Jinsei

A life told in ten unforgettable chapters. Our nameless protagonist—at times bullied, at times celebrated—undertakes a journey through identity, fame, and society’s abysses. In his hometown of Sendai, it all begins with the loss of his mother and ends many years later in the surreal emptiness of modernity. Multi-talented Ryūya Suzuki, who single-handedly wrote, illustrated, and composed the work in just 18 months, creates a mosaic of human existence through minimalist animation. The style shifts with each chapter: from quiet, muted imagery to explosions of vivid color, from sober everyday life to metaphysical visions.

The film addresses central themes of our time: social isolation, the commodification of people, the commercialization of hope, and an imminent fear of war and destruction. These are woven together with dark humor and a quiet intensity. The hero remains an emotional enigma, renaming himself throughout the episodes as Kuro, Zen, or even God—yet at the core, he remains unknown. And when, after a long journey through time, the curtain finally falls, one question lingers: Is the man without a name a savior, a madman, or merely a mirror of our own desires?