Strayer's Chronicle (2015 Film)

Strayer's Chronicle (Japanese: ストレイヤーズ・クロニクル, Hepburn: Sutoreiyazu Kuronikuru) is a 2015 Japanese science fiction action film directed by Takahisa Zeze. The film is based on the novel of the same name written by Takayoshi Honda, which was first published by Shueisha Inc. on April 5, 2012.

Strayer's Chronicle promotional poster — Promotional poster for Strayer's Chronicle.

Plot

The narrative centers on the consequences of secret genetic experiments conducted in Japan during the early 1990s. These experiments utilized two distinct methods: one involved inducing extreme stress on expectant parents to trigger mutations in their offspring, while the other focused on creating children with abilities derived from animal and insect genetics. The resulting individuals, including protagonists Subaru and Saya, possess extraordinary capabilities.

Subaru, portrayed by Masaki Okada, exhibits enhanced strength and vision, while Saya, played by Riko Narumi, possesses heightened auditory perception. Both characters were raised within a controlled facility and eventually work under the direction of Koichiro Watase, a senior Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs with political ambitions. The plot escalates when Watase tasks them with locating a politician's runaway daughter who is in possession of sensitive files. This mission brings them into direct conflict with "Ageha," a rival group of individuals with special abilities led by Manabu, played by Shota Sometani.

Cast

The film features an ensemble cast including:

Masaki Okada as Subaru
Riko Narumi as Saya
Shota Sometani as Manabu
Shunya Shiraishi as Watari
Toshiki Seto as Ryuji
Hiroya Shimizu as Ryosuke
Mayu Matsuoka as Momo
Nobuyuki Suzuki as So
Shuntaro Yanagi as Hide
Sara Takatsuki as Shizuka
Yuina Kuroshima as Aoi
Tsuyoshi Ihara as Koichiro Watase
Renji Ishibashi as Ozone
Kosuke Toyohara as Isaka

Production and Release

The film was produced by Takahiro Sato and features cinematography by Ryuto Kondo. It was released in Japan on June 27, 2015, and distributed by Warner Bros. Japan. The film has a runtime of 126 minutes.

Film Festivals

Strayer's Chronicle was screened at several international film festivals in 2015, including:

The 15th Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (July 3–11, 2015)
The 9th JAPAN CUTS festival (July 9–19, 2015), where it held its North American premiere.
The 19th Fantasia Film Festival (July 14 – August 5, 2015), where it held its Canadian premiere.