⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀(x0o0x)

Story of きさらぎ駅

きさらぎ駅 (Kisaragi station) is a Japanese urban legend about a railway station that doesn't exist. The story started from the Japanese internet forum 2channel.

Hasumi (葉純) posted an anonymous thread on 2channel asking for help. She woke up in a train carriage with all other passengers asleep. The conductor of the train is inaccessible, and the train isn't stopping by any station that it usually would. Being in this bizarre situation, Hasumi started a post on 2channel to share her experience and confusion.

After a long time the train stopped by a station named "Kisaragi", which was never known. After Hasumi dropped off, the train departed soon. She called her parents for help, but neither can her parents nor others who want to help her find the station she is, even the GPS on her phone keeps showing "ERROR".

Hasumi left the station to see if their is people nearby, but sooner or later some drum and bell sounds started playing from far away. Then she heard someone yelling at her , "Hey, standing on the railway is dangerous!". She searched for the sound, and it was an old man with only one leg. The old man disappear after he yelled.

Being dipped in great fear, Hasumi went through the tunnel where the train came from. At first she was relieved that there is a living people out there. The man asked Hasumi if she needed help, and offered her a ride. "There is a motel not too far away, " the man told Hasumi, "I'll send you there."

People on the internet tried to stop Hasumi from following a man that randomly appeared, but it was too late. Hasumi already hopped on the ride, and slowly found out the way they were heading is more and more into the mountain. Just when everyone warned Hasumi that the man is too suspicious, Hasumi claimed that her phone battery is dying, and will try to leave if she can. It became the last message from Hasumi.

7 years later, a new comment was posted under the thread. The user said she is Hasumi, and she was brought back to the reality not long after, however the 7 years disappeared. 

Lyrics 

English version (by Rachie)

Somehow the railroad disappeared

As well as the train that was supposed to be here

And now I’m hearing music

No one was ever to hear

Then it starts, a part of a sign begins to march

To the station today

Looks like somebody has come out to play

A dumb kid making noise a bit like this

Trying hard to comprehend

the words that fly over his head

Since then, I haven’t moved a single step

In this place again, today

None can see me even if they try

None can even catch me alive

So cross the rails at last

And cast your gaze upon your feet

So the world won’t see

The raindrops on my cheeks

Where am I? What’s the time?

Looking around I was horrified

Nothing was there

Nothing is there

Should it be there?

Not even here

Disappearing into dawn

The morning will never come

But ah, somehow                Ah, so that’s why

I was beginning to face                Just make your way over to me

it just a bit                I couldn’t see

And that’s why                Even so

Picking my jaw off the floor                Cupping my ear so to hear

Looking over                Looking yonder

I only wanted to go meet a friend tonight

But it’s over now so good night

None can see me even if they try

None can even catch me alive

So cross the rails today

And cast your gaze upon your feet

So they’ll start to see

The raindrops on my

None can see me even if they try

Where the hell am I? Doomed to never truly die

I tried my best to keep you safe and sound

But that wasn’t quite enough to stop it was it!

About the animation part

Storyboard sketches

The protagonist

As it was a urban story, the art style would be more of a hand-drawn / paper doll style. 

01

Where am I

What’s the time 

The first two sentences share the same letter in the object of “I”. In this case, the protagonist was made to replace the letter “I” in the lyrics.

Also, the protagonist would act as the pointer of the clock. When it comes to the lower part of the clock, the color of the protagonist reverted as long as her relative position.

02

Looking around I was horrified

Nothing was there? Nothing is there

Should it be there? Not even here

Disappearing into dawn

The morning will never come

The whole background is linked from midnight (dark tone) to dawn (warm tone). Also, the trees becoming plain gray and “X” could mean that the tree isn’t there, following the lyrics.

03

                                                   But ah, somehow                Ah, so that’s why

                                   I was beginning to face it                Just make your way over to me

                                                                    Just a bit                I couldn’t see

                                                        And that’s why                Even so

                              Picking my jaw off the floor                Cupping my ear so to hear

                                                           Looking over                 Looking yonder

At first I meant to let the lyrics stay at the sky, so I left it empty. But then it felt a bit hard to read the lyrics as they are too far away. The video then had zoom-ins to focus on the animations and lyrics.

The lyrics here are two part of it sung at the same time. In the story, it represents the old man with only one leg, and the man who offered a ride.

04

I only wanted to go meet a friend tonight

But it’s over now so good night

As the rhythm slows down, I think it would be great to make the lyrics flow like an end credit along with the text-messages. After the “good night” line, the bridge of the song ends and sets into silence. 

05

None can see me even if they try

Where the hell am I?

Doomed to never truly die 

Since it is the chorus, it’s time for the real “protagonist” ——the station—— to come out.

In the whole project, this is the only scene with 3D layers. The components are small bits including some human figure, a static background of roof and floor, and movable ceilings, word board and train.

The first part of the chorus is also cut off to save time (of the video and myself) and made into a shorter remix.

The original music video is a static image of the station with moving lyrics.

06

I tried my best to keep you safe and sound

But that wasn’t quite enough to stop it was it!

It brings out an image of someone helping the protagonist, but doesn’t end up well.

People across the internet gave divert opinions on how to save her, so I used the protagonist herself, with some tunes in color and a shade, to actually give her a hand and pull her into the dark.

And the music ends here sharply to make it obtrusive.