A Psychedelic Trip into The World of Kanako

[@toomessy]

It's impressive how every character in this movie happened to be a bad guy.

[@whatsnew955]

well maybe that girl who is friends with hanako and the girl that got hook into drugs is a good person cuz afterall she cares about her friends and never involve in any of that mess

[@spongebobsquarepants-ne6lc]

Except those two three people she tricked to getting into prostitution

[@labanhendricks7053]

​@spongebobsquarepants-ne6lc you mean the one with the bob or?

[@toomessy]

This movie was so good, but yet so dark at the same time. I saw it a long time ago without any context/description, and It literally left me speechless. One of the main reasons why, is because I really struggled to see the good in most of the characters in this movie. Kanako isn't a good person (especially since she's the reason why many of her classmates ended up dead), but neither is her friends or the teacher, but ESPECIALLY not her dad. Throughout the whole movie It feels like they're trying to make us sympathize him because of his grief and sadness of not finding his missing daughter, but the way he's “expressing” those emotions is literally by causing harm to OTHERS. To the point where, you kind of start to understand and figure out why his wife left him in the first place, and why she hesitated to call him when Kanako went missing, and why Kanako turned out to be like...that. Unfortunately, Kanako was failed by everyone around her. None of the adults in this film took actions and control in protecting and helping her. Which ended up with her dead.

[@spongebobsquarepants-ne6lc]

Help?😂 She didn't needed any help she just killed people out of pleasure ..she got into prostitution out of pleasure..she got innocent people into that thing out of pleasure as well ..her father was a bad guy but that doesn't justify her actions

[@RenJohmson]

​@@spongebobsquarepants-ne6lcno cuzz you're so right i just feel bad for the narrator y'all be forgetting him

[@eels3658]

I’m curious if you’ve read anything by Natsuo Kirino. She writes really dark thrillers about women and I’ve never felt like she deals with disturbing topics in a cheap, superficial way. I have no idea why there’s never been a movie adaptation of her novel Out because it’s great, possibly her best next to Grotesque. It’s basically about the various ways women can be screwed over in a patriarchal society and they all try to find a way out somehow.

[@antiheroines-you-love]

I'm familiar with her work. I believe I've definitely read Out and Real world, not sure about Grotesque since it was quite some time ago. Japanese murder novels are something else, in a good way, definitely.

[@eels3658]

@Amina Doctrove Ah right but that "adaptation" barely has anything in common with the book, sadly, I don't know why they decided to basically change everything.

[@struggler856]

Literally every guy in the movie was a victim. Damn you feminists love to hate men

[@Gya2foonsj]

I’m so glad theres an English content covering this!!! And I’m sooo grateful for your inclusion of Petit Angel Club because that is one of the underlying horror of this film. I thinks what’s most interesting is that the director is famous for creating fancy commercial clips on tv, hence the inconsistent style of each scenes. He’s an expert in creating what is most trendy and eye pleasing to the audience. You should check his other works like confession and “Kuru”

[@jonathanmulondo9206]

This movie is ten times more scary than any recent American horror movies. Just the characters and subject matter is enough to disturb you It also shows a darker side to Japanese society and culture.

[@portraitofablueavatar114]

Dead wrong. You're just disillusioned. There's lots of movies better than this, in terms of acting, cinematography, pacing, storytelling. There's so much better movies you should watch more

[@aka9267]

@@portraitofablueavatar114 like which ones??? justify yourself

[@portraitofablueavatar114]

@@aka9267 The Shining, Hereditary, Come and See, Midsommar, Psycho, Clockwork Orange Get Out (2017), Us (2019), The Exorcist, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Lighthouse, Blair Witch Project. Etc. All of these are great films and even better compared to this

[@aka9267]

@@portraitofablueavatar114 american bullsh1t movies lmao

[@toomessy]

@@portraitofablueavatar114 Everything aside, you can't really compare those movies to ‘The World Of Kanako’ to be honest. They don't have a single thing in common. Especially since ‘The World Of Kanako’ is a coming of age movie, while most of the American movies you mentioned, were not. Also, he said RECENT! The Shining, The Exorcist, Texas Chainsaw, Phycho and Blair Witch are NOT recent movies. Be serious.

[@frankyelysa]

omg someone finally covering this. I have watched this movie way too young in 2014, but I have always liked it because I love the director's work. This man loves to show kids doing the most disturbing shit. I might have to watch it again, your video was interesting, thanks! 😊

[@Meiliina]

I first saw this at a film festival by chance, and couldn't remember the name, but when you started the video with the shot of the snow storm I knew it was this one, it is such a recognizable shot. It's such a depressing movie with oppressive atmosphere that haunts me, yet it's a gripping movie that I couldn't look away from, even when I felt sick to my stomach. It's great to hear analysis of any kind of the movie, so thank you for that.

[@whatzittooya3873]

You can often tell when a book or a movie has been written by a man and the case is the same here. Women in my opinion have a much more sensitive way of depicting sexual violence in their art.

