Exit 8

Exit 8 is a nerve-jangling psychological thriller adapted from Kotake Create’s cult adventure game. Directed by Genki Kawamura — a true renaissance figure in Japanese cinema and literature — the film fuses his storytelling prowess (If Cats Disappeared from the World, over two million copies sold) and heavyweight producing credits (Confessions, Villain, plus global anime hits like Your Name, Suzume, Weathering with You, and Belle) with a bold, game-inspired form.

Arashi superstar Kazunari “Nino” Ninomiya plays the Lost Man, a backpacked commuter trapped in an endless, sterile subway corridor. To escape at Exit 8 — where his ex awaits his thoughts about her pregnancy — he must obey one rule: if anything looks off, turn back. Miss a single anomaly and he’s snapped to the start, condemned to loop again. The premise becomes a taut metaphor for guilt, responsibility, and the paralysis of indecision.

Kawamura’s distinctive approach to filmmaking emphasizes real-time collaboration with the cast and crew. Ninomiya played a key role in shaping his character, working closely with Kawamura to refine the narrative. The set itself became a space for creative exploration, where the crew and actors would brainstorm and adjust scenes on the fly, allowing for a dynamic process of continuous refinement that enhanced the emotional depth of each scene.

Echoing Dante’s Divine Comedy, the subway functions as a modern purgatory where sins materialize and must be faced head-on. By merging gameplay logic with cinematic invention, Exit 8 pushes past conventional boundaries, delivering a hypnotic descent into shame, choice, and the will to finally break the loop.

GIOVANNA FULVI