There are two major sides of the AI conversation circulating the world right now: Embrace it because it’s here to stay; or abandon it altogether. But Sheep in the Box, Hirokazu Koreeda’s latest sci-fi drama, explores whether it could, in fact, do some good if placed in proper hands – namely, those of grieving parents. The story sees married couple Otone (Haruka Ayase) and Kensuke Komoto (Daigo Yamamoto) in a futuristic society, two years after the tragic death of their seven-year-old son, Kakeru (Rimu Kuwaki). While we don’t know the full details surrounding his untimely passing, Koreeda shares early on that a train, the very thing Kakeru adored, was partly responsible. The family seems to be through many (if not all) stages of their grief. Otone has recently signed on new clients as part of her architectural work, and Kensuke regularly enjoys nights out playing sports with his friends. Given that it’s been two years, it’s surprising that REbirth, a local AI company, has started sending a drone to promote their new humanoid program. Apparently, they could make a robot with the physical look and memories of the couple’s deceased child. It would not enough to replace their loved one altogether, but it would help parents relive fond memories and make new ones, as long as neither food nor water are involved. While Otone is open to the idea, Kensuke rejects it at first. He often refers to it as a Tamagotchi or Roomba, offering some comedic relief in this cautious tale of sorrow.
Sheep In The Box’s Portrayal Of AI Raises Thought-Provoking Questions

Ayase and Daigo in Sheep in the Box

On paper, Sheep in the Box calls into question our ability, and duty, to move past tragedy in this journey we call life. Given where we are in our scientific and technological development, why not turn to AI for help? Just like with the general problems of today’s artificial intelligence, it can never truly replace humans. We feed it a prompt, and based on those inputs, it responds and/or acts accordingly. During the design stage of robot Kakeru, the technicians input memories that his parents previously selected. That means no water or food, and there are certainly limited sad or angry moments. One could already imagine how this could later come back to disrupt Otone and Kensuke’s synthesized utopia. They don’t want to set themselves up for reality with a robot version of their deceased son. They want to shield themselves from harsh truths and repudiate their feelings altogether. Based on this description, one might think Sheep in the Box comes devoid of all emotion, but I’d argue that it’s quite the opposite. This is mostly displayed when robot Kakeru comes to realizations of his own, thanks to fellow humanoid friends. His evolved understanding of humans vs. robots breathes life into a side story that helps the audience feel for machines, all while recognizing their original purpose of bringing comfort to a grieving family. Otone and Kensuke also experience revelations of their own, aligning with guilt, shame, and regret. It’s simple but effective, without crossing into overly dramatic territory.

Ayase, Kuwaki, and Daigo in Sheep in the Box

Most notably, Sheep in the Box is held together by the remarkable cast. Daigo begins as a stoic father, incapable of trusting a humanoid version of his son to bring him comfort. As the film progresses, he begins to open up, letting his emotions pour out at the most important moments. Ayase is splendid here. It’s been said that a mother’s love is unconditional and irreplaceable. She embodies this completely with every look of longing, concern, and optimistic joy. Finally, Kuwaki’s work as Kakeru is splendid. With every subtitle smile and long glance, he draws you in emotionally.

A beautiful yet simple story about using AI to manage grief, Sheep in the Box hits all the right emotional notes. The script glides through all stages with realism and curiosity in a way that never judges its characters, no matter which side of the AI argument they sit on. While it doesn’t break any barriers regarding films about sorrow, it opens up an interesting conversation about the ethics of using AI as grief counselor. Koreeda doesn’t necessarily take a stance on this, but his script asks interesting questions about what we’re willing to do to relive the memories of deceased loved ones. Sheep in the Box screened at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.

Release Date

May 29, 2026

Runtime

126 minutes

Director

Hirokazu Kore-eda

Cast

Haruka Ayase

Otone Komoto

Daigo Yamamoto

Kensuke Komoto