Tornado

In the world of the traveling puppet show, laughter and joy are the key ingredients that bring smiles to the faces of the audience. However, for the 11-year-old Noriko, a Japanese puppeteer's apprentice, her life is about to take a drastic turn. She is handed down a devastating tragedy when her mother - the charming and enchanting puppeteer of the show - passes away in a tragic accident. With the burden of responsibility now placed squarely on her shoulders, Noriko finds herself struggling to cope with the loss of her dear mother. Despite her youth, Noriko shows incredible resilience and takes on the challenge of not only managing the family business but also single-handedly running the show. However, her world is turned upside down when the traveling puppet show crosses paths with a notorious crime gang, led by the enigmatic Sugarman and his menacing son, Little Sugar. This chance encounter has catastrophic consequences that put Noriko's life in grave danger. As fate would have it, the crime gang mistakes Noriko for the puppeteer they had been chasing for months, and she becomes the target of their wrath. Little Sugar, consumed by his own dark purposes, plots to take control of the traveling show, using force to capture Noriko and the puppeteers who work for her. It becomes apparent that Little Sugar sees Noriko and the puppet show as the perfect assets to smuggle the valuable amulets hidden in the puppet show, which he intends to steal in order to increase his gang's power and wealth. As Sugarman and Little Sugar embark on their sinister journey, Noriko finds herself getting dragged deeper into the dark world of crime and deception. Noriko's world is turned upside down as she tries to navigate the turbulent atmosphere created by the crime gang's malice and trickery. With her innocence and spirits shaken to the core, Noriko vows to protect the family business at any cost and regain control of her life. As tensions between the crime gang and the puppeteers ensue, tensions finally come to a boiling point when the family is hijacked at gunpoint, in an intense and heart-pounding scene where the puppeteers threaten to not follow their puppet show, unless they are allowed to see their families. The pivotal moment marks a turning point for Noriko as she musters the inner strength to confront her fears and rise above her adversity. Through her wit, courage, and unwavering dedication to the puppet show, Noriko devises a ruthless rescue plan to outsmart the crime gang and reclaim control of the puppet show. With precision and calm, she executes her strategy, cleverly driving the puppeteers away from their captors. The crowd sees the puppet show outshine the real life drama taking place behind the scenes. Through fearlessness and guile, Noriko outwits the gang, sets her puppeteers free, and thwarts Sugarman and Little Sugar's sinister plans. However, the story doesn't conclude here. The aftermath of the ordeal leaves Noriko with even more serious challenges ahead of her. In a tumultuous drama filled with turns of fate and human hearts beating with a resolute soul, the film winds down by casting light on Noriko's transformation and burgeoning spirit, which rise in equal measure to the tough circumstances that had tormented her world. As the curtains fall on the thrilling puppet show, it signifies the growth of Noriko, the courageous lead protagonist who found inner power to rise above her troubles and channel this in her own puppet show, a captivating work that illuminates the magical journey of an 11-year-old girl in an urban jungle awash with intricate twists and merciless predators that hovered around her.