Ha-Chan: Shake Your Booty! Movie Review

Nobody puts Haru in the corner in Ha-Chan: Shake Your Booty!, least of all Ha-Chan herself, who learns to let go in this stunning metaphor for grief.

Something inexplicable is happening to our protagonist, who still feels so connected to Luis that she somehow seems to have conjured her dead husband’s spirit, which manifests itself in the form of a life-size, crow-shaped yuru-kyara mascot that comforts Haru when she needs it the most. And though it’s quite possibly all happening inside Haru’s head, it’s certainly not helping her move on.

Nine months later, Haru’s sister Yuki (Yoshida Yoh, of A Pale View of Hills) and cousin Hiromi (You, of Nobody Knows) decide to take matters into their own hands and eventually manage to get the titular Ha-Chan to ‘shake her booty’ again by encouraging her to sign up for dance classes at a local studio. But ballroom dancing doesn’t catch Haru’s interest quite as much as the dance instructor, Fedir (Alberto Guerra, of Griselda), whom she immediately feels attracted to. Just like that, Ha-Chan has a new purpose. But will this be enough to help her process her grief? And what happens if Fedir likes her back, and her Dirty Dancing fantasies become a reality?

Ha-Chan: Shake Your Booty! is an incredibly confident feature from writer-director Josef Kubota Wladyka (Catch the Fair One) and co-writer Nicholas Huynh. While the film is initially slow to get going, once Haru sets foot in the dance studio it really takes off. Narrative, world-building, and technical execution work hand in hand to imbue the movie with the same irresistible charm that defines its protagonist, as Haru goes through all the stages of grief while having an adventure that lets every side of her personality emerge until she finally learns to let go.

The film is divided into thematic chapters, all introduced by dramatic, pop culture-infused title cards that almost turn Ha-Chan into an anime heroine, encouraging her as new obstacles arrive and she finds ways to overcome them. It’s all very absurd, but wonderfully so, as Haru’s daydreams and real-life experiences merge into a multi-colored, joyful whole that envelops us as we watch, comforting us just as much as Haru herself. The Dirty Dancing references lead to some delightfully silly, superbly choreographed and edited sequences that bring our protagonist’s highly relatable fantasies to life in inventive ways.

If the film succeeds, it’s in no small part thanks to Rinko Kikuchi, who’s phenomenal as a protagonist you’ll want to root for even when she’s at her worst. Alberto Guerra shines too, imbuing Fedir with enough raw magnetism to fuel not only Ha-Chan’s fantasies but our own. The supporting cast is essential to the story’s success, and though everyone plays their role very well, the standout is You as Haru’s sassy cousin. The film’s visual style perfectly matches the characters, with a saturated color palette, stunning costumes, and bold hair and makeup that give the film even more personality. A fantastic soundtrack of pop hits you’ll recognize and effective sound design make the experience more authentic and enjoyable.

The movie takes a while to become the gem that it is, with some pacing issues in the first half. While Alejandro Edda is fantastic as Luis, the character could have benefited from a few more scenes before his death, which would have made us more invested in Haru and Luis’s relationship, and Haru’s own grief, in the rest of the film. Ha-Chan: Shake Your Booty!‘s unique style also makes it a project that not everyone will connect with, particularly when it comes to magical realism, symbolism, and various cultural references that range from life-size plush mascots and daruma dolls to Day of the Dead Catrinas (which this writer adored).

Ha-Chan: Shake Your Booty! wears its silliness on its sleeve, and if you’re able to embrace it, it’s the kind of film you’ll watch with a smile. And while its premise and personality alone are enough to warrant a recommendation, it’s the thematic substance beneath it all that makes it an even more interesting project. Though Haru is initially defined by her quirks, it’s the choices she makes that turn her into such a fascinating, immensely likable character. With every single decision she makes, we come to realize just how brave Ha-Chan really is, and her refusal to be anything but herself turns her wonderfully surreal, joyful journey of self-discovery into an authentic and even profound examination of grief.

Ha-Chan: Shake Your Booty! was screened at the BFI London Film Festival on October 10-11, 2026. The film was released in U.S. theaters on September 25, 2026.