Michi (Kumiko Asō) works at a plant shop in Tokyo. When her coworker Taguchi stops answering his phone, she goes to his flat and finds something terrible. Meanwhile, student Ryosuke (Haruhiko Kato) connects to the internet for the first time and sees disturbing images of lonely people in dark rooms.
Kurosawa's style is slow, quiet and grey. Long, still shots of empty rooms and abandoned streets create a feeling of dread that never lets up. When the ghosts appear, they move strangely and slowly, and they are some of the creepiest in film.
The film is less about scares than about mood. It becomes almost apocalyptic, as more and more people simply fade away, leaving black stains on the walls.
It is slow, and its story can be hard to follow. But Pulse is a uniquely haunting experience, one that stays with you long after it ends.
