The Complex 2013

Horror

Box Office

$9.8M

Runtime

106 mins

Language

Japanese

Directed by

Hideo Nakata

Made by

Nikkatsu Corporation

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The Complex Plot Summary

Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for The Complex (2013). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.

Asuka Ninomiya, [Atsuko Maeda], a nursing student, moves to a dilapidated apartment complex with her father Isao Ninomiya, [Masanobu Katsumura], mother Sachiko Ninomiya, [Naomi Nishida], and her younger brother Satoshi. She attempts to greet her elderly next-door neighbor Shinozaki with a polite hello, but the conversation doesn’t go far, and she soon befriends Shinozaki’s ward, Minoru Kinoshita, [Sosei Tanaka], a quiet boy who often stays hidden from adults.

From the moment she settles in, Asuka begins to notice strange phenomena that unsettles the calm of the new place. There are scratching noises in the walls and the distant sound of an alarm clock that seems to echo from Shinozaki’s flat, even when no one appears to be there. These eerie sounds are accompanied by a creeping sense that her own family is stuck in a daily loop, repeating the same actions and conversations as if time itself were looping around them. The tension escalates when she uncovers that Shinozaki died while scratching at the wall—and a detective reveals that his death went unnoticed for three days, a fact that feels almost impossible to accept.

With that revelation, a lingering sense of blame grows in Asuka’s mind: she senses that Shinozaki resents her for not finding him sooner, a guilt that gnaws at her as she tries to make sense of the haunting presence surrounding her. The atmosphere becomes heavier when a cleanup team arrives to clear Shinozaki’s flat. There, Asuka meets Shinobu Sasahara, [Hiroki Narimiya], a cleaner who has experience dealing with the supernatural. He explains a chilling idea: time works differently for the living and the dead, with the living moving forward while the dead remain trapped in the moment of their death, a notion that shakes Asuka’s sense of reality.

Shinobu and Sanae Nonomura, [Satomi Tezuka], a psychic friend of Shinobu’s, search for answers about Shinozaki’s haunting. They learn that Shinozaki’s spirit isn’t malevolent; he simply wants to express gratitude for being discovered and to warn Asuka that she is in danger. The investigation shifts when Asuka discovers she isn’t alone in the apartment’s past: Minoru is revealed to be haunted within the building, a boy who died years earlier after hiding inside a garbage incinerator during a game of hide-and-seek.

Asuka’s grip on reality loosens as she becomes increasingly withdrawn. She starts to view Minoru as a replacement for her dead younger brother, and the emotional strain pushes her toward the edge. Shinobu and Nonomura insist on an exorcism to release Minoru’s spirit from Asuka’s mind, hoping to spare her from a descent into madness. Even with their guidance, the volatile energies surge, and Minoru’s projection seems to threaten Shinobu’s own safety. When Minoru’s influence leads to a deadly trap, Shinobu himself becomes a target of the haunting, seemingly pulled into a memory of a garbage incinerator and burned alive in a moment he cannot escape.

The pressure on Asuka grows unbearable. She begins to scratch at the apartment floor and scream, a sign of the deep distress that has taken root in her psyche. Her foster parents return to care for her, but the comfort they offer isn’t enough to quell the echoes of the past. In the midst of this turmoil, Asuka clings to the memory of her dead family, including her brother’s doll, as the boundary between the living and the dead becomes increasingly blurred.

Throughout this escalating sequence of events, the line between mourning and possession blurs, and Asuka’s attempts to protect herself lead her deeper into the apartment’s tragic history. The story remains focused on her experience, the strange phenomena that surround her, and the difficult choices she must face as she navigates grief, memory, and a haunting that seems determined to claim her as its own.

The Complex Timeline

Follow the complete movie timeline of The Complex (2013) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.

Move to dilapidated apartment and meet Shinozaki

Asuka, a nursing student, moves with her family into a dilapidated apartment complex. She attempts to greet her elderly next-door neighbor Shinozaki but receives only a cautious response. She soon befriends Shinozaki's ward, Minoru, who seems both sad and knowing about the building's secrets.

Dilapidated apartment complex

Strange noises from Shinozaki's flat

Asuka begins to hear scratching noises and the sound of an alarm clock coming from Shinozaki's flat. The rest of the family seems to keep their daily routines, making the noises feel deliberate. The atmosphere tightens as the boundary between the living and the dead blurs.

