The Empire of Corpses

The Empire of Corpses

Year: 2015

Runtime: 120 mins

Language: Japanese

Director: Ryotaro Makihara

HorrorAnimationThriller

In 19th century Europe, John Watson is recruited by the government to become a clandestine agent. He discovers a world where "Frankensteins"—reanimated corpses given a semblance of life—are employed as laborers to fuel industrial advancements. As Watson navigates his new role, he uncovers the dark implications of this unsettling practice and the potential consequences of humanity's ambition.

Dark
Bittersweet ending
Emotionally heavy
High intensity
Fast pacing
Complex story

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen The Empire of Corpses 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 – The Empire of Corpses (2015)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Empire of Corpses (2015). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

18th–19th centuries

The story begins in an alternate 18th-century Britain where reanimation experiments redefine life and death. By the 19th century, corpses power a labor force and are integrated with mechanized thought through the Analytical Engine. The plot traces a global chase—from Kabul to Tokyo to San Francisco—before a climactic struggle over soul, autonomy, and forbidden knowledge.

Location

Britain, Kabul, Khyber Pass, Tokyo, San Francisco, Tower of London, Traitors' Gate, USS Richmond

The narrative unfolds in an alternate 18th-century Britain where controversial necro-science reshapes labor and society. Frontier zones appear in Kabul and the Khyber Pass as corpses are upgraded and tested against human sovereignty. Key hubs span Tokyo and San Francisco, with the Tower of London and Traitors' Gate underscoring high-stakes politics while the USS Richmond carries the protagonists across oceans.

🗺️ Alternate History 🧪 Science Fiction 🏰 British Empire ⚓ Naval Frontier

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 06:27

Main Characters – The Empire of Corpses (2015)

Meet the key characters of The Empire of Corpses (2015), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Hadaly Lilith (Kana Hanazawa)

An artificial lifeform who can influence corpses through sound and possesses a longing for a true soul. Her loyalty wavers between Watson’s mission and her own survival, making her a pivotal force in the ethical debates surrounding the Necroware project.

🤖 Artificial Intelligence 🗣️ Voice & Autonomy 🧭 Soul Quest

Friday (Ayumu Murase)

Watson’s resurrected friend whose restored memories bring both hope and danger. His revived existence is haunted by violence and instability, challenging Watson to balance restoration with safety.

🧠 Memory 🧨 Violence 🕊️ Identity

Nikolai Krasotkin (Daiki Yamashita)

A Russian corpse engineer whose upgrade is forcibly performed, illustrating the coercive power behind necro-technology. His fate underscores the cost of advancement and the fragility of loyalty.

🧭 Frontier 🧪 Technology 🧩 Loyalty

John H. Watson (Yoshimasa Hosoya)

A medical student and aspiring corpse engineer who pushes into forbidden science. His brilliance comes with moral complexity, driving the plot while testing the boundaries between discovery and danger.

🧠 Science 🕯️ Morality 🧬 Innovation

Frederick Barnaby (Frederick Barnaby) (Taiten Kusunoki)

Captain and loyal bodyguard, steadfast and protective. He anchors the group with practical judgment and steadiness amid escalating peril.

🛡️ Loyalty 🗺️ Leadership ⚔️ Courage

M (Akio Otsuka)

Shadowy British Secret Service figure who seeks The Memorandum to weaponize Frankenstein’s work. His manipulation and strategic mind push the plot toward an ethics-tinted war for control of knowledge.

🕵️ Power 🧭 Strategy 🔒 Secrecy

Ulysses Grant (Koji Ishii)

Former U.S. President and political figure whose ally Hadaly becomes entwined with high-level geopolitics. His faction’s actions shape the international stakes of the necro-reanimation era.

🏛️ Politics 🕊️ Diplomacy 🌐 Global Influence

Alexei Karamazov (Shin-ichiro Miki)

A Russian corpse engineer hiding in Kabul with fragments of forbidden research. His intellect and secrets drive crucial turns in the search for The Memorandum.

🧠 Genius 🗝️ Secrets 🧭 Hidden Knowledge

Seigo Yamazawa (Jiro Saito)

An Imperial Japanese Army officer who joins the mission, representing the shifting alliances across the globe in this necro-ruled world.

🎖️ Military 🗺️ Alliance 🧭 Strategy

Sherlock Holmes (Yoshimitsu Takasugi)

Appears in a post-credits sequence, hinting at future investigations and the ongoing struggle between intellect and power in a world where minds can be merged.

🕵️ Detective 🧠 Intellect 🔮 Foreshadowing

The One (Takayuki Sugo)

Frankenstein’s original creation, now more intelligent than ever, who seeks to fuse primordial minds into a single, true human consciousness.

