Conception makes his producer debut with the film
18×2 Beyond Youthful Days is adapted from and based on real-life events recorded in a travelogue titled
Wandering Journey on Slow Train in Japan (Chinese: 日本慢車流浪記), written by Jimmy Lai under the pseudonym "Blue Fox". Lai, a Taiwanese video game developer, embarked on a vacation journey across Japan using the
Seishun 18 Ticket and wrote the travelogue, aiming to reminisce about his romantic past with a Japanese backpacker. After publishing the travelogue on the Taiwanese blog Backpackers and it went viral in 2014, Lai was approached by film production studios interested in purchasing the adaptation rights. Eventually, producer Roger Huang acquired the rights and began searching for film directors and screenwriters to join the project. Fujii initiated negotiations with Japanese production companies and sponsors, including
East Japan Railway Company, which also permitted the crew to film on the railways with loaned train carriages. However, he made numerous amendments, such as changing the story's background from
Chiayi to Tainan, the hometown of Fujii's Taiwanese grandfather, as he found an older city more fitting for the film's tone. The time period was adjusted from 1996 to 2006, fitting Fujii's adolescence and allowing for a better grasp of the social atmosphere.
Opus: Rocket of Whispers and
Opus: Echo of Starsong, two video games developed by Lee, were featured in the film. The film's production was officially announced under the
working title Youth (Chinese: 青春) in March 2023, with
Far EasTone as a major sponsor and starring
Greg Hsu,
Kaya Kiyohara,
Hitomi Kuroki, and
Chang Chen in lead roles. Chang later dropped out of the acting role to focus on his duties as producer. The casting choices were all proposed by Fujii, and Chang Chen provided advice but did not have a direct role in the casting process. The production crew consisted of an equal mix of Taiwanese and Japanese members, and Fujii prioritized the employment of crew members who were around 36 years old to better understand Jimmy's character traits in the film.
Filming as a tribute to
Love Letter (1995)
Principal photography began in Japan in March 2023. Michihito Fujii chose to film in Japan during March as the country undergoes seasonal change in that month, enabling the crew to capture both snowfall at the beginning of the month and cherry blossoms at the end. Taiwanese cinematographer Chan Chih-teng was initially attached to the project but had to withdraw since his wife was scheduled to give birth in the filming period. Filming took place in
Tokyo,
Kanagawa Prefecture,
Nagano Prefecture,
Niigata Prefecture, and
Fukushima Prefecture, which the latter three are located on the
JR Iiyama Line and
Tadami Line. East Japan Railway Company provided assistance for the crew in
set construction while filming in train carriages. On 25 March, scenes of Hsu and Haru Kuroki's characters releasing sky lanterns were shot at ski resort New Greenpia Tsunan in
Tsunan, Niigata. Other filming locations included Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu and
Sumida Park in Tokyo,
Matsumoto Castle in Nagano, and
Yuigahama in Kanagawa. After completing the scenes in Japan, the crew moved to Taiwan and commenced filming in April. In Tainan, the filming locations included
Fort Provintia, Shuei Sian Temple Market, Tiantan Tiangong Temple, Hsinchu East Gate, and Sihcao Boulevard, which were used as the dating spots for Hsu and Kiyohara's characters in the film. Hsu and Kiyohara spent nine hours filming on a motorcycle, shuttling between these locations. Filming then continued at Chuan Mei Theatre, the only Taiwanese theater adorned with hand-painted movie posters, in mid-April. The film also featured Wusheng Night Market, where the crew invited local hawkers to participate in the shoot. Other filming locations in Tainan included
Bao'an railway station and
Yuguang Island, The shooting schedule at Shifen was disrupted by weather conditions, resulting in a delay from nightfall to the following morning. The scenes set at Karaoke Kobe, a recurring location in the film where Hsu and Kiyohara's characters worked, were filmed at a spa center in
Huwei, Yunlin. The exterior wall painting of the Karaoke was decorated by Fujii's sister and picture book illustrator Rumi Yoshida. Hsu mentioned that the scenes revolving around the Karaoke were grouped together and filmed intensively, describing those shoots as having "boss-fighting level of difficulty". and was carried out separately in Taiwan and Japan. The film was officially announced to be released in Japan on 27 October 2023, with a projected theatrical release date of May 2024. Its title was revealed to be
18×2 Beyond Youthful Days on 30 October.
Music The film is scored by Japanese composer Takashi Ohmama. Production of the theme song began during the scriptwriting stage. Michihito Fujii is a long-time fan of the band who started listening to their songs in his teenage years and personally invited them to contribute to the film, which he considers a "milestone in his career". recommended by Fujii's Taiwanese assistant, who likened Mayday to the Taiwanese counterpart of Mr. Children. == Marketing ==