Shinozaki's flat

Shinozaki's death is discovered

A detective informs Asuka that Shinozaki has died while scratching the wall, a death that has gone unnoticed for days. The haunting takes on a tragic, unresolved significance as the truth emerges. Asuka feels the weight of being blamed by the departed for not discovering him sooner.

three days prior to discovery Shinozaki's flat

Shinozaki resents being found late

Asuka senses Shinozaki's resentment toward her for not uncovering him sooner, a hostile and accusatory presence seems to linger around her. The spirit's presence intensifies, turning curiosity into fear. The haunting feels personal and directed at Asuka.

Shinozaki's flat

Cleanup team arrives and Shinobu appears

A cleanup crew arrives at the flat, and Asuka meets Shinobu Sasahara, a cleaner with experience in the supernatural. He explains that living and dead experience time differently, with the living moving forward while the dead are stuck at the moment of death. He mentions a psychic friend who could help contact Shinozaki.

Shinozaki's flat during cleanup

Asuka returns home to emptiness

Returning home, Asuka finds her apartment completely empty and her family gone. The foster parents reveal that her entire family had died years before, and Asuka has been unknowingly blaming herself. This revelation reframes the haunting as a tether to the past rather than a current threat.

Asuka's apartment

Sanae Nonomura joins the investigation

Shinobu invites his psychic friend Sanae Nonomura, who investigates the haunting and learns that Shinozaki's spirit is not hostile. He seems to want to thank Asuka for finding him and to warn her that she is in danger. The group considers Shinozaki's spirit a potential bridge between the living and the dead.

Asuka's home

Minoru's backstory is revealed

Sanae reveals that Minoru, the boy in the complex, died 13 years ago when he hid inside a garbage incinerator during a game. His death left a residual presence in the building that can reach Asuka. This backstory reframes the haunting as a longing for play and companionship.

13 years ago Garbage incinerator in the complex

Asuka clings to Minoru

Asuka withdraws and becomes attached to Minoru as a surrogate little brother. The friendship blurs the line between grief and obsession as she refuses to leave the apartment. Minoru's presence grows into a fixation that isolates her from the living.

Asuka's flat

Exorcism begins to expel Minoru

Shinobu and Sanae attempt to perform an exorcism to expel Minoru's spirit from Asuka's damaged mind. They urge her to resist the haunting and to break free of the boy's influence. The ritual marks a turning point as the battle over Asuka's autonomy intensifies.

Asuka's flat

Minoru's memories and a deadly trap

During the confrontation, Minoru projects the last memories of Asuka's family, overwhelming her senses. Shinobu is lured into Minoru's trap by the projection of his vegetative girlfriend, Hitomi Makimura, and opens the door to Minoru's influence. Minoru kills Sanae (Nonomura) in the chaos.

Asuka's flat

Asuka bargains for Shinobu's life

In a desperate choice, Asuka agrees to become Minoru's playmate in exchange for Shinobu's life. She allows the haunting to persist in a limited way to keep the cleaner alive. The bargain marks a grim compromise with the supernatural forces at work.

Asuka's flat

Shinobu sacrifices himself

Shinobu pushes Asuka away, but he is drawn into a memory of Minoru's garbage incinerator and burns alive. His death underscores the cost of confronting the haunting and protecting Asuka. Minoru's hold on the situation tightens in the wake of Shinobu's sacrifice.

Garbage incinerator memory

Final aftermath

After the climactic events, Asuka is found scratching and screaming at her apartment floor. Her foster parents take her back, but she continues to babble about her dead parents and brother while clinging to her brother's doll. The film closes on a note of lingering trauma and unresolved presence.

Asuka's apartment; foster home

The Complex Characters

Explore all characters from The Complex (2013). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.

Asuka Ninomiya (Atsuko Maeda)

A nursing student who moves into a dilapidated apartment complex with her family. She is emotionally fragile, coping with the loss of her parents and brother while experiencing escalating supernatural disturbances. Her attempts to understand the hauntings reveal a desperate need for connection and safety, making her susceptible to Minoru's influence.

🎓 Nursing student 💔 Grief 🧠 Fragile psyche

Isao Ninomiya (Masanobu Katsumura)

Asuka's father, part of the family that moves into the aging complex. His presence anchors the family's day-to-day life even as the house harbors unresolved grief. He represents the ordinary, struggling with the strain of a deteriorating home and emotional distance.

👨‍👧 Family man 🏚️ Strained home 🧭 Everyday life

Sachiko Ninomiya (Naomi Nishida)

The mother of the Ninomiya family, whose memory and absence loom over the apartment. Her death and the family’s loss contribute to the emotional atmosphere and Asuka's fixation on the past.

👩‍👧‍👦 Family matriarch 💔 Grief 🏠 Domestic life

Takehiko Ninomiya (Shirô Namiki)

A member of the Ninomiya family whose role highlights how memories persist within the space and influence Asuka's sense of belonging. His presence anchors family history inside the apartment.

