History Film / TheWorldOfKanako

* AmbiguousEnding: When the truth in finally revealed (Kanako [[spoiler:was killed by her teacher and buried in a windy snowfield), Akikazu still has serious doubts about this and forces the teacher to dig Kanako up but she can't remember where she lies. The movie immediately ends and we never find out if this will be successful or not.]]

For the ''other'' film by the director go to ''{{Film/Confessions}}''.

* LeftHanging: The movie ends in the snowfield [[spoiler:where Kanako is said to be buried and Akikazu has no clue about where exactly. The The last thing we see is how he's still determined to find her or what is left of her in the snowfield. If this plan succeeds is left unresolved, but the odds are strongly against him.]]

** [[MindManipulation Manipulation]]. Almost every character gets manipulated in this film at some point or is a manipulator himself. The question of good and evil is not really important in this film, only who is the one who manipulates successfully. See also SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism.

Fujishima Akikazu is an alcoholic, violent, dysfunctional ex-cop who does not care about very much anymore and seems to only procrastinate his death. But some day, his daughter Kanako, a beautiful girl and one of the best students at school, leaves all personal belongings behind in her room and [[DamselInDistress goes missing]].

After a talk with his wife, Akikazu [[IWillFindYou starts a desperate search]] for Kanako using any means, in the hope of getting his "ideal" family back in place (although the very reason of the family breakup was because of his problematic personality and violent behaviors). Following tracks of her past and present (that involved her so-called friends like Ogata or the unnamed narrator), and talking to her classmates (like Nagano and Emi) he starts to get to know his daughter and learns that she has a mysterious secret life.

* KafkaComedy: The narrator is put through hell just for the fun of it because he's weak to almost absurd levels. Kanako shows him that she wants to help him [[spoiler:but it turns out that she is responsible for everything]].

''The World of Kanako'' (original title ''Kawaki'', translates to "thirst") is a 2014 Japanese movie by Tetsuya Nakashima, based on the best-selling novel ''Hateshinaki Kawaki'' by Fukamachi Akio.

-->-- [[Film/BeautyAndTheBeast1946 Jean Cocteau]], as quoted in the opening credits.

Fujishima Akikazu is an alcoholic, violent, dysfunctional ex-cop who does not care about very much anymore and seems to only procrastinate his death. But some day, his daughter Kanako, a beautiful girl and one of the best students at school, leaves all personal belongings behind in her room and goes missing.

After a talk with his wife, Akikazu starts a desperate search of Kanako using any means, in the hope of getting his "ideal" family back in place (although the very reason of the family breakup was because of his problematic personality and violent behaviors). Following tracks of her past and present (that involved her so-called friends like Ogata or the unnamed narrator), and talking to her classmates (like Nagano and Emi) he starts to get to know his daughter and learns that she has a mysterious secret life.

* AllForNothing: In the very end, after being beaten, shot and kidnapped by the Yakuza (and after dealing out a lot of punishment too), [[spoiler:Akikazu still cannot find Kanako. As far as we know, she's dead and buried in the snow but he refuses to accept this and keeps searching for her.]]

** Manipulation. Almost every character gets manipulated in this film at some point or is a manipulator himself. The question of good and evil is not really important in this film, only who is the one who manipulates successfully. See also SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism.

* {{Yakuza}}: At one point, Akikazu gets abducted by the Yakuza who are looking for [[spoiler:Kanako again]] because [[spoiler:she and Matsunaga]] have been causing lots of trouble with their [[spoiler:blackmailings of child molesters]]. They present [[spoiler:Matsunaga who is kept in a body bag]], sliced up but still alive. On realizing that Akikazu seems to want [[spoiler:Kanako dead too]], they give him the name of the person who [[spoiler:was ordered to kill]] Nagano (= Detective Aikawa), who turns out to be his only lead to Kanako.

[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_world_of_kanako_2014.jpg]]

'''Note:''' This is a very spoiler-heavy movie with many plot-twists and surprises. Read them at your own risk!

Character page is now under construction

* PoliceAreUseless: While Akikazu and Aikawa stand out as they are highly sociopathic, there's much more to it: When Ogata and the narrator are bullied, the police are nowhere to be seen and do not care in the slightest.
* RapeAsDrama: After having been heavily manipulated by [[spoiler:Kanako, the narrator]] is gang-raped [[spoiler:by the prostitution ring]] in a very dramatic event. Shortly afterwards [[spoiler:he is killed]].

* {{Yakuza}}: At one point, Akikazu gets abducted by the Yakuza who are looking for [[spoiler:Kanako again]] because [[spoiler:she and Matsunaga]] have been causing lots of trouble with their [[spoiler:blackmailings of child molesters]]. They present [[spoiler:Matsunaga]] who is kept in a body bag, sliced up but still alive. On realizing that Akikazu seems to want [[spoiler:Kanako dead too]], they give him the name of the person who [[spoiler:was ordered to kill]] Nagano (= Detective Aikawa), who turns out to be his only lead to Kanako.

* AmbiguousEnding: When the truth in finally revealed (Kanako [[spoiler:was killed by her teacher and buried in a windy snowfield), Akikazu still has serious doubts about this and forces the teacher to dig Kanako up but she can't remember where she lies]]. The movie immediately ends and we never find out if this will be successful or not.

* LeftHanging: The movie ends in the snowfield [[spoiler:where Kanako is said to be buried and Akikazu has no clue about where exactly]]. The movie immediately ends [[spoiler:while he is still determined to find her or what is left of her]] in the snowfield. If this plan succeeds is left unresolved, but the odds are strongly against him.

* AssholeVictim:
** [[spoiler:Detective Aikawa]] dies by the hands of [[spoiler:Detective Asai]]. Him being corrupt and his behavior towards the people closest to him made him one of the most evil characters in the movie, so...

* DirtyCop:
** When Nagano (one of Kanako's class mates) tells the police about the [[spoiler:prostitution ring]], they order a sociopathic cop named Detective Aikawa to [[spoiler:kill her, so she can't tell about human trafficking]], where the cops took interest. He is very violent and unscrupulous.
* DownTheRabbitHole: The whole movie is about Akikazu entering a world of violence, despair and manipulation and his whole journey is a reference to ''Literature/AliceInWonderland''. The farther he gets, the more he learns the dark secrets of his daughter and his own problematic personality shines through. Kanako even carries a copy of the book with her.

