"I want to destroy it"— Bullet Train Explosion director Shinji Higuchi shares how he finds these trains weirdly beautiful

Bullet Train Explosion is an upcoming Japanese thriller movie set to be released on Netflix on April 23, 2025. Directed by Japanese filmmaker Shinji Higuchi, it is a modern remake of the 1975 crime film The Bullet Train.

Also known as Shinkansen Daibakuha, the Bullet Train Explosion is about a bomb planted on the Hayabusa No. 60 bullet train heading toward Tokyo. The bomb is set to explode if the train's speed drops below 100 kilometers per hour. Only 100 billion yen given as ransom to the terrorist can make him deactivate the bomb.

Shinji Higuchi's other projects include Shin Godzilla and Doomsday: The Sinking of Japan. In a recent interview with Variety on April 22, 2025, he opened up about how he finds beauty in bullet trains.

“The order, the precision that it symbolizes, and something that’s stable… That’s something that I’m drawn to, and because I love it so much, I want to destroy it,” Higuchi told Variety.

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Shinji Higuchi's inspiration for Bullet Train Explosion

Shinji Higuchi (Image via Youtube/ AfterBuzz TV)

In the interview, Higuchi recalled that the 1975 movie The Bullet Train was the first non-kids film he saw, which inspired him to make Bullet Train Explosion. He first watched it at the age of 10 after skipping school. The movie's themes of crime and punishment proved to be very impactful for the then 10-year-old.

“Because it was my first time disobeying my parents… I kind of saw myself in there and saw what becomes of someone who committed a crime or did something bad. So that was very impactful, and I never forget that experience,” he explained.

Higachi noticed that the social climate of Japan had changed in the past 50 years and wanted to ensure that the movie seemed authentic to contemporary Japan. The creative team for the movie drew inspiration for considering the antagonist of the film by talking to the youth of Japan, as they expressed a sense of hopelessness about the future.

He is known for combining Japanese practical special effects (tokusatsu) with a thrilling storyline. Although it was something he was ridiculed for earlier in his career.

“I like the thrill of seeing something that’s not supposed to happen, happen to you. That really excites me in a weird way — makes me ecstatic,” he said.

The filmmaker also mentioned that an essential element of cinema is the scale of things.

“I love things that are exaggerated. When I watch large scale things… I think that it’s not worth going to the cinema if it’s not that big of a scale,” he added.

When asked if the movie was a homage or a reinvention of the 1975 film, he suggested that the movie evolved to become more of a homage.

“We started off with a different title. The more we created, it became closer and closer to the original,” he replied.

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Shinji Higuchi's previous projects

A still from the movie Shin Godzilla (Image via Prime Video)

Before making the Bullet Train Explosion, Higuchi established himself as a master of tokusatsu, with trains being part of his destructive set pieces.

In his 2016 movie Shin Godzilla, the magnanimous creature destroys the Keikyu 800 series train in Tokyo. His other film, Doomsday: The Sinking of Japan, also features the dramatic destruction of a Fujikyuko 5000 series train.

However, it was his work on the sci-fi and horror film Gamera: Guardian of the Universe that earned him recognition. He showcased his talent for special effects by combining traditional suitmation with detailed miniature sets and dynamic camera work, creating some of the most energetic and realistic kaiju action of the era.

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Bullet Train Explosion will premiere on Netflix on April 23, 2025.