Natsuki Aso did not become a punk rock star, much to his teenage self’s regret. Around 15 minutes into the documentary “Natsuki: The Movie,” however, you’ll see that the 44-year-old was able to achieve a different kind of celebrity — replacing “concert appearances” with “vlog appearances,” and “screaming fans” with “adoring commenters.”
That’s the underlying — and uplifting — takeaway in Chris Broad’s documentary on his friend: YouTube can make dreams happen in ways you’ve never thought of. This goes for Broad as well, his channel Abroad in Japan usually produces short videos on life here but, thanks to a crowdfunding campaign, he was able to produce his first full-length documentary.
“Without Patreon, there’s no way this could ever have happened,” Broad says. “YouTube ad revenue alone simply isn’t enough to fund projects like this.”