Japanese Movies
by Naomi-Dillenseger | created - 20 Nov 2011 | updated - 26 Feb 2017 | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi (2003)
R | 116 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
The blind masseur/swordsman comes to a town in control of warring gangs, and while bunking with a farming family, he meets two women with their own agenda.
Director: Takeshi Kitano | Stars: Takeshi Kitano, Tadanobu Asano, Yui Natsukawa, Michiyo Yasuda
Votes: 51,539 | Gross: $0.85M
2. Brother (I) (2000)
R | 114 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
A Japanese gangster is exiled to Los Angeles where his brother lives with a small but respectable multi-racial gang, who he inspires to expand their influence.
Director: Takeshi Kitano | Stars: Takeshi Kitano, Claude Maki, Omar Epps, Masaya Katô
Votes: 24,387 | Gross: $0.45M
3. Kiraware Matsuko no isshô (2006)
130 min | Comedy, Drama, Musical
When Matsuko is murdered, her nephew, Sho, gets to progressively unveil the many details of her mysterious past, discovering she wasn't just a forgotten outcast and had led an intriguing yet bizarre life.
Director: Tetsuya Nakashima | Stars: Miki Nakatani, Eita Nagayama, Yûsuke Iseya, Mikako Ichikawa
Votes: 8,743
4. Survive Style 5+ (2004)
120 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Horror
Five bizarre stories with no apparent connection to one and other eventually become intertwined, resulting in surreal circumstances.
Director: Gen Sekiguchi | Stars: Tadanobu Asano, Reika Hashimoto, Kyôko Koizumi, Hiroshi Abe
Votes: 10,150
5. Last Life in the Universe (2003)
R | 112 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A suicidal, obsessively compulsive Japanese librarian is forced to lie low in Thailand with a pot-smoking woman coping with the recent loss of her sister.
Director: Pen-Ek Ratanaruang | Stars: Tadanobu Asano, Sinitta Boonyasak, Takashi Miike, Laila Boonyasak
Votes: 11,560 | Gross: $0.03M
6. Tokyo! (2008)
Unrated | 112 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
A triptych examines the nature of one unforgettable city as it's shaped by the disparate people who live, work (and even run amok) inside one enormous, constantly evolving, densely populated megalopolis, the ravishing and inimitable Tokyo.
Directors: Leos Carax, Michel Gondry, Bong Joon Ho | Stars: Ayako Fujitani, Ryô Kase, Ayumi Ito, Nao Ômori
Votes: 11,871 | Gross: $0.35M
7. Outrage (2010)
R | 109 min | Action, Crime, Drama
The boss of a major crime syndicate orders his lieutenant to bring a rogue gang of drug traffickers in line, a job that gets passed on to his long-suffering subordinate.
Director: Takeshi Kitano | Stars: Takeshi Kitano, Kippei Shîna, Ryô Kase, Fumiyo Kohinata
Votes: 14,663
8. Beyond Outrage (2012)
R | 110 min | Action, Crime, Drama
As the police launch a full-scale crackdown on organized crime, it ignites a national yakuza struggle between the Sanno of the East and Hanabishi of the West.
Director: Takeshi Kitano | Stars: Toshiyuki Nishida, Tomokazu Miura, Takeshi Kitano, Ryô Kase
Votes: 7,262
9. Hero (2007)
130 min | Drama
Kohei Kuryu returns to Tokyo and reunites with his former colleagues. He will be up against one of the famous lawyers in Tokyo to solve a new case and team up with his best partner, Maiko Amemiya.
Director: Masayuki Suzuki | Stars: Takuya Kimura, Takako Matsu, Hiroshi Abe, Zoe Aggeliki
Votes: 1,111
10. Cold Fish (2010)
Not Rated | 146 min | Crime, Drama, Horror
The lives of a bored suburban couple are changed forever when a seemingly nice old man gives their daughter a job at his fish store, and soon his gruesome hobbies are brought to light.
Director: Sion Sono | Stars: Mitsuru Fukikoshi, Denden, Asuka Kurosawa, Megumi Kagurazaka
Votes: 14,523
11. Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989)
Not Rated | 67 min | Horror, Sci-Fi
A businessman accidentally kills The Metal Fetishist, who gets his revenge by slowly turning the man into a grotesque hybrid of flesh and rusty metal.
Director: Shin'ya Tsukamoto | Stars: Tomorô Taguchi, Kei Fujiwara, Nobu Kanaoka, Shin'ya Tsukamoto
Votes: 25,935
12. Battle Royale (2000)
Not Rated | 114 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
In the future, the Japanese government captures a class of ninth-grade students and forces them to kill one another under the revolutionary "Battle Royale" act.
Director: Kinji Fukasaku | Stars: Tatsuya Fujiwara, Aki Maeda, Tarô Yamamoto, Chiaki Kuriyama
Votes: 194,456
13. Sonatine (1993)
R | 94 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
Several yakuza from Tokyo are sent to Okinawa to help end a gang war. The war then escalates and the Tokyo drifters decide to lay low at the beach.
Director: Takeshi Kitano | Stars: Takeshi Kitano, Aya Kokumai, Tetsu Watanabe, Masanobu Katsumura
Votes: 23,282
14. 13 Assassins (2010)
R | 141 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A group of assassins come together for a suicide mission to kill an evil lord.
Director: Takashi Miike | Stars: Koji Yakusho, Takayuki Yamada, Yûsuke Iseya, Ikki Sawamura
Votes: 68,618 | Gross: $0.80M
15. The Twilight Samurai (2002)
129 min | Drama, Romance
As the feudal Japan era draws to a close, a widower samurai experiences difficulty balancing clan loyalties, 2 young daughters, an aged mother, and the sudden reappearance of his childhood sweetheart.
