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The Mole Song: Final (2021) movie poster

Timeline

The Mole Song: Final (2021) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2021 · 129 mins · Japanese
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Directed by
Takashi Miike
Starring
Ken'ichi Endô, Sarutoki Minagawa, Mitsuru Fukikoshi, Shin'ichi Tsutsumi, Riisa Naka, Karen Takizawa

Reiji’s final mission is to prevent the smuggling of 600 billion yen of drugs. For his mission, he gets on luxury passenger ship and he faces his strongest enemy to date.

Comedy Action Crime Cast, crew & box office
On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (12)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like The Mole Song: Final
  6. 6 Every angle
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12 events in order · contains spoilers

The Mole Song: Final Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The Mole Song: Final (2021) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Undercover assignment activated

    Reiji Kikukawa, known as The Mole, discovers that Shuho Todoroki plans to buy 10 tons of amphetamines disguised as pasta from the Italian Guillotina Family led by Don Razza. He is ordered by the police to monitor the deal and arrest Shuho at the moment of transfer. This mission will delay Reiji's return to normal life and his marriage proposal to Junna.

    When
    Before the deal
    Where
    Police HQ, Tokyo

  2. The mission tightens Reiji's personal timeline

    The police assign Reiji to intercept the handoff, forcing him to sacrifice his personal timeline for the operation. The assignment promises a high-stakes capture that could define his career. He accepts, knowing his future with Junna hinges on the outcome.

    When
    Pre-deal
    Where
    Police HQ, Tokyo

  3. Leo arrives to close the deal on the ship

    During the handoff, Shuho's son Leo arrives to perform the deal in place of his father. The target remains a container of 10 tons of amphetamines disguised as pasta, ready to move across the sea on the Costa Firenze.

    When
    During the deal
    Where
    Costa Firenze

  4. Shuho is aboard Costa Firenze

    Reiji realizes Shuho is aboard the Costa Firenze, a vessel sailing under an Italian flag that cannot be searched by Japanese police. This complicates the operation, forcing a plan to board and arrest him at sea.

    When
    During the deal
    Where
    Costa Firenze

  5. Reiji boards the ship; Junna on a parallel cruise

    Reiji makes his way onto the Costa Firenze to close the net, while Junna is on a separate singles' cruise to forget about him. The parallel journeys heighten the tension as the pursuit moves from dock to deck.

    When
    During the deal
    Where
    Costa Firenze

  6. Masaya's assassination attempt on Shuho

    Masaya Hiura, also known as Crazy Papillon, attempts to shoot Shuho Todoroki to wipe out rivals in the drug trade. Reiji's priority is to keep Shuho alive so he can be arrested, leading him to intervene when Masaya draws his weapon.

    When
    During the deal
    Where
    Costa Firenze

  7. The mole's confession halts the attacker

    To stop Masaya, Reiji reveals that he has been Shuho's mole and ally for their entire friendship. The revelation destabilizes Masaya and buys time for the arrest operation. The mood shifts from pursuit to a tense confession on the ship.

    When
    During the confrontation
    Where
    Costa Firenze

  8. Shuho Todoroki is arrested

    Shuho Todoroki is arrested alive as law enforcement closes in aboard the Costa Firenze. The planned shipment is thwarted as officers secure the suspect and seize evidence.

    When
    End of the deal
    Where
    Costa Firenze

  9. Masaya continues his anti-drug crusade

    Masaya continues his crusade against drug-dealing yakuza members, pursuing the war on the drug trade even after Shuho's arrest. His vigilantism clashes with formal law enforcement and hints at ongoing conflicts within the underworld.

    When
    Post-arrest
    Where
    Urban Japan

  10. Reiji returns to the police force

    Reiji returns to the police force, resuming his official duties after the high-stakes operation. The mission ends with him back in the system, though the experience lingers as a personal turning point.

    When
    Post-arrest
    Where
    Police HQ

  11. Junna's promotion reshapes their dynamic

    Junna is promoted and becomes Reiji's superior, reshaping their professional dynamic. They navigate the new power structure while continuing to coordinate their roles within the police.

    When
    Post-promotion
    Where
    Police HQ

  12. Aftermath: the network's disruption

    The 10-ton amphetamine shipment is halted at sea, and Shuho's network is disrupted by the arrest. While Masaya's crusade persists, the immediate drug pipeline is broken and Reiji's identity as a mole is revealed to alter their future work.

    When
    Aftermath
    Where
    Sea / Offshore

Last updated: February 10, 2026 at 08:32

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Timeline questions answered

The Mole Song: Final Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The Mole Song: Final (2021): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why can't Japanese police search the Costa Firenze ship?

The Costa Firenze sails under an Italian flag, which means Japanese authorities have no jurisdiction to board and search the vessel. This international legal constraint forces Reiji to physically board the ship himself rather than simply waiting for a warrant that would never come.

  • costa firenze
  • italian flag
  • jurisdiction
  • ship search
  • japanese police
Q2

Why does Reiji reveal his identity as a mole to Masaya?

When Masaya Hiura (Crazy Papillon) attempts to shoot Shuho, Reiji must stop him to ensure Shuho survives long enough for a lawful arrest. By revealing he has been Shuho's mole and ally all along, Reiji destabilizes Masaya and prevents him from killing the target, buying crucial time for the police operation.

