I AM A HERO

By Shinsuke SATO

KARLOVY VARY INT'L FILM FESTIVAL - as FEST

Thriller - Completed 2016

Japan’s first major zombie movie based on a blockbuster manga series.

Festivals
& Awards

Sitges - Intl Fantastic FF of Catalonia 2015
Oficial Fantastic Best Special Effects Award & Audience Award
Berlinale - Berlin IFF 2016
    • Year of production
    • 2016
    • Genres
    • Thriller, Horror, Action/Adventure
    • Countries
    • JAPAN
    • Languages
    • JAPANESE
    • Duration
    • 130 mn
    • Director(s)
    • Shinsuke SATO
    • Writer(s)
    • Akiko NOGI
    • EIDR
    • 10.5240/336B-3839-76E5-E41C-8CAC-W
    • Producer(s)
    • Akihiro YAMAUCHI (Toho Co., Ltd.), Michiaki YAMASAKI (Toho Co., Ltd.)
    • Synopsis
    • Hideo Suzuki is still a manga artist’s assistant at the age of 35, but he dreams of making his own debut one day. Increasingly frustrated by his fruitless dreams, Hideo’s girlfriend, Tekko, blows up and kicks him out. Days later, Hideo returns to apologize to Tekko, but she doesn’t answer. She’s been infected by the mysterious virus that turns humans into ZQN, and attacks him! Hideo is shocked and flees Tokyo, taking his shotgun with him. (His hobby is target shooting.) The city is already overflowing with people infected with the virus. Hideo flees by train and taxi, but people are turning into ZQNs right and left. Amid the panic, Hideo meets high school student Hiromi Hayakari, and they team together to escape. While on the run, Hiromi is bitten by a baby ZQN. Hiromi becomes delirious and they fear the worst, but because the baby was still toothless, she turns into a half-breed -- “half ZQN/half human” -- that doesn’t attack humans. Hideo and Hiromi seek refuge, along with other survivors, on the roof of a shopping mall where they must shoot ZQNs on sight. Will Hideo be able to protect Hiromi and find a cure for the virus? Can they develop an antibody using Hiromi, who has become a humane ZQN?

      What is “ZQN”?
      Alias for those who have been “infected”.
      Once “infected,” ZQNs become irrational and attack with superhuman strength.
      Humans bitten by ZQNs become infected, and their numbers are growing exponentially. Retaining some human traits, ZQNs speak while they attack. Furthermore, ZQNs feel no pain, and continue to attack until their bodies disintegrate…