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Undulant Fever

Name: Undulant Fever
Director: Hiroshi Ando
Released: 2014
Duration: 118 min

Representation Score

5.3/10

Fair

2014

Director

Hiroshi Ando

Runtime

118 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Undulant Fever is a character study that emphasizes psychological depth over conventional romantic fulfillment. It deconstructs traditional gendered expectations by presenting a male lead who is physically present but emotionally detached. However, the film lacks diversity. The narrative remains within a homogeneous demographic, offering limited representation for LGBTQ+ identities or diverse racial backgrounds. Ultimately, the film's strength lies in its exploration of dysfunctional, non-idealized human experiences rather than adhering to social stability or romantic clichés.

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Category Breakdown

Does Undulant Fever have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film centers on a heterosexual relationship between a student and a senior. There are no visible representations of LGBTQ+ identities or non-traditional gender expressions.

How does Undulant Fever portray gender?

Good

The story challenges typical romantic clichés by focusing on emotional asymmetry and power imbalances. The female protagonist takes control through her decision to pursue a complex, painful experiment.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Undulant Fever?

Fair

As a Japanese production based on local literature, the cast and setting appear ethnically uniform. The film maintains a traditional demographic profile without incorporating multicultural elements.

How does Undulant Fever represent religion and culture?

Fair

The narrative explores subjective morality and the complexities of human connections. It prioritizes psychological realism over idealized or harmonious relationship structures.

Does Undulant Fever include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no characters with visible or invisible disabilities mentioned in the narrative.

Present on Screen

Challenges typical romantic clichés by examining emotional detachment and power imbalances.
Offers a nuanced look at women's ability to drive the story within complex, asymmetrical relationships.
Prioritizes psychological realism and subjective morality over idealized social structures.

Limited or Absent

Lacks visible representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-traditional gender expressions.
Maintains a homogeneous demographic profile with little racial or ethnic diversity.
Does not feature characters with visible or invisible disabilities.

Official Synopsis

A female student falls for a senior, but the senior not really for her. He is willing to go to bed with her, but doesn’t feel love. The couple embark on a painful yet passionate experiment. Based on the legendary book by Kei Nakazawa.

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