Air Doll (2009) 2022

Middle-aged Hideo, a man living in solitude, finds companionship in an inflatable sex doll named Nozomi. Their unusual relationship thrives as he dresses her, shares meals, takes leisurely strolls with her in a wheelchair, and engages in intimate moments.

While Hideo is away at work, Nozomi springs to life, donning a maid’s outfit and immersing herself in the world outside their isolated apartment. Filled with curiosity, she takes a job at a video store and develops romantic feelings for one of her colleagues, Junichi. However, a mishap occurs when she accidentally injures herself, leading to a deflation that Junichi fixes with adhesive tape, bringing her back to her original form.

One day, Hideo unexpectedly visits the video store, where Nozomi serves him, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. However, he fails to recognize her. Her boss mistakenly assumes that Hideo is her boyfriend and believes she’s unfaithful to Junichi, pressuring Nozomi into unwanted intimacy. Back at home, Hideo discovers that Nozomi has transformed into a living being but is troubled by this change, expressing a desire for her to return to her previous doll form, citing human connections as “annoying.” Feeling hurt and rejected, she flees.

Nozomi seeks out the factory where she was created and encounters her maker. He expresses a belief that all dolls possess hearts, as he can perceive their emotional state through their expressions when they are returned. When she inquires about the fate of used dolls, he grimly replies that he disposes of them like trash.

Desperate to please Junichi, she promises to do anything for him, which leads to a tragic turn of events. He asks her to let out her air and then re-inflate her, reminiscent of their earlier encounter at the video store. While Junichi sleeps afterward, Nozomi attempts to reciprocate the kindness but, unable to find a plug, resorts to cutting him with scissors in a misguided attempt to help him. Unfortunately, her actions lead to his death, and in her devastation, she places his body among the garbage.

In her profound grief, she tears off the tape that seals her own wound and chooses to deflate, embracing the inevitable fate of being discarded alongside the remnants of their tumultuous love story.