As The Gods Will Ending Explained, Plot, Cast and More
by Janani
Updated Jul 20, 2023
As The Gods Will Movie
In 2014, a chilling Japanese supernatural horror film titled "As the Gods Will" (神さまの言うとおり, Kami-sama no Iu Tōri) was brought to life under the direction of Takashi Miike. This gripping cinematic creation takes its inspiration from the initial arc of the manga series of the same name, written by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and illustrated by Akeji Fujimura.
The movie follows a suspenseful storyline, interwoven with elements of the supernatural, as it unfolds the terrifying events that unfold when the gods themselves seem to be pulling the strings. Viewers are taken on a roller-coaster ride of fear and suspense, as characters find themselves ensnared in a deadly game orchestrated by divine forces.
"After the Gods Will" was later made available for home viewing in the United States, thanks to the efforts of Funimation, the renowned entertainment company that brings popular Japanese anime and films to a global audience.
Directed with finesse by Takashi Miike and adapted from the gripping manga, this supernatural horror film offers an intense and captivating experience for horror enthusiasts and fans of the manga series alike.
As The Gods Will Ending Explained
In the final game, represented by a Matryoshka doll, the players engage in a kick-the-can game that must be finished before sunset. Out of the remaining five players, each one selects a stick, and the person who draws the red stick assumes the role of the "Devil.
" The "Devil" has the power to capture and imprison anyone whose face they see and call out during the game. Additionally, kicking the can in the center triggers an explosion, resulting in the elimination of all players in its vicinity.
During this game, Takeru happens to draw the red stick, leading to the swift capture of three students. In the meantime, Shun seeks armor to conceal his face and protect himself from being caught. However, Shun ends up tied to Takeru's armor and accidentally falls into the sea. After managing to climb back up and free himself from the armor, Shun attempts to pull it up to prevent Takeru from falling.
Ultimately, it is Shun who successfully kicks the can, emerging as the winner of the game. However, the significance of the Matryoshka doll becomes apparent later. The explosion was merely an illusion, and the players are not harmed even if they lose the game.
Following the game's conclusion, the group decides to hold a popsicle party to determine their destinies. Fortunately, both Shun and Takeru survive the events, but Ichika, Eiji, and Kotaro are vaporized by one of the Matryoshka dolls. Intriguingly, there is a hikikomori who had been secretly observing the group from his room. He eventually leaves his house, possibly in search of the true identity of "God," which is a term mentioned during the events.
In the end, Takeru appears joyful while Shun grieves over his losses. The duo proclaims that there is no God, but this statement is incorrect. One of the Matryoshka dolls represents a vagrant who had also been observing the games and is, in fact, the "God" behind them.
Overall, the story culminates in an unexpected twist, revealing the intricate and mysterious connections between the participants and the unseen observer, leaving the characters to contemplate the existence of a higher power.
As The Gods Will Movie Cast
Here is the list of cast and character names of As The Gods Will.
Cast Name
Character Name
Sota Fukushi
Shun Takahata
Hirona Yamazaki
Ichika Akimoto
Ryūnosuke Kamiki
Takeru Amaya
Mio Yūki
Shoko Takase
Shōta Sometani
Satake
Jingi Irie
Eiji Oku
Ryosuke Yamamoto
Mikinori Taira
Minori Hagiwara
Yumi Taoka
Sasuke Otsuru
Yukio Sanada
Naoto Takahashi
Kotaro Maeda
Nijiro Murakami
Haruhiko Yoshikawa
Lily Franky
Homeless man/God
Nao Omori
Takumi
Dori Sakurada
Class president (cameo)
Atsuko Maeda
Maneki-neko (voice)
Tsutomu Yamazaki
Polar Bear (voice)
The Gods Will Movie Plot
In the thrilling story, high school student Shun Takahata finds his life monotonous, spending most of his time playing violent video games. However, one day, his ordinary routine is shattered when a strange event occurs during class.