* DrivenToSuicide:
** Kanako's first boyfriend Ogata commits suicide by jumping from the roof after a long term of being bullied by the Matsunaga gang.
** Subverted with DirtyCop Aikawa who tries to commit suicide but fails as his gun is empty, but [[spoiler:is shot by fellow cop Asai]] immediately afterwards, who claims that Aikawa committed suicide.
** The narrator contemplates suicide but [[DefiedTrope changes his mind]] after Kanako interferes. It does not turn out well for him.

* EvilVsEvil: While Akikazu started out as very bad character, after he [[spoiler:rapes Detective Aikawa's wife]] he must count as a villain. This trope comes mostly into play when he fights Detective Aikawa later on, who is super-evil too. As [[https://wortvogel.de/2015/08/fff-2015-the-world-of-kanako/ this reviewer]] points out, the line between good and evil doesn't mean very much in this movie but rather the line between those who can manipulate effectively and those who have to subordinate themselves is everything that counts.
* {{Fingore}}: In the fight between Akikazu and Detective Aikawa on the freeway, Akikazu shoots off half of Aikawas hand.

* MadeOfIron:
** Aikawa (a dirty cop that faced off with Akikazu at some point) is run over by a car and being stabbed to the neck which doesn't hurt him very much. A gunshot [[spoiler:to the head]] does however.
* PoliceAreUseless: While Akikazu and Aikawa stand out as they are highly sociopathic, there's much more to it:
** When Ogata and the narrator are bullied, the police are nowhere to be seen and do not care in the slightest.

* RapeLeadsToInsanity:
** The narrator finally snaps after being raped by [[spoiler:the prostitution ring]], and becomes violent himself.
* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: On the far end of the cynic side. In this movie the world is exclusively populated by complete assholes and scumbags who all have '''only''' the very worst things in mind and the few good people out there are either mercilessly corrupted, betrayed, bullied, manipulated or forced into isolation and it's ridiculously impossible to break out of this circle. What Akikazu does can't be morally justified in any way but still is consequent, as this movie takes place in a world that destroys anybody and crushes every dream. The only bright things in this film are the bright lights and colors, the fast editing, the many flash cuts and one constantly smiling character, that give it an artificial and hard to grasp atmosphere.

* TheSociopath:
** Detective Aikawa is a dirty cop [[spoiler:who is ordered to kill]] Kanako's class mate Nagano and is very willing to do this and shows strong signs of sadism and pleasure while committing evil acts. Akikazu asks him why he doesn't kill his infant son (which is nearby in a car) and while this never happens, Aikawa seems to be ready to do it whenever he feels like it, especially since he [[spoiler:killed his wife]] just seconds before.

* AllForNothing: In the very end, after being beaten, shot and kidnapped by the Yakuza (and after dealing out a lot of punishment too), Akikazu [[spoiler:still cannot find Kanako. As far as we know, she's dead and buried in the snow but he refuses to accept this and keeps searching for her.]]
* AmbiguousEnding: When the truth in finally revealed (Kanako [[spoiler:was killed by her teacher and buried in]] a windy snowfield), Akikazu still has serious doubts about this and [[spoiler:forces the teacher to dig Kanako up but she can't remember where she lies]]. The movie immediately ends and we never find out if this will be successful or not.

* HopeSpot: The narrator finds temporary hope when he wins a swim contest and Kanako lets the Matsunaga gang beat up his bullies. He believes that he can run away with Kanako and start a new life with her. He's completely mistaken about everything.

* IRegretNothing: When [[spoiler:Kanako's teacher learns the truth about her]], the latter just smiles in a dark manner and says that there are no regrets whatsoever. [[spoiler:Kanako's teacher]] is visibly shocked by this and finally [[spoiler:stabs her to death in disgust.]]
* KickThemWhileTheyAreDown: The narrator is attacked by the bullies and [[spoiler:the prostitution ring]] while he's high on drugs and completely helpless.
* LeftHanging: The movie ends in the snowfield [[spoiler:where Kanako is said to be buried]] and Akikazu has no clue about where exactly. The movie immediately ends while he is still determined to [[spoiler:find her or what is left of her]] in the snowfield. If his plan succeeds is left unresolved, but the odds are strongly against him.

* ParentalNeglect: A central theme in the movie. Akikazu heavily neglected his daughter and really knows nothing about her. Kanako's friend Emi tells him to take responsibility as father (which he doesn't).
* PerpetualSmiler: Detective Asai is always upbeat, smiling and holding his lollipop despite being surrounded by crime. It turns out that he has an interest in [[spoiler:a resident prostitution ring too]] and wants to hide this.

** Detective Asai is completely ineffective as cop and just visits crime scenes whenever he feels like it. He doesn't stop Akikazu from finding Kanako but is no help in any way either. He always keeps his smile and his lollipop however.

** This is left ambiguous with [[spoiler:Akikazu's daughter Kanako]]. When Akikazu talks to one of the [[spoiler:child molesters]], there's a flashback where [[spoiler:Kanako claims that he had sex with her years ago, after which she]] became the evil person know. While seems to be very capable of doing it, it's not clear if this story is true or not and Akikazu denies it.
* ShoutOut: Detective Asai is a cop who is only rarely seen without his lollipop. The same thing happens in ''{{Series/Kojak}}''.

* {{Yakuza}}: At one point, Akikazu gets abducted by the Yakuza who are looking for [[spoiler:Kanako again]] because [[spoiler:she and Matsunaga]] have been causing lots of trouble with their [[spoiler:blackmailings of child molesters]]. They present [[spoiler:Matsunaga]] who is kept in a body bag, sliced up but still alive. On realizing that Akikazu seems to want [[spoiler:Kanako dead too]], they give him the name of the person who [[spoiler:was ordered to kill]] Nagano (= Detective Aikawa), who turns out to be his only lead to Kanako.
* YankTheDogsChain: The narrator is bullied constantly and when he meets Kanako he finally seems to overcome his sucky life. It turns out that [[spoiler:Kanako just manipulates and corrupts him, and he gets killed]] after a series of even more suffering.

* TheAlcoholic: Akikazu drinks a lot, to the point where he completely loses control and beats up whoever he gets his hands on (most notably his family). He's implied to have been a heavy drinker for many years.

