「美は人を(ひとお)惑わす(まどわす)幻想(げんそう)であり、世界(せかい)を支配(しはい)するのは人間の(にんげんの)認識(にんしき)である」という哲学

Enrolling in university, Mizoguchi meets Kashiwagi, a cynical friend with clubfoot. Kashiwagi spoke of a warped philosophy: beauty is an illusion that deceives and rules people, and what rules the world is not the existence of beauty but 'human perception.' Kashiwagi's words lead Mizoguchi's obsession with beauty inside his heart in an even more twisted direction.