Cure

The police detective Kenichi Takabe is investigating bizarre murders where the victims are brutally murdered with an X carved on the neck. However, each killer is immediately arrested and confesses to the murder, but cannot explain their motives to kill the victim. Takabe is working with the psychologist Makoto Sakuma and they are intrigued since all of the killers had contact with a stranger immediately before the murder. Takabe is a troubled man since his mentally unstable wife Fumie is a burden in his life. When a physician kills a man in a public restroom, Takabe discloses the identity of the stranger. He is an intern at the hospital where Kunio Mamiya had consultation with the physician. Mamiya is a dazed and confused man with apparent loss of memory, and his behavior affects Takabe. Takabe's further investigation discovers that Mamiya has studied hypnotism and is capable of putting suggestions to kill in the minds of his victims. Takabe becomes obsessed by the case, which affects his personal life and threatens to make him lose his mind.