* AllOfTheOtherReindeer: The narrator is widely hated by everybody for no other reason than because he's weak and always alone.
* AlphaBitch: Kanako is the most popular girl and beloved by almost everyone in her school until she disappears. She uses this to her advantage.

** When finally the truth is revealed, [[spoiler:Kanako dies by the hands of her teacher]], but when you see how much pain and suffering this character has brought over the people that believed to this character's friends, nobody should be too sad.
** [[spoiler:Matsunaga]] is heavily beaten and sliced up by the Yakuza. No one cares, after what he has done to [[spoiler:the narrator]].

* BeingHumanSucks: The narrator gives a very saddening speech about how great it would be to not be imprisoned in this human existence where he can be bullied at any moment just because he's alone and weaker than his tormentors.

* TheCorrupter: [[spoiler:Kanako, without hesitation,]] gets the narrator being caught and handed to the [[spoiler:prostitution ring]], where he gets physically abused and later beaten up and thrown into a river. He now wants vengeance and follows a girl from the gang and tortures her to get Kanako’s location. When they finally meet, he is unable to [[spoiler:kill her as he is still in love with her]]. See also the next entry.
* TheCorruptible: The narrator is basically a good, benevolent, harmless person who wants to be like Ogata and Kanako wants to help him with this. He fails to see that [[spoiler:Kanako]] has other plans and after some manipulation and drugs/alcohol, he finds himself capable of torturing another girl and finally wanting to kill [[spoiler:his love Kanako]], but he can't do it [[spoiler:and is killed himself soon after]].

* DarkSecret: Kanako appears to be a nice girl until she disappears. Her father finds out that she [[spoiler:dealt drugs in school and manipulated her classmates and even younger girls to fall victim to child molesters which she also blackmailed. She also teamed up with school bully Matsunaga to set up the narrator and was at least indifferent with Ogata's fate.]]
* DespairSpeech: The narrator gives one at the very beginning of the film, in which he dreams about being not human anymore so he can finally escape the bullies.
* DesperatelyLookingForAPurposeInLife: [[DeconstructedTrope Deconstructed.]] The narrator can't stand being bullied anymore and sees no happiness in a world with the lack of freedom he has. When he meets Kanako he wants to be like Ogata but he fails to see that Ogata was forced into isolation and that his attitude makes him an easy target for a manipulative and corrupting character who exploits all of his flaws. In the end, he can't escape his bullies, resorts to violence [[spoiler:is finally killed from out of the shadows (presumably by Matsunaga)]].

** Detective Asai (a cop whom Akikazu trusts initially but does not help him very much with his search) is this on a more subtle level. After Akikazu and Detective Aikawa engage on a very bloody fight on the freeway, we learn that he has interest in [[spoiler:the prostitution ring too]] but wants to keep this undercover.
* DomesticAbuser: Akikazu is implied to have abused Kanako when she still was younger. Later on he punches and sexually abuses his wife Kiriko when he's angry.

* DroppedABridgeOnHim: [[spoiler:Kanako dies by the hands of her teacher, who kills her anti-climatically with a screwdriver. She tries to do the same with Akikazu but fails.]]

* FriendlessBackground: The narrator has no friends when we get to know him. The same thing is true for Ogata who dies in the very beginning.

* GoneHorriblyRight: The narrator wants to become like Ogata and Kanako promises him to help him. The problem is that the narrator completely fails to see that Ogata was bullied and embarrassed until he chose death. When the narrator is beaten up, drugged and [[spoiler: handed over to the prostitution ring for gang-rape with embarrassing pictures]], he very well became like Ogata, but not to his advantage to say the least.

* TheHyena: Kanako laughs a lot, especially when the narrator [[spoiler:confronts her after being gang-raped]] and [[spoiler:when her teacher finds out that Kanako handed her daughter over to the prostitution ring]]. Has traits of a SlasherSmile and PsychoticSmirk too (just look at the poster) and doubles up with [[spoiler:PutTheLaughterInSlaughter]].

* LightIsNotGood: Kanako appears as a very beautiful young woman but has a very dark secret. Also on a meta level, the movie uses a lot of flash cuts, bright lights and light images but portrays an insufferable CrapsackWorld.

** Akikazu is beaten up and shot so much throughout the film the he's just a bloody mess. However this does not seem to hurt him very much and he fights on.

* [[ManipulativeBastard Manipulative Bitch]]: Manipulation is a central theme throughout the movie. [[spoiler:Kanako mercilessly]] manipulates everybody within her reach: After [[spoiler:being involved in a prostitution ring and eventually convincing even her own class mates to take part in it, she blackmails its members together with Matsunaga.]] Afterwards Kanako asks the narrator if he wants to be like Ogata which becomes his driving motivation and after being bullied by another gang, he seems to be ready to jump just like Ogata. Kanako convinces him to go on living, so that [[spoiler:she can completely destroy him.]] He takes alcohol and drugs from [[spoiler:her and gets brutally beaten up again and gang-raped which he only just barely survives]]. When he meets Kanako in the hotel room, [[spoiler:she still continues the manipulation and tells him that everything was just a dream (which it was not) and she can do everything in her dream).]]
* MushroomSamba: The narrator goes through a heavy one after having been drugged by [[spoiler:Kanako, who has done this before to other characters]].
* NoNameGiven: The narrator is never given any name.
* NoSell: When the narrator meets Kanako in the hotel room after having gone through hell, he [[spoiler:hits Kanako over the head with a baseball bat]]. It has no effect.
* NoSympathy: [[spoiler:His so-called girlfriend Kanako]] does not care when Ogata commits suicide, seemingly not sympathizing for the weak. The same goes with the narrator who is manipulated into a fate at least just as bad, but absolutely no one cares.
* OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent: The narrator starts out as just a normal high school boy with the wish to make a difference in his life, but he's weak and gets bullied constantly. When he meets Kanako, he falls in love on first sight and he wants to run away with her. Little does he know which pains are still in store for him...

* RabidCop: Akikazu beats up everybody who stands is his way and is very easily to set off. He treats witnesses very bad as long as they can give him hints where Kanako might be. But is also beaten up several times.

* SelectiveObliviousness: Akikazu refuses to accept that [[spoiler:Kanako is dead and buried]] in the snowfield in the very end but still [[spoiler:keeps searching]].
* ShaggyDogStory: [[spoiler:The movie basically turns to this when we learn that Kanako was DeadAllAlong and that Akikazu will never see her again (at least not alive)]].

