In a time before World War II, as Japan was inching towards conflict, there was a secluded village named Hitogata, also known as the Village of Dolls. It was tucked away within the snow-laden mountains of the Hokuriku region. Here, an unusual tradition prevailed — the veneration of clay figurines, known as Hinna-sama. One night, on the eve of a festive celebration, tragedy struck. A girl was found brutally murdered. Whispers of fear swept through the village. The locals suspected the ominous "Curse of Hinna-sama," suggesting the girl was punished by the divine doll itself. They believed an outsider, unqualified to perform the sacred rites of Hinna-sama, had invoked the deity's wrath. Fast forward to December 1957. Almost two years had passed since . At the same time, he was asked by the police to investigate some peculiar murder cases. Both cases shared a gruesome detail: victims were found strung up with a clay doll buried within their abdomen. Reiji wasn't working alone. Assisting him was Tomoyuki Masaki, a man who was once a prime suspect in the first murder and who had attempted suicide. Meanwhile, a religious group, previously believed to have disbanded six years earlier, was showing signs of activity, raising questions about their intentions. An eerie reminder reverberated through the unfolding mysteries — whether the curse is a decree from the heavens or not, it is humans who ultimately carry out the deed.