Japanese horror movie: Atsuko Maeda mistakenly enters Black Lily Apartments

Black Lily Apartments is another terrifying masterpiece by Hideo Nakata, director of Ring and Dark Water, after his 2007 film Kaidan. Six years in the making, the film is set against the backdrop of a uniquely dilapidated traditional Japanese residential area, creating an unsettlingly eerie atmosphere. It also pushes the fear of the audience to the extreme by tapping into the loneliness that many people in modern society experience. Even the director himself couldn’t hide his excitement, vouching wholeheartedly: “This is the most ‘comprehensive’ horror film I’ve ever made!”

Last weekend, Hideo Nakata, Atsuko Maeda, and Hiroki Narimiya made a whirlwind 14-hour stop in Taiwan with a packed schedule. After concluding the media meet-and-greet at in89 Cinemax, they hurried to the fan meeting held at today’s Showtime Cinemas. The trio appeared to thunderous cheers from fans, where Maeda and Narimiya quickly changed into outfits different from those worn at the airport and media event—switching through three outfits in no time, much to the delight of fans. Maeda donned a sage green dress showcasing her gentle charm, while Narimiya sported a checkered suit exuding cool charisma. Notably, fans outside the venue presented Maeda with an oversized floral bouquet, which left her absolutely thrilled as she excitedly took photos with it. During the event, the director even “stashed” the film’s mysterious and important character “Miyuki” in his suit pocket. On a whim, he even used Miyuki’s childlike voice to greet fans, drawing enthusiastic applause. Maeda shared her thoughts on the Taiwan visit: “I’m really happy, so happy I couldn’t sleep last night. Especially seeing such enthusiastic fan reactions, I’ll just assume everyone thinks the movie is great? Please help spread the word!” Narimiya also fulfilled his promotional duty wholeheartedly: “Taiwan has residential areas just like the ones in Black Lily Apartments, so the story feels like something that could happen right next door. Everyone, please watch it again at home once the DVD is out—you’ll definitely feel even more immersed!”

The director also revealed in private that if a sequel is made, he would consider letting the child character Miyuki grow up and continue the story, providing more room for Maeda’s character as well. Especially seeing how popular the film is in Taiwan, the director further noted: “The taste for horror films among Taiwanese and Japanese audiences is quite similar, and their living styles in residential areas are also very close, so the viewing experience resonates especially well.” As for her first visit to Taiwan, Maeda joyfully said: “The Taiwanese audience’s reactions are so direct—in Japan, it’s harder to feel such enthusiastic cheers from fans. Seeing everyone support us like this makes me really happy!” Narimiya agreed heartily and added: “For the next project, let’s just focus the promotions overseas directly!”

 

This Black Lily Apartments, which has been invited to multiple international film festivals and reaches new heights in Japanese horror cinema, will be released in Japan on May 18th, followed by a thrilling release in Taiwan on May 31st—making it a near-simultaneous release in both countries. The plot follows Asuka (played by Atsuko Maeda), who has just moved with her family into a dilapidated residential area. On her first night there, she is awakened by strange noises coming from the neighbor’s apartment. Out of concern for the elderly resident, Asuka enters his room only to find him dead from severe malnutrition. Even more terrifying, the old man appears to have been digging toward Asuka’s room. Then, the next morning, the strange noises resume from next door... Before long, Asuka learns that the community frequently experiences horrifying supernatural incidents, and with the help of bone cleaner Kotsuhara (played by Hiroki Narimiya), she begins to investigate the message the deceased old man was trying to convey, as well as the mystery of a death that occurred here 13 years ago...

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