Ep. 309: The World of Kanako

Steffan and Gavia review the 2014 crime thriller The World of Kanako, directed by acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Tetsuya Nakashima. Kōji Yakusho stars as a disgraced former cop, whose daughter Kanako goes missing. When his ex-wife asks him to find out what happened, he discovers that Kanako has been living a disturbing double life.

In this Patreon-supported episode requested by Overinvested subscriber Lockwood, we discuss Tetsuya Nakashima’s distinctive career, this film’s subversion of “tragic missing girl” tropes, and its use of gory violence and purposefully unlikeable characters. (Content warnings for sexual assault, domestic abuse and underage sexual abuse.)

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Links:

“Tetsuya Nakashima Interview: ‘There was a rumour that I had actually gone bonkers’,” Anthony Gates, Eastern Kicks

“Tetsuya Nakashima, The World Of Kanako,” Jean Noh, Screen Daily