👨‍👦 Family connection 🕯️ Memory

Minoru Kinoshita

A boy who died 13 years earlier and haunts the complex. His spirit is not purely malicious; he seeks company and uses projections to pull the living into painful memories.

👦 Ghost 🤝 Memory proxy

Sanae Nonomura (Satomi Tezuka)

A psychic friend who helps reveal the truth behind the hauntings. She uncovers that Shinozaki's spirit is not hostile but needs help, and warns about the danger surrounding Asuka.

🔮 Psychic 🧭 Mentor 🕯️ Haunting aid

Shinobu Sasahara (Hiroki Narimiya)

A cleaner with supernatural experience who guides Asuka and attempts to exorcise the haunting. His knowledge comes with risk, and he is eventually lured into Minoru's trap, sacrificing himself.

🧹 Cleaner 🧿 Guide 🕯️ Exorcist

Hitomi Makimura (Megumi Sato)

Shinobu's vegetative girlfriend whose presence appears as a spectral projection. She embodies the danger of interacting with the dead and the consequences of delving into forgotten memories.

💬 Spectral projection 🫧 Memory danger

The Complex Settings

Learn where and when The Complex (2013) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.

Location

Dilapidated apartment complex, Shinozaki's flat

A cramped, decaying apartment complex serves as the central setting where Asuka moves with her family. The building's walls hold memories and tragedies, especially the neighbor Shinozaki's flat whose quiet facade hides a lingering presence. The story unfolds within claustrophobic corridors and small rooms, where everyday life becomes entangled with the dead. The place itself feels suffocating, mirroring Asuka's escalating emotional turmoil.

🏚️ Abandoned building 🏠 Haunted residence 👻 Supernatural

The Complex Themes

Discover the main themes in The Complex (2013). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.

⏳

Time Perception

The living move forward through time while the dead remain fixed at the moment of death, a concept suggested by the cleaner Shinobu. This creates a sense that memories stretch and distort as hauntings occur. Asuka's reality blurs with past events as she interacts with Minoru and Shinozaki, shaping her sense of danger. The narrative uses this temporal divide to explore how grief traps a person in a single moment.

💔

Grief

Asuka is haunted by the deaths of her family and the memory of her missing brother, fueling survivor's guilt and isolation. The disturbances become a manifestation of unresolved loss. Repeating routines and memories reinforce the weight of loss on Asuka's psyche. The story ties the haunting to her fragile emotional state, making healing feel precarious.

👻

Haunting

Shinozaki's ghost is not solely hostile; it seeks to thank Asuka for discovering him and warns her of danger. Minoru's spirit manipulates the living, projecting memories to pull Asuka deeper into the past. The exorcism attempt reveals the limits of cleansing when trauma lingers in the mind. The haunting blurs lines between memory, guilt, and supernatural agency.

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The Complex Spoiler-Free Summary

Discover the spoiler-free summary of The Complex (2013). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.

In a crumbling apartment complex that seems to breathe with the sighs of its long‑standing residents, a young nursing student arrives with her family, hoping for a fresh start. Asuka Ninomiya quickly senses that the walls hold more than just stale paint; faint scratching sounds and distant alarms echo through the corridors, hinting at secrets that have lingered far longer than the building’s peeling façade. The atmosphere is thick with a quiet unease, as everyday routines feel oddly repetitive, almost as if time itself is looping around the inhabitants.

The complex is a tapestry of muted lives, each door hiding its own whispers. Shinozaki, the elderly neighbor next door, offers a brief, tentative greeting before retreating into his own obscured world, while his shy ward, Minoru Kinoshita, lingers at the periphery, a quiet presence that seems to understand the building’s hidden pulse better than anyone else. Their interactions with Asuka hint at unspoken connections and a shared feeling that something unseen watches from the shadows.

Adding to the intrigue is the building’s handyman, Shinobu Sasahara, a pragmatic figure who has spent enough time among the cracked plaster and dim hallways to develop his own theories about the strange phenomena. He speaks of rumors that the complex has a history of inexplicable events, suggesting that the line between the living and the lingering past is thinner here than elsewhere. His calm demeanor and subtle hints of experience with the supernatural lend a grounded counterpoint to the mounting tension.

Together, these characters navigate a world where ordinary domestic life intertwines with an undercurrent of mystery. The tone sways between the mundane and the uncanny, inviting the audience to wonder what lies beneath the surface of a place that feels both familiar and eerily otherworldly, and whether the building itself might be the keeper of stories yet untold.