Kakurenbo: Hide and Seek

2005 • 24 minutes

About this movie

There was a dark city. A rift forms inside of this desolated, shapeless city. When the street lamps are lit, a world only children can enter, a game that only children can play is revealed beyond the alley. The children know of the "The Otokoyo-sama's Game," a game played with four beings known as "Oni"(ogres) they know of the secret game of "Kakurenbo"(hide-andseek).
A group of seven boys decide to take part in the game, lead on by a mystreious girl.
As they discover the truth behind the game, one by one the children disappear into the alley...
(c)Yamatoworks / D.I.C

Ratings and reviews

One of my all-time favorites. The story follows a group of kids, but the real beauty is in the world itself. It's eternal and timeless. A tragedy to repeat generation after generation. Uses a blend of cell-shaded 2D animation and gorgeous 3D CGI that actually feels like they're interacting. The difference let's you really feel the separation between the human world and that of the youkai. There is no "hero" to save the day. There is no romance to distract from the world. It's like a case-study for the town, rather than a story of a boy trying to save his sister. Lead by acts of true compassion by some, and greed or pride by others, characters that feel truly human are pitted against an unbeatable realm. The sound design is best enjoyed with surround speakers or good headphones, and the visuals play a bit dark at times, so it's best with the lights off. Since the "terror" is limited to the town, you can enjoy the horror without fearing the dark hallway in your own home. I would want it to be longer, but I feel that could have drawn attention away from the world, the rush, suspense, and the panic. Again, one of my all-time favorite films. would gladly pay more to own a copy<3

Kakurenbo is one of my favorite short movies. It is about a city that perpetuates itself through humanity's need to find answers and closure. It is not a character study on the people experiencing the story unlike most western horrors. It is about the entity made up of the city and its demons. It's like a creepy pasta- it focuses on the phenomenon a random person (or in this case persons) stubble upon and cannot escape, and not on the person that found it. Part of what makes this story so good to me is that it does not have closer for its audience just like the characters didn't have closer so sought out the city and its game. When the movie ends there's a feeling of wanting to see the next cycle. It isn't about the ending of a monster. It is one full cycle of the city. There is a clear feeling that an infinite amount of these cycles occurred before and will occur after this small glimpse into its world. It feels endless and I think that's a good thing. My favorite part though, is that the city does not feel evil. It feels like an animal doing what it has to to sustain itself. Every time I watch it, I can't decide who I want to live more, the kids or the city.

One of my favorite anime. A dark story with a dark ending. Shall we say putting the energy of bad children to good use!