S.S. Productions Limited on December 9, 2003 with Bengali subtitles. This has available only as the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation 35mm print. Shabana translated its entire texts in the Bengali language, meaning the Bangladeshi people can watch the entire movie at the theater. There is no Bengali dub for the movie.

Like Ties Never Die and the original release, the last words on the movie's credits, "A Film by Super Talkie International", also appeared on the end of the Bangladeshi (along with United Kingdom) release, hence the company produced two movies.

Release in United Kingdom
Midnight Film Distributors, one of the British distributors for the foreign films, edited the film to alter the scenes, as well as the music, opening note, and ending credits. They released the film on January 21, 2004, which was Nana Mizuki's 24th birthday, in the United Kingdom.

In Memoriam: Kokoro Minajima
The Adventures of Yoko: Road to the Agency Star 's beginning text has a statement that this film is dedicated to an actress and model from Saitama Prefecture, as well as The Price is Right foreign contestant that its host Bob Barker ever met named Kokoro S. Minajima, born on July 6, 1969, who got fell accidently from a balcony during her trip to Mt. Fuji on July 5, 2003, one day before her 32nd birthday, and the falling accident took her life. Nana Mizuki gave her loving memory as a dedication, but this also appears on the next two movies, The Dancing Agent and Sailor Summer Vacation, as well as 2004 The Price is Right episode. Her sister, Marisa Minajima, directed the third movie, though she was uncredited on the ending credits.

Film Awards
The film was nominated for the several awards. The Adventures of Yoko: Road to the Agency Star won the Golden Globe Awards for Best Foreign Language Film, Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical, Best Supporting Performance in a Motion Picture – Drama, Musical or Comedy, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Original Song in the 61st Golden Globe Awards, and Satellite Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture in the 8th Golden Satellite Awards. Nana Mizuki performed "What cheer?" on the 61st Golden Globe Awards after her winning a award.