Synopsis

Cast & Crew

Episodes

Reviews (5)

Set in the waning years of the Edo period, *Taboo* (also known as *Gohatto*) is the final film from legendary director Nagisa Ōshima. The story unfolds within a samurai training compound of the Shinsengumi, where a new recruit, the breathtakingly beautiful and enigmatic Sozaburo Kano, arrives. His mere presence ignites a storm of desire, jealousy, and suspicion among the men. As Kano's cold, passive demeanor invites both obsession and violence, a series of mysterious murders begins to plague the compound. Is Kano a victim or a predator? The film masterfully blends homoerotic tension, psychological thriller, and historical drama, leaving viewers to unravel a web of unspoken desires and deadly secrets. With its stunning period detail, a haunting score by Ryuichi Sakamoto, and a story that refuses to offer easy answers, *Taboo* is a provocative, atmospheric masterpiece that challenges viewers to confront their own interpretations of love, violence, and power.

Nishioka Yoshinobu

Cast

Narita Yusuke

Cast

Sakamoto Ryuichi

Cast

Oshima Tomoyo

Cast

Shiba Ryotaro

Cast

Oshima Nagisa

Cast

Matsuda Ryuhei

Cast

Beat Takeshi

Cast

Takeda Shinji

Cast

Taguchi Tomorowo

Cast

Terajima Susumu

Cast

Yoshiyuki Kazuko

Cast

Episode data is coming soon.

6.4

out of 10

428

321

749

642

cinematic_bl_fan

January 2025

8/10

I'm a sucker for gorgeous period films, and *Taboo* delivers on that front in spades. The muted color palette, the way light filters through the wooden barracks, every frame looks like a painting. Ryuichi Sakamoto's score is hypnotic and deeply unsettling in the best way. Yes, the story is frustratingly vague, but for me, that's part of its beauty—it forces you to sit with the tension and ambiguity. Not for everyone, but I loved the atmosphere.

logic_over_fluff

March 2025

5/10

I can appreciate what Ōshima was trying to do, but this film left me cold. The pacing is glacial, the acting is almost uniformly monotone (is that a directorial choice or just bad direction?), and the plot is a jumble of half-baked ideas. Characters disappear, time jumps are handled with on-screen text, and the ending offers zero catharsis. I've read the interpretations—corruption of desire, objectification—but that doesn't make the experience less boring. A visually pretty mess.

eyes_on_the_arc

June 2025

7/10

As a consent and power dynamics nerd, this film is a goldmine. Kano is treated as an object from the moment he enters the compound, his silence read as permission by predatory men. The film doesn't shy away from the ugliness of that desire—it's coercive, entitled, and violent. I do wish the movie had given Kano more interiority, but maybe that's the point: he's so dehumanized that we're only left with his actions. It's a sharp critique, even if the execution feels uneven.

melody_before_plot

September 2025

7/10

I watched this entirely for Ryuichi Sakamoto's score, and I wasn't disappointed. The music is this low, humming, electronic pulse that makes every scene thrum with anxiety. It's not his most famous work, but it's perfectly attuned to the film's eerie, claustrophobic mood. The visuals pair beautifully with the sound design. The plot itself? Eh, I got lost halfway through, but I didn't care because the audio-vibe was so strong.

fujoshi_dreams

November 2025

6/10

I came for the BL, and I got a very artistic, very confusing version of it. The potential chemistry between Kano and Soji is tantalizing—there's this charged, hateful attraction that could be amazing—but the film keeps everything so distant and ambiguous that I felt frustrated. I wanted to know what they actually felt! The ending left me with more questions than answers. Still, the aesthetic is gorgeous and the swordplay is cool. Worth a watch if you like your romance inscrutable.