Inugami (2001)

Akira, the young new schoolteacher in town falls for secretive Miki, an older woman who takes care of her family's urn that supposedly holds a forest wolf-spirit, inugami. People soon start disappearing and the town blames Akira.

Director:

Masato Harada

Writers:

Masako Bando (novel), Masato Harada

Stars:

Yûki Amami, Atsuro Watabe, Eugene Harada

6 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Yûki Amami	...	Miki Bonomiya
Atsuro Watabe	...	Akira Nutahara
Eugene Harada	...	Seiji Doi
Shiho Fujimura	...	Tomie Bonomiya
Kazuhiro Yamaji	...	Takanao
Kanako Fukaura	...	Momoyo Bonomiya
Shion Machida	...	Sonoko Bonomiya
Ken'ichi Yajima	...	Michio Bonomiya
Masato Irie	...	Hirofumi Bonomiya
Makoto Togashi	...	Hide Ishiyama - the Nurse
Torahiko Hamada	...	Old Man in Black
Miyû Watase	...	Rika Bonomiya
Keiko Awaji	...	Katsuko Doi
Kôichi Satô	...	Mimoto, the Hunter
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Rie Ino'o

Storyline

Akira, a teacher from Tokyo, has just arrived in a small rural town to begin his new job. Soon after arriving, he meets, and begins to fall for, Miki, a papermaker and part of a large and unusual family. When he learns of an ancient legend that the family carries the curse of the Inugami, or Dog God, he brushes it off as silly superstition. After a series of mysterious deaths, however, the townspeople begin to grow restless, and Akira must confront the truth about Miki and her family.

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Plot Keywords:

mother son sex | death | legend | curse | pregnant by incest | 

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller | Fantasy | Romance

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

27 January 2001 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Inugami - Die Verfluchten

Company Credits

Production Co:

Asmik Ace Entertainment, Inugami Production Group

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

OVERTURE
(from LA FORZA DEL DESTINO)
Music by Giuseppe Verdi

User Reviews

Fascinating drama of superstitions in the computer age

This is a drama-fantasy about two Bonomiya families in the computer age, shunned by villagers because of the legendary curse of the Inugami (wild dog deities), supposedly borne by the women. It focuses on gentle spinster Miki Bonomiya (Yuki Amami). Her mother Tomiè (Shiho Fujimura) quietly/firmly rules the 'lower home'. She and surly/Internet-wise brother Takanao (Kazuhiro Yamaji) are strong believers of the curse. Miki and her younger sister Rika (Myu Watase) refute the curse. Takanao's oft-battered wife Sonoko (Shion Machida) and their children are innocent bystanders. Seiji Doi (Eugene Harada), from the 'main home', firmly sides with Miki.

Dramatic changes occur after a new teacher Akira Nutahara (Atsuro Watabe) meets Miki. He is entranced by her skill in fine paper-making (for calligraphy) and her placid beauty. Miki becomes suddenly youthful and sensuous as they begin a passionate affair. Villagers begin to gossip about their affair. Then, tension mounts as tragedies in the village are blamed on the curse of Inugami and long-hidden secrets, involving Miki and Takanao, are slowly revealed. The culmination is the annual ancestral Shinto rites in which Takanao decides on Miki as the human sacrifice to appease the dog deities.

Yuki Amami played the male roles in the decades-famous all-women Takarazuka Revue.