Colindon, Shanalie November 09, 2022

BSE ENG 2C Instructor: Sir Espeleta

Japanese Folklore: Carved, Slit- Mouthed Woman

1. Who are the characters of the movie? Describe them briefly.

Mika Sasaki- She was abused by her mother and the one who was first kidnapped by
slit- a mouthed woman.
Natsuki Tamura- a 10-year-old girl, a friend of Mika Sasaki, and also a victim of slit- a
mouthed woman, is sitting in a park with a severe cut on her face.
Masatoshi- a child who makes a list or take down notes about all the rumor based on
the students. He was almost captured by a slit-mouthed woman.
Ms. Yamashita- She teaches at Shizukawa Elementary, and is a teacher of Mika. She
is the one who last saw Mika while kidnapping slit- a mouthed woman.
Mr. Matsuzaki- Is also a teacher at Shizukawa Elementary. Son of Taeko Matsuzaki.
Teak Matsuzaki- Mother of Mr. Matsuzaki. She is a slit-mouthed woman in the story.

2. When and where is the setting of the movie?

Tsugawa Town, an hour's drive from Shizukawa Town, in that place, the children are
terrorized by the rumor about slit-mouthed women that kidnap children.
Caldbeck Hill, this is the beginning of not good memories of a family that treats her
children abusively. Every child that slit-mouthed woman kidnaps, she keeps those
children in her old house, some of them were killed and others are severely injured.

3. What lessons can you get from the movie?

I learned a lot from the movie that makes sense until now. I can get to know the urban
legends which is slit- mouthed women. The story begins with the rumors of the students
about the woman who wears a face mask with a slit in the mouth. It feels like stories or
folklore are alive for those people who believe and that means we are all alike that
means to preserve folklore we should always talk about it. I saw the significance in the
story that the story is not yet finished because it shows that folklore is important in our
culture, traditions, and beliefs.
4. Is studying Japanese folklore or other folklore important? Why or Why not.
Studying Japanese folklore and other folklore is important not because of adding
knowledge but knowing deeply about their culture, traditions, and beliefs. Through,
knowing those cultures, traditions, and beliefs we can understand their whole lifestyle
because every country has its own identity. Moreover, it is important to make to gain
background knowledge, if we go to their place and give respect for their beliefs.
Therefore, if we value other folklore of another country, we must also pay attention and
give respect to our folklore and make it alive through the new generation.

5. Summarize the movie.

Throughout the movie, several abusive mothers are presented, one of which becomes
Taeko Matsuzaki herself. Through the connection is being abusive, she can possess
any mother but even lovely mothers to their children are also a victim. Some of them are
being possessed, and none of them can fight or stop slit-mouthed women. The story
shows that some of the mothers that are possessed have cold or cough symptoms just
like Taeko who is slit- a mouthed woman in the story, after being a slit-mouthed woman
they will become who they are. The first victim of slit-mouthed was Mika Sasaki, who
experience being abused by her mother. One day, she came to school with a mask on
her face to keep her bruised as her mother do. After that, teachers guided their students
to their town to meet each of their parents. because of the rumor about the slit-mouthed
woman who kidnaps kids. When Mika's mother arrived late, she did not go with her
mother instead she chose to not go home and go with her teacher to share about her
mother's abusiveness. But the teacher always said her mother still loves her despite
being abused and later on the teacher shouted at Mika and that's the time Mika run. The
slit-mouthed woman appeared and kidnapped Mika and the teacher did not do anything
because of fear. After Mika who was kidnapped, Natsuki is a victim also but she is alive
with a severe cut on her face and abandoned her sitting at a park. The story ends at
ChildBeck Hill, this is the place where Taeko Matsuzaki treats her three children
abusively, and Mr. Matsuzaki, one of the teachers was left and saved by the incident.
Mika was saved by her teacher Yamashita and Yamashita was also possessed by slit- a
mouthed woman who killed her daughter.