The Kirishima Thing

is a 2012 Japanese high school drama film directed by Daihachi Yoshida and based on a novel by Ryo Asai. It was released on August 11, 2012. The film won several awards, including the Japan Academy Prize for Picture of the Year, and also received several nominations. Plot Kirishima is a popular second-year high school student. He is captain of the volleyball team, does well academically, and is dating one of the most popular girls in the school. One day he suddenly stops showing up to school, and rumors begin circulating that he's quitting the volleyball club. The same day, the school's film club is mocked during morning assembly for the title of a romantic film they were forced to make by their teacher. Against their teacher's wishes, they decide to begin filming a zombie movie. While filming, they run into Sawajima, the captain of the brass band club. Sawajima has a crush on Hiroki, Kirishima's best friend and popular girl Sana's boyfriend. Sawajima is trying to impress Hiroki by nonchalantly playing saxophone within view of him, but she is unsuccessful at impressing the boys and instead ends up disrupting the film club's filming.