* TheSocialDarwinist: [[spoiler:Very manipulative Kanako]] has traits of type 6 (the weakness punisher). [[spoiler:She has the habit to team up with equally-minded bullies and]] chooses people who show a lot of weakness (Ogata and the narrator) and then to manipulate them by giving them the feeling they can overcome their weakness and fear, only to completely ruin their lives.

** [[spoiler:Daughter Kanako]] is extremely successful in manipulating anybody (setting up the narrator, convincing class mates into a [[spoiler:prostitution ring]], using people to commit murders), without taking any responsibility or regretting anything.

* SociopathicHero: Akikazu is a violent, alcoholic, abusive ex-cop who beats up and tortures anybody who is in his way and sexually assaults women when he's drunk. However he still is disgusted by some of the worst acts of the other characters.

* TraumaCongaLine: The narrator gets bullied, drugged, beaten up, raped and [[spoiler:blackmailed with embarrassing photos]] just because [[spoiler:Kanako wants this to happen and she laughs a lot when he confronts her]].
* UnscrupulousHero: Akikazu is completely merciless. He abuses his family, threatens and beats up witnesses and class mates of Kanako, fights with everyone who is in his way and forces [[spoiler:Kanako's teacher]] to give him the location where [[spoiler:she buried her]]. He's still better than other characters in the movie, at least in the beginning.
* TheVamp: [[spoiler:Of course Kanako again.]] She uses her charm and femininity to screw everybody around her. When Ogata is bullied she acts disinterested since she doesn't seem to care for the weak. She also uses her sexuality to make the narrator fall in love with [[spoiler:her (to set him up and completely destroy him afterwards]]) and to control [[spoiler:child molesters]].
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: We never find out what happens to [[spoiler:Detective Asai]]. The last time we see him, he's run over by a car, but as Detective Aikawa has easily survived the same thing, we can hardly be sure that he's dead.

[[quoteright:275:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_world_of_kanako_2014.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:275:The World of Kanako]]

The World of Kanako (original title ''Kawaki'', translates to "thirst") is a 2014 Japanese movie by Tetsuya Nakashima, based on the best-selling novel ''Hateshinaki Kawaki'' by Fukamachi Akio.

After a talk with his wife, Akikazu starts a desperate search of Kanako using any means, in the hope of getting his "ideal" family back in place (although the very reason of the family breakup was because of his problematic personality and violent behaviors). Following tracks of her past and present (that involved her so-called friends like Ogata or the unnamed narrator), and talking to her classmates (like Nagano and Emi) he starts to get to know his daughter and learns that she has a mysterious secret life. As he enters a world of despair, guilt, dark secrets, manipulation and there's a lot more than meets the eye. Can he find his daughter, and get back his perfect happy family he has dreamed of after all these years or will he be crushed by this awful world too?

## Summer of 2009 (flashbacks): Ogata commits suicide, the narrator gets bullied and gets to know Kanako who he falls in love with.

* CrapsackWorld: This movie leaves no survivors. Everyone in this world is either violent, brutal, corrupt, egoistic, manipulative or has a dark secret and the people who are good are ruthlessly bullied, manipulated or beaten up. Whoever tries to find a way out of this is completely without a chance.

* YankTheDogsChain: The narrator is bullied constantly and when he meets Kanako he finally seems to overcome his sucky life. It turns out that [[spoiler:Kanako just manipulates and corrupts him, and he gets killed]] after a series of even more suffering.
* TheXOfY: The ''World'' of ''Kanako''. International title only. The Japanese title means "thirst".

* AmbiguousEnding: After having found out the truth (Kanako [[spoiler:was killed by her teacher and buried her in]] a windy snowfield. Akikazu has serious doubts about this and [[spoiler:forces the teacher to dig Kanako up but she can't remember where she lies]]. The movie immediately ends and we never find out if this will be successful or not.

## Summer of 2009 (flashbacks): Ogata committs suicide, the narrator gets bullied and gets to know Kanako who he falls in love with.
## Unspecified time (presumably 2009-2010, flashbacks): The narrator goes through a cycle of hell and meets Kanako in a hotel room where he finds his fate.

* TheCorrupter: [[spoiler:Kanako, without hesitation,]] gets the narrator being caught and handed to the [[spoiler:prostitution ring]], where he gets physically abused and later beaten up and thrown into a river. He now wants vengeance and follows a girl from the gang and tortures her to get [[spoiler:to know Kanako’s]] location. When they finally meet, he is unable to [[spoiler:kill her as he is still in love with her]]. See also the next entry.

* {{Fingore}}: In the fight between Akikazu and Detective Aikawa on the freeway, Aikawa shoots off half of Aikawas hand.

** Afterwards another gang of bullies torture the nameless narrator who only survives their treatment because he is manipulated [[spoiler:by his love Kanako.]] Kanako lets the Matsunaga Gang beat up those bullies and the narrator becomes more popular.

* TheHyena: Kanako laughs a lot, especially when the narrator [[spoiler:confronts her after being gang-raped]] and [[spoiler:when her teacher finds out that Kanako handed her daughter over to the prostitution ring]]. Has traits of a SlasherSmile too (just look at the poster) and doubles up with [[spoiler:PutTheLaughterInSlaughter]].

** Aikawa is a dirty cop [[spoiler:who is ordered to kill]] Kanako's class mate Nagano and is very willing to do this and shows strong signs of sadism and pleasure while committing evil acts. Akikazu asks him why he doesn't kill his infant son (which is nearby in a car) and while this never happens, Aikawa seems to be ready to do it whenever he feels like it, especially since he [[spoiler:killed his wife]] just seconds before.

* DownTheRabbitHole: The whole movie is about Akikazu entering a world of violence, despair and manipulation and his whole journey is a reference to ''Literature/AliceInWonderland''. The farther he gets, the more he learns the dark secrets of his daughter and his own problematic personality shines through. Kanako even carries a copy of ''Literature/AliceInWonderland'' with her.

