Happyend

"Something big is about to change."

2024 1h 53m JA

👍

6.8

SOLID

★6.8TMDB · 46

DramaScience Fiction

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In a near-future Japanese city bracing for a devastating earthquake, a group of teenage friends navigate personal struggles and fractured bonds amid rising tension.

“Something big is about to change.”

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Cast

Hayato Kurihara
Yūta
Yukito Hidaka
Kō
Yuta Hayashi
Ata-chan
Shina Peng
Ming
ARAZI
Tomu
Kilala Inori
Fumi
Ayumu Nakajima
Okada
Masaru Yahagi
Taira

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Neo Sora
Writers: Neo Sora
Languages: Japanese
Countries: Japan, United States of America, United Kingdom, Singapore

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

ERA

Did you know

Released 2 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 4 countries: Japan, United States of America, United Kingdom, Singapore.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Neo Sora, shot by Bill Kirstein. 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 Lia Ouyang Rusli. 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 Albert Tholen 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

Hayato Kurihara and Yukito Hidaka and Yuta Hayashi carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Something big is about to change.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt29279903 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Neo Sora directs. Bill Kirstein behind the camera. Lia Ouyang Rusli scores. Albert Tholen cuts. Produced in Japan, United States of America, United Kingdom, Singapore. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 2 years ago.
2International production across 4 countries: Japan, United States of America, United Kingdom, Singapore.
3Directed by Neo Sora, shot by Bill Kirstein. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Lia Ouyang Rusli. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Albert Tholen shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Hayato Kurihara and Yukito Hidaka and Yuta Hayashi carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Something big is about to change.".
8IMDB entry: tt29279903 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 46 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
10Classified under 15 themes, including "high school", "male friendship", "earthquake", "coming of age".

The technical file

Cinematography: Bill Kirstein
Original score: Lia Ouyang Rusli
Editing: Albert Tholen
Production design: Norifumi Ataka
Makeup / hair: Junko Hirabayashi
Sound: Miki Nomura
Runtime: 113 min · 1h 53m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Box office: $794,500
Original language: JA
IMDB: Happyend (2024)

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Neo Sora

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2025-06-12
★ 7/10
There’s something quite Orwellian about this futuristic drama set in a Japan living under the threat of a once-in-a-century earthquake that could devastate the place. First to capitalise on this paranoia is the Prime Minister who passes a series of decrees that limit the movement and freedoms of most of the population. This proves especially troublesome for a group of high school students who, after pulling a prank on the principal, find themselves very much in his firing line. Initially their mischief, and their love of music, keeps the group together but when “Yuta” (Hayato Kurihara) and best pal “Kou” (Yukito Hidaka) start to drift apart, the dynamic of the group starts to change. “Yuta” is associating more with the focussed “Fumi” (Kilala Inori) and other students determined to rebel against the increasingly authoritarian regime whilst his pals are enjoying what’s left of their final year. Things come to an head when some of the students stage a sit-in in the principal’s office and the original group of happy-go-lucky mischief makers realise that adulthood is beckoning and there is no going back. The film itself is really nothing much to write home about, but what it attempts to deal with is more interesting: the State relying on a combination of fear and apathy by the general public; professionals who have to play the political game to keep their jobs and improve their school and the gradual realisation amongst hitherto joined-at-the-hip teenagers that they may have to go their separate ways. That’s proving quite a wrench for not just the two boys here, but for some of the others whose hormones are rather uncertainly making their presence felt. The acting and writing is all adequate, nothing really more, but there are some fun scenes to compensate - usually from the kilt-clad “Ata-Chan” (Yûta Hayashi) and some of the expressions on the face of their head teacher (Shirô Sano) raise a smile too. Logistically, I’m not at all sure just how they could ever have carried out their mischief in the first place, but this isn’t really a film that stands too much scrutiny. It’s more of an introductory guide to life when things start to become a little more grown up.
Brent Marchant2026-01-21
★ 6/10
Maturing into adulthood can be difficult enough in itself without the impact of extraneous deleterious circumstances. But, when such conditions are added to the mix, it can make the process mind-boggling for those who lack the wisdom, experience and insights to know how to cope with them on top of everything else they’re already going through. That’s the essential premise underlying the narrative in this latest offering from writer-director Neo Sora. The film presents a coming of age tale set in a version of Tokyo of the near future in which the imminent threat of a mega-earthquake has the population constantly on edge. This scenario is made increasingly volatile by an authoritarian conservative government imposing invasive surveillance and policing measures said be in the interest of public safety but that, coincidentally, are principally targeted at the city’s youth, minorities and protesting activists. The story is told from the perspective of five outspoken, rambunctious high school students approaching graduation (Hayato Kurihara, Yukito Hidaka, Yȗta Hiyashi, Shina Peng, Arazi) as they attempt to make sense of their ever-changing lives, as well as the chaotic environment in which they’re currently living, one that’s precariously on the precipice of sliding into a dystopian future, despite whatever precautions officials are implementing. From this description, it would seem that this foundation should provide the basis for an intriguing picture. However, this intriguing setup aside, “Happyend” frequently comes across as meandering and unfocused. Perhaps the intent behind this approach is to create a storyline innately reflective of the characters’ confused mindsets and baffled outlooks, but it only works for a while before eventually turning tedious and directionless. As a consequence, that leaves viewers wondering what they’re supposed to make of all this. In the film’s defense, this release could be seen as a cautionary tale in light of recent events in our own world, especially where matters of compliance, fear mongering and intolerance toward certain designated segments of society are concerned, an attribute in its favor that should provide us all with ample food for thought. But is that enough to make this project work? I’d contend not, despite whatever sincere intentions may have been in the filmmaker’s mind. We’d be wise to pay attention to the urgency behind the message here, though it likely would have had greater impact if the production had been more sharply focused, especially since the time available to take meaningful steps to prevent the kinds of looming catastrophes depicted here could be running out more quickly than we’d like to believe.