REBD-375: Snow Falling on the South Island

Actress: Mayuki Ito (21)
Studio: REbecca

Release Date: 2019-04-04
Runtime: 100 Minutes

7.9/10

Introduction

Mayuki Ito debuted back in at the very end of 2017 with Miman, a gravure studio that tends to be more in line with JAV in its execution than Gravure. Three months later Mayuki made her JAV debut with Kawaii and shortly after that she would debut with REbecca. From there she would go on to star in several IVs from Air Control, REbecca, and Graphis. This film stands as her second release with REbecca, let’s see how it fares.
 

Production & Setting

Right off the bat we are into some quality production values in the setting of the first scene. The scene is outdoors, incredibly saturated with greens everywhere, and just the right amount of lens flare to brighten the surroundings and amplify Mayuki’s presence. Mayuki is cheerful, her outfit suits the non-plant surroundings well. The music, while repetitive as is expected in Gravure, is quite upbeat and works perfectly with Mayuki’s personality and the overall execution and intent of the scene. Camera work is well done, the shots arent fuzzy or done at a poor angle, often trying to film and position Mayuki between the viewer and the sun, so the flare can obstruct some of what is being seeing in a more artistic manner. The setting is diverse, filled with the greenery and general patio/backyard accessories. Mayuki goes from the open outdoors to a greenhouse with the sun at her back. From here we get excellent shots of lens flare and parts of Mayuki being covered by plants being positioned between her and the camera. The scene is complex, there is a lot of detail, contrasting lighter tones from the sun and the interior painting to the various levels of greens, browns, and reds found amongst the plants and garden tools. An excellent start to the film.
 
Moving to the second scene, colors are on full blast as Mayuki is wearing a very vibrant kimono against a brightly lit backdrop. This scene is a bit slower paced with the music largely reflecting the tonal change. Mayuki is undressing in front of a window that is basically absorbed by natural lighting. This helps amplify the colors seen in the surrounding and on Mayuki. As the clothing becomes less dynamic visually, the camera pans to a closer and more vertical angle to allow for a better mesh of the red and white seen on Mayuki and the softer reddish tones of the wooden interior structure. The scene progresses through a variety of different camera angles as Mayuki fully undresses before finishing off with another wide angle shot including the window and Mayuki nude.

The third scene is an interesting one, more so for how its more commonly found in BTS portions of IVs, and generally at the end of the film. The scene is basically Mayuki in swimwear at a beach. There is no music, the camera work does still focus on Mayuki as she undresses, but the only audio the viewer gets is effectively the sound of the waves and Mayuki speaking. She still works some poses, and aesthetically the scene is good, it’s basically a very bright shoreline mixed with rocks and a nude Mayuki playing with the waves, hardly a failure in my book. The fourth scene is a par for the course shower scene, complete with see-through outfit and soapy suds. The colors work well here, as does the music, although they generally do in most IVs. Mayuki looks great, but that’s to be expected really. Her shower outfit is nice, good color choices overall, with some added complexity in the palette with the addition of some bottles in the back corner. Overall, well done, and Mayuki performs the whole sensual cleaning portion well.

Moving on we are back outdoors temporarily as we have Mayuki out in the backyard of whatever house they shot this in. It’s windy, the music is more whimsical, and her outfit stands out well. This shot moves from the backyard to a patio entrance area before moving indoors for the undressing portion of the scene. Here we get some great use of darker tones in the room as the external light is less pronounced and unable to hit all angles of Mayuki and the room. The shadows add more definition to the room, making it more dynamic, in addition to adding more detail to Mayuki as she fondles her breasts and body during the scene. From there she puts on a lightly transparent white sheet and thanks to the sunlight we get some well pronounced silhouettes, only for a few seconds though. Then its time for a regular interior living room/kitchen shot with Mayuki in a tank top and denim shorts. Here we have a dynamic well-lit room, but with a softer tone. A light piano piece progresses the scene as Mayuki works to undress in the chair that is in focus, benefitted by a stream of natural light adding complexion and detail to the shot. Scene finishes with a sensual banana eating portion. It’s whatever. Moving on. 

The final scene is in a bedroom, almost all white or beige, with a ton of lighting to wash out the surrounding. Mayuki is wearing a great piece of red lingerie and with the surrounding as it is it creates a focus on her specifically, with the light creating a more vibrant contrast. The music is good, Mayuki is more glamourish in this scene but still playful, even grabbing the camera at one point (or at least creating the illusion of it). The scene becomes darker and more evenly balanced palette wise between the darker room and Mayuki’s attire, mixed with the white sheets. The camera work is good, and no simulated sex scene, which is a bonus.
 
The last 20mins or so of the film is dedicated to interviewing Mayuki (which REbecca should do with all their models). I don’t know what Mayuki says, but the scenery in the background is nice, and she tries this weird fruit I’ve never seen before. It’s a nice add-on. 
 
Score: 8/10 (Production), 8/10 (Setting)

Music

Except for two scenes, the middle beach scene and the interview at the end, the rest of the shoots had good picks for music. In terms of ranking, the first and last scenes take the awards for best scores. Third place would go to the sounds of the ocean in the third scene but since that’s technically not music, the fifth scene will take bronze. Starting off with the first scene post opening montage score, we are introduced to Mayuki amidst a bright and colorful outdoor scene, with plenty of plants and “summery” garden vibes. This track is upbeat and lighthearted, with a perfect balance of flute and percussion to drive the scene forward without appearing rushed and without creating a different tone. 
 
It is quite repetitive but unless Gravure companies start licensing full classical music tracks or composing their own tracks that can sustain themselves for the 10+ minutes that is needed, this is the best the companies are likely to do. In terms of the interaction between Mayuki and this track, it works well. Mayuki is playful both in terms of her personality and how she works with the camera, and the music conveys this idea well, subduing the flute pieces and relying more on the percussion during less active shots. Once Mayuki is moving around again the flute picks up. It’s an energetic track and it works incredibly well with the summery scene depicted.
 

The second track is a lot quieter. It’s got more of a bass to it, a bit more of a mysterious sensual tone, but its not too prevalent as the scene overall is still a little more energetic than sultry. The track keeps a stable tempo throughout the scene. It’s probably the weakest track of the movie. The scene itself is solid, the must is just a little boring. Scene three is the ocean, no music, but has good audio quality. The shower scene track is a bit faster paced and a tiny bit more sensual given the context. For some reason the Xylophone (or similar instrument) is prevalent in the tracks of this film, which is good since it provides a longer lasting treble sound, creating a fuller sound that can carry the track over a bass line that could appear rather boring and uninspired. That is the case with the shower portion, where the treble notes are very prominent and serve to amplify the actions in front of the camera. A good track, nothing amazing but it works with the scene and shower shots are often a little difficult to improvise given their format.

The last three scenes go through a variety of tonal and tempo shifts. The fourth has a melancholic tone with an emphasis on an echo element to exaggerate the message of the track. It works, as it tries to paint a mysterious and somber feeling being in an empty house walking around with nothing on and having a nature landscape at your front door. Mayuki plays with the music well (of course I doubt any of the models ever actually hear the music pre-postproduction). The next scene has a faster pace to it, introducing more treble piano notes, almost creating a sense of exploration and discovery mixed with a home sweet home nostalgic effect, although this almost falls apart with the guitar lines that kinda seem out of place but generally are overpowered by the piano. Mayuki works the scene well in general and the music does complement it, right up until the banana eating part. And finally, the last track, upbeat synths, and percussion. Solid track but perhaps a little too fast for the scene. Admittedly it would not work for an exterior shot scene, but if Mayuki was a little faster in her movements the music would work. All in all, a solid set of tracks throughout that worked well with what was on the screen.

Score: 8/10

Aesthetics & Performance

Visually, the film is well done throughout, from set pieces to colors. Mayuki looks great in every scene, not a single slip up in this regard. All her outfits match the desired aesthetic and visual goals. Even during the less artistic or dynamic scenes, such as the shower, Mayuki still looks great. Kimono aside since that just looks outstanding as a piece without Mayuki, the best outfits that complemented both Mayuki’s figure and personality are easily the first outfit, the shower suit, and the red lingerie. Mayuki works well with all the attire she must wear, and while there are no visual changes on her part, such as a difference in hair style, it works well enough to make every scene stand out visually. 

Performance wise, Mayuki does well in each scene. She works with the camera and the environment. She doesn’t just undress haphazardly; she works with the cameraman and director to make it a process that is in line with the artistic direction of the scene. In the more upbeat garden patio scene to start the film, undressing and being playful is more pronounced and quicker, but the kimono scene is a slower affair, working to highlight the clothing as it compliments her figure, instead of just working to toss it off. Her performance at the beach, well it’s not so much a performance as it is something you’d see on a BTS clip or travel vlog really, but it’s entertaining and a welcome addition. More IVs need to do stuff like this. The clothing in the shower is kinda just there, the real performance is in Mayuki washing herself, to which I have no complaints, it was a nice watch. The remaining scenes are good, a bit more glamour and a bit less upbeat, but Mayuki still pulls them off, and the use of the sheet in the fourth scene (not including the beach) as a dress to add a silhouette effect was a nice touch to which she pulls it off well. One thing to note throughout the film is that Mayuki likes to play with her breasts quite a bit in the less environmentally dependent scenes. Which is by no means a bad thing, it’s just an observation.

Score: 8.5/10 (Aesthetics), 8/10 (Performance)

Summary

Mayuki’s performance and presence in this IV was great, although from what I’ve heard this was to be expected. Every aspect of this film was good, and it is a solid entry in both REbecca’s catalog and Gravure in general. If you are a fan of Mayuki you should watch this, just for the aesthetic benefits. It doesn’t have any sex, not even simulated, so if that’s what you are after well you know where to look for such content. The presentation was great, the music was well done, the overall visual fidelity and dynamic complexity of most of the shots was great, and Mayuki’s bonus travel vlog style beach scene and her interview are more than welcome additions to the film that are a nice treat. There isn’t much of a sultry seductive theme to this film, but that’s fine given the context within the title appears to be more of a tropical feeling of sorts. This is a must watch for fans of either Gravure or Mayuki and I look forward to seeing how her latest film fares in addition to her previous entries.
 
Score: 7.9/10
Pros

– It’s Mayuki, entertaining and cute
– Solid visuals, settings, and music
– Mayuki’s breasts, pretty top tier
– Bonus travel vlog/interview scenes

Cons

– Some uninspired but par for the course scenes (shower, food play)
– The BTS/photoshoot had shots of outfits in different locations, would have been nice to see those in action (kimono on beach, etc.)