After a talk with his wife, Akikazu starts a desperate search of Kanako using any means, in the hope of getting his "ideal" family back in place (although the very reason of the family breakup was because of his problematic personality and violent behaviors). Following tracks of her past and present and talking to her so-called friends (like Ogata or the unnamed narrator), he starts to get to know his daughter and learns that she has a mysterious secret life. As he enters a world of despair, guilt, dark secrets, manipulation and there's a lot more than meets the eye. Can he find his daughter, and get back his perfect happy family he has dreamed of after all these years or will he be crushed by this awful world too?


Not that this is a very spoiler-heavy movie with many plot-twists and surprises. Read them at your own risk!

* AllForNothing: In the very end, after being beaten, shot and kidnapped by the Yakuza (and after dealing out a lot of punishment too), Akikazu [[spoiler:still cannot find Kanako]]. As far as we know, [[spoiler:she's dead and buried in the snow but he]] refuses to accept this and [[spoiler:keeps searching for her.]]
* AllOfTheOtherReindeer: The narrator is widely hated by everybody for no other reason than because he's weak.

* AmbiguousEnding: After having found out the truth (Kanako [[spoiler:was killed by her teacher and buried her in]] a windy snow field. Akikazu has serious doubts about this and [[spoiler:forces the teacher to dig Kanako up but she can't remember where she lies]]. The movie immediately ends and we never find out if this will be successful or not.

* BeingHumanSucks: The narrator gives a very saddening speech about how great it would be to not be imprisoned in this human existence where he can be bullied at any moment just because he's alone and weaker than his tormenters.

* DesperatelyLookingForAPurposeInLife: [[DeconstructedTrope Deconstructed.]] The narrator can't stand being bullied anymore and sees no happiness in a world with the lack of freedom he has. When he meets Kanako he wants to be like Ogata but he fails to see that Ogata was forced into isolation and that his attitude makes him an easy target for a manipulative and corrupting character who exploits all of his flaws. In the end, he can't escape his bullies, resorts to violence [[spoiler: and dies a cruel, embarrassing death]].

** Subverted with DirtyCop Aikawa tries to commit suicide but fails, but is shot by [[spoiler:fellow cop Asai]] immediately afterwards, who claims that Aikawa committed suicide.

* DroppedABridgeOnHim: [[spoiler:Kanako dies by the hands of her teacher, who kills her anti-climatically with a screwdriver.]]
* EvilVsEvil: While Akikazu started out as very bad character, after he rapes [[spoiler:Detective Aikawa's wife]] he must count as a villain. This trope comes mostly into play when he fights Detective Aikawa later on.
* ForTheEvulz: The bullies, Matsunaga, Aikawa and [[spoiler:of course Kanako]] torture and torment (usually weaker people just because they can.

* GoneHorriblyRight: The narrator wants to become like Ogata and Kanako promises him to help him. The problem is that the narrator completely fails to see that Ogata was bullied and embarrassed until he chose death. When the narrator is beaten up, drugged and [[spoiler: handed over to the prostitution ring]], he very well became like Ogata, but not to his advantage to say the least.

* LeftHanging: The movie ends in the snowfield [[spoiler:where Kanako is said to be buried]] and Akikazu has no clue about where exactly. The movie immediately ends while he is still determined to [[spoiler:find her or what is left of her]] in the snowfield If his plan succeeds is left unresolved, but the odds are strongly against him.
* LightIsNotGood: Kanako appears as a very beautiful young woman but has a very dark secret. Also on a meta level, the movie uses a lot of flash cuts and light images but portrays an insufferable CrapsackWorld.

** Aikawa (a dirty cop that faced off with Akikazu at some point) is run over by a car but it doesn't hurt him very much. He still [[spoiler:dies from a gunshot to the head]].
* [[ManipulativeBastard Manipulative Bitch]]: [[spoiler:Kanako mercilessly]] manipulates everybody within her reach: After [[spoiler:being involved in a prostitution ring and eventually convincing even her own class mates to take part in it, she blackmails its members together with Matsunaga.]] Afterwards Kanako asks the narrator if he wants to be like Ogata which becomes his driving motivation and after being bullied by another gang, he seems to be ready to jump just like Ogata but Kanako convinces him to go on living, so that [[spoiler:she can completely destroy him.]] He trusts [[spoiler:his "friend" Kanako]] enough to take alcohol and drugs from [[spoiler:her and gets brutally beaten up again and gang-raped which he only just barely survives]]. He wants to [[spoiler:take revenge and kill Kanako but can't because he still loves her. He's finally killed from out of the shadows (presumably by Matsunaga).]]
* MushroomSamba: The narrator goes through a heavy one after having been drugged by [[spoiler:Kanako, who has done this before to others]].

* NoSympathy: [[spoiler:His so-called girlfriend Kanako]] does not care when Ogata commits suicide, seemingly not sympathizing for the weak. The same goes with the narrator who is manipulated into a fate even worse.

* PerpetualSmiler: Detective Asai is always upbeat, smiling and holding his lollipop despite being surrounded by crime. It turns out that [[spoiler:he has an interest in a resident prostitution ring too and wants to hide this]].

* RabidCop: Akikazu beats up everybody who stands is his way and is very easily to set off. But is also beaten up several times.** Akikazu is a violent, alcoholic, unscrupulous, bad-tempered and cynic ex-cop. The only way to separate him from even worse characters in this film is his goal (finding his daughter and return to a happy family life).

** [[spoiler:The narrator]] finally snaps after being raped by [[spoiler:the prostitution ring, and becomes violent himself]].
** This is left ambiguous with [[spoiler:Akikazu's daughter Kanako]]. While one of the [[spoiler:child molesters]] claims that [[spoiler:Akikazu had sex with his daughter years ago, after which she became the evil person she is, and he]] seems to be very capable of doing it, we never see if this is really true or not.
* SelectiveObliviousness: Akikazu refuses to accept that [[spoiler:Kanako is dead and keeps searching]] in the snowfield in the very end.
* ShoutOut: Detective Asai is a cop who is never seen without his lollipop. The same thing happens in ''{{Series/Kojak}}''.

* SnowMeansDeath: In the very end of the film, Akikazu and [[spoiler:Kanako's teacher]], who claims to [[spoiler:have killed Akikazu's daughter Kanako]], find themselves on a windy snowfield where [[spoiler:Kanako of all people]] is said to be buried. Akikazu wants to [[spoiler:find her corpse but Kanako's teacher can't remember where she lies]], so Akikazu keeps on [[spoiler:searching the snow without success]]. Then the movie abruptly ends.

