Dawn Chorus

Taciturn Yuki is our prickly protagonist. An 18-year-old who served time at a juvenile reformatory, after returning to the care of his father,his longing for a mother he barely knew and his frustrations push him to leave home and retrace his memories to a mountain forest where his aunt Noriko lives at a mountain campsite. It was there, as a child, that Yuki witnessed a creature he couldn’t identify amidst the trees at dawn, something which left him sensitive to the various presences in the world. It is there he hopes that reconnecting with his past may bring a sense of peace. Meanwhile, Noriko and the other adults around him become increasingly frustrated trying to understand what Yuki is thinking.

Directed by Yoshinori Sato, Dawn Chorus leans on a strong ensemble — Mariko Tsutsui, Mansaku Takada, Yukihiro Nishiyama — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2025.