Kuro

Kuro, Airi Kido once dreamed of becoming a baker but was fired from a bakery, leaving her at a crossroads and seeking a fresh start. Eito, Yu Saitoh, a photographer, has just broken up with Nana, Wakana Matsumoto, the woman he believed he would marry. Gou, Hideo Nakaizumi, a stage producer, is in trouble after missing a main actress. These three strangers, who seem to share little in common, hurry out of Tokyo and meet by chance, eventually fleeing to a deserted hotel near the sea to hide from their lives and figure out their next steps. At first, they are distant and indifferent, but over time they begin to form a quiet, fragile camaraderie, learning to coexist in a life that feels carefree yet guarded.

Gou starts writing a screenplay with Kuro as the leading actress, and Kuro finds herself drawn to Eito, who is still haunted by the bitter memory of his ex-girlfriend. The trio’s feelings stay compartmentalized, drifting along separate currents as they navigate attraction, loyalty, and the ache of what might have been. Then Momo, a schoolgirl (played by Miwako Wagatsuma), appears and, though her stay is brief, she unsettles the unconscious triangle and nudges the group toward small, hopeful changes that push them toward a deeper, more honest bond.

A visit to the house where Kuro spent her childhood becomes a turning point. Gou completes his script and asks Kuro to take the leading role, but Kuro feels a widening distance from Eito and ultimately leaves the hotel. The triangle dissolves, and the trio returns to their ordinary lives, each carrying the imprint of this encounter. Yet something has shifted: their daily routines feel brighter, and the experience lingers in how they approach work, think about themselves, and relate to others.

Everything in their daily lives seems newly minted because of this collision of paths, and the influence of their brief time together reshapes their perspectives and intentions. The film’s approach reinforces its emotional core: dialogue is kept to a minimum, diegetic music from live performances and the radio anchors the soundtrack, and each scene unfolds in one long take to foreground the characters’ mental and emotional distances. The director gives the characters numeric names—Gou Five, Kuro Six, Nana Seven, and Eito Eight—emphasizing a cool, almost clinical framing of a story built around a vibrant ensemble of young adults.

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 10:22