is a 1996 Japanese film written, edited and directed by Takeshi Kitano. The film was made directly after Kitano recovered from a motorcycle wreck that left one side of his body paralyzed. After undergoing extensive surgery and physical therapy, he quickly went about making Kids Return amidst speculation that he might never be able to work again. The movie is about two high school dropouts, Masaru (Ken Kaneko) and Shinji (Masanobu Andō), who try to find a direction and meaning in their lives—one by becoming a yakuza lieutenant, the other by becoming a boxer. The music was composed by Joe Hisaishi, and the cinematographer was Katsumi Yanagishima. Plot Shinji and Masaru are high school delinquents, terrifying their classmates, stealing money, and even setting their teacher's car on fire. After some of their victims hire a boxer to beat up Masaru, he decides to get revenge, and takes his shy friend Shinji along with him to a boxing gym. To their trainers' surprise, Shinji is naturally-talented at boxing and easily defeats Masaru in a sparring session. Masaru encourages his friend to keep going at it, and quits boxing, opting instead to join the yakuza. As Shinji focuses on becoming a successful boxer, Masaru aims to become a gang leader, and their paths diverge. While the two of them climb to the top in their respective areas, Shinji adopts an unhealthy lifestyle that results in the end of his boxing career. Likewise, Masaru's arrogance and disrespect for his boss gets him kicked out of the yakuza. In the end, they are both left with nothing, and meet again. As they ride their bike together in the schoolyard, Shinji wonders if this is the end of their lives, but Masaru assures him that "it's only the beginning". Cast and roles Ken Kaneko as Masaru Masanobu Andō as Shinji Leo Morimoto as Teacher Hatsuo Yamatani as boxing club manager (credited as Hatsuo Yamaya) Michisuke Kashiwaya as Hiroshi Mitsuko Oka as coffee-shop owner, Sachiko's mother Yūko Daike as Sachiko Ryo Ishibashi as local Yakuza chief Susumu Terajima as No. 2 in local gang Moro Morooka as Hayashi Peking Genji Atsuki Ueda as Reiko Kotaro Yoshida Koichi Shigehisa as Trainer Kyōsuke Yabe Yoshitaka Ōtsuka as delinquent Masami Shimojō as Yakuza godfather Kazuki Oh Shintarō Hasegawa Kanji Tsuda Yojin Hino as taxi office worker (credited as Yōjin Hino) Ren Osugi as taxi passenger Takashi Hagino Soundtrack All