[@Be20002]

All the violence against women was too much and felt very pervy

[@SKDYCAT]

Take your western-centric bs somewhere else. Tell me you've never been intimate with an Asian woman without telling me you've never been intimate with an Asian woman.

[@okdroid]

youtube reccomended me your video about girl, interrupted and i started watching a lot of your videos. THEYRE SO GOOD?! WOW

[@rugvedabagwe7720]

I have just read about the Japanese detective genre, and the many authors that this gerne has got in the country. I must say it gives some very distinct and unique piece of literature. And of course each author puts forth a social commentary, which is like very genius for me

[@初夏28261]

I read 渴望 in my school library. I thought it was simply a mystery novel, it has amazing narrative and imagery, the movie did it justice in general. Kanako was portrayed more lifelike in the movie. But the apocalypse gangs screen time was replaced by uncannon events of her and Itoshi (bullied boy). Kanako was seemingly more "sweet" in the book, but the movie has more interactions with her, I personally really like Endo Nami(blonde gang girl), she had more character development and general likeable qualitys, Kanakos popularity all going to "looks and charisma". Nami didn't have much screen time in the movie, but the part where Itoshi attacked her truly showed that she was just lonely, poor and longing for happiness, so she looked for a strong cause, people to relay on and things to distract her(drugs), her mom was a prostitute and we don't know about her dad, she told Itoshi that Kanako would kill him, he didn't care. The book did a better job of showing how lonley everyone truly was, maybe if they had a better environment or help and support they would've all been different, no one understood their problems, they were all sick, but they were once human. Kanako is an enigmatic character, we understand her father was terrible and her mother did nothing except be in denial, but we don't see her grow into the monster she is, but Itsohi was traumatised just being SA'd by a random old man, imagine your own family... She seems beautiful and whole, but that's only because she's seen true darkness and beauty.

[@chunellemariavictoriaespan8752]

7:38 =Yet it cannot give her kid true justice. To do so would be taking over the whole Yakuza which isn't a realistic goal. The most she can do is go at the one that led her kid there. Besides even if she goes through this the legal way, all the men Kanino got involve with will at most kill her, police included... What's the most she can do?

[@yzkkoch479]

Love pysch thriller movies esp Japanese ones, the thing that stands out the most abt PT tho is that they actually make you think bc a lot is left on open so you have to create theories and assumptions to fill in the gaps etc. like TWOK Was literally just a fever dream, nothing more or less

[@Nul-w1h]

I really loved this movie, but it's one of the movies I can't recommend to anyone because if they watch it knowing I like it, they'll probably think I'm unhinged. 😬

[@lukewang4676]

This video essay is awesome!

[@chogiwawae3759]

I love this movie so much, your video and your insights are amazing too 💜

[@ahgababy]

i watched this not too long ago and i remember being extremely disappointed with the movie, because it didn't make me feel anything and after your video i think i know why. i would have loved to have more depth in the main characters: WHY are they this way. What are their thoughtprocesses? What made Kanako so numb to violence instead of scared? Are people born violent or are they made violent by their lives? I thought the former, but Akakazu makes me think the latter is true because they simply won't show his thought process. I can assume all I want with the scenes the information they present, but it's simply too little information for me. Now I know it's based on a book, I feel like the book will provide better insight to the story. I'm happy its my first movie of Nakashima though, because I had such low standards after this movie, Kamikaze Girls simply blew me away.

[@ahgababy]

@@STEIN470 Ahh i forgot he was on the schizophrenic spectrum which explains a lot. It indeed a very heavy movie with a lot of graphic violence, but sometimes it felt like they did it just to make the movie more interesting simply because there was no thoughprocess behind most of the actions

[@staycxld]

This movie was a trip! But I love the score.

[@shutendouji3241]

This movie became a fave cuz I was so in love with Komatsu Nana! Just wondering but for some of the details you mentioned re: Kanako getting involved in the forced prostitution ring, was it explicitly stated in the novel that she was doing it for revenge for the guy she loved which snowballed into her screwing over other people and perpetuating that cycle (for her own benefit)? Is the timeline clear in the movie or novel about her coming into the prostitution ring only after he committed suicide?

[@leslierae6416]

Awesome video! I love your take. I’d love to see what your thoughts are about Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Cure.

[@chill-im8sf]

This movie is scary😳😳😳

[@Avirgogirl444]

it’s on Pluto I’ll watch tonight thanks girl !

[@winniethepooh1170]

I thought the guy that committed suicide was one of kanako’s victim

[@RNee-ie9lb]

yeah i am kinda confused too

[@spongebobsquarepants-ne6lc]

He was ..she got him into prostitution

[@pinkbowzntoes017]

after watching this movie, i don't know how to feell...

[@tudormiller887]

😍 Watching from London UK 🇬🇧

[@michaelneville2915]

I am becoming a big fan of Japanese drama. Have come across some really catchy films. Dark is a term relative to many. I watched one movie that had me wanting to walk away from it only to be mesmerized by the final scenes that bought it all together. Can’t remember the name of it.

