Happyend (2024), Dir. Neo Sora

Set in a near-future Tokyo where the threat of a catastrophic earthquake pervades daily life, two rabble-rousing best friends are about to graduate high school. One night, they pull a consequential prank on their principal, which leads to a surveillance system being installed in their school.

If you ever feel like you don’t want things to change, that you want everything to remain the same— having fun with friends till late, ignoring what teachers said, and just being reckless— you might find yourself relating to this film. Throughout the film, I feel like I'm seeing my friends and myself back in high school. I also hate the fact that as graduation approaches, I start to feel afraid of what the future holds, and feel like I don't really belong anywhere.

Yuka is a character who stays true to himself. He does what he loves, wants to have fun with his friends without worrying about a thing, and his biggest anxiety is watching his friends gradually change. Kou, Ata, Ming, and Tomu start to become more ‘serious’ I should say. All of them also want to enjoy life without worrying about the future or family issues but they can't ignore the anxiety and pressure they feel. In my opinion, the earthquake in the film symbolizes the ‘shock’ these teenagers experience. When they’re at school, they can do whatever they want, but as graduation nears, everything begins to fall apart. They realize they can’t keep up their carefreeness forever and that change is inevitable— in themselves or those around them. The fear of what’s to come keeps haunting them, and slowly, everything begins to shift. From small changes to big changes, they’re not prepared for it and they’re forced to adapt. It’s also about their self-identity— how will they carry themselves through these changes?

Speak your mind, follow your heart, stand against what you feel is wrong— but always take responsibility for your actions and words. It's fine to make mistakes because they're part of learning. For me, life is a cycle of trying, gaining, losing, learning, and seeking.

This film also dives into political and social issues like capitalism and discrimination through a coming-of-age theme. I didn’t get bored at any point during the film. It not only touches our hearts and reminds us of the struggles we went through in our youth but also dazzles the eyes and ears with stunning cinematography and their techno soundtracks <333

"While you're all having fun, you'll die without even realizing it."

"If we're gonna die anyway, let's die having fun."