Death Billiards

Death Billiards is an original psychological thriller film produced by MADHOUSE, written and directed by Yuzuru Tachikawa. In a mysterious bar beyond the boundary of life and death, Decim presides over a high-stakes billiards match where the players' very souls hang in the balance. As Otoko and Roujin face off across the table, their hidden truths and darkest impulses are ruthlessly exposed—while Kurokami no Onna watches from the shadows, her presence raising questions that cut to the heart of the story. Blending drama, mystery, and psychological tension into a single, tightly crafted feature, this film delivers a haunting meditation on human nature that lingers long after the final frame.

Otoko and Roujin find themselves standing in a mysterious establishment called Quindecim, with no recollection of how they arrived. A woman leads them into a dimly lit bar, where the enigmatic bartender Decim calmly awaits. He presents them with an unsettling proposition: they must take part in a game selected at random by roulette, and neither of them will be permitted to leave until it concludes. Refusing is not a viable option. What makes the situation even more unnerving is the instruction to treat the game as though their very lives depend on the outcome. The game chosen is billiards — but this is no ordinary match at a local pool hall. Behind the simple act of sinking balls lies something far more profound and consequential. Death Billiards was produced as part of Japan's 2012 Young Animator Training Project, a government-funded initiative designed to nurture the next generation of animation talent.