** Aikawa is a dirty cop [[spoiler:who is ordered to kill]] Kanako's class mate Nagano and is very willing to do this and shows strong signs of sadism and pleasure while committing evil acts. Akikazu asks him why he doesn't kill his infant son (which is nearby in a car) and while this never happens, Aikawa seems to be ready to do it whenever he feels like it.

* UnscrupulousHero: Akikazu is completely merciless. He abuses his family, threatens and beats up witnesses and class mates of Kanako, fights with everyone who is in his way and forces [[spoiler:Kanako's teacher]] to give him the location where [[spoiler:she buried her]]. He's still better than other characters in the movie.
* TheVamp: [[spoiler:Of course Kanako again.]] She uses her charm and femininity to screw everybody around her. When Ogata is bullied she acts disinterested since she doesn't seem to care for the weak. Then she saves narrator from some bullies just to [[spoiler:set him up and completely destroy him afterwards, after he has fallen in love with her]].
* {{Yakuza}}: At one point, Akikazu gets abducted by the Yakuza who are looking for [[spoiler:Kanako again]] because [[spoiler:she and Matsunaga]] have been causing lots of trouble with their [[spoiler:blackmailings of child molesters]]. They present [[spoiler:Matsunaga]] who is kept in a body bag, sliced up but still alive. On realizing that Akikazu seems to want [[spoiler:Kanako dead too]], they give him the name of the person who [[spoiler:was ordered to kill]] Nagano (= Detective Aikawa).
* YankTheDogsChain: The narrator is bullied constantly and when he meets Kanako he finally seems to overcome his sucky life. It turns out that [[spoiler:Kanako just manipulates and corrupts him, and he gets killed after a series of even more suffering]].

* BlackAndGrayMorality: While Akikazu's actions cannot be morally justified in any way, he's still upset by the deeds other characters do (usually just ForTheEvulz). See HumansAreBastards and TheSociopath below.

* DarkSecret: Kanako appears to be a nice girl until she disappears. Her father finds out that she [[spoiler:was involved into a prostitution ring and blackmails their members, she teamed up with school bully Matsunaga to set up]] the narrator and [[spoiler:was at least indifferent with]] Ogata's fate, [[spoiler:she dealt drugs in school and helped old men get to young school girls.]] In the very end, she makes clear [[spoiler:to her teacher (= her murderer) that she absolutely regrets nothing.]]

* DesperatelyLookingForAPurposeInLife: [[DeconstructedTrope Deconstructed.]] The narrator can't stand being bullied anymore and sees no happiness in a world with the lack of freedom he has. When he meets Kanako he wants to be like Ogata but he fails to see that Ogata was forced into isolation and that his attitude makes him an easy target for a manipulative and corrupting character who exploits all of his flaws. In the end, he [[spoiler: can't escape his bullies, resorts to violence and dies a cruel, embarrassing death]].

** Akikazu is a violent, alcoholic, unscrupulous, bad-tempered and cynic ex-cop. The only way to separate him from a villain is his goal (finding his daughter and return to a happy family life).
** When Nagano (one of Kanako's class mates) tells the police about the [[spoiler:prostitution ring]], they order a sociopathic cop named Aikawa to [[spoiler:kill her, because the cops profited from human trafficking too]]. He is very violent and unscrupulous.
** Detective Asai (a cop whom Akikazu trusts initially but does not help him very much with his search) is this on a more subtle level. When Akikazu and Aikawa engage on a very bloody fight on the freeway, Asai interferes and [[spoiler:smilingly kills Aikawa and tells everybody it was a suicide (although Aikawa wanted to commit suicide anyway and just ran out of ammo)]]. He has interest in [[spoiler:the prostitution ring too]] but wants to keep this undercover.

* DownTheRabbitHole: The whole movie is about Akikazu entering a world of violence, despair and manipulation. The farther he gets, the more he learns the dark secrets of his daughter and his own problematic personality shines through. Kanako even carries a copy of ''Literature/AliceInWonderland'' with her. Akikazu's whole journey is a reference to ''Literature/AliceInWonderland''. Kanako even has a copy of the book with her, although she is the one who does [[spoiler:the manipulation of everyone around her]].
* DownerBeginning: The start of the movie is very dark in many ways: Akikazu finds out that his wife has a lover and he loses his job after a violent outburst. Some bloody murders are detected. The narrator gives a saddening speech about how helpless his situation is. Ogata commits suicide and nobody takes notice.

** Kanako's first boyfriend Ogata commits suicide after a long term of being bullied by the Matsunaga gang.
** DirtyCop Aikawa tries to commit suicide but fails, but is shot by [[spoiler:fellow cop Asai]] immediately afterwards, who claims that Aikawa commited suicide.
** The narrator contemplates suicide but changes his mind after Kanako interferes. It does not turn out well for him.

** The Matsunaga Gang. They bully Ogata until he commits suicide.
** Afterwards another gang of bullies torture the nameless narrator who only survives their treatment because he is manipulated [[spoiler:by his love Kanako]], who also lets the Matsunaga Gang beat up those bullies.
* GoneHorriblyRight: The narrator wants to become like Ogata and Kanako promises him to help him. The problem is that the narrator completely fails to see that Ogata was bullied and embarrassed until he chose death. When the narrator [[spoiler: is beaten up, drugged and handed over to the prostitution ring, he very well became like Ogata, but not to his advantage to say the least.]]

* LeftHanging: The movie ends in the snowfield [[spoiler:where Kanako is said to be buried]] and Akikazu has no clue about where exactly. If he [[spoiler:can dig her up or not]] is completely left unresolved. As far as we see, Kanako [[spoiler:was killed by the hands of her teacher]] but Akikazu [[spoiler:has his doubts]]. The movie immediately ends while he is still determined to [[spoiler:find her or what is left of her]] in the snow field [[spoiler:but has no clue where she could be]]. If he will ever [[spoiler:dig her up or just give up from exhaustion]] is never revealed but the odds are strongly against him.
Akikazu finally comes to the conclusion that [[spoiler:Kanako might still be alive and still wants to find her, even if it's just to kill her herself after all the trouble she has caused.]]

* RabidCop: Akikazu beats up everybody who stands is his way and is very easily to set off. But is also beaten up several times.