[@Genti-yg5fk]

good movie but Kanako should have stayed alive until the end so she could see what damage she had done

[@sojesusabe]

great video

[@JeffreyDeCristofaro]

Yeah, saying this movie is "NOT for everyone" is a severe understatement. I certainly think movies like this SHOULD exist especially if they are about something that needs to be shown and openly discussed - especially if based on real-world issues - but not everyone will be privy to their content and the meaning behind it all. As much as I TRULY am a devout fan of Japanese cinema in particular and highly controversial films in general - including even the most depraved films of the 60's, 70's and 80's subgenres of yakuza, revenge, pinky violence and Roman Porno, and several select anime/hentai - this one even I had a hard time trying to stomach. I think that the deliberately nihilistic nature of the main story, events and characters may have made the first watch way more than enough in my book. While the film is admittedly powerful and aims more to present a side of human nature that most people choose to avoid yet need to admit and confront, the tone makes it hard to swallow what is already a bitter pill. Even the scenes where something disturbing is depicted in a merely suggestive/implied manner are just as infinitely as appalling as those FAR more explicit.

[@TOURGRLXOXO]

Yo I have a fear for Japan. I ANIT ever finna last a day 😭

[@RenJohmson]

This what i be telling my friends she wants to take a trip to japan. And im like girl have you ever heard of the urban legends dude i didn't even know Japan had gangs and shi

[@whirlwindyoh9870]

I don't agree though that she loved his best friend. The way I see Kanako is that he'll never love a man because of his father.

[@chunellemariavictoriaespan8752]

6:49 =Rather she killed it... Who wouldn't? Dad got screwed her and her only love torn away... What's the use of a heart if it's Shattered multiple times?

[@mind_dump]

I just want to say absolutely spectacular movie. It speaks about a lot of different things that are actually happening till this day especially the age of consent in Asian countries. Example for Japan it is 14 and also being put out of the orphanage is 14. So most of the teenagers are forced into flag gangs where then they have to fend for themselves since they cannot get a job. And the laws have not changed. Almost like the Hello Kitty case. Bravo to the plot, also the cast.

[@brandonmorel2658]

Totally love seeing other interpretations of movies in KZbin. My view of Kanako is less charitable, I just thought she was born bad and that Kanako's entire scheme was a way of getting back at her father who is also a sociopath but didn't cause her to become this way. My favorite scene is when the Detective learns that he beat his daughter to almost death and that he might, maybe have raped her, it's a very impactful scene since his exact relationship with Kanako is left ambiguous up that point. The actor's contortions, heaves and groans are not subtle, but the pacing makes it so the entire thing is really painful for the viewer. Also, is Kanako really a victim when she was trafficking sex slaves way and driving people into suicide way before the daddy issues thing? Anyways, overall it is a pretty great movie.

[@Solitary_Scribe55]

This is very much in line with my interpretation. Mental disorders are often hereditary, contrary to popular belief/misconception. To me, after a dozen or so views, the cryptic flashbacks etc. strongly suggest that Kanako is a born sociopath. In the scenes where Akikazu is shown to assault her, Kanako seems to be already unhinged. This may be one possible reason why Akikazu loves AND hates her, wants to save AND destroy her. Because she is a mirror of himself. Disturbed people often harm others in place of harming themselves. Kanako and Akikazu cannot co-exist because they are essentially the same brand of evil. Having said that, prostituting kids to pedos is on another level compared to anything that Akikazu does in the movie, IMO. Ultimately, Kanako is a villain amongst villains. Personally I was glad that the teacher killed her.

[@spongebobsquarepants-ne6lc]

​@@Solitary_Scribe55true..she was bad nonetheless..she didn't had anything bad happened to her she did bad things to people that's it ..I glad she was killed ..

[@spongebobsquarepants-ne6lc]

He didn't rape his daughter there was no sign of that happening..in fact it was her who started kissing him that's what made him angry and he attempted to kill her that's it ..

[@waffles9771]

​@@spongebobsquarepants-ne6lcThere is a brief scene of the dad raping Kanako, its really quick so you wont really notice otherwise.

[@vikingfromnorth45]

He did rape her in the novel and we see it briefly

[@Домин-с8ц]

Huh reminds me of my ex, maniacal laugh, bangs and all.

[@chunellemariavictoriaespan8752]

10:39 =Ryan Vergara right there...

[@kuya8329]

How do you find movies like this?

[@imoanlearsi-ekid7828]

You can watch it right now on youtube. Just search the title. Try to get to it quick because they usually get taken down after a while kzbin.info/www/bejne/joKWlpmqh8hrl9k

[@om3g4z3r0]

Are you sure this movie is good? Jp movies post Kurosawa tends to be prime time shit, i am scared of wasting my time.

[@redefinedliving5974]

Ugly af movie

[@BOO-wh1hr]

then why even watch the vid 💀

[@redefinedliving5974]

@@BOO-wh1hr uh bc i watched the movie?

[@phlasaban]

how can a movie be "ugly af" ?💀

[@leasagna2202]

The movie is not supposed to be pretty

[@moniqtl]

Yeah no shit it's supposed to be dark and unexpected