{"rewrite":{"id":"r_9928434e96f848a5ac2bf22f","clusterId":"c_aad1dfd8219c47b8b17b8778","slug":"kento-kaku-produced-horror-film-never-after-dark-draws-preview-praise","model":"deepseek-v4-flash","headline":"Kento Kaku-Produced Horror Film Never After Dark Draws Preview Praise","summary":"The horror film \"Never After Dark,\" produced by and starring Kento Kaku, will open in Japanese theaters on June 5. Directed by Dave Boyle, who previously worked with Kaku on the 2024 Netflix series \"House of Ninjas,\" the film held its Japan premiere screening on April 28 at TOHO Cinemas Shinjuku in Tokyo. The story follows Airi, a medium from a family of psychics, and her sister Miku, who became a spirit after an incident. Together they investigate paranormal cases, including a request to exorcise a ghost haunting a mansion. Moka Hoshi plays Airi, Kureha Inagaki plays Miku, and Tae Kimura plays Teiko, with Kaku appearing as her skeptical son Gunji. Preview attendees described the film as a \"revolution in Japanese horror cinema,\" praising its shift in fear type between the first and second halves. Comments highlighted the pacing, the single-setting mansion location, and the blend of suspense and mystery. The production is the first theatrical feature from SIGNAL181, the film production company founded by Kaku and Boyle. Kaku also promoted the film by posting a phone number on social media that, when called, plays a recorded message in his voice as a promotional gimmick.","whyItMatters":"The preview reactions position Never After Dark as a deliberate fusion of Japanese horror atmosphere and Western genre mechanics, a formula its Japanese-American creative team is betting on as globally viable.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eDave Boyle aimed for minimal use of CGI, a choice that drew praise from preview attendees. Comments noted \"the use of props like mirrors and the separation of time with 'tension and pain' heightened psychological immersion, showing Dave Boyle's sure hand.\" Another viewer compared the film's charm to \"Nobuhiko Obayashi's early works.\"\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe story is built with only six characters. One attendee said it \"felt like watching a dense stage play.\" Moka Hoshi's performance as Airi received particular attention. Viewers described her \"unique rhythm and body movements\" as \"full of originality and charm,\" and called the role \"truly a career-defining role.\" Some requested \"a mini-series of the sisters solving many cases in the future.\"\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVisual and sound design were also highlighted. Comments on the cinematography included \"the contrast of light and shadow stands out, and each scene is as beautiful as a painting.\" The sound design was described as \"subtly invades the senses, with an exquisite coexistence of unease and comfort.\"\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the stage greeting, Boyle described his relationship with Kaku as \"like comrades in arms.\" Audience members felt the passion through the screen, with one saying they were \"happy as a viewer that they enjoyed making what they love and want to do without any constraints.\" The supporting cast includes Mutsuo Yoshioka and Boku Shosuke.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"Preview attendees called Never After Dark a 'revolution in Japanese horror cinema,' praising how the type of fear shifts between the first and second halves of the single-setting film.","twitterPost":"Kento Kaku posted a phone number on Instagram as a Never After Dark promotion. Fans who called heard his voice. Kaku said he hasn't called it himself because he's scared.","threadsPost":null,"newsletterBlurb":"Kento Kaku's horror film Never After Dark, directed by Dave Boyle, drew strong preview reactions calling it a new form of Japanese horror. The film opens June 5. Kaku also promoted it with a phone number that plays a recorded message.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"Eiga Natalie\",\"url\":\"https://natalie.mu/eiga/film_preview/670900\",\"title\":\"Kento Kaku-produced \\\"Never After Dark\\\" is a revolution in Japanese horror cinema: preview screening impressions roundup\"},{\"source\":\"Magmix\",\"url\":\"https://magmix.jp/post/356858\",\"title\":\"Kento Kaku (36) Posts 'Phone Number' on Social Media, Promotion for Project 'Never After Dark' Sparks Buzz\"}]","lintFlagsJson":"[]","lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":11186,"outputTokens":1129,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1780054426,"createdAt":"2026-05-29T11:33:35.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-05-29T11:45:57.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-29T11:45:57.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_aad1dfd8219c47b8b17b8778","canonicalTitle":"賀来賢人プロデュース「Never After Dark」は日本ホラー映画の革命、試写会感想まとめ","representativeArticleId":"a_11c9b39f9a04a6aa7494799e","sourceCount":2,"writtenSourceCount":2,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":false,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[\"Never After Dark\"],\"studios\":[],\"people\":[\"賀来賢人\",\"デイヴ・ボイル\"],\"type\":\"news\",\"domain\":\"other\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-05-29T09:30:00.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-05-29T10:05:00.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-29T11:45:57.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"Eiga Natalie","url":"https://natalie.mu/eiga/film_preview/670900","title":"賀来賢人プロデュース「Never After Dark」は日本ホラー映画の革命、試写会感想まとめ"},{"source":"Magmix","url":"https://magmix.jp/post/356858","title":"賀来賢人（36）がSNSに「電話番号」アップ　企画作品『Never After Dark／ネバーアフターダーク』の宣伝が話題"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":["Never After Dark"],"studios":[],"people":["賀来賢人","デイヴ・ボイル"],"type":"news","domain":"other","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":["The horror film 'Never After Dark,' produced by and starring Kento Kaku, opens in Japanese theaters on June 5.","The film held its Japan premiere on April 28 at TOHO Cinemas Shinjuku in Tokyo.","Director Dave Boyle aimed for minimal CGI, a choice praised by preview attendees.","The story follows medium Airi and her spirit sister Miku, played by Moka Hoshi and Kureha Inagaki, investigating paranormal cases.","Preview attendees described the film as a 'revolution in Japanese horror cinema,' praising its pacing and single-setting mansion location."]}