Description

In a time before World War II, as Japan was inching towards conflict, there was a secluded village named Hitogata, also known as the Village of Dolls. It was tucked away within the snow-laden mountains of the Hokuriku region. Here, an unusual tradition prevailed — the veneration of clay figurines, known as Hinna-sama.

One night, on the eve of a festive celebration, tragedy struck. A girl was found brutally murdered. Whispers of fear swept through the village. The locals suspected the ominous "Curse of Hinna-sama," suggesting the girl was punished by the divine doll itself. They believed an outsider, unqualified to perform the sacred rites of Hinna-sama, had invoked the deity's wrath.

Fast forward to October 1957.
Almost two years had passed since Touko Kuchiki was mysteriously abducted from her hospital room. Private investigator Tokisaka Reiji remained determined in his quest to find her.

At the same time, he was asked by the police to investigate some peculiar murder cases. Both cases shared a gruesome detail: victims were found strung up with a clay doll buried within their abdomen. Reiji wasn't working alone. Assisting him was Tomoyuki Masaki, a man who was once a prime suspect in the first murder and who had attempted suicide.

Meanwhile, a religious group, previously believed to have disbanded six years earlier, was showing signs of activity, raising questions about their intentions.

An eerie reminder reverberated through the unfolding mysteries — whether the curse is a decree from the heavens or not, it is humans who ultimately carry out the deed.