The Hamlet Syndrome

Do not enter this castle. One cloudy afternoon, I arrived at the castle—a place that shouldn't exist. It was the residence of a man who claimed to be Hamlet, ever since a strange incident during a theatrical performance. I was sent to investigate his mental state, to determine whether he was truly delusional or something far more complex. In this unsettling place, which perfectly mirrors the palace from Shakespeare's tragedy, I found myself cast in the role of Rosencrantz—observer and would-be friend to the troubled man who calls himself Hamlet. But the castle itself seems alive with deception, where reality and performance blur until neither can be trusted. You must not come to this castle. Within these walls, truth becomes performance, and performance becomes deadly reality. The castle doesn't just house madness—it creates it, twisting all who enter into roles they never chose to play. (Source: Shogakukan)