Nightmare Detective

A tormented man who can enter dreams and hear the selfish thoughts of others, revealing hidden motives. He is haunted by the memory of a daughter his wife aborted without his knowledge and struggles to use his power without endangering himself or others. He previously attempted suicide, a crisis that underscores his fragile state as the case unfolds. His journey ties memory, guilt, and inheritance to the police investigation.

A former teacher connected to Kagenuma’s father, whose past actions shape the conflict over inheritance. He appears in the hospital alongside his own death, and his history remains a driving force behind the investigation and the dream-journey that uncovers hidden loyalties. His refusal to help intensifies the tension surrounding family secrets and power. His memory lingers as the clues begin to connect the family’s present with its murky past.

A sharp, prickly lieutenant newly transferred to the district who challenges her colleagues’ casual approach to crime scenes. Her rational stance clashes with the notion of mind invasion, yet she relentlessly pursues a pattern linking the murders. She leads the dream-focused squad and pushes to dial the mysterious number, risking her own psyche to uncover the truth. Her resolve drives the investigation toward supernatural explanations.

Represents the conventional, procedure-based mindset and often mocks Kirishima’s discomfort at gruesome scenes. He remains skeptical of supernatural explanations, emphasizing a rational approach to the case. His stance creates a contrast with the dream-focused methods, highlighting the tension between empirical police work and the film’s dream logic.

A steady colleague who leads the second squad pursuing supernatural explanations. He volunteers to enter the dream world and is drawn into its peril, ultimately meeting a fatal fate within the dream realm. His courage and sacrifice underscore the stakes of bridging dream and reality for the sake of justice.

The enigmatic predator who invades minds to satisfy a growing hunger for killing. He explains that the rush of entering another’s thoughts fuels his murderous cycle, a hunger that blurs the line between dream and waking life. A buried memory—the sister who dies in a furnace—reveals the origin of his compulsion and the dark roots of his crimes.