Dodes’ka-den

A boy who lives in a fantasy world where he drives a trolley along a fixed route, chanting dodeska-den. His obsession with the trolley earns him the label 'trolley freak' from locals, while his mother worries he might be mentally challenged. The character embodies the collision between imagination and a brutal social reality.

A devoted hairbrush maker who shoulders the burden of supporting many children from his wife Misao’s affairs. He remains remarkably steadfast and loving, illustrating quiet resilience amid infidelity and hardship.

A sage-like chasework silversmith who helps people in need and speaks with calm, understanding words. He disarms danger and offers guidance, serving as a moral anchor within the town.

A man with a tic who defends his outwardly unpleasant wife. His stubborn loyalty masks a capacity for care, showing complexity in a relationship tested by hardship and social judgment.

A resident whose presence highlights the tangled relationships and unspoken histories within the shantytown, contributing to the film’s intricate social web of obligation and desire.

A mute girl who is raped by her alcoholic uncle, becomes pregnant, and triggers a cascade of turmoil. Her act and its consequences reveal the vulnerability and peril faced by individuals in the dump.

A warm-hearted shopworker whose tenderness toward Katsuko offers a rare, humane counterpoint to the town’s brutality. He embodies a glimmer of decency amid chaos.