 |
| New Japanese Film Baka’s Identity (Orokamono no Mibun). Sheds Light on the Dark Side of Tokyo Life (Cinemalife) |
The upcoming Japanese film Orokamono no Mibun explores the fragile line between survival and morality — with neon-lit streets, buried secrets, and a haunting desire to be reborn.
There’s something bitterly poetic about realising your childhood dreams have curdled into nightmares — that somewhere along the way, life turned into a tunnel with no light at the end.
That’s the emotional gut-punch at the core of Orokamono no Mibun (translated as Baka’s Identity), Japan’s latest psychological drama set to premiere on 24 October 2025. Directed by Nagata Koto, longtime protégé of the legendary Iwai Shunji, this film’s more than just crime — it’s a chilling, human mirror held up to the cracks of modern society.
Names for Sale, Dreams on Hold
 |
Adapted from Nishio Jun’s bleak novel, the story introduces us to three young men caught in the messy web of identity fraud, loyalty, and desperation.
Matsumoto Takuya (played by Kitamura Takumi) is a quiet operator stuck in the identity black market, selling names like they’re second-hand shoes. His closest link to the real world is Kishara (Yamashita Mizuki), a cold-eyed colleague who meets the “clients” — men so broken they’re willing to sell who they are.
Kajitani Kenshi (Ayano Go) delivers for the underground but hides a tender heart, hopelessly in love and too emotionally jammed to admit it.
And then there’s Kakizaki Mamoru (Hayashi Yuta), an orphan chasing acceptance in a world that’s already written him off.
They’re not masterminds or villains — just people, bound by bad choices, dirty money, and a craving to escape a society that never gave them a fair shake.
“They’re the kind of characters that don’t fit into ‘hero’ or ‘villain’ boxes,” director Nagata says. “That’s what makes it hurt more.”
Not Just Crime – This is About People
 |
Yamashita Mizuki’s Kishara is especially striking. She’s sharp, emotionally armoured, and obsessed with cash — but behind her calculating stare, there’s a woman nearly crushed by empathy she can’t afford to feel.
“She’s poison, but honest poison,” Yamashita says. “The film shows how blurry the line between ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ really is.”
Yamaoto Yuuma brings quiet devastation as Egawa Haruto, a man who sells his own identity after losing his family. Once known for cheery roles, his performance here is like watching a star flicker out in slow motion.
“I've got a family,” Yamaoto admits. “Even imagining that kind of loss was unbearable. I think that’s what broke him.”
It’s not just the fall — it’s the silence afterward that stings.
 |
| Nogizaka46’s Yamashita Mizuki Cast in Orokamono no Mibun Movie (modelpress) |
Love in the Dark, and the Strength to Stay
Rounding out the cast, Kimura Haruka plays Yuika, Kenshi’s girlfriend who knows far more than she lets on. She’s not naive — she’s aware of the murk Kenshi swims in, but instead of running, she chooses to love in stillness.
“Sometimes love isn’t about hugs and fireworks,” Haruka says. “It’s about standing next to someone in a silence even they don’t understand.”
It’s a quiet, powerful role — and in a film packed with pain, Yuika offers a rare note of peace.
Tokyo’s Bleeding Heart
Set in Kabuki-cho, Shinjuku, the film’s visuals are a moody blend of neon signs, shadowy alleyways, and the kind of silence that follows regret. The teaser image says it all: the three leads slumped against each other under a flickering streetlamp, with graffiti scribbled above them — “I want to be reborn.”
And in the gripping 90-second trailer, tension builds as Mamoru searches for a vanished Takuya, only to be warned off by a gravelly voice:
“You don’t need to know more. Knowing too much can get you hurt.”
That line? It lingers.
Orokamono no Mibun isn’t just a crime film — it’s a look at what happens when people are treated like statistics, and how even the worst choices are sometimes just desperate ones. This isn’t about villains. This is about people trying not to drown.
And honestly? It’s going to be one of those films that sits in your gut long after the credits roll.
메자마시 영화 어리석은 자의 신분(愚か者の身分) cut
— 👻 (@youngg2357) April 16, 2025
키타무라 타쿠미, 하야시 유타, 아야노 고 pic.twitter.com/8YdIVrMVe3