Experiencing Interruptions?

TOKYO STRANGE TALE

Neuroscientist Senichi Itabashi decides to test the concept of superhuman ideologies on his own brain, using research materials left by his grandfather from the wartime era. This experiment leads him to see and hear ghosts, yet he struggles to discern whether these visions and voices are genuine or merely figments of his imagination.

Admit this confusion, Ren, a female staff member from his favorite bar, appears before him, though something about her seems off. Upon visiting the bar, he discovers that police have begun investigating her disappearance.

Is Ren truly dead? And if so, who killed her? To verify the outcomes of his experiment and his own senses, Senichi seeks the cooperation of the deceased that appear around him and a medium, delving into the truth behind her death and the identity of the perpetrator.

  • Koichi Ueno
    Director
    Yangon Runway, Dream on Dreamer
  • Koichi Ueno
    Writer
  • Fumitaka Otoguro
    Producer
  • Sayaka Kunii
    Producer
  • Fumitaka Otoguro
    Key Cast
    "Senichi Itabashi"
  • Koichi Ueno
    Photographer
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    僕を呼ぶ声
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Genres:
    Horror, Suspense
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 51 minutes 33 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 15, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    20,000,000 JPY
  • Country of Origin:
    Japan
  • Country of Filming:
    Japan
  • Language:
    Japanese
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Koichi Ueno

Koichi Ueno, born in Yokohama, transitioned from graphic design to directing. He directs music videos, commercials, and TV programs, and played a key role in Fuji-Q Highland’s "Haunted Hospital" attraction. Recently, he’s focused on feature films and is currently working on "Yangon Runway," a Myanmar-Japan co-production that became the final film of Shinichi Chiba.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I had been thinking about happiness. I believe it was because we were under martial law during the widespread outbreak of COVID-19. I spent time contemplating things I wouldn't normally think about, and memories of my mother came to mind. She was a carefree person, always smiling and humming a tune. She used to tell me various old stories to put me to sleep when I was a child. Among them, her account of the Tokyo air raids remains unforgettable.
My mother, who worked at Nippon Oil in Marunouchi, Tokyo, was fortunate enough to escape harm by taking refuge in an underground air-raid shelter. However, when she emerged from the shelter, the sight that greeted her was a ravaged Tokyo. Black smoke rising, rubble everywhere, and the charred remains of bodies as far as the eye could see. The roads were impossible to walk on safely, and of course, the trains had stopped running.
"I had no choice but to walk along the railroad tracks to get home. But the tracks were littered with charred bodies, and I had to step on them to get by. I kept saying, 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry,' as I walked. They were reduced to soot, crumbling under my feet. It was terrifying."
She recounted her journey back to her home in Yokohama with sparkling, innocent eyes, as if it were a tale of adventure. It’s impossible to share the same view of life and death as someone like her, who faced death among those close to her almost daily. While reflecting on these thoughts, perhaps as a form of escapism, this story was born. And so, this parable is indeed a tale "about happiness."