X-Cross (also known as XX) is a 2007 Japanese horror film.
Shiyori Mizuno and Aiko Hiuke's plans to stay at the Ashikari Village resort are undercut by the depraved cult which calls the village home, as well as a psychopath armed with shears.
Due to the nature of this film, spoilers will remain unmarked.
They'll cut off your tropes!
- An Arm and a Leg: The cult takes part in the practice of cutting off women's legs as a ritual.
- Closet Shuffle: A woman by the name of Shizuka Mononobe hides in the closet of her room to get away from her pursuer. The cult finds her regardless.
- Dead Guy on Display: The previous sacrifice victims are put on display when they die.
- Decoy Protagonist: Shizuka initially seems to be the main character, but is later revealed to be the sister of Akira Mononobe, the voice who warns Shiyori, the real protagonist, of her impending doom.
- Entitled to Have You: Keiichi Asamiya's affection for Shiyori turns out to be a possessive desire. Asamiya believes that he has the right to own Shiyori as property.
- Facial Horror: Throughout the film, Reika has her face disfigured on multiple occasions with chemicals and fire.
- Foreshadowing: The old villager who treats Shiyori and Aiko in the inn keeps on reminding the ladies to wash their legs. As it turns out, the villagers are cultists who cut off women's legs.
- Hot Springs Episode: Shiyori and Aiko go to Ashikari village to use the hot springs and forget about Shiyori's ex, Asamiya. Unfortunately, Asamiya was the one who suggested the place to Aiko in the first place, and he runs the town.
- Human Sacrifice: The cultists cut off women's legs as a ritual, also turning their corpses into scarecrows, according to Mononobe to keep disasters at bay, and also to prevent women from leaving the village.
- Manipulative Bastard: Keiichi Asamiya, Shiyori's ex, tricks her into believing that Aiko betrayed her, when in reality, he is not only a native of Ashikari Village, he is the cult leader, and manipulated Aiko into bringing Shiyori to Ashikari Village under the pretence of wanting a fresh start with Shiyori.
- Mistaken for Prank Call: Shiyori initially mistakes Akira's call for a bad practical joke.
- Outside-Context Problem: Reika is not connected to the Ashikari cult; she just went to the village to get revenge on Aiko for stealing her boyfriend.
- Really Gets Around: Aiko has relationships with 4 men she "sort of" loves, because she doesn't want to get hurt like Shiyori.
- Shear Menace: Reika uses multiple pairs of Scissors as her weapons of choice.
- Suspicious Missed Messages: Akira Mononobe worries about his sister, Shizuka when she doesn't answer his calls.
- Town with a Dark Secret: Ashikari Village, supposedly a resort town, turns out to be the home of a depraved cult which has an interest in dismembering women.
- Yandere: Possessive infatuation is a recurring theme among antagonists:
- Keiichi Asamiya desires to keep Shiyori under his thumb at all costs, including cutting off her leg.
- Reika killed her ex for cheating on her with Aiko, and tries repeatedly to kill Aiko herself as revenge for stealing her boyfriend.
