Mikes Film Talk

Hideo Nakata gives us a creepy 2025 J-Horror film with heart: Stigmatized Properties: Possession. *AKA: Jiko Bukken: Zoku Kowai Madori.*

Set in Tokyo in the world of paranormal television entertainment, the film is a sequel, of sorts, to the 2020 film Stigmatized Properties.

*Stigmatiezd properties are places that are haunted. So much so that people who live there end up being traumatised. Others kill themselves or worse. The rent for these humble abodes are considerably less that “normal” properties.*

Both films are written by Tanishi Matsubara; a Japanese comic and actor who lived in 9 haunted houses. Tanishi wrote the original book as well. (Source: IMDb.com and Asian Wiki.)

Stigmatised Properties: Possession Story

Yohiro wants to be a TV personality. He goes to Tokyo to chase his dream. His boss gives him a card, telling him that the man will look after him. Once the 29 year old arrives, he learns about stigmatized property, these places are much cheaper to rent or lease. Soon, Yohiro becomes quite successful on television as someone who can interact with the dead.

The Cast

Shota Watanabe is Yahiro Kuwata.

Miku Hatta is Karin.

Kôtarô Yoshida is Fujiyoshi.

Maho Yamada is Kumoro.

Takumi Matsumoto is Hajime.

Bokuzô Masana is Omiya.

Ken’ichi Endô is Yamanaka.

Let’s talk Stigmatized Properties: Possession

Yahiro meets the man his boss told him about: Mr Fujiyoshi. His new agent tells him about stigmatized properties and gets Yahiro his first gig. There he meets Karin who plays his girlfriend in the commercial.

Karin is quite simply, adorable. She is the perfect match for the unassuming and caring Yahiro. They meet again in a drinks bar and, despite a shaky start, soon become an item.

Meanwhile, Yahiro auditions for a paranormal journalist job in front of the camera.

I See Dead People

The film stresses that Yahiro is a caring young man. Perhaps too caring. This appears to be the reason that he can successfully see the dead inhabitants of the properties on offer.

The first flat he rents is haunted by a female suicide who dislikes Karin. After the audition Yahiro, with a little help from his ghost recording, gets the job as paranormal reporter. He moves out of the flat though after learning that it is cursed.

His first job is at a haunted inn.

Unlike Sixth Sense, Yahiro wants to see the dead. Even though it scares the heck out of him. This is his ticket to becoming a television personality.

It Works

The simultaneous storylines; the burgeoning romance and the ghostly living conditions, work together very well. The haunted inn sequence is suitably sad and creepy. There are no real jump scares but the overall atmosphere of the film is enough to make viewers look behind themselves.

Repeatedly.

Karin’s backstory is a real tear inducing one. It proves that there is more than one way to be haunted.

Stigmatized Properties: Possession has a splendid twist, or two, at the end. Although to be fair, one of the twists is pretty well signposted. After the end credits, there is also a mention of the “real” Yahiro. Nakata is top notch in horror, even slightly subdued horror like this. He is, undeniably, a master at this sort of thing.

The Verdict

This one is a full 5 star effort all round. It is a fascinating tale wrapped around a dream and a romance. It is not quite Memories of Matsuko (2006) special, but it comes darn close. The film is streaming on Prime right now. If subtitles don’t bother you, go and check it out.

The Trailer