Signal Fool

Story

Synopsis

Isamu, a sixth-grade boy, lost his mother in a car accident at a young age. Ever since, he's been unable to forgive those who ignore traffic rules. Each day, he stands at the crosswalk with a yellow flag—his mother's keepsake—guiding his classmates and watching over the signals. Though adults dismiss him and his peers call him a "traffic light fool," Isamu remains committed. When his father announces plans to remarry, Isamu refuses the idea of a new mother. But upon learning that the woman too lost loved ones in a traffic accident, he begins to open up. Through this shared grief, Isamu gradually understands the importance of empathy and realizes that rules alone can't heal a broken heart.

Director

Yoshiya Sugata

Writers

Yoshiya Sugata

Language

Japanese

Country

Japan

Release date

24 March 1990

Ensemble

Cast

• Hideaki Machida

  Isamu Yamanaka

• 

  Bunta Sugawara

  Yuzo Yamanaka

• Eiko Ito

  Mie Sakata

• 

  Jitsuko Yoshimura

  Auntie Midori

• Takehiko Maeda

  City Council Member

• Yanagiya Kosan

  Monk

• Mai Watanabe

  Yoko Mizuno

• Yu Takahashi

  Chairman

• Kyosuke Asahina

  Yoshio

• Aoki Hisaya

  Akira

• Kei Suwa

  Saburo

• Midori Sugiyama

  Matsubara-sensei