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"The Secret" Movie Review: Ryoko Hirosue / Kaoru Kobayashi / Keigo Higashino

Thu Jun 19 2025

A Look Back at “Himitsu” (Secret): Beauty and a Controversial Plot

Here’s a glimpse into the world of the movie “Himitsu” (Secret), featuring a story by Keigo Higashino and starring a young Ryoko Hirosue, alongside the seasoned Kaoru Kobayashi and Hideaki Ito.

Kaoru Kobayashi: From Gourmet to “Midnight Diner” Master

It seems Kobayashi’s culinary journey started way back then! From a young gourmand to the owner of the beloved “Midnight Diner,” his path is quite the delicious evolution.

Ryoko Hirosue: An Ethereal Beauty

Let’s be honest, young Ryoko Hirosue was simply stunning. Her beauty is captivating.

The Problematic Plot

However, despite the star power, I personally find the story deeply unsettling. The premise of a mother’s soul inhabiting her daughter’s body after a fatal car accident raises too many uncomfortable questions. What happens to the daughter’s soul? Is it simply erased? It reminds me a bit of “Someday or One Day,” where a soul travels to another body, but it leaves you wondering about the original occupant.

The idea that the surviving daughter and husband/father can simply resume their lives as if nothing happened feels incredibly insensitive, especially considering the loss they’ve experienced. Does the merging of mother’s soul and daughter’s body equate to a happy ending for everyone? It’s a bizarre and, frankly, disturbing concept, particularly for the husband/father left to grapple with this new reality.

So, while the visuals are appealing, the story of “Himitsu” is too bizarre and uncomfortable for my taste. I’ll stick to admiring the actors and leave the plot behind.