Hasegawa’s task involves the Master’s son, Mutsuki, danced by Shinji Arai, another eerie highlight, as two other dancers control his movements on a raised platform. Hasegawa’s blood is demanded for Mutsuki’s resurrection, and repetitive scenes of death and rebirth build the tension and horror. The staging also uses projected text and image to great effect alongside kokeshi dolls and puppetry for an innovative blend of modern with the traditional. The dolls, handpainted traditional wooden dolls without arms or legs, symbolize protection against evil spirits. Another standout dance performance is when Nakagomi, now representing a mother figure, is transformed into a doll herself as themes of rebirth and manipulation are echoed through various scenarios. 

Hasegawa, who won the first annual “Legends” streetdance competition in Japan, shows his choreographic roots with the hip-hop choreography. Most recently, Dazzle expanded into immersive theater, bringing the genre to Japan in 2017 to great acclaim with “Venus in Tokyo,” but “Flower and Decoy” remains one of their most popular works, featured at international theater festivals in Romania and Iran, while frequently touring the work both domestically and internationally. Layered, fluid choreography is deliberately repeated, adding to the sense of cyclical death and rebirth. Overall, the unnerving staging and storytelling manifests myth and modernity in a fresh, exciting way.