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Director Neo Sora, who previously directed the documentary Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus, presents his narrative film debut with this intricate, mesmerizing and frequently outstanding picture. Produced in collaboration by Anthony Chen, it combines elements of dystopian commentary, teenage story, and academic nightmare. This production merges the spirit of classic teen ensemble stories with British rebellion films, along with a trace memory of stylized biographical drama—though absent the ritual suicide.

An Imaginative Academic Environment

In a high school in a Japanese city in a speculative timeline, learners encounter control by nationalist biases of older generations. Periodic earthquake warnings, and actual earthquakes themselves, produce a widespread air of suppressed panic which the authorities believe justifies a ongoing crackdown. The prime minister regularly asserts that undesirable elements are exploiting the situation of the earthquakes to commit lawlessness.

On campus, there is an barely hidden racist disdain for learners who are from diverse heritages along with those who have nonconformist or dissenting views.

An Act That Triggers Surveillance

On a particular day, the school head becomes enraged to discover that a mischievous individual has positioned his automobile vertically within the school premises, resembling a standing stone. With some reason, he believes the school’s cool-kid gang of troublemakers who have been permitted by liberal teacher a faculty member to gather in the school club area.

Among them are a central character, Fumi, Kou, with Korean roots, an international attendee, African-American student Tom, and nerdy Ata-chan.

A Dystopian Shift

Yet the glowering principal is unable to confirm guilt, and the story does not show exactly who performed the deed or the way it was accomplished. Seeking retribution, he installs a CCTV monitoring and identity scanning technology on campus, called an obvious nod to Jeremy Bentham’s panopticon.

This monitors the students’ every move leading to a significant disruption in the school, reminiscent of group anxiety. This situation is particularly difficult for Yuta and Kou, in their case the invasive monitoring environment could imply while they bravely resist this new oppression, they cannot acknowledge their mutual attraction.

An Ambiguous Ending

This is a movie which deliberately avoids to give us clear storylines, obvious character traits, or direct moral lessons. The strict administrator himself could possibly not be as severe as initially portrayed. It’s a highly aesthetic, contemplative, emotional work in which regular teen heartbreak are just as significant as any political commentary.