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Neo Sora, the creator behind a film Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus, makes his narrative film debut with this multilayered, beguiling and often brilliant film. Produced in collaboration by filmmaker Anthony Chen, it combines elements of dystopian commentary, coming-of-age dramedy, and educational oppression. The film fuses the spirit of John Hughes’s The Breakfast Club with Lindsay Anderson’s If…, possibly including a hint of stylized biographical drama—only without the ritual suicide.

A Futuristic School Backdrop

In a high school in a Japanese city in the future, students are oppressed by conservative intolerance of adult figures. Frequent seismic alerts, and actual earthquakes themselves, produce a widespread air of suppressed panic that the officials claim warrants a ongoing crackdown. The government head has taken to claiming that unwanted groups are using the chaos of the earthquakes to engage in lawlessness.

On campus, there is an nearly overt bigoted attitude for learners who are of mixed or foreign background along with those who have unorthodox or rebellious views.

An Act Which Provokes Monitoring

On a particular day, the principal is infuriated to discover that a mischievous individual has upended his vehicle vertically in the school grounds, like a Stonehenge monolith. Having cause, he believes the school’s cool-kid gang of rebels who have been supported by liberal teacher Mr Okada to meet in the designated student space.

This group includes one student, a fellow pupil, a student of mixed heritage, an international attendee, African-American student Tom, and nerdy Ata-chan.

An Orwellian Development

However the frustrated administrator lacks concrete evidence, and the story does not show which person did this stunt or the way it was accomplished. In a spiteful and retaliatory spirit, he installs a video surveillance and face-recognition system on campus, brand-named a clear reference to Jeremy Bentham’s panopticon.

This watches the pupils' behavior leading to a significant disruption in the school, similar to institutional panic. This is particularly difficult for two central characters, for whom the invasive monitoring environment suggests that while they heroically challenge the imposed control, they are unable to express their emotional connection.

An Ambiguous Conclusion

The film that chooses not to give us straightforward plots, obvious character traits, or clear meanings. The strict administrator himself could possibly not be as harsh as initially portrayed. This is a very stylish, thoughtful, heartfelt film in which common adolescent struggles are just as significant as the societal critique.