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Why Exit 8, the Live-Action Horror Movie Adaptation of the Hit Indie Game, Has Sparked a Backlash in Japan Over Its Tsunami Scene
Exit 8, a live-action horror movie adaptation of the anomaly-spotting indie game of the same name, opened at movie theaters in Japan on August 29. Despite enjoying a profitable opening weekend, the Japanese film has attracted some controversy in its home country over a scene that depicts a tsunami, as well as the production company’s delay in issuing an official warning about this potentially upsetting content.
Originally released on Steam in November 2023, The Exit 8 is a first-person puzzle game set in looping passageways of a Japanese subway station. Starting by the sign for Exit 0, players must reach the titular Exit 8 by looking out for anomalies - if they see something strange they must turn back. If everything seems normal, they must keep walking straight ahead. Make the correct choice, and the number on the exit sign goes up by one. Make the wrong choice, and you go all the way back to zero. With its creepy atmosphere and occasional jump-scares, the game quickly shot up in sales and gained widespread popularity with streamers. It has since been ported to multiple platforms and even has a VR version.
The movie Exit 8 uses the iconic elements of the game to present a psychological horror. Kazunari Ninomiya plays the main character, an asthmatic unnamed man stuck in the daily grind of commuting to work on the subway who is struggling to come to terms with becoming a father. Like in the game, Ninomiya’s character gets trapped in the looping subway passages and must successfully spot anomalies to reach Exit 8. The movie also touches on themes like bystander apathy, dissociation from reality, and how smartphones can make us lose track of our surroundings.
The film has an uneasy atmosphere and is almost exclusively set within the claustrophobic bounds of the subway station. The subway passages evoke the game, right down to the wandering salaryman NPC, posters, and the overly shiny white, tiled walls. Some of the anomalies are similar to those in the game, while others are unique to the movie (one of which will likely be appreciated by Parasite Eve fans).
On September 1, the movie’s official X account posted a content warning to potential viewers about “certain scenes that may evoke traumatic memories of natural disasters, like tsunamis." This post led to an outpouring of varied responses. Although some users thanked the production company for the heads-up, others criticized the timing of the warning, which came three days after the film hit theaters. “Shouldn't this have been issued on opening day?” and “I wouldn’t have gone to see it had I known,” are among the critical user comments reported on by Japanese news outlets like Yahoo! Japan/J-CAST.
Meanwhile, some commenters who hadn’t seen the film yet mused about whether the depiction could really be traumatic enough to warrant such a warning, considering the “mild” rising water that appears in the game, plus the film’s G rating (suitable for all) from Japanese film classification board Eirin.
The Exit 8 game does feature an anomaly where a red tide of blood follows the player (in a possible homage to The Shining). However, on X, movie viewers rushed to assure people that the film’s scene is very different and much more realistic. “I think people who are familiar with the The Exit 8 game are more likely to let their guard down,” said one user, adding that the movie’s scenes are "about 500 times more 'real-life tsunami' than the game's." Others urged those with experience of disasters like the devastating 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami (which killed almost 20,000 people) to refrain from seeing the film. With the movie getting a “suitable for all” rating, some users wondered if Eirin had done its job properly.
Having seen the Exit 8 movie, I can confirm that the tsunami scene is more realistic and prolonged than the game’s. The torrent of water that floods the subway corridors is not blood-red but brown with mud, and quickly submerges a young boy. There are first-person shots from the viewpoint of the main character, conveying his panic as he struggles to get to the surface of the strong waters. There is also an intense scene in which the main character tries to save the boy by getting him on top of the ceiling’s exit sign, followed by a prolonged shot of the boy curled up fetus-like and surrounded by debris.
The Exit 8 movie has been heavily advertised in its home country, and had the highest-grossing opening weekend for a live action-movie in Japan so far this year (source: Anime News Network). The main actor Kazunari Ninomiya has a strong fan following dating back to when he was a member of the hit boyband Arashi. These factors mean that a larger audience, including those unfamiliar with The Exit 8’s source material, are likely to check out the movie, and has amplified the criticism surrounding the tsunami scene.
Exit 8 is currently showing at movie theaters in Japan. It has already been screened at some international film festivals including Cannes, with further, staggered releases planned in various countries. Neon acquired North American rights to Exit 8 in August, and plans a theatrical release in early 2026.
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Verity Townsend is a Japan-based freelance writer who previously served as editor, contributor and translator for the game news site Automaton West. She has also written about Japanese culture and movies for various publications.
