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Forbidden Siren (サイレン FORBIDDEN SIREN) is a movie adaptation of the videogame series Siren. It was released in Japan on February 9, 2006 to coincide with the Japanese release of the sequel game, Forbidden Siren 2, on which the movie is loosely based.

Forbidden Siren was directed by Yukihiko Tsutsumi and stars a host of actors such as Yui Ichikawa, Leo Morimoto, Naoki Tanaka, Hiroshi Abe, Naomi Nishida, Suzuki Matsuo, Kyûsaku Shimada, Mai Takahashi, and Jun Nishiyama.

Story

The story follows Yuki and her father, who is a writer, as they move to Yamijima Island with her younger brother Hideo. The island has a strange history (like the fact that it was an American burial ground before the war), and a large metal tower can be seen standing on its highest peak.

On arrival, she finds the residents to be slightly bizarre. She is even more perplexed when a neighbour offers her advice about the rules of the island. One warning that all the locals rigidly obey is: Never go outside when the air-raid sirens are sounding.

The villagers seem to be hiding something. One day, Hideo runs away from her, and she chases after him. She finds him with a mysterious girl wrapped in red that tells him strange stories. Unfortunately, this girl disappears whenever Yuki approaches.

After some more strange encounters Yuki discovers that victims of a terrible disease were once isolated on Yamajima. The story goes that the flesh of a mermaid could bring ever-lasting life, a cure to the disease. They reportedly captured a mermaid and ate it. But before the mermaid died, it let out a terrible scream and cursed the island.

Yuki's father is attacked and turns into a monster called a Shibito, so Yuki and Hideo try to escape. But their only choice is to climb the forbidden metal tower at the center of the island...

Many things are left unclear throughout the film due to the complex nature of the plot, the fact that what Yuki is seeing may or may not be real. It may be that Yuki's already unstable mind is merely influenced by the tales and the diary that she comes across. Also, the role of the hidden room in Yuki's home is also left undecided, as it is unknown whether any of the images inside (those dating the islanders back to 1976) are actually factual. Likewise, the role of the woman in red is not made explicit but it is assumed that she is the spirit of the mermaid that died long ago due to her likeness to the girl in the painting. It is suggested by the doctor in the final scene that the siren is only heard by those "conditioned" to hear it and that there may indeed be some supernatural force behind the events.

One explanation of the plot is that the inhabitants or the villagers of the island did achieve a kind of immortality which explains the photos in the hidden room. The woman in red is likely to be the mermaid seeking revenge.

Trivia

• Although the sightjacking ability from the videogames plays no part in the film, there are several moments where the camera takes the perspective of a prowling Shibito (corpse person). This is clear reference to the game where, seeing oneself briefly through the Shibito's eyes will alert the player to danger.
• Another nod towards the games is the use of music that plays during the scene where Yuki enters the isolated market and wonders where all the islanders have gone. The music could be collected as informative documentation that the player can view in the Archives.
• Mai Takahashi who plays the 'Lady in Red' is also an actress from the second game. She plays Yuri Kishida, Kanae and Ryuko Tagawa.

• The folktale of the mermaid is very similar to the Legend of Yaobikuni found in the first game.

Notes and references

External links

• Forbidden Siren Fan Website
• Official Japanese website
• Interactive movie website
• Forbidden Siren at the Internet Movie Database