🧠 Mastery 🕳️ Power 🌌 Collective Mind

Thomas Edison (Kouji Takeda)

Inventor figure tied to rapid technological progress and the mechanization of thought. He embodies the era’s faith in science to solve humanity’s limits.

💡 Invention 🧪 Innovation 🧭 Progress

Moneypenny (Houko Kuwashima)

A secretary-like figure operating in the shadows of power, contributing to the web of political intrigue surrounding The Memorandum.

🗝️ Shadow Role 🧭 Influence 🧩 Intrigue

Narrator (Issei Futamata)

Provides framing for the epic voyage and the moral questions at the heart of resurrecting life and mind.

🎙️ Narration 🧭 Framing 🗺️ Overview

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 06:27

Major Themes – The Empire of Corpses (2015)

Explore the central themes of The Empire of Corpses (2015), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🧬 Reanimation

A controversial science pushes the boundaries of life and death through Necroware and revived beings. The work prompts questions about whether a programmed soul can be truly autonomous or merely a tool. As memories and personalities surface, the line between creator and creation becomes ethically fraught.

🧠 Consciousness

Consciousness is treated as a process shaped by memory, sound, and control. Upgraded corpses exhibit limited but real thought and emotion, challenging notions of agency. The pursuit of a true soul—Hadaly’s longing—drives personal and political conflict, culminating in a struggle over identity.

🌍 Empire & Frontiers

The empire extends into scientific frontiers and contested regions, from Britain to Kabul to Tokyo. The plot pits state power against individual autonomy and the ethics of using corpses as labor and weapons. Technological leaps like the Analytical Engine reframe labor, warfare, and governance across continents.

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 06:27

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.

Gothic Sci-Fi Movies About Existential Dread Like The Empire of Corpses

Blending classic horror aesthetics with futuristic technology to question the soul.If you liked the blend of 19th-century gothic horror and science fiction in The Empire of Corpses, explore more movies that use a dark, atmospheric setting to pose profound questions about life, death, and creation. These stories often feature reanimation, dangerous experiments, and a heavy, philosophical mood.

atmosphericgothicphilosophicaluncannymelancholicsuspensefulthought-provokinggrim

Narrative Summary

Narratives in this thread typically follow a protagonist uncovering a dark scientific secret or conspiracy. The journey is one of revelation, where the initial intrigue gives way to a profound confrontation with the ethical horrors and existential threats unleashed by forbidden knowledge. The plot often involves a race against time to contain a creation that challenges the very definition of life.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here for their unique fusion of a gothic or period horror atmosphere with science fiction concepts. They share a dark, melancholic tone, a focus on philosophical themes like the soul and identity, and a high-intensity plot that grapples with the consequences of technological overreach.

Fast-Paced Philosophical Thrillers Like The Empire of Corpses

Action-packed journeys that force characters to confront heavy moral questions.Fans of The Empire of Corpses who enjoyed its globe-trotting action and dense ethical dilemmas will find similar experiences here. These movies deliver suspense and high stakes while making you think deeply about their dark and complex themes, perfect for viewers who want thrills with intellectual weight.

suspensefulthought-provokinggrimfast-pacedactioncomplexmelancholictense

Narrative Summary

Stories unfold at a rapid pace, with constant action, revelations, and shifting alliances. The protagonist is often an agent or investigator thrown into a conspiracy far larger than they imagined. The external conflict is mirrored by an internal one, as the character's mission becomes a personal crucible, forcing them to make difficult moral choices with far-reaching consequences.

Why These Movies?

These films are connected by their unique balance of a fast, high-intensity plot with a heavy, philosophical core. They maintain a dark tone and complex narrative structure, ensuring the action feels purposeful and the ending often carries a bittersweet or morally ambiguous weight.

Unlock the Full Story of The Empire of Corpses

Don't stop at just watching — explore The Empire of Corpses 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 The Empire of Corpses is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

The Empire of Corpses Summary

Read a complete plot summary of The Empire of Corpses, 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.

The Empire of Corpses Summary

The Empire of Corpses Timeline

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

The Empire of Corpses Timeline

The Empire of Corpses Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of The Empire of Corpses 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.

The Empire of Corpses Spoiler-Free Summary

More About The Empire of Corpses

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about The Empire of Corpses: 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 The Empire of Corpses

Explore More About Movie The Empire of Corpses

The Empire of Corpses (2015) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

The Empire of Corpses (2015) Scene-by-Scene Movie Timeline

The Empire of Corpses (2015) Spoiler-Free Summary & Key Flow