Young Haru (a music producer) and Michi (a delivery worker) try to navigate a romantic relationship in the dystopian society they inhabit. In this world, amidst an ecological crisis, humanity is consumed by boredom and unable to express its true feelings except through violence, madness, and hatred. An interesting turning point in his filmography, and one of his most cryptic and surreal films, Barren Illusion has been considered a precursor to Bright Future (2003), as both portray a generation of maladjusted youth.

©Euro Space, The Film School of Tokyo