To start, this is indeed an indirect sequel to 2020’s Stigmatized Properties, directed by none other than J-horror icon Hideo Nakata (Ringu, Dark Water). I’ve said and written this numerous times before: Nakata-san’s films have been hit or miss for me after The Complex (2013)—which I thoroughly enjoyed—with more misses than hits. The first Stigmatized Properties film was more on the “miss” side of the scale for me, beginning with a promising setup but ending on a low note. Based on this impression, I didn’t expect there to ever be a sequel, let alone one with Nakata-san still involved. When I first saw the trailer for Stigmatized Properties: Possession, I assumed that a different director had taken the helm based on the style alone, but alas, I was wrong!
If the term “stigmatized property” doesn’t ring a bell, allow me to ring it for you. These properties are usually homes that have been psychologically impacted by events like murder, suicide, crime, or rumored hauntings. They’re usually sold or rented out for an incredibly low price due to superstitions. Realtors are well aware of the general lack of interest in these properties, so they bump down the prices in order to make them more appealing. In Japan, landlords are legally required to disclose any recent unfavorable incidents to potential buyers or renters. In the film world, this would potentially eliminate the “innocent family unknowingly moves into a haunted house” trope, and this particular film does just that.
Yahiro, the lead character in Stigmatized Properties: Possession, works at a mill and has proven himself worthy of a promotion. In fact, his boss admits to him that he has the potential to take over the mill one day. However, Yahiro reveals that he does not aspire to pursue further advancement within the company and is instead interested in moving to Tokyo to become a TV personality. By coincidence, his boss is acquainted with a talent agent in Tokyo and reluctantly passes his contact information over to Yahiro. This jump-starts Yahiro’s journey to becoming a celebrity, specifically known for staying at the above-mentioned stigmatized properties while filming his experiences.
As he hops between eerie apartments, an old inn, and a seance-filled share house, he uncovers the dark mysteries hidden within. But his extreme sensitivity to spirits makes him an easy target for relentless supernatural attacks. He meets an aspiring actress named Karin on the set of a commercial shoot, and the two quickly become romantically involved. Things get more complicated as Yahiro struggles to balance his new relationship with Karin and his new ghost-busting profession. In one particular cursed property, he stumbles upon an unimaginable horror and a shocking truth that will change everything.
The film does benefit a bit from featuring more than one stigmatized property (a total of four to be exact). Each new environment keeps things interesting as the viewer gets a chance to experience a different haunting through four sections of the runtime. With that said, I do feel that the purpose of these haunting gets confusing. We know that Yahiro seeks fame, but we don’t ever see his newfound fame affecting him or his personality. Karin does tell him at some point that he has changed, but this is only evidenced by a snazzy new outfit. The mystery of each haunting is not the main focus either; Yahiro easily discovers the backstories of each spirit and simply moves on without trying to put a stop to them. This made each segment feel anticlimactic.
The hauntings are not particularly scary, either. Nakata-san refers to his previous work, most notably Ringu, by featuring a female ghost whose fingernails have been torn off. The imagery is instantly recognizable if you’re even mildly familiar with Sadako Yamamura, but it does not have as strong an impact. There’s a really neat blink-and-you’ll-miss-it ghost appearance pretty early on, but it’s shot in a way that you really can’t miss it even if you did blink. The moment still thrilled me regardless, but Nakata-san attempts it again at a later time to lesser effect. One moment even teeters on comedic, and I couldn’t tell if it was intentional or not. Some of the characters do get hurt, so at the very least there isn’t always a sense of safety for them.
Thankfully, the characters are all very likable; Yahiro’s pursuit of fame doesn’t stem from vanity but is instead inspired by something a TV personality said at an event he attended as a child: “Choose a path taken by no other”, as it will “help you become a caring person.” This echoes his sentiments about the daily grind of work at the beginning of the film. He wants to pursue something not easily obtainable in order to be truly happy, which I did find endearing. There’s a fabulous paranormal researcher who becomes acquainted with Yahiro, who carries a traditional Japanese doll with her at all times. Her colorful outfits match the doll’s, and every time they show her walking around with the doll in her tote bag, I kept thinking “YAAS queen.” Sho, the talent agent that helps Yahiro out serves as a comedic relief, often forcing Yahiro to pay for everything and always flaunting his kooky personality.
The film seems to really want the message of being kind and caring to hit home, even going as far as blatantly stating that “ghosts are attracted to kind people too”. The problem is, even though Yahiro seems kindhearted enough, his kindness doesn’t intentionally solve any conflicts. There is a plot twist at the end, which leads him to believe that the turn of events, no matter how horrifying they were, led him to his destiny. All of it is merely coincidental, however, and not at all impacted by being a “caring” person. The film aims for both heart and horror, but doesn’t quite pull off either. Stigmatized Properties: Possession was neither a hit nor a miss for me; it landed somewhere in the middle, though perhaps more on the “miss” side. It’s enjoyable enough for a casual viewing as long as you don’t possess false expectations based on Nakata-san’s more celebrated work.
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Your typical ghoul next door; film enthusiast, horror fanatic, J-horror nerd, aspiring horror host, and all around geek. Will likely be found cuddling with their cat and reading an old smelly book, or stuffing their face with popcorn at the cinema!