It is based on the novels Strange Tale of Panorama Island (パノラマ島奇談, Panorama-tō Kidan) and The Demon of the Lonely Isle (孤島の鬼, Kotō no Oni) by Edogawa Rampo.

After escaping, and being framed for the murder of a circus girl, he spots the photo of a recently deceased man, Genzaburo Komoda, to whom he bears an uncanny resemblance.

Whilst on the island, Hirosuke not only discovers Jogoro's plans to build his 'ideal community' (by transforming perfectly normal humans into hideous freaks), but also the awful truth behind his own identity.

[5] Stuart Galbraith IV from DVD Talk wrote, "With its odd mix of absurdist theater, surreal images, taboo-breaking depravity, and commercially driven exploitation, it's all over the stylistic map and not for all tastes, but a fascinating film on many levels".

[6] Ian Jane from RockShockPop.com called it "A genuine holy grail of Japanese genre cinema", commending the film's choreography, cinematography, mood, and use of surreal imagery.