Kodomo Tsukai (2017 Film)

Kodomo Tsukai (Japanese: こどもつかい), released internationally as Innocent Curse, is a 2017 Japanese horror film directed by Takashi Shimizu. The film marks the first lead acting role in a feature film for Hideaki Takizawa.

Plot

The story centers on a series of mysterious deaths occurring in a town where children have gone missing. An urban legend circulates suggesting that any adult who encounters a child who has returned after disappearing will die within three days. Shunya Ezaki, a local newspaper reporter played by Daiki Arioka, begins an investigation into these events. His girlfriend, Nahomi Harada (Mugi Kadowaki), works at a kindergarten and finds herself involved when she takes care of a child whose mother fails to pick him up. The situation escalates with the appearance of a mysterious man, portrayed by Hideaki Takizawa, and the subsequent disappearance of the child under Nahomi's care.

Cast

The film features the following primary cast members:

• Hideaki Takizawa as the Mysterious Man
• Daiki Arioka as Shunya Ezaki
• Mugi Kadowaki as Nahomi Harada
• Haruto Nakano as Ren Kasahara
• Hiroyuki Onoue as Hajime Kondo
• Naomi Nishida as Yoko Komatsu

Production

The film was directed by Takashi Shimizu, known for his contributions to the J-Horror genre. It was produced by Shuhei Akita and Shingo Sekine, with cinematography by Mitsuaki Fujimoto. The film was distributed by Shochiku and released in Japan on June 17, 2017, with a runtime of 111 minutes.