Pulse (Japanese title: Kairo) is a haunting psychological horror film directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, released in 2001. It’s a slow-burning, atmospheric exploration of isolation, technology, and existential dread. Often grouped with Japan’s late-90s and early-2000s wave of techno-horror films (Ringu, Dark Water), Pulse stands apart with its eerie realism and philosophical undertones.
Detailed Summary
The Strange Disappearance
The film opens in Tokyo, where a young man named Taguchi fails to show up for work. His colleague, Michi, goes to check on him, only to find his apartment filled with an unsettling atmosphere and computer screens flickering with ghostly images. Moments after they meet, Taguchi calmly walks into another room and hangs himself. On his computer, Michi finds a mysterious floppy disk containing footage of shadowy figures.
This sequence sets the film’s tone: quiet, unexplainable, and devastating.
The Ghosts in the Machine
Michi’s friends begin to notice strange things on their own computers — distorted faces appearing on their monitors and cryptic messages like “Do you want to meet a ghost?” At the same time, a university student named Kawashima notices his computer accessing ghost websites on its own. Curious, he meets Harue, a computer science student studying the phenomenon.
They discover that spirits from the afterlife are somehow entering the real world through the internet, using the network as a bridge. People who come into contact with these ghosts experience extreme despair and isolation, often vanishing completely — leaving only black, human-shaped stains on the walls.
Isolation and Despair
The film grows increasingly bleak as more people disappear from Tokyo. Subways become empty, streets silent. Michi’s friends vanish one by one, victims of the ghosts or their own loneliness. Harue, initially rational and scientific, begins to lose her grip on reality as she realizes there’s no escaping the spreading darkness.
In one of the film’s most chilling scenes, a ghost slowly emerges from the shadows in an abandoned building, moving with a jerky, unnatural gait — a masterclass in minimalist horror.
Movie Ending
As the ghost epidemic spreads uncontrollably, Tokyo falls into chaos. People vanish en masse, and the city becomes deserted. Michi and Kawashima, now among the few survivors, meet near the film’s end. Harue has already succumbed to the despair, leaving Kawashima broken but determined to live.
Kawashima and Michi escape Tokyo, finding a small boat and drifting toward what seems like an apocalyptic world. In the film’s final moments, they reach a quiet, sunlit area — a stark contrast to the darkness they’ve endured. But it’s no happy ending: humanity has almost entirely disappeared. Kawashima, infected by the despair, fades away, leaving Michi alone on the boat.
Michi narrates the ending, reflecting that she will continue to live as long as she can, even if she’s the last person left. The movie closes on a hauntingly still image — the world empty, silent, consumed by loneliness.
Are There Post-Credits Scenes?
No, Pulse (2001) does not have a post-credits scene. The film ends on a deeply final and somber note, and the credits serve as a silent epilogue. The emptiness after the credits only reinforces the movie’s atmosphere of desolation and hopelessness.
Type of Movie
Pulse is a psychological horror and techno-horror film with strong elements of supernatural drama. It focuses less on jump scares and more on existential fear — the terror of being utterly alone in a connected world.
Cast
- Haruhiko Kato as Ryosuke Kawashima
- Kumiko Aso as Michi Kudo
- Koyuki as Harue Karasawa
- Kurume Arisaka as Junko Sasano
- Masatoshi Matsuo as Yabe
- Kenji Mizuhashi as Taguchi
Film Music and Composer
The haunting score is composed by Takefumi Haketa. The music is sparse and atmospheric, relying on eerie ambient tones and dissonant drones rather than traditional melodies. Silence itself becomes part of the soundtrack, heightening the dread and unease.
Filming Locations
Pulse was filmed primarily in Tokyo, Japan, using real urban environments and empty industrial areas. The desolate cityscapes — highways, apartment buildings, and offices — are crucial to the film’s themes. The familiar yet eerily quiet locations emphasize urban loneliness and the decay of human connection in modern society.
Awards and Nominations
Pulse received critical acclaim, particularly at international film festivals:
- Cannes Film Festival (2001) – Screened in the Un Certain Regard section
- Sitges Film Festival – Won Best Asian Film
- Toronto International Film Festival – Praised as one of the most chilling and philosophical horror films of its decade
Behind the Scenes Insights
- Kiyoshi Kurosawa developed the idea after noticing how early internet culture was isolating people rather than connecting them.
- The ghost effects were achieved with minimal CGI; many scenes relied on practical lighting and movement to create unease.
- Kurosawa told his actors to “act as if they were already ghosts,” giving their performances an eerie detachment.
- The film’s slow pacing and long takes were deliberate — to simulate the suffocating feeling of depression and disconnection.
Inspirations and References
- The film draws heavily from existential philosophy, particularly Sartre’s and Camus’s ideas about loneliness and the absurdity of existence.
- Inspired by the increasing presence of the internet in early 2000s Japan, Kurosawa imagined a future where technology doesn’t connect us — it isolates us.
- The director also referenced classic ghost stories and post-war Japanese cinema, particularly in its melancholic tone.
Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes
There are no officially released alternate endings, but early drafts of the script suggested a more ambiguous final shot — one where both Michi and Kawashima fade away together. Kurosawa chose the bleaker, lonelier version for greater thematic impact. Several scenes were reportedly cut for pacing, especially those expanding on government responses to the crisis.
Book Adaptations and Differences
Pulse was later novelized by Kiyoshi Kurosawa himself, based on his own screenplay. The novel explores the characters’ internal thoughts in greater depth, offering more psychological insight into their despair. However, the overall narrative remains the same.
Memorable Scenes and Quotes
Key Scenes
- Taguchi’s calm suicide at the beginning, setting the tone of numb horror.
- The appearance of the first ghost — slow, silent, and utterly terrifying.
- Harue’s video monologue before her death, lamenting her loneliness.
- The empty Tokyo streets as humanity fades away.
- The final boat scene, with Michi drifting alone through a dead world.
Iconic Quotes
- “Do you want to meet a ghost?”
- “It’s easy to live alone. But it’s also easy to vanish.”
- “People used to come here to connect. Now, we’re just spreading our loneliness.”
Easter Eggs and Hidden Details
- The recurring black stains on walls are shaped like the people who disappeared — literal shadows of loneliness.
- The red tape on doors (used to contain ghosts) symbolizes the fragile barrier between the living and the dead.
- In several scenes, reflections in computer monitors show figures that shouldn’t be there — hidden ghosts.
- The city’s gradual emptiness mirrors Japan’s own growing concerns about population decline and urban isolation.
Trivia
- The American remake (Pulse, 2006) starred Kristen Bell but failed to capture the original’s tone.
- Director Kiyoshi Kurosawa is not related to Akira Kurosawa, though both share a love for existential storytelling.
- The film inspired numerous discussions in Japan about technology addiction and the internet’s psychological impact.
- Quentin Tarantino once listed Pulse among his favorite horror films.
Why Watch?
Because Pulse isn’t just a horror film — it’s a mirror held up to the digital age. It’s about what happens when technology, meant to connect us, only deepens our isolation. The slow, eerie pace might not be for everyone, but if you enjoy cerebral horror that lingers in your mind long after the credits, Pulse is essential viewing.
Director’s Other Movies
- Cure (1997)
- Tokyo Sonata (2008)
- Charisma (1999)
- Journey to the Shore (2015)
- Before We Vanish (2017)
