Gozu 2004

In a harrowing tale of paranoia and derangement, we follow Ozaki, portrayed by Aikawa, a mentally unstable individual entangled in the vicious Azamawari yakuza clan. His madness escalates to a disturbing moment when he brutally takes out his frustrations on an innocent chihuahua outside a restaurant, believing it to be a vicious assassin sent to eliminate gangsters. Aware of the chaos Ozaki could bring, the clan’s leader, portrayed by Ishibashi, decides to eliminate this liability, sending Minami, played by Sone, to carry out the grim task of silencing Ozaki and disposing of his body in a company warehouse.

Yet, Minami is plagued by uncertainty and reluctance when it comes to committing the act. His fumbling attempts at reasoning with Ozaki lead to an unexpected tragedy—an accidental death. Following this chaotic encounter, Minami finds himself in a whirlwind of bizarre occurrences that seem to defy any logical explanation. As he attempts to escape his burgeoning nightmare, he soon realizes the road he once knew has transformed into a vast lake. In desperate need of a breather, he stumbles into a coffee shop, where a complimentary cup of Chawanmushi sends him into a fit of uncontrollable vomiting.

After regaining his senses, Minami is horrified to discover that Ozaki’s body has inexplicably vanished. His inquiries in the neighboring town unravel a tapestry of fear, hostility, and evasion from locals, heightening his sense of dread. Driven by a need for clarity, Minami embarks on a desperate quest for answers, steering him into a bizarre realm filled with strange encounters and peculiar characters.

Among these oddities is an elderly innkeeper with a peculiar obsession with her breast milk, a brother who believes he can channel spirits, and a waiter haunting him from beyond the grave, still serving drinks three years after his fatal crash. Compounded by these surreal encounters, Minami’s investigation takes him to a junkyard, where the shocking truth unearths itself: Ozaki was murdered and then grotesquely transformed into a skin suit.

The mystery deepens further when Minami crosses paths with a mysterious girl, played by Yoshino, who claims to be the very essence of Ozaki. As they share snippets of their lives and delve into one of Minami’s dreams, he becomes convinced of her authenticity. They spend the night at a hotel, but disturbances come to life when Minami awakens to an unsettling voice issuing from the girl’s body as she sleeps.

The following morning, Minami drives “Ozaki” back to the gang’s office in an effort to clarify the situation with his superior. However, she shocks him by revealing that she’s actually the daughter of a rival yakuza family’s late leader and is determined to enlist with Minami’s boss. With this revelation, Minami is thrown into a precarious new predicament, filled with uncertainty about what hidden truths might still lie ahead.

As power dynamics shift within the gang, the boss summons Ozaki for a private meeting, leaving Minami in suspense outside. As the CEO engages in an utterly bizarre ritual—using a ladle’s handle for personal stimulation—Minami seizes the moment to storm back into the room. This unexpected confrontation leads to a physical scuffle, resulting in the boss’s shocking demise as he is accidentally impaled by the ladle. In a moment that pivots into surreal horror, Minami further shocks himself when he electrocutes the motionless CEO with exposed wires hanging from the ceiling.

Escaping with Ozaki in tow, the two return to Minami’s residence, where the tension culminates in an overwhelming moment of passion. Ozaki’s urging leads them into a fervent affair, but as Minami embraces her, something extraordinary occurs—a human hand emerges from within her body, leaving him petrified in shock. In an astonishing twist, the original male Ozaki re-emerges from the female form, reclaiming his identity.

The film culminates in an unsettling image: Minami, along with both versions of Ozaki, walks arm-in-arm down the street, their bizarre connection on full display for the world to see.