, localized as ''Erased'', is a 2016 Japanese thriller

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving Magic (supernatural), magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy ...

mystery Mystery, The Mystery, Mysteries or The Mysteries may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters *Mystery, a cat character in ''Emily the Strange'' Films * ''Mystery'' (2012 film), a 2012 Chinese drama film * ''Mystery'' ( ...

film adaptation of the

manga Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...

series of the same name featuring

Tatsuya Fujiwara is a Japanese actor. Internationally, he is best known for his leading roles as Shuya Nanahara in the '' Battle Royale'' films, Light Yagami in the ''Death Note'' films, Kaiji Itō in the '' Kaiji'' films, and Rikuhiko Yuki in Hideo Nakata's '' ...

as Satoru Fujinuma. It premiered in cinemas throughout Japan on March 19, 2016. The theme song is by Chise Kanna. The trailer was released on January 14, 2016.

Plot

The film begins in 2006 with Satoru Fujinuma, an aspiring

writer who has his manga once again rejected by his publisher, forcing him to continue working as a deliveryman to support himself. Satoru has the ability to "Rewind," in which he is sent back to a point in the near past to prevent a person around him from enduring a fatal accident. One day, Satoru's mother, Sachiko, senses a man about to abduct a girl and makes Satoru remember a tragedy that happened 18 years ago. Sachiko is later murdered when she is alone in Satoru's apartment. Satoru gives chase to the killer but he is captured by police, who accuse him of the murder. His Rewind activates and he is suddenly sent 18 years into the past, back to his elementary school life in

Hokkaido is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel. The la ...

. Trying to adjust, Satoru remembers that his Rewind came before the murder of Kayo Hinazuki, his classmate, by a child serial killer. He befriends the friendless Kayo, learning that she lives with an abusive mother, Akemi, and stepfather. With his friends and mother's help, Satoru convinces Kayo to attend a double birthday party, as the two have the same birthday. Despite these changes, Kayo is still murdered, and in frustration, Satoru is sent back to the present. Evading the police, Satoru seeks refuge in the house of Airi Katagiri, a high school student who works as a fellow part-time deliveryman. He realizes that while Kayo's death still occurred, its details have changed. Believing that Satoru is innocent, Airi helps him track down Sachiko's killer. However, this only puts her in danger when her house is burned down in an

arson Arson is the crime of willfully and deliberately setting fire to or charring property. Although the act of arson typically involves buildings, the term can also refer to the intentional burning of other things, such as motor vehicles, wat ...

attack. Satoru meets his mother's friend, Makoto Sawada, who confirms that Sachiko's killer and the child serial killer are the same person. When Satoru is again captured by the police, he notices that one of his captors is the killer, activating his Rewind and sending him 18 years back once again. To prevent Kayo from being alone, Satoru takes her away from her mother. He and his friend Kenya Kobayashi place her in an abandoned bus, but when they learn that the bus is the killer's hideout, they move her. Satoru's teacher, Mr. Yashiro, contacts the child abuse prevention center and they take Kayo into custody after Akemi's abuse is revealed. Convinced he needs to prevent more murders, Satoru watches over another quiet classmate, Misato Yanagihara. When he is given a ride home by Yashiro, he realizes that Yashiro is the killer and has deliberately placed Misato as a decoy. To prevent him from interfering again, Yashiro throws Satoru off a bridge and into the river below. Satoru is sent to the present in 2006, this time to a timeline where both his mother and Kayo, who is now pregnant, are alive, he is no longer estranged from his childhood friends, and his manga is successfully published. At the same time, however, Airi does not recognize him, as he does not work as a deliveryman in the new timeline. Kenya, now a lawyer, helps him track down Yashiro, who works as a councilman. Yashiro tells Satoru his demented motive of murder: he kills to prevent children from having a bleak future. Just when he is about to commit suicide, Satoru stops him, causing himself to get mortally wounded instead. Yashiro is arrested. Ten years later, Sachiko holds the tenth anniversary of Satoru's death, attended by Kayo, Kayo's daughter, Kenya and others, while Airi, now a photographer, finishes reading Satoru's manga, '' Boku Dake ga Inai Machi''.

Cast

as Satoru Fujinuma (adult) ** Tsubasa Nakagawa as Satoru Fujinuma (child) *

Kasumi Arimura is a Japanese actress. Her television roles have included the young Haruko Amano in the 2013 NHK asadora ''Amachan'' and the lead role in the 2017 asadora ''Hiyokko''. She has also appeared in several films, including '' Flying Colors'', for whic ...

as Airi Katagiri *

Rio Suzuki is a Japanese actress and tarento. She is famous for such TV dramas as ''Yae no Sakura'', ''Ashita, Mama ga Inai'' and as a television personality. Filmography Television * (Fuji TV, 2012) – Minagawa Riko * ''Yae's Sakura'' (NHK, 2013) – ...

as Kayo Hinazuki (child) **

Kanna Mori is a Japanese actress. She is best known as Natsumi Hikari, the female lead in the ''Kamen Rider Decade'' television series and films. She worked under the stage name from June 2017 to June 2021. Personal life On July 1, 2021, Mori announced h ...

as Kayo Hinazuki (adult) *

Kento Hayashi is a Japanese actor. He has appeared in more than 30 films since 2007. Selected filmography Film Television Awards References External links Official Website * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hayashi, Kento 1990 births Living people People from ...

as Jun Shiratori *

Seiji Fukushi is a Japanese actor represented by Owlm. He was a member of Imai Office until 31 March 2015. Biography Fukushi auditioned and debuted in the Mizkan advertisement "Kin no Tsubu" in 2001. His drama debut was in the Fuji Television drama ''The Long ...

as Kenya Kobayashi * Tamae Andō as Akemi Hinazuki * Yasushi Fuchikami as Sudō * Tsutomu Takahashi as Takahashi *

Mitsuhiro Oikawa is a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter, composer and actor who is represented by the talent agency, Mother Enterprise. He graduated from Seijo Gakuen Junior High School and High School and Seijo University Faculty of Law. He is business partn ...

as Gaku Yashiro *

Tetta Sugimoto is a Japanese actor. Career Sugimoto was first a member of a rock band before he debuted as an actor in 1983 in the film ''Hakujasho''. For that film, he won a Japan Academy Prize best newcomer award. In addition to his work in film, he has als ...

as Makoto Sawada *

Yuriko Ishida is a Japanese actress and essayist from Nagoya. She was the Japanese voice of the title character San from the 1997 animated film ''Princess Mononoke''. She is the older sister of Hikari Ishida, also an actress. Filmography Films *''Gokudo no On ...

as Sachiko Fujinuma

References

External links

* * {{IMDb title, 4882964 2010s Japanese films 2010s Japanese-language films 2010s mystery thriller films 2016 drama films 2016 films 2016 thriller drama films Child abduction in fiction CJ Entertainment films Constantin Film films Crime in film Fiction about child murder Films about time travel Films scored by Yuki Hayashi Films set in the 1980s Films set in the 2000s Films set in 1988 Films set in 2006 Films set in Hokkaido Japanese mystery thriller films Japanese thriller drama films Kei Sanbe Live-action films based on manga Time loop films Warner Bros. films Works about fictional serial killers