"Don't Stop the Memories of Love" (2019)
Though a relatively recent episode, it became a hot topic on social media as "genuinely terrifying" and "trauma-inducing," representing the pinnacle of "Reiwa-era strangeness."
Skillfully weaving urban legend motifs with a chain of curses, it re-presents the "terror lurking right next to daily life"—a theme long explored by "Tales of the Unusual"—by combining 90s J-horror elements with modern sensibilities.
Starring Yuki Saito, whose gripping performance accelerates the unsettling atmosphere, and leaving viewers with "that voice" and "that song" stuck in their heads long after it ends—a popular masterpiece from the 2010s onward.
(Starring: Yuki Saito / Directed by Kazuyuki Iwata)
Synopsis
Singer-songwriter Shiho Murase (Yuki Saito) was feeling anxious as she couldn't write songs like she used to. Even when she sang at a live restaurant, no one paid attention, and harsh comments lined her social media feeds. Furthermore, her husband Kenji Nakaji (Tsuyoshi Riju), while supportive of Shiho, looked somewhat exasperated.
One day, while working on a song, Shiho dozed off and had a strange dream. Intrigued by the melody playing in her dream, she traced her memories and created a new song.
When she performed the song at the live restaurant, the customers suddenly stopped eating, listened spellbound, and Shiho became the center of attention. It ranked 4th on streaming charts. Positive comments began to appear on social media as well. It was her first major hit in a while.
Then, one night at home, Shiho grew curious about a videotape of the "Tsugaru Kids Amateur Singing Contest" and decided to play it. After an elementary third-grade Shiho sang, a commercial came on. She realized that the song was identical to the one she had made, and that she had unintentionally committed plagiarism…
When Shiho searched using the keywords "Local Sake Kinjou CM Aomori," she was led to a "Most Terrifying Urban Legend" website. Under the entry "Cursed Commercial Song," there was a description of a "Local Sake Kinjou" commercial that had aired only once in Aomori Prefecture. It stated that the singer who appeared in it had died suddenly, causing the broadcast to be canceled. The commercial listed the singer as Motoko Miyajima.
Shiho investigated Miyajima, but her cause of death was unknown, and inquiries to newspaper companies yielded no answers. It was only said that she had passed away while apologizing to someone…
At the live restaurant, Shiho began to hear the shadow and laughter of a woman only she could notice, but with an esthetic commercial and a TV music program locked in, she could no longer turn back. Telling herself, "The memories of love are my song, my song," she tore the videotape to pieces.
During the commercial shoot. While checking the monitor, only Shiho could see Motoko Miyajima amidst looks of criticism. Deep in the shooting studio stood three long-haired girls in white clothes. Shiho fled to the hallway, only to find a single girl standing in the back.
Shiho wandered around in a panic. A song could be heard from a certain room… The girl who attacked the deranged Shiho was her manager.
At home. That cursed commercial played on the TV screen.
The audio was terribly distorted, and the words "Do… not… take… this… me… mory (Do not steal this song)" could be heard. At the same time, the voice of Miyajima continuously whispering "I'm sorry, I'm sorry" was audible. It was as if it was recreating the exact circumstances of her death.
"This woman stole someone's song, too."
That's right, she too had stolen it from someone else.
Then, a girl (Suzune Sasano) was standing right behind her…
"Don't take this song. It's my song. Hehehe."
Realizing that she would likely follow the same end as those involved in "that song"—that this cycle had probably repeated itself with Miyajima and far back before her as well—Shiho, sitting alone in the dark room with no escape left, had no choice but to simply laugh at her inescapable fate…
What happened afterward has not been disclosed, but the completed commercial was reportedly shelved after just a single broadcast.
Leaving behind the same baffling scar as before: "the suspicious death of the appearing singer"………
Epilogue
Tamori is watching the MV for Shiho's new song, "Don't Stop the Memories of Love."
"Due to the death of the featured singer, it was shelved after airing only once."
Tamori stands up from the sofa.
"Just when everyone has forgotten about it, you might accidentally steal this song yourself. But I won't take any responsibility, so please be very careful."
(End)