Môryô no Hako (The Shadow Spirit) (2007)

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The stars of 2005's Summer of Ubume reunite to uncover the truth behind a gruesome series of murders in this mystery adapted from the novel by author Natsuhiko Kyogoku. The year is 1952. Though the war has ended, the specter of death still looms heavy over the streets of Japan. A mysterious killer… More The stars of 2005's Summer of Ubume reunite to uncover the truth behind a gruesome series of murders in this mystery adapted from the novel by author Natsuhiko Kyogoku. The year is 1952. Though the war has ended, the specter of death still looms heavy over the streets of Japan. A mysterious killer is murdering beautiful women and cramming their lifeless corpses into tiny boxes, but who is the madman behind these crimes and what is his twisted motivation? When the daughter of a famous but retired actress suddenly goes missing, psychic detective Enokizu (Hiroshi Abe) offers his services in solving the case. Meanwhile, reporter Sekiguchi (Kippei Shiina) and his editor (Rena Tanaka) receive a tip that leads them to believe a fraudulent religious cult may be responsible for the killings. As police detective Kiba (Hiroyuki Miyasako) sets out to investigate a massive, box-shaped building on the edge of the forest, antiquarian bookstore owner Kyogokudo (Shinichi Tsutsumi) draws on his knowledge of the ancient magical art of Onmyodo for answers. Only when this determined crew finally comes together will they learn the truth about the mad doctor named Mimasaka (Akira Emoto) and the gruesome events that laid the groundwork for these brutal killings. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi