Seek (2025), also known by its Japanese title 四十九-SEEK or 49 - SEEK, is a Japanese action film directed by Shane Kosugi in his feature directorial debut. Although the film is commonly listed as a 2025 title because of its international festival run and awards activity, its confirmed Japanese theatrical release is scheduled for July 31, 2026. The 93-minute film centres on a modern-day covert organisation whose members are presented as descendants of the ninja tradition.
The project has already travelled through a large number of international film festivals. According to the film's official website, Seek has received 82 awards across 42 international film festivals, while festival records also document recognition for its direction, cinematography, editing, acting and action work.
Seek (2025) Release Date and Current Status
The most important point about the film's release history is that its 2025 label does not mean it received a conventional Japanese theatrical release in that year. The film was already circulating through international festivals, with festival listings identifying it as a 2025 Japanese feature. IMDb records an August 19, 2025 release in the United Kingdom, while the official Japanese site and the distributor's announcement confirm a nationwide Japanese theatrical rollout from July 31, 2026.
The film is therefore best understood as a 2025 festival-era feature that later received its Japanese theatrical release in 2026. This distinction is useful because different databases may display different years depending on whether they are referring to the festival version, international release information or the Japanese theatrical release.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Title | Seek / 四十九-SEEK / 49 - SEEK |
| Year commonly listed | 2025 |
| Japanese theatrical release | July 31, 2026 |
| Country | Japan |
| Language | Japanese |
| Genre | Action / spy action |
| Runtime | 93 minutes |
| Director | Shane Kosugi |
| Writer | Kansuke Asano |
| Lead | Kansuke Asano |
Seek Story and Plot
The story follows Kyohei Aizawa, an experienced assassin working for a covert non-governmental organisation known as 49, or SEEK. The organisation is built around the idea of modern ninjas who have survived by changing their identities and operating secretly within contemporary Japan.
Kyohei is dealing with the loss of his girlfriend, who died in a tragic plane accident. While he is struggling with that personal loss, SEEK calls him back for an emergency assignment. His mission involves rescuing another agent, recovering a highly explosive liquid identified as RDX@, and confronting the Yakuza organisation led by Sojiro Kotsuki.
The official story information establishes the central conflict without revealing every development in the film. Kyohei eventually finds himself facing the Kotsuki organisation more directly, with the mission becoming connected to the people around him. The film uses this conflict to combine espionage, organised crime and the idea of ninja traditions continuing in a modern setting.
A Modern Ninja Story Set in Japan
One of the defining ideas behind Seek is its interpretation of the ninja as a figure that has adapted rather than disappeared. The official material describes the members of SEEK as descendants of the ninja tradition who operate under different names and disguises while carrying out secret missions.
That concept places the film somewhere between a traditional martial-arts story and a contemporary spy thriller. Instead of presenting ninjas purely through historical imagery, the production places them inside a modern Japanese environment involving covert operations, criminal groups and high-risk missions.
The opposing side is represented by the Kotsuki-gumi Yakuza organisation. Sojiro Kotsuki, played by Kane Kosugi, is positioned as the principal criminal force in the story, while Kyohei's assignment brings the two sides into conflict.
Cast and Characters
Kansuke Asano plays Kyohei Aizawa, the central character and a top agent of SEEK. The official production material identifies him as the film's principal protagonist. Asano is also credited as the writer and as one of the producers of the project.
Kane Kosugi plays Sojiro Kotsuki, the leader of the Yakuza group opposing Kyohei. His involvement gives the film an additional connection to the Kosugi family's long association with martial-arts and ninja cinema.
Nahana appears as Ryo Mikumo, the leader of SEEK who contacts Kyohei regarding the emergency mission. Other documented characters include Sayuri Nishino, Yuki Tono and Daisuke Kono on the SEEK side, while Naoya Machida, Sosuke Kotsuki, Yo Iwai and Toru Kaneko are associated with the Kotsuki-gumi.
The supporting cast includes Masaki Miura, Tomohisa Yuge, Miyu Ogawa, Mikako Yoshida, Yasuaki Ishii and other Japanese performers. IMDb's cast records also list the principal character names associated with the film.
Shane Kosugi's Feature Directorial Debut
Shane Kosugi serves as the director and editor of the film. The project marks his feature directorial debut. The official website notes that he previously made a pilot short connected with 49 - Seek, which went on to receive recognition at international festivals before the story was developed into a feature.
Kosugi comes from a family closely associated with ninja and martial-arts cinema. His father, Sho Kosugi, became internationally known for his ninja films, while his brother Kane Kosugi is also a martial artist and actor. Kane's participation in Seek creates a direct connection between the film's contemporary ninja concept and the wider Kosugi action-film legacy.
The filmmaking team includes Yoshikatsu Yasaki as cinematographer and Genta Tamaki alongside Shane Kosugi as editors. Festival records have specifically recognised the cinematography and editing, while Shane Kosugi has also received multiple directing-related awards for the project.
Festival Journey and Awards
Before its Japanese theatrical release, Seek built a substantial festival record. The official site currently states that the film won 82 awards at 42 international film festivals. Its festival appearances span countries including the United States, United Kingdom, France, India, Australia, Spain, Canada, Italy and others.
Among the documented recognitions are awards for Best Feature Film, Best Action Film, Best Asian Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Editing and acting categories. The film also received recognition at the Urban Action Showcase for its action-related work.
Festival records from 2024 and 2025 also show awards for the production team, cinematographer Yoshikatsu Yasaki, editors Shane Kosugi and Genta Tamaki, and performers including Kansuke Asano, Nahana and Masaki Miura. These awards are festival recognitions rather than evidence of a broad theatrical audience response.
Trailer and Action Focus
The promotional material presents Seek as a spy-driven action film built around modern ninja imagery. Its setting combines covert missions with Yakuza conflict, while the official material repeatedly highlights the idea of ninjas continuing to operate in contemporary Japan.
The central action setup is clear: Kyohei must carry out an urgent mission while dealing with an increasingly dangerous confrontation with the Kotsuki organisation. The film's festival classification and promotional presentation place action and espionage at the centre rather than treating the ninja concept simply as historical decoration.
What Is Known About Seek's Release
There is an important difference between the film's database year and its later Japanese theatrical release. Festival and database records identify Seek as a 2025 film, and international festival activity was already underway during 2024 and 2025. However, the official Japanese release announcement confirms that 四十九-SEEK opened theatrically in Japan from July 31, 2026.
No reliable official information establishes a major Indian theatrical release or a confirmed Indian OTT streaming date in the sources reviewed. Similarly, the available material does not provide a verified mainstream worldwide box-office total. Those details are therefore best left out rather than presented as confirmed information.
Seek (2025): What to Expect
At its core, Seek is a Japanese spy-action film built around a simple but distinctive premise: what if the ninja tradition continued into modern Japan through a secret organisation? The story combines Kyohei Aizawa's personal grief with a covert mission involving an explosive substance and a powerful Yakuza group.
The film's festival history also forms an important part of its story. Before its Japanese theatrical release, the project had already collected awards and selections at international festivals, including recognition for its direction, action elements, cinematography, editing and performances.
With Shane Kosugi making his feature directorial debut and Kansuke Asano leading the cast as Kyohei, the production brings together a team with strong martial-arts and action backgrounds. For viewers interested in Japanese action cinema, modern ninja stories and independent genre filmmaking, Seek stands out for the way it combines those elements with a contemporary espionage setting.