The Cure

Kenichi Takabe, a middle-aged police detective, is involved in the investigation of a bizarre series of violent killings by seemingly random perpetrators. In every case the murderers have been caught close to the scene of the crime. Each one has mutilated his or her victim by carving a large "X" into the neck or chest of the deceased. Although all of the perpetrators readily confess and remember their deeds, none seems to have substantial motives or explanations for their particular actions. Takabe is at a loss for answers. His private life also seems to falter: His wife Fumie suffers from phases of schizophrenia and frequently gets lost in the neighborhood.