 David Desser compares the double-suicide with which the film concludes to the "shinjū" (lover's suicide) in traditional Japanese theatrical forms such as "bunraku" and "kabuki".He contrasts Poppo and Tsukio's nonchalant suicides with the "michiyuki"—the dramatic, poetic final walk of the lovers—in the traditional theater.Desser also points out the interesting use of music in the film.