After a talk with his wife, Akikazu starts a desperate search of Kanako using any means, in the hope of getting his "ideal" family back in place (although the very reason of the family breakup was because of his problematic personality and violent behaviors). Following tracks of her past and present and talking to her so-called friends, he starts to get to know his daughter and learns that she has a mysterious secret life. As he enters a world of despair, guilt, dark secrets, manipulation and there's a lot more than meets the eye. Can he find his daughter, and get back his perfect happy family he has dreamed of after all these years or will he be crushed by this awful world too?


Not that this is a very spoiler-heavy movie with many plot-twists. Read at your own risk!

* AllForNothing: In the end, after being beaten, shot, betrayed and kidnapped by the Yakuza (and after dealing out a lot of punishment too), Akikazu [[spoiler:still cannot find Kanako]]. As far as we know, [[spoiler:she's dead and buried in the snow but he refuses to accept this and keeps searching for her.]]

* AlphaBitch: Kanako is the most popular girl in her school until she disappears. [[spoiler:She uses this to sell her friends to molesters and torment Ogata and the narrator.]]
* AmbiguousEnding: The last person that Akikazu meets in his long journey is Kanako's school teacher. She hated Kanako very much because Kanako [[spoiler:fed the teacher's daughter (Akiko) to the prostitution ring]] and kept a photo which confirms this. After having found out the truth [[spoiler:she killed Kanako and buried her in]] a snow field. Akikazu [[spoiler:forces her to dig Kanako up but she can't remember where she buried her]]. Akikazu finally comes to the conclusion that [[spoiler:Kanako might still be alive and still wants to find her, even if it's just to kill her herself after all the trouble she has caused.]]

** When finally the truth is revealed, [[spoiler:Kanako dies by the hands of her teacher]], but when you see how much pain [[spoiler:suffering she]] has brought over the people that believed to [[spoiler:be her friends]], the latter can't be blamed.
** [[spoiler::Matsunaga]] is heavily beaten and sliced up by the Yakuza. No one cares, after what he has done to [[spoiler:the narrator]].

* BolivianArmyEnding: As far as we see, Kanako [[spoiler:was killed by the hands of her teacher]] but Akikazu [[spoiler:has his doubts]]. The movie immediately ends while he is still determined to [[spoiler:find her or what is left of her]] in the snow field [[spoiler:but has no clue where she could be]]. If he will ever [[spoiler:dig her up or just give up from exhaustion]] is never revealed but the odds are strongly against him.

Fujishima Akikazu is an alcoholic, violent, dysfunctional ex-cop who does not care about very much anymore. But some day, his daughter Kanako, a beautiful girl and one of the best students at school, leaves all personal belongings behind in her room and goes missing.

Beware of spoilers!

* AliceAllusion: Akikazu's whole journey is a reference to ''Literature/AliceInWonderland''. Kanako even has a copy of the book with her, although she is the one who does [[spoiler:the manipulation of everyone around her]].

* DownTheRabbitHole: The whole movie is about Akikazu entering a world of violence, despair and manipulation. The farther he gets, the more he learns the dark secrets of his daughter and his own problematic personality shines through. Kanako even carries a copy of ''Literature/AliceInWonderland'' with her.

* AmbiguousEnding: The last person that Akikazu meets in his long journey is Kanako's school teacher. She hated Kanako very much because Kanako [[spoiler:fed the teacher's daughter (Akiko) to the prostitution ring and kept a photo which confirms this]]. After having found out the truth [[spoiler:she killed Kanako and buried her in]] a snow field. Akikazu [[spoiler:forces her to dig Kanako up but she can't remember where she buried her]]. Akikazu finally comes to the conclusion that [[spoiler:Kanako might still be alive and still wants to find her, even if it's just to kill her herself after all the trouble she has caused.]] If you believe that [[spoiler:Kanako is still alive]] that would give the story NoEnding because [[spoiler:Akikazu is still searching for her with no hope for a resolution.]]

Fujishima Akikazu is an alcoholic, violent, dysfunctional ex-cop. When he learns that his daughter Kanako went missing, he tries everything to find her. He soon learns she has a mysterious secret life and enters a world of despair, guilt, dark secrets and manipulation.

Kanako, a beautiful girl and one of the best students at school, leaves all personal belongings behind in her room. After a talk with his wife, Akikazu starts a desperate search of Kanako using any means, in the hope of getting his "ideal" family back in place (although the very reason of the family breakup was because of his problematic personality and violent behaviors). Following tracks of her past and present and talking to her so-called friends, he starts to get to know his daughter and discovers her dark secrets, in a world where no survivors are taken and there's a lot more than meets the eye. Can he find his daughter, and get back his perfect happy family he has dreamed of after all these years or will he be crushed by this awful world too?

* AllForNothing: In the end, after being beaten, shot, betrayed and kidnapped by the Yakuza (and after dealing out a lot of punishment too), Akikazu [[spoiler:still cannot find Kanako. As far as we know, she's dead and buried in the snow but he refuses to accept this and keeps searching for her.]]

* AmbiguousEnding: The last person that Akikazu meets in his long journey is Kanako's school teacher. She hated Kanako very much because Kanako [[spoiler:fed the teacher's daughter (Akiko) to the prostitution ring and kept a photo which confirms this]]. After having found out the truth [[spoiler:she killed Kanako and buried her in a snow field. Akikazu forces her to dig Kanako up but she can't remember where she buried her. Akikazu finally comes to the conclusion that Kanako might still be alive and still wants to find her, even if it's just to kill her herself after all the trouble she has caused.]] If you believe that [[spoiler:Kanako is still alive]] that would give the story NoEnding because [[spoiler:Akikazu is still searching for her with no hope for a resolution.]]
* ArtStyleDissonance: Although the story of this movie is infested with cynicism, there are still a lot of bright lights and colors, flash cuts and fast-paced editing that give the movie a unique atmosphere, especially during Kanako's appearances and the narrator's MushroomSamba.

** When finally the truth is revealed, [[spoiler:Kanako dies by the hands of her teacher]], but when you see how much suffering [[spoiler:she]] has brought over the people that believed to be her friends, the latter can't be blamed.
** [[spoiler::Matsunaga]] is heavily beaten and sliced up by the Yakuza. No one cares after what he has done to [[spoiler:the narrator]].