The teacher's head transforms into a Daruma doll, and Shun, along with his friend Satake and their entire class, is thrust into a deadly game called Daruma-san ga koronda. They must play the game, where moving results in the students being killed one by one. The objective is to press a button on the doll's back before a timer runs out to end the game and survive.
With Satake's assistance, Shun successfully presses the button, but unfortunately, Satake loses his life, revealing that only the person who presses the button can live.
After completing this deadly game, Shun joins forces with his friend Ichika Akimoto, and together, they initiate another dangerous challenge called Belling the Cat. This game involves a giant Maneki Neko (beckoning cat), where students dressed as mice try to throw a bell into a hoop attached to the cat's collar. However, their lives are at stake, as they must avoid being eaten or crushed.
With the help of Takeru Amaya, a troubled classmate with a violent disposition, they win the game, but Takeru betrays them afterward, killing all the other survivors.
As they progress, the surviving trio wakes up in a flying cube over Tokyo, where they face a series of tests along with other students from all over Japan and the world. The next challenge, Kagome Kagome, involves blindfolding the students and guessing which of four floating Kokeshi wooden dolls is behind them within a limited time.
Failure results in deadly consequences, but Shun manages to save his ex-classmate Shoko Takase, and reunite with Ichika and another student named Yukio Sanada.
The group advances to the next level, where they must use keys to unlock a giant smiling Kokeshi head. Amidst the chaos, Amaya introduces more keys and kills a prisoner, leading the survivors to proceed further.
In the subsequent game with a white polar bear named Shirokuma, the students must answer truthfully, or else they'll be forced to identify someone they believe is lying, resulting in that person's death. Shoko and Yukio lose their lives, but Shun discovers the bear's true deceit and survives along with four others.
Finally, the last game is a version of Kick the Can, represented by Matryoshka dolls. The students must complete the game before sunset, with one of them becoming the "Devil" and catching those whose faces are seen and called out.
Kicking the can in the middle triggers an explosion, killing nearby players. Takeru becomes the "Devil," and several students are caught, while Shun hides his face and falls into the sea. After a dramatic struggle, Shun manages to free himself and win the game by kicking the can first. Surprisingly, the Matryoshka dolls reveal that the explosion was a lie, and no one would be harmed even if they lost the game.
At a popsicle party, the survivors learn their destinies on wooden sticks, understanding that the final game was merely for entertainment. Shun and Takeru are among the living, but Ichika, Eiji, and Kotaro perish by a fourth of Matryoshka doll's lasers. As they reach the top of the cube, they are cheered by a crowd, while a mysterious hikikomori observer, Enokida Takumi, ventures out of his house, perhaps in search of the true identity of "God."
Celebration and despair fill the air, with Takeru jubilant and Shun grieving the loss of his friends. He concludes that "there is no God," but the Matryoshka dolls correct him, implying that these deadly games may lead them to the true "God," as they reveal the vagrant observer who orchestrated the games from behind the scenes.
The Gods Will MovieTrailer
As The Gods Will Ending Explained - FAQ
The perception of the climax of a movie from the audience’s point of view differs, so it depends on them, whether the ending explained was satisfactory.
"As the Gods Will" is a Japanese supernatural horror film released in 2014. It takes its inspiration from the initial arc of the manga series with the same name, written by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and illustrated by Akeji Fujimura. The movie follows a suspenseful storyline where terrifying events unfold as the gods themselves seem to be orchestrating a deadly game, ensnaring characters in a roller-coaster ride of fear and suspense.
The film was directed by Takashi Miike, known for his expertise in the horror genre, bringing his finesse to create a chilling and captivating cinematic experience.
The film revolves around a deadly game of survival where characters must face supernatural challenges and divine interventions. The gods seemingly control the events, adding layers of suspense and terror throughout the storyline.
Yes, the film is based on the manga series of the same name written by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and illustrated by Akeji Fujimura. It adapts the first arc of the manga, offering a visual and suspenseful experience for fans of the original work.