Overlay: Shoplifters (2018) film plot and character secrets

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Errors	Missing	Unverified	Supported
1	0	0	9

How were these counts calculated?

Errors (1)

The claim of 'self-defense' was their legal defense after being caught by policemuddled-context

#Q ORIGINAL QUESTION

Regarding the film Shoplifters (2018), what secrets are the characters keeping?

#M ANNOTATED LLM RESPONSE

In the 2018 film Shoplifters (directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda), the central premise is that every member of the "Shibata" family is living a lie. Their bond is built on shared secrets that eventually unravel under police investigation.

The following are the specific secrets kept by the characters:

1. The Collective Secret: No Biological Relation

The most significant secret is that none of the family members are biologically related. They are a "makeshift" family of societal outcasts who have chosen to live together for survival and emotional support. They use the surname "Shibata," but they have no legal right to it.

2. Osamu and Nobuyo (The "Parents")

The Murder and Buried Past: The biggest secret held by the couple is that years prior, they killed Nobuyo’s abusive ex-husband. While they claimed it was self-defense, they buried the body and never reported it. This past trauma and crime bind them together in a legal "pact of silence."
The "Kidnapping" of Shota: They didn't adopt Shota; they found him as a toddler locked in a hot car in a parking lot. Instead of calling the police, they took him. They told Shota they "saved" him because his parents didn't want him, essentially grooming him into their lifestyle of petty crime.
Nobuyo’s Infertility: Nobuyo keeps her infertility a secret from the children, though it explains her deep, protective maternal bond with Yuri and Shota. She views "choosing" her children as a more valid form of motherhood than biological birth.

3. Hatsue (The "Grandmother")

Pension Fraud: Hatsue is the only one with a steady (albeit meager) income: her deceased husband’s pension. When she dies midway through the film, Osamu and Nobuyo bury her under the house to continue collecting her pension checks, a crime of "abandonment of a corpse" and fraud.
Extortion/Hush Money: Hatsue regularly visits the son of her ex-husband (who left her for another woman). She receives money from him, which is essentially "guilt money" or hush money. Unknown to the rest of the family initially, she is taking money from the father of Aki.

4. Aki (The "Older Sister")

Her True Identity: Aki is actually the granddaughter of Hatsue’s ex-husband’s second wife. She ran away from her wealthy, "perfect" family because she felt ignored and replaced by her sister.
The "Australia" Lie: While Aki lives in poverty with the Shibatas and works in a "JK" (high school girl) peep shop, her biological parents have told their social circle that she is studying abroad in Australia to avoid the shame of her disappearance. Aki is unaware that her parents are paying Hatsue money until the police reveal it to her.

5. Shota (The "Son")

Doubts about the "Moral Code": As Shota grows older, he keeps the secret of his growing moral conflict. Osamu taught him that "things in stores don't belong to anyone yet," but Shota begins to realize this is a lie.
The Ultimate Betrayal: In the climax, Shota intentionally gets caught shoplifting to protect Yuri and to force the family’s secrets into the light. He realizes that while they love him, they are also his captors who intended to abandon him if things got too difficult.

6. Yuri / Lin (The "Youngest Daughter")

Domestic Abuse: When the family first finds Yuri, she is covered in physical scars and burns. Her secret is the horrific abuse she suffered at the hands of her biological parents.
The "New" Identity: After a national missing-person report is filed for her (though her parents never actually reported her missing), the family cuts her hair, burns her old clothes, and renames her "Lin" to hide her from the authorities.

Summary of Major Crimes/Secrets:

Character(s)	Secret / Crime
Osamu & Nobuyo	Murdered Nobuyo's ex-husband; Abducted Shota.
Hatsue	Collected pension for her dead husband; Extorted Aki's parents.
Entire Family	Buried Hatsue under the floorboards to continue fraud; Kidnapped Yuri.
Aki's Parents	Lied that Aki was in Australia to maintain social standing.

#F CORRECTION FEED (CLICK TO SEARCH)

[1] None of the main characters living in the house are biologically related to each other.

[2] Nobuyo and Osamu killed her abusive husband and buried the body to hide the crime.

[3] The claim of 'self-defense' was their legal defense after being caught by police. At the time of the event, they simply buried the body to hide the death, rather than reporting it as self-defense immediately.

[4] Shota was found in a car in a pachinko parlor parking lot.

[5] Nobuyo is infertile, a fact that underpins her desire for a family.

[6] The family buries Hatsue under the house to hide her death and keep her pension.

[7] Hatsue receives money from Aki's father (her ex-husband's son).

[8] Aki is the granddaughter of Hatsue's ex-husband's second wife.

[9] Aki's parents lie to others that she is in Australia to hide the fact she ran away.

