Gannibal Season 1 & 2: Those Men

Introduction

This is a review from someone who is a scaredy cat, who watches scary movies/dramas during daylight or if there are people around me, and is ready with a pillow to hide behind. I also would rather watch a blend of horror and romance, or a comedy and horror. These dramas are none of that. However, somehow I got sucked in watching the prequel Gannibal when it was airing/subbing back in 2022. Probably because of the mystery and thriller elements in it, the genres I love. It ends with an open ending and a promise that there will be a sequel. Thankfully, we only had to wait for 2 years, and the sequel continues where it ends, helmed by the same director and written by the same scriptwriter. Moreover, all actors and actresses from the prequel are back in the sequel, so we, who are familiar with or attached to specific characters, can continue with full enjoyment of this bone-chilling journey.

Since I’m not a fan of psychological horror, gore/body horror, or folk horror subgenres (the subgenres of this drama), I don’t know if this Gannibal duology is the best horror drama for hardcore horror fans. For me, it’s a thoroughgoing horror story, so I recommend it. I have reasons why I think this duology attends to every aspect of a story, which I will explain in the Review section.

Lastly, why did I use the phrase “Those Men” as my article title?

If you’re not familiar with the story, when the drama starts, there is a mysterious and monstrous character called “That Man” introduced. He is the center of the secret and the horror. In the end, as indicated in the final scene, there is another man who is hailed and adored by the villagers who also dubbed him “That Man”. Gannibal is the story, not exclusively, of both men.

Important note: This drama may not be suitable for younger children. Parental discretion advised. Please check the warning tags in the spoiler below.

Warning tags

Cannibalism, death/murder, gore, violence, nudity, sexual content, rape in Season 2

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Drama Info

Drama titles: Gannibal & Gannibal Season 2
Native titles: ガンニバル & ガンニバル シーズン2
Alternative titles: Gannibaru &  Gannibaru 2
Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Horror, Psychological
Aired: Dec 28, 2022 - Feb 1, 2023 (Season 1), Mar 19, 2025 - Apr 23, 2025 (Season 2) 
Season 1 - Episodes: 7  |  Duration: 55 minutes
Season 2 - Episodes: 8  |  Duration: 52 minutes
Directors: Katayama Shinzo ( 片山慎三 ), Kawai Hayato ( 川井隼人 ) for S1 Episodes 4 to 6
Screenwriter: Oe Takamasa ( 大江崇允 )
Adapted from the manga "Gannibal" (ガンニバル) by Ninomiya Masaaki (二宮正明).
 Where to watch (both seasons): Hulu and AppleTV

Trailers:

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Synopsis

After causing a major incident, police officer Daigo Agawa takes his wife Yuki and daughter Mashiro to live in the remote mountain village of Kuge. It seems the perfect place for the family to recover from the ordeal, despite the mysterious disappearance of a previous police officer posted there. The village thrives on forestry, with the residents making their living from cypress timber. In charge of this whole operation is the Goto family, which owns most of the village. One day, the body of an old woman is found on the mountain. The Goto family says she was attacked by a bear, but Daigo notices a human bite mark on the arm. Daigo begins to suspect something is not quite right with the village. (Source: Apple TV)

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Characters

Character Chart

Based on the chart above, below are the descriptions of the characters based on color grouping. The Male Lead/protagonist and some prominent supporting characters have subheaders, official character posters, and detailed descriptions.

Agawa Family

Color group: blue

Goto Family

Color group: red

Kuge Village

Color group: green

Police Officials

Color group: brown

Kano Family

Color group: orange

Other Characters (Season 1)

Color group: purple

Other Characters (Season 2)

Color group: grey

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Review

Story and Plot

Season 1

The story starts with a thrilling jump scare scene of a police officer who allegedly found a dark secret he’d looked for, and was caught. It then continues slowly to build suspense to reveal what secret he found through the protagonist, Agawa Daigo. We soon knew that he replaced the previous police officer, adding to the core mystery is what happened to that man.

Season 1 builds the story through the mystery and the character introductions. There are many prominent characters, so the plot itself moves slowly. Its horror is more on the psychological aspects of the mystery. The prequel creates an unsettling atmosphere through the death mentioned in the synopsis, and the accidents on some characters. The protagonist Agawa Daigo races against time to reveal the brutal puzzle, since the mystery also puts his family on high stake.

In my opinion, the story in Season 1 is more of a mystery and suspense drama with some gory scenes and unsettling atmosphere than a true horror.

For those who watched Season 1, forget the story, and want to watch Season 2 without having to rewatch the prequel, below is a video recap from Disney+. If you haven’t watched Season 2, however, watching its prequel is necessary to understand Season 2.

Season 2

The sequel continues from where Season 1 left off, with impartial quality from the same director, and consistent and smooth story flow by the same scriptwriter.

While maintaining suspense and intrigue from its prequel, Season 2 delves deeper into the dark history of Kuge village and the origins of the Goto family’s disturbing practices. This being the case, Gannibal Season 2 gives more screen time and storylines to the Gotos and the villagers, while the protagonist, Agawa Daigo, is more like a supporting character. The story weighs much more on the horror aspects (folk horror and psychological horror) than it does on its police investigation aspects in its prequel. With the horror kicks in, there are more actions and thrills during the confrontations between Daigo and the Gotos, despite the jumbled timelines of the flashbacks told by characters.

