52 Hertz no Kujiratachi (2024)

A heartwarming (and breaking) drama about healing from abuse and trauma

Trigger warning for abuse scenes!

This movie broke my heart (and kind of bandaged it towards the end)! It tells the healing journey of a girl from years of psychological and physical abuse. Of course, the path isn't smooth, and ghosts of past experiences continued to haunt Kiko when she thought her life was going well. The story isn't told in a linear manner and keeps flitting between Kiko's past and present, but that didn't bother me as much. It actually kept me curious.

Sugisaki Hana and Shison Jun portrayed the main roles well, and I cried buckets with what happened to Anko. He deserved so much better! I thought Anko's mother's reaction to his secret was realistic enough, and the events afterward were preventable. But who knows how long Anko has been burdened by his problems? Kiko and Ai's mothers were unbelievable. I wish I could give every character a hug - specifically those who listened to the whale cries.

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Echoes of loneliness

There is a distinctive branch of Japanese cinema that is crafted for a specific audience; these are stories you don't often hear. They tend to be controversial, sad, and hard to digest, delving into deep human emotions and leaving your heart heavy with a sense of understanding and melancholy.

"52 Hertz Whale" is a perfect example of this cinematic style. I do believe you should possess a unique perspective and a mature taste in storytelling to appreciate the beauty and depth of this movie. Because this movie is painfully beautiful, it brings together storytelling, acting, and cinematography, truly a hidden gem.

Spoilers ahead***

For those unfamiliar with the story of the 52-hertz whale, allow me to provide some essential context. The "52-hertz whale" is an individual whale known for emitting calls at a frequency of 52 Hz, which is significantly higher than the 15–25 Hz range typically used by its relatives, such as blue and fin whales. This high-pitched calling makes him inaudible to other whales in the vast ocean, which is why he has been dubbed the loneliest whale in the world. His story transcends mere marine biology; it serves as a powerful metaphor for human loneliness and the universal yearning to be heard and understood, which is the essence of this movie.

I find it brilliant to use the story of the 52-hertz whale to illustrate human loneliness. Just as the whale sings in high frequencies across the expansive ocean yet cannot find another whale to hear him, many people experience a similar sense of isolation. It highlights the feeling that, at times, one's cries go unheard in a world that often feels so vast. It emphasizes how rare it is to find someone who can truly perceive your struggles and extend a hand when you are in need.

That's what Kiko also experiences. She has endured relentless abuse from her mother since childhood, forced to live like a servant abused just to take care of her stepfather. When she is about to do the unthinkable, fate intervenes, and she encounters someone who finally hears her.

In contrast, we have Ango, who harbors a deep secret and has been calling out for help since childhood, yet nobody, including his mother, has ever heard him. When he meets Kiko, he recognizes her silent suffering, perhaps because he himself has been a lonely whale navigating a vast world largely unheard. In reaching out to help her, he connects with her loneliness because he understands what it feels like to be a lonely whale.

Ango's story is heartbreaking. As a transgender man who falls deeply in love, he grapples with the crushing realization that he cannot give Kiko the love in the way she needs. He deeply wishes for her happiness and does everything he can to support her but ultimately acknowledges that he is unable to provide the love she deserves. This conflict between his profound feelings and the reality of their situation is incredibly heartbreaking. Although he heard Kiko, nobody heard him, and his ending was deeply painful.

The introduction of Itoshi feels like a twist of fate, a symbol of how those leading lonely lives, much like the 52-hertz whale, are destined to intersect with others who understand their pain. Their interactions reflect a journey of trauma bonding, highlighting the shared experiences of abuse and emotional neglect. Kiko recognizes the same suffering in Itoshi that she herself has endured, and as Anko provided her with salvation, she strives to offer the same to Itoshi.

This narrative is profoundly layered, melancholic, and beautifully articulated; it can truly be described as pure poetry. The acting is exceptional, breathing life into the complex characters, while the cinematography captures evocative moody blues that enhance the film's atmosphere of serene yet somber melancholy. My hope is that more people discover this cinematic treasure; it is a profoundly beautiful work, resonant with heartache yet deeply relatable, inviting audiences to reflect on the universal experiences of love, loneliness, and the desire to be understood.

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