Creepy

Creepy

Year: 2016

Runtime: 130 min

Language: Japanese

Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa

MysteryThrillerHorror

A former detective, haunted by a past case, is drawn back into investigating a disturbing new mystery. As he explores the unsettling events, he finds unsettling similarities to his previous ordeal. The investigation is complicated by a peculiar neighbor whose presence creates a growing sense of unease and paranoia, blurring the lines between what’s real and what’s imagined.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Creepy yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline & Setting – Creepy (2016)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Creepy (2016). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Suburban Japanese neighborhood, Koichi's home, Nishino's residence, Mizuta's house, Tanaka residence, University setting, Abandoned building

The story unfolds in a quiet Japanese suburb where Koichi and Yasuko start a new life near a university. Key locations include the neighbors' houses and Nishino's enigmatic residence, which harbors a hidden chamber central to the plot. The university setting and an abandoned building frame the investigation, revealing how ordinary spaces can conceal danger.

🏡 Suburban 🔎 Mystery 🎓 Academic setting 🗝️ Hidden secrets

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 19:42

Main Characters – Creepy (2016)

Meet the key characters of Creepy (2016), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Koichi Takakura

A former profiler who resigns after an injury and becomes a university lecturer in criminal psychology. He is methodical, sharp, and relentlessly analytical, pushing through danger to uncover the truth. His loyalty to Yasuko drives him to confront Nishino despite personal risk.

🧭 Ex-profiler 🔍 Investigator 💪 Resilient

Yasuko Takakura

A devoted wife who tries to befriend their neighbors but gradually falls under Nishino's influence. Her behavior becomes erratic as the brainwashing takes hold, yet she shows moments of strength and resilience. She plays a central role in resisting the impostor's control and protecting her family.

👩 Wife 💫 Adaptive 😟 Vulnerable

Masayuki Nishino

A cold impostor who moves from family to family, brainwashing them with drugs and deception. He uses charm to mask a violent and controlling nature, moving on as soon as his current lie is exposed. His ultimate goal appears to be subjugating another family and claiming their loyalty.

🧠 Manipulator 💊 Drug-based control 🗝️ Impostor

Mio

Presented as Nishino’s supposed daughter, Mio is under his psychological grip and initially claims he is not her father. She shows signs of internal conflict and resistance, becoming a catalyst for the confrontation against Nishino. Her reactions help reveal the depth of the brainwashing.

👧 Daughter 🧠 Brainwashed 🫂 Conflicted

Saki Honda

A former witness whose memory is unreliable, making it hard to reconstruct the events surrounding the family’s disappearance. Her inability to recall crucial details creates tension and underscores the danger of basing conclusions on incomplete recollections. She remains a potential key to unlocking the truth if her memory returns.

👩 Witness 🧩 Unreliable memory 🔑 Clue

Nogami

A former police colleague who urges Koichi to help probe the cold case. He participates in interviews and exploration, but is drawn into Nishino’s influence when invited inside the suspect’s home. He represents a bridge between professional investigation and personal danger.

👮 Detective 🤝 Ally 🔎 Analytical

Lieutenant Tanimoto

An older police lieutenant who provides crucial information about the bodies found in the wreckage. He supports Koichi but is ultimately overwhelmed by Nishino’s deception during the pursuit. His involvement marks a turning point in the examination of the case.

👮 Lieutenant 🕰️ Veteran 🧭 Methodical

Mrs. Tanaka

A neighbor whose bed-ridden mother is part of the tight-knit but tense community. The Tanaka household becomes a casualty of Nishino’s manipulation, culminating in a deadly explosion that exposes the danger lurking behind familiar faces.

👵 Neighbor 🌬️ Cold demeanor 🗝️ Reserved

Max

The Takakura’s family dog, a loyal companion who remains a constant in the household amid the growing tension. Max's presence underscores the contrast between innocent domestic life and the claustrophobic danger of Nishino’s scheme. In the film’s conclusion, Mio shares a moment of celebration with Max and the family.

🐶 Dog 🫶 Loyal 🌈 Hope

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 19:42

Major Themes – Creepy (2016)

Explore the central themes of Creepy (2016), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🧠 Brainwashing

Nishino’s method of controlling people through drugs blurs lines between victim and accomplice. The film probes how autonomy can be eroded within a family unit. It questions the price of protection when truth becomes weaponized.

🔎 Investigation

Koichi and Nogami push to uncover a cold case while memory gaps from Saki Honda complicate the search for truth. Discoveries in the Mizuta house and the hidden chamber drive the mystery forward. Misleading memories and careful deduction create tension as the characters chase real answers.

🤝 Family & Trust

The film tests the strength of family bonds under manipulation and fear. Koichi and Yasuko must relearn trust and coordinate against Nishino’s control. The ending emphasizes solidarity and the restoration of agency for Mio and the others.

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 19:42

Mobile App Preview

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Sign up to be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private — always.

Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Thrillers with threatening neighbors like in Creepy

Thrillers where the most terrifying threat lives just next door.If you liked the unsettling dynamic with Nishino in Creepy, explore these movies where a neighbor becomes the source of intense paranoia and danger. These films share themes of home invasion, psychological manipulation, and the terrifying realization that evil is closer than you think.

paranoidclaustrophobicsuspensefulunsettlinganxiousoppressivepsychological threat

Narrative Summary

These narratives typically begin with a seemingly ordinary or eccentric neighbor, whose behavior gradually escalates from odd to sinister. The protagonists' sense of safety and privacy erodes as they uncover the neighbor's true, often violent, nature, forcing a confrontation that blurs the lines between domestic life and a survival thriller.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread are grouped by their shared core premise: the home as an unsafe sanctuary. They excel at building localized, intimate dread and paranoia, focusing on the psychological horror of realizing a familiar, everyday figure is a profound threat.

Slow burn psychological thrillers like Creepy

Stories where quiet tension builds into suffocating psychological horror.For fans of the methodical tension in Creepy, this list features movies that master the art of the slow burn. These similar thrillers use steady pacing to build unsettling atmospheres, psychological depth, and a powerful, lingering sense of dread rather than fast-paced action.

slow burnunsettlingsuspensefulpsychologicalanxiousoppressivemethodicaldread

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a gradual accumulation of disturbing details and events. The pacing is deliberate, allowing the viewer to sit with the growing anxiety alongside the characters. The focus is often on psychological unraveling and the erosion of reality, leading to a climax that feels both devastating and inevitable.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by their patient, atmospheric approach to horror and suspense. They prioritize mood over plot speed, creating a deeply immersive and mentally taxing experience where the tension comes from a sustained, unsettling vibe rather than rapid-fire events.

Unlock the Full Story of Creepy

Don't stop at just watching — explore Creepy in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Creepy is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Creepy Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Creepy, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Creepy Summary

Creepy Timeline

Track the full timeline of Creepy with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Creepy Timeline

Creepy Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Creepy that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Creepy Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Creepy

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Creepy: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Creepy