I like Season 2 better, because of the completion of the whole story, answers to the main mystery, and a more or less satisfying ending.

Character and Acting

Because Gannibal duology is a psychological horror, the overall acting is a major strength of the show, helping to create a suspenseful and unsettling atmosphere that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. In my opinion, most of the actors and actresses’ performances are on point and contribute to the show’s overall success.

Agawa Daigo and Yagira Yuya

I like that all characters in the Gannibal duology are not absolute good or evil. They are grey characters, and there are their reasons and motivations for doing their actions. Even the protagonist, Agawa Daigo, himself. Daigo’s past trauma makes him prone to anger and impulsive actions, which can be harmful to his investigation and relationships. The audience witnesses his emotional journey as he navigates the hostile environment of Kuge, confronts his past, and fights to protect his family.

Yagira Yuya’s thoughtful depiction of Daigo’s emotional journey through facial expressions adds depth and nuance to the story. When Daigo first arrives at Kuge village, his face beams with joy, showing his excitement and anticipation of starting a new life and job. However, as the story progresses, his expressions shift subtly to growing uneasiness starting when he finds himself at the crime scene. Yagira’s subtle facial expressions convey a wide range of Daigo’s emotions.

Goto Keisuka and Kamatsu Show

Goto Keisuke is a complex character; he seems a normal villager and hunter, but also participates in disturbing ritualistic behaviors. After the death of his grandmother, the matriarch of the family, Keisuke becomes the next head of the family. Season 2 explores the difficult compromises Keisuke has made to ensure the continuation of his family’s twisted traditions, highlighting the contradictions within his character. His emotions swing between a cold and restrained person to violent and dangerous individual.

Although he usually shows a cold attitude as the next head of the Goto family, he (and his younger brother Yosuke) are actually against the customs of his family. His relationship dynamic with Agawa Daigo is interesting. Though they stay on opposite sides, when Daigo gets into trouble, Keisuke pretends to coldly push him away, but secretly helps Daigo so that he can escape the situation. Daigo and Keisuke are both complex characters, and their relationship starts with a mix of suspicion and fear and ends with grudging respect and reluctant partnership to overcome the Goto’s dark and controlling traditions.

The last scene between Agawa Daigo and Goto Keisuke, in which Keisuke sheds tears on his unemotional facial expression, is heartbreaking.

Goto Gin, Baisho Mitsuko and Tsunematsu Yuri

The matriarch of the family, Keisuke’s grandmother, is played by Baisho Mitsuko (older version) and Tsunematsu Yuri (younger version). The veteran actress Baisho Mitsuko’s portrayal of the older Goto Gin is particularly noted for creating a chilling effect, even though she just looks like any kind of old granny, at least in public.

In Season 2, the audiences see the young femme fatale Gin Goto, played by the charming Tsunematsu Yuri. Diving into the character’s past, we will learn how Gin came to exert control over Kuge Village, using her allure and insanity to drive the village’s descent into madness. I don’t want to spoil much how she does it. The actress’s performance was praised for embodying the complex character perfectly.

Goto Gin’s femme fatale smile

The Visuals

Special Effects

The special effects created for all the gore prosthetics, fake blood, and internal organs are remarkable. Notably is how they create “That Man”. He’s not a CGI creation but a real actor, Sawai Kasuki. The actor is 195 cm (approximately 6’5″) tall.

Filming Locations

The location shoots are Hyogo, Aichi, and Nagano prefectures, giving Gannibal duology a feeling of a natural and picturesque backdrop for the series to contrast with the village darkness and secrets. The filming took about six months per season, twice the standard filming time frame in Japan.

Filming Set

Besides the real filming locations, the production team also built a studio stage with intricate structures to create a realistic environment that supports the story. Below is the set that provides the backdrop for That Man’s lair, where little Agawa Mashiro meets him.

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Conclusion

In my opinion, even if you don’t like (psychological) horror, Gannibal duology is worth trying. It explores the dark side of human nature and gives insight into human psychology through the complex characters. It has a great cinematic horror with good production values (especially Season 2, in which the budget is higher). The dialogue is good, and the acting is realistic and subtle, not exaggerating emotions and dramatic as typical manga live adaptations.

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Spoiler

What is the ending?

Happy ending, but if you root for a particular character, it’s a bittersweet ending.

What happens to Agawa Daigo?

He’s alive and well. It seems he quit being a police officer (or was fired, laid off, or put on administrative leave? Judging by how the high-profile police official states about him in the last episode during the aftermath: “the last kind of person the police organization needs.”) He also becomes a temporary village chief.

What happens to the Agawa family?

They choose to stay in the Kuge Village, and seem to live happily there, judging by the look of their idyllic rural home: outdoor barbecue, decorated trees, kids’ playground, vegetable garden, etc. Also, Mashiro speaks again as heard in the final scene.

What happens to Goto Keisuke?

If you root for his character, this is the bittersweet ending I mentioned above. He chooses to bear the responsibility as the head of the Goto family and receives a jail sentence. Daigo tells him that his girlfriend Sumire will bear a baby girl.

What happens to the Goto family?

Some died, like Iwao and Ryuji; others were killed by the villagers. Keisuke’s younger brother Yosuke reunites with their mother, and later Yosuke leaves Kuge Village.

What happens to That Man?

He chose to commit suicide by eating himself.