Pulse

"Do you want to meet a ghost?"

2001 1h 59m JA

👍

6.7

SOLID

★6.7TMDB · 737

HorrorThrillerMystery

Synopsis

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In the immense city of Tokyo, the darkness of the afterlife lures some of its inhabitants desperately trying to escape the sadness and isolation of the modern world.

“Do you want to meet a ghost?”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Kumiko Aso
Michi kudo
Haruhiko Kato
Ryosuke Kawashima
Koyuki
Harue Karasawa
Kurume Arisaka
Junko Sasano
Masatoshi Matsuo
Toshio Yabe
Shinji Takeda
Yoshizaki
Kenji Mizuhashi
Taguchi
Shun Sugata
Boss

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Writers: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Languages: Japanese
Countries: Japan

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 1% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

25 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, shot by Junichiro Hayashi. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Takefumi Haketa. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Hani Mituhashi shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Kumiko Aso and Haruhiko Kato and Koyuki carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Do you want to meet a ghost?".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0286751 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Kiyoshi Kurosawa directs. Junichiro Hayashi behind the camera. Takefumi Haketa scores. Hani Mituhashi cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 1% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
225 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, shot by Junichiro Hayashi. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Takefumi Haketa. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Hani Mituhashi shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Kumiko Aso and Haruhiko Kato and Koyuki carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Do you want to meet a ghost?".
8IMDB entry: tt0286751 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 23 themes, including "depression", "suicide", "isolation", "afterlife".

The technical file

Cinematography: Junichiro Hayashi
Original score: Takefumi Haketa
Editing: Hani Mituhashi
Production design: Tomoyuki Maruo
VFX supervisor: Shûji Asano
Runtime: 119 min · 1h 59m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $25,000,000
Box office: $318,451
Return: 1% of budget
Original language: JA
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Pulse (2001)

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Kiyoshi Kurosawa

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Alunauwie2026-02-28
★ 7/10
Pulse, directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, turns the internet into a gateway for restless spirits, crafting a slow-burning horror about isolation and existential emptiness. Through two loosely connected storylines, the film builds quiet dread as characters confront disappearances and a spreading sense of emotional void, though uneven transitions and occasional narrative gaps weaken its flow. More than a ghost story, it stands as a melancholic reflection on loneliness in the digital age, lingering through mood rather than clear answers. Read the full review here: (Indonesian version : alunauwie.com) and (English version : uwiepuspita.com)

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