  • reiji kikukawa
  • mole identity
  • masaya hiura
  • crazy papillon
  • confession
Q3

Why does Masaya want to kill Shuho Todoroki?

Masaya Hiura, nicknamed Crazy Papillon, wages a personal vendetta against yakuza members involved in the drug trade. He attempts to eliminate Shuho as part of his crusade against drug-connected criminals, viewing the yakuza boss as a rival and enemy in his war on narcotics.

  • masaya hiura
  • crazy papillon
  • vendetta
  • drug trade
  • shuho todoroki
Q4

Why is Junna on a singles' cruise during the operation?

Junna Wakaki, Reiji's girlfriend, goes on a singles' cruise to temporarily put thoughts of their complicated relationship behind her. The mission timing forces Reiji to sacrifice his personal life, and Junna attempts to move forward by distancing herself from the uncertainty of his dangerous undercover work.

  • junna wakaki
  • singles cruise
  • relationship
  • reiji kikukawa
Q5

What role does Leo play in the drug deal?

Leo, Shuho Todoroki's son, arrives at the Costa Firenze to finalize the transaction in place of his father. His involvement raises the stakes and forces Reiji to improvise, as dealing with the son rather than the senior yakuza boss creates additional complications for the arrest operation.

  • leo todoroki
  • drug deal
  • shuho todoroki
  • son
  • arrest
Q6

Why does Junna get promoted to become Reiji's supervisor?

After the operation concludes, Junna receives a promotion that elevates her to a supervisory role over Reiji within the police force. This promotion reshapes their professional dynamic, creating a new power structure they must navigate as both partners and colleagues.

  • junna wakaki
  • promotion
  • supervisor
  • police force
  • dynamic
Q7

What happens to the 10 tons of amphetamines?

The shipment of 10 tons of amphetamines, disguised as pasta, is thwarted at sea aboard the Costa Firenze. The police successfully halt the drug pipeline and secure the evidence during Shuho's arrest, disrupting the yakuza's major narcotics operation.

  • 10 tons
  • amphetamines
  • pasta
  • shipment
  • drugs
  • seized
Q8

Why does Reiji accept the mission instead of proposing to Junna?

Reiji accepts the undercover assignment because the police specifically designed the mission to derail his return to normal life and threaten his long-awaited marriage proposal. His duty as a police officer requires him to prioritize the high-stakes capture of Shuho over his personal plans, sacrificing his timeline with Junna for the operation.

  • reiji kikukawa
  • proposal
  • mission
  • junna
  • police duty
Q9

How does Reiji manage to board the Costa Firenze?

Reiji physically makes his way onto the Costa Firenze despite the jurisdictional complications. Since Japanese police cannot legally search an Italian-flagged vessel, he must infiltrate the ship personally to get close enough to Shuho and execute the arrest at sea.

  • reiji kikukawa
  • costa firenze
  • board ship
  • infiltrate
  • arrest
Q10

What happens to Masaya after Shuho's arrest?

After Shuho is arrested, Masaya continues his vigilante crusade against drug-dealing yakuza members. His ongoing war on the drug trade persists even after the immediate operation ends, suggesting continued conflict between his methods and formal law enforcement.

  • masaya hiura
  • crazy papillon
  • vigilante
  • drug crusade
  • yakuza

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Mole Song: Final, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Mole Song: Final tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Absurdist Action-Comedies like The Mole Song: Final

High-energy comedies where outrageous action meets quirky humor. If you enjoyed the flamboyant chaos of The Mole Song: Final, explore more movies that blend high-energy action with quirky, absurdist humor. These films offer a similar vibe of lighthearted fun and outrageous scenarios.

  • humorous
  • action-packed
  • quirky
  • lighthearted
  • energetic
  • absurd
  • Tone: light, whimsical
  • Pacing: fast
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread typically follow eccentric protagonists entangled in larger-than-life situations, where the plot serves as a vehicle for comedic set pieces and character-driven humor rather than intense drama. The focus is on delivering constant entertainment through a fast-paced, often ridiculous, chain of events.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped together because they share a core commitment to comedy first, using action and crime elements as a backdrop for humor. They feature a consistently light tone, fast pacing, and a focus on energetic, absurd fun over serious stakes.

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1955
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1990
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Going Overboard

1989
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Comedic Undercover Caper Movies like The Mole Song: Final

Hilarious missions where undercover agents navigate absurd criminal worlds. Fans of The Mole Song: Final will enjoy these films featuring bumbling or flamboyant undercover operatives. Discover similar movies with masquerades, chaotic investigations, and a lighthearted take on crime stories.

  • undercover
  • masquerade
  • quirky
  • investigation
  • chaotic
  • humorous
  • Tone: light, playful
  • Pacing: fast
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern revolves around a protagonist living a double life, leading to situations ripe with comedic misunderstanding and the constant threat of exposure. The plot is driven by the agent's attempts to complete their mission while their eccentric personality clashes with the criminal environment, often culminating in a chaotic but ultimately successful resolution.

Why they belong together: These films are connected by the central trope of the undercover operation played for laughs. They combine the tension of maintaining a cover with the absurdity of the situations that arise, resulting in a specific blend of crime, comedy, and character-driven humor.

So Undercover movie poster

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2012
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Undercover Brother

2002
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1993
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2019
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1993
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2010
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2014

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Every angle

The Mole Song: Final (2021) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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