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There Was Such a Thing Before

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Synopsis

"Summer of 2021, in Fukushima."

Time stands still in the silent streets of Fukushima. Radioactive residues continue to taint the lives of the citizens with a slow, invisible anxiety, trapping them between past wounds and future uncertainties. As his old home was highly exposed to radiation, leading to his mother’s death, young Akira grows up aimless and uprooted. In his search for his lost father, he is assisted by Yuji, the owner of a down-at-heels surfboard shop, as well as a concerned classmate, Shinichi, who becomes increasingly entangled in Akira’s story.

Drama
After DisasterGreat East Japan EarthquakeDisaster AftermathFukushima, Japan

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Frequently asked questions

What is There Was Such a Thing Before (2025) about?

Time stands still in the silent streets of Fukushima. Radioactive residues continue to taint the lives of the citizens with a slow, invisible anxiety, trapping them between past wounds and future uncertainties. As his old home was highly exposed to radiation, leading to his mother’s death, young Akira grows up aimless and uprooted. In his search for his lost father, he is assisted by Yuji, the…

Who stars in There Was Such a Thing Before?

There Was Such a Thing Before stars Oshirō Maeda (Akira), Airu Kubozuka (Shinichi), Arata Iura (Atsuto), Shuji Kashiwabara (Mitsuo), Taiga Yasugi (Yuuji). The film was directed by Yoshihiko Matsui.

How long is There Was Such a Thing Before?

There Was Such a Thing Before has a runtime of 2 min and premiered in 2025.

Where can I watch There Was Such a Thing Before?

Streaming availability for There Was Such a Thing Before changes by country and service. TasteRay tracks where it is available across Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Max, Apple TV+ and 50+ other platforms — the current options for your country are shown on this page.