Laughing Under the Clouds (2018): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2018, Laughing Under the Clouds is an action, drama and adventure film directed by Katsuyuki Motohiro, running about 94 minutes.

What it’s about. In the dawn of the Meiji period, the Gokumonjou, an inescapable prison, has been established in the middle of an enormous lake to counter the soaring crime rates the new era has brought. Serving as the ferrymen are the famous Kumou brothers: the eccentric family head, Tenka; the reckless but noble second son, Soramaru; and the guileless youngest, Chuutarou. In spite of their grim work, the three lead relatively peaceful lives in the ever-cloudy town of Oumi, together with their housekeeper, Shirasu Kinjou. But buried in the long history of Oumi is the legend of the terrifying "Orochi," a serpentine beast that awakens every three hundred years in a human vessel. Unbeknownst to Soramaru and Chuutarou, the actual job of the Kumou family is to seal the Orochi away before it fully revives—or the world will be plunged into destruction. Amid the monster's next resurrection, the Kumou family must find the resolve to keep laughing under the clouds.

Who’s in it. Laughing Under the Clouds stars Sota Fukushi, Shunsuke Daitoh, Renn Kiriyama and Yuma Nakayama, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.0/10, Laughing Under the Clouds has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Laughing Under the Clouds page.

If you liked it. Fans of Laughing Under the Clouds tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.