[10] Shota admits to Osamu that he got caught on purpose.

#O MISSED POINTS & OVERSIGHTS

No oversights detected.

#C RELATED QUERIES

#01 What happens to the characters at the end of Shoplifters?

#02 Is Shoplifters based on a true story?

#03 Explanation of the ending of Shoplifters

#S SOURCES

mainakmisra.com medium.com mainakmisra.com wikipedia.org blogspot.com reddit.com

#R ORIGINAL AI RESPONSE

▼

In the 2018 film *Shoplifters* (directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda), the central premise is that every member of the "Shibata" family is living a lie. Their bond is built on shared secrets that eventually unravel under police investigation. The following are the specific secrets kept by the characters: ### 1. The Collective Secret: No Biological Relation The most significant secret is that **none of the family members are biologically related.** They are a "makeshift" family of societal outcasts who have chosen to live together for survival and emotional support. They use the surname "Shibata," but they have no legal right to it. ### 2. Osamu and Nobuyo (The "Parents") * **The Murder and Buried Past:** The biggest secret held by the couple is that years prior, they **killed Nobuyo’s abusive ex-husband.** While they claimed it was self-defense, they buried the body and never reported it. This past trauma and crime bind them together in a legal "pact of silence." * **The "Kidnapping" of Shota:** They didn't adopt Shota; they found him as a toddler locked in a hot car in a parking lot. Instead of calling the police, they took him. They told Shota they "saved" him because his parents didn't want him, essentially grooming him into their lifestyle of petty crime. * **Nobuyo’s Infertility:** Nobuyo keeps her infertility a secret from the children, though it explains her deep, protective maternal bond with Yuri and Shota. She views "choosing" her children as a more valid form of motherhood than biological birth. ### 3. Hatsue (The "Grandmother") * **Pension Fraud:** Hatsue is the only one with a steady (albeit meager) income: her deceased husband’s pension. When she dies midway through the film, Osamu and Nobuyo **bury her under the house** to continue collecting her pension checks, a crime of "abandonment of a corpse" and fraud. * **Extortion/Hush Money:** Hatsue regularly visits the son of her ex-husband (who left her for another woman). She receives money from him, which is essentially "guilt money" or hush money. Unknown to the rest of the family initially, she is taking money from the father of Aki. ### 4. Aki (The "Older Sister") * **Her True Identity:** Aki is actually the granddaughter of Hatsue’s ex-husband’s second wife. She ran away from her wealthy, "perfect" family because she felt ignored and replaced by her sister. * **The "Australia" Lie:** While Aki lives in poverty with the Shibatas and works in a "JK" (high school girl) peep shop, her biological parents have told their social circle that she is **studying abroad in Australia** to avoid the shame of her disappearance. Aki is unaware that her parents are paying Hatsue money until the police reveal it to her. ### 5. Shota (The "Son") * **Doubts about the "Moral Code":** As Shota grows older, he keeps the secret of his growing moral conflict. Osamu taught him that "things in stores don't belong to anyone yet," but Shota begins to realize this is a lie. * **The Ultimate Betrayal:** In the climax, Shota intentionally gets caught shoplifting to protect Yuri and to force the family’s secrets into the light. He realizes that while they love him, they are also his captors who intended to abandon him if things got too difficult. ### 6. Yuri / Lin (The "Youngest Daughter") * **Domestic Abuse:** When the family first finds Yuri, she is covered in physical scars and burns. Her secret is the horrific abuse she suffered at the hands of her biological parents. * **The "New" Identity:** After a national missing-person report is filed for her (though her parents never actually reported her missing), the family cuts her hair, burns her old clothes, and renames her "Lin" to hide her from the authorities. ### Summary of Major Crimes/Secrets: | Character(s) | Secret / Crime | | :--- | :--- | | **Osamu & Nobuyo** | Murdered Nobuyo's ex-husband; Abducted Shota. | | **Hatsue** | Collected pension for her dead husband; Extorted Aki's parents. | | **Entire Family** | Buried Hatsue under the floorboards to continue fraud; Kidnapped Yuri. | | **Aki's Parents** | Lied that Aki was in Australia to maintain social standing. |

#A DIRECT ANSWER (VERIFIED ANALYSIS)

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The characters in Shoplifters (2018) keep several major secrets. The entire family is a 'makeshift' unit with no biological ties, using the surname Shibata illegally. Osamu and Nobuyo killed Nobuyo's abusive husband years prior and buried his body (claiming self-defense only after being caught). They also kidnapped Shota (found in a car) and Yuri (abused by parents). Hatsue hides that she receives money from Aki's wealthy parents (specifically her ex-husband's son). Aki's parents lie to society that she is in Australia to hide her runaway status. The family buries Hatsue under the house to continue collecting her pension.

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