Kotoko

Kotoko follows a single mother who struggles with double vision and terrifying illusions while caring for her infant. The strain of her deteriorating grip on reality bleeds into the child's life, and social services ultimately decide she is unfit to raise the baby, who is removed from her care. What keeps her tethered is the small - yet powerful - act of singing, which momentarily quiets the visions and gives her a brief refuge. An award-winning novelist on a city bus overhears her singing and becomes intrigued, opening the door to a tense, volatile relationship that tests both of their limits and questions the price of art and obsession.

Directed by Shinya Tsukamoto and co-created with singer Cocco, Kotoko arrived in 2011 as a bold, uncompromising live-action drama with horror elements. The screenplay credits go to Tsukamoto and Cocco, signaling a tightly personal collaboration between filmmaker and performer.

Kotoko has sparked discussions about motherhood under strain and the way mental illness is portrayed in cinema. Cocco's raw performance and Tsukamoto's claustrophobic framing invite comparisons to experimental horror, prompting viewers to reflect on the boundary between vulnerability and danger. Its visuals emphasize the tension with close-ups and abrasive sound.

Critics praised the film for its gaze on a mother grappling with reality while the relationship with the novelist adds tension in desire and power. Themes include identity, voice as solace, and the costs of letting temptation influence care. The tone avoids answers and lets the viewer sit with discomfort.