Johatsu – The Evaporated is a documentary that delves into the mysterious Japanese phenomenon of the Johatsu, or the evaporated. These individuals, for various reasons — such as shame, debt or personal bankruptcy — choose to disappear and leave their lives behind, often with the support of specialized companies called night movers. This film reveals the internal conflicts of those who have disappeared and the consequences for those they have abandoned.
The directing duo Andreas Hartmann and Arata Mori bring to the screen a sensitive and disturbing approach to a phenomenon as intricate and culturally specific as the Johatsu. The co-production between Japan and Germany enriches the narrative by incorporating different cultural prisms, maintaining the focus on the essence of a modern Japan still bound by traditional codes of honor.
The documentary begins by contextualizing the history of night movers, companies that help people disappear and start their lives over. Originating in the 1990s, these companies emerged as a response to the collapse of the Japanese economic bubble, when many people, unable to honor their debts, sought an extreme way out. Intense social pressure and the imminence of public shame have turned this practice into something recurrent, similar to hikikomori – the extreme withdrawal of young people due to social pressure and anxiety. The film discusses how the Japanese code of honor, bushido, profoundly influences the way Japanese people deal with failure and shame. The narrative is powerful in showing people who contemplate suicide until they reach the phenomenon of Johatsu. Shame, which many believe can only be removed by radical measures such as suicide, is presented as a devastating force that leads thousands to prefer the annulment of their existences rather than live with their imperfect reality. The cinematography of the documentary is immersive and respectful, never sensationalist. Hartmann and Mori present the stories in a way that makes the viewer feel involved in the internal struggle and hopes of the individuals. The soundtrack, strongly marked by Japanese taiko drums, contributes to the immersion, emphasizing the tension and gravity of the themes addressed. An intriguing curiosity is that Johatsu cannot be shown in Japan, a condition imposed by the participants themselves who feared for their safety and privacy. This restriction adds a layer of urgency and secrecy, highlighting the depth of the taboo surrounding the subject in the country of origin.
Throughout the documentary, we see not only the devastating impact on the lives of those who choose to disappear, but also on those who are left behind. Families and friends are left with an unrelenting void, questioning their loved ones’ decision and dealing with the aftermath of a disappearance that often does not allow for emotional closure.
Johatsu is an essential documentary that delves into the emotional and cultural turmoil of Japan’s ‘evaporates’. Andreas Hartmann and Arata Mori offer Western audiences a rare and penetrating look at a practice as deep-rooted as it is hidden. Winner of the Main Competition at the Munich International Documentary Film Festival, the film is a searing critique of the extreme social pressures and codes of honor that continue to have a fatal influence on modern life in Japan. Premiering in Macau and featuring a powerful soundtrack, this documentary is a must-see testament to human resilience and the desperate search for redemption and anonymity.
Did you like the content? Then leave a comment to let me know!
See you in the next post.