Happyend

In a subtly dystopian Japan, a school implements a social credit system reminiscent of China’s. Privacy turns into surveillance. Director Neo Sora, son of the renowned film composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, has previously translated his father’s piano sounds into visual equivalents throughout his work. Sakamoto passed away in 2023. Happyend marks Sora’s emancipation as a filmmaker—yet his love for music lives on, resonating through both the underground techno scenes and the quiet piano score. The biggest strength of the film is its clean portrait of collective protest.