Doppelganger

The story unfolds in Japan, centered on a medical instrument manufacturing company where engineers push the boundaries of assistive robotics. The workplace blends sterile lab spaces with bustling offices, while the protagonist returns to a quiet home life that contrasts with corporate pressures. The setting underscores the divide between professional ambition and personal well-being.

🪞 Duality

The doppelgänger exposes a hidden side of Michio, showing what could happen if fear and ambition were unleashed. The copycat’s confidence contrasts with Michio’s careful restraint, challenging the idea that a single self defines a person's fate. The theme uses mirrored behavior to ask who really controls a life: nature, nurture, or the choices made in the moment. Through this juxtaposition, the narrative explores the fragility of identity under pressure.

🧭 Control

The doppelgänger removes Michio’s stress and reorganizes his life, suggesting control can come at the price of authenticity. By seizing opportunities and acting without hesitation, it exposes what Michio could be if fear were erased. The tension between restraint and boldness drives the plot as the two selves vie for influence over the robotic chair project. The film questions whether true agency comes from within or from letting a parallel self take the lead.

⚙️ Technology and Ethics

The robotics project sits at the intersection of medical aid and corporate ambition, highlighting the ethical grey areas of innovation. As the doppelgänger accelerates progress, questions arise about manipulation, consent, and the cost of breakthroughs. The story uses a clinical setting to probe whether technology serves humanity or if it merely amplifies personal demons. Ultimately, it asks what price a life pays to reach a dream.