* BolivianArmyEnding: As far as we see, Kanako [[spoiler:was killed by the hands of her teacher]] but Akikazu [[spoiler:has his doubts]]. The movie immediately ends while he is still determined to [[spoiler:find her or what is left of her in the snow field but has no clue where she could be.]] If he will ever [[spoiler:dig her up or just give up from exhaustion]] is never revealed but the odds are strongly against him.

* TheCorrupter: [[spoiler:Kanako, without hesitation,]] gets the narrator being caught and handed to the [[spoiler:prostitution ring]], where he gets physically abused and later beaten up and thrown into a river. He now wants vengeance and follows a girl from the gang and tortures her to get [[spoiler:Kanako’s]] location. When they finally meet, he is unable to [[spoiler:kill her as he is still in love with her]]. See also the next entry.
* TheCorruptible: The narrator is basically a good, benevolent, harmless person who wants to be like Ogata and Kanako wants to help him with this. He fails to see that [[spoiler:Kanako]] has other plans and after some manipulation and drugs/alcohol, he finds himself capable of torturing another girl and finally wanting to kill [[spoiler:Kanako]], but he can't do it [[spoiler:and is killed himself]].
* DarkSecret: Kanako appears to be a nice girl until she disappears. Her father finds out that she [[spoiler:was involved into a prostitution ring and blackmails their members, she teamed up with school bully Matsunaga to set up the narrator and was at least indifferent with Ogata's fate, she dealt drugs in school and helped old men get to young school girls.]] In the very end, she makes clear [[spoiler:to her teacher which murders Kanako that she absolutely regrets nothing.]]

* ForTheEvulz: The bullies, Matsunaga, Aikawa and [[spoiler:Kanako]] torture and torment (usually weaker people just because they can.

** Afterwards another gang of bullies torture the nameless narrator who only survives their treatment because he is manipulated [[spoiler:by Kanako]], who also lets the Matsunaga Gang beat up those bullies.

* HopeSpot: The narrator finds temporary hope when he wins a swim contest and Kanako lets tha Matsunaga gang beat up his bullies. He believes that he can run away with Kanako and start a new life with her. He's completely mistaken about everything.

* IRegretNothing: When [[spoiler:Kanako's teacher learns the truth about her]], the latter just smiles in a dark manner and says that there are no regrets whatsoever. [[spoiler:Kanako's teacher is visibly shocked by this and finally stabs her to death in disgust.]]

* [[ManipulativeBastard Manipulative Bitch]]: [[spoiler:Kanako herself]] manipulates everybody within her reach: After [[spoiler:being involved in a prostitution ring and eventually convincing even her class mates to take part in it, she blackmails the members together with Matsunaga.]] Afterwards Kanako asks the narrator if he wants to be like Ogata which becomes his driving motivation and after being bullied by another gang, he seems to be ready to jump just like Ogata but Kanako convinces him to go on living, so that [[spoiler:she can completely destroy him.]] He trusts [[spoiler:Kanako]] enough to take alcohol and drugs from [[spoiler:her and gets brutally beaten up again and gang-raped which he only just barely survives. He wants to take revenge and kill Kanako but can't because he still loves her and is finally killed from out of the shadows (presumably by Matsunaga).]]
* MushroomSamba: The narrator goes through a heavy one after having been drugged by [[spoiler:Kanako]].

* NoSympathy: [[spoiler:Kanako]] does not care when Ogata commits suicide, seemingly not caring for the weak. The same goes with the narrator who is manipulated into a fate even worse.

* PerpetualSmiler: Detective Asai is always upbeat, smiling and holding his lollipop despite being surrounded by crime. It turns out that [[spoiler:he has an interest in a resident prostitution ring and wants to hide this]].

** This is left ambiguous with [[spoiler:Kanako]]. While one of the [[spoiler:child molesters]] claims that [[spoiler:Akikazu had sex with his daughter years ago, after which she became the evil person she is, and he]] seems to be very capable of doing it, we never see if this is really true or not.

* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: On the far end of the cynic side. In this movie the world is exclusively populated by complete assholes and scumbags who all have '''only''' the very worst things in mind and the few good people out there are either mercilessly corrupted, betrayed, bullied, manipulated or forced into isolation and there is no way to break out of this cycle. What Akikazu does can't be morally justified in any way but still is consequent, as the world this movie takes place in destroys anybody and crushes every dream. The only bright things in this film are the bright lights and colors, the fast editing, the many flash cuts and one constantly smiling character, that give it an artificial and hard to grasp atmosphere.
* SnowMeansDeath: In the very end of the film, Akikazu and [[spoiler:Kanako's teacher]], who claims to have killed [[spoiler:Akikazu's daughter Kanako]], find themselves on a windy snowfield where [[spoiler:Kanako of all people]] is said to be buried. Akikazu wants to [[spoiler:find her corpse but Kanako's teacher can't remember where she lies]] so Akikazu keeps on [[spoiler:searching the snow without success]]. Then the movie abruptly ends.
* TheSocialDarwinist: [[spoiler:Kanako]] has traits of type 6 (the weakness punisher). [[spoiler:She has the habit to]] choose people who show a lot of weakness (Ogata and the narrator) and then to manipulate them by giving them the feeling they can overcome their weakness and fear, only to completely ruin their lives.

** Aikawa is a dirty cop who is ordered to kill Kanako's class mate Nagano and is very willing to do this and shows strong signs of sadism and pleasure while committing evil acts. Akikazu asks him why he doesn't kill his infant son (which is nearby in a car) and while this never happens, Aikawa seems to be ready to do it whenever he feels like it.

* TheVamp: [[spoiler:Kanako again.]] She uses her charm and femininity to screw everybody around her. When Ogata is bullied she acts disinterested since she doesn't seem to care for the weak. The she saves narrator from some bullies just to [[spoiler:set him up and completely destroy him afterwards, after he has fallen in love with her]].
* {{Yakuza}}: At one point, Akikazu gets abducted by the Yakuza who are looking for [[spoiler:Kanako]] because [[spoiler:she and Matsunaga]] have been causing lots of trouble with their [[spoiler:blackmailings of child molesters]]. They present [[spoiler:Matsunaga]] who is kept in a body bag, sliced up but still alive. On realizing that Akikazu seems to want [[spoiler:Kanako dead too]], they give him the name of the person who was ordered to kill Nagano (= Detective Aikawa).