Director: Yôji Yamada | Stars: Hiroyuki Sanada, Rie Miyazawa, Nenji Kobayashi, Ren Ôsugi
Votes: 25,514
16. Confessions (2010)
Not Rated | 106 min | Drama, Thriller
A psychological thriller of a grieving mother turned cold-blooded avenger with a twisty master plan to pay back those who were responsible for her daughter's death.
Director: Tetsuya Nakashima | Stars: Takako Matsu, Yoshino Kimura, Masaki Okada, Yukito Nishii
Votes: 42,070
17. Nana (II) (2005)
Not Rated | 113 min | Drama, Music, Romance
A chance encounter between two girls of the same name, "Nana," triggers a series of events and relationships.
Director: Kentarô Ohtani | Stars: Mika Nakashima, Aoi Miyazaki, Hiroki Narimiya, Yûta Hiraoka
Votes: 4,019
18. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006)
TV-PG | 98 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
A high-school girl named Makoto acquires the power to travel back in time, and decides to use it for her own personal benefits. Little does she know that she is affecting the lives of others just as much as she is her own.
Director: Mamoru Hosoda | Stars: Riisa Naka, Takuya Ishida, Mitsutaka Itakura, Ayami Kakiuchi
Votes: 70,879
19. Ichi the Killer (2001)
R | 129 min | Action, Crime, Drama
As sadomasochistic yakuza enforcer Kakihara searches for his missing boss he comes across Ichi, a repressed and psychotic killer who may be able to inflict levels of pain that Kakihara has only dreamed of achieving.
Director: Takashi Miike | Stars: Tadanobu Asano, Nao Ômori, Shin'ya Tsukamoto, Paulyn Sun
Votes: 60,050 | Gross: $0.02M
20. Love Exposure (2008)
Unrated | 237 min | Action, Comedy, Drama
A bizarre love triangle forms between a young Catholic upskirt photographer, a misandric girl and a manipulative cultist.
Director: Sion Sono | Stars: Takahiro Nishijima, Hikari Mitsushima, Sakura Andô, Yutaka Shimizu
Votes: 15,913
21. Heavenly Forest (2006)
116 min | Drama, Romance
A photographer named Makoto travels to New York during Christmas to look for his best friend, Shizuru. The two first met when Makoto attended his university entrance ceremony. Due to his ... See full summary »
Director: Takehiko Shinjô | Stars: Aoi Miyazaki, Hiroshi Tamaki, Munetaka Aoki, Saori Ban
Votes: 3,602
22. Instant Swamp (2009)
120 min | Comedy
A quirky young woman who loves antiques embarks on risky adventures and business endeavors with her eccentric friends, trying to score a unique item that will finally be worth a huge profit... See full summary »
Director: Satoshi Miki | Stars: Kumiko Asô, Morio Kazama, Ryô Kase, Keiko Matsuzaka
Votes: 712
23. Kame wa igai to hayaku oyogu (2005)
90 min | Comedy
Suzume Katagura is a bored housewife who spends her days doing chores and taking care of her husband's pet turtle. One day she sees a wanted ad for spies. Hoping for some excitement she decides to give them a call.
Director: Satoshi Miki | Stars: Juri Ueno, Yû Aoi, Ryô Iwamatsu, Eri Fuse
Votes: 983
24. Hana and Alice (2004)
135 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
When two best friends develop a crush on the same boy, they develop a plan to trick him into dating them.
Director: Shunji Iwai | Stars: Anne Suzuki, Yû Aoi, Tomohiro Kaku, Sei Hiraizumi
Votes: 4,911
25. Rurouni Kenshin Part I: Origins (2012)
TV-MA | 134 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A former assassin who has resolved to never kill again has his vow sorely tested.
Director: Keishi Otomo | Stars: Takeru Satoh, Emi Takei, Yû Aoi, Munetaka Aoki
Votes: 29,018
26. Everyone Is Psychic! (2013– )
29 min | Comedy, Sci-Fi
It happens that many inhabitants of Oita Prefecture in southern Japan have extrasensory powers. One student can read others' minds. he is not alone, however, and soon bands with others, who... See full summary »
Stars: Shôta Sometani, Kaho, Erina Mano, Makita Sports
Votes: 279
27. Dead or Alive 2: Birds (2000)
Not Rated | 97 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
Two contract killers cross paths in the middle of the same job and realize they are childhood friends.
Director: Takashi Miike | Stars: Shô Aikawa, Riki Takeuchi, Noriko Aota, Edison Chen
Votes: 4,090
28. Audition (1999)
R | 115 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
A widower takes an offer to screen girls at a special audition, arranged for him by a friend to find him a new wife. The one he fancies is not who she appears to be after all.
Director: Takashi Miike | Stars: Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina, Tetsu Sawaki, Jun Kunimura
Votes: 89,259
29. Death Note: The Last Name (2006)
Not Rated | 141 min | Adventure, Crime, Drama
Picking up where the first one leaves off, Light joins the task force searching for Kira in an effort to avert suspicion from himself---and get rid of L.
Director: Shûsuke Kaneko | Stars: Tatsuya Fujiwara, Ken'ichi Matsuyama, Erika Toda, Nana Katase
Votes: 17,619
30. I Give My First Love to You (2009)
122 min | Drama, Romance
Takuma knows that his life is shorter than the others and he feels that his demise is getting near. He chose to stay away from the girl that he loves so that she can easily move on. What he didn't know is that he is under-estimating her.
Director: Takehiko Shinjô | Stars: Mao Inoue, Masaki Okada, Natsuki Harada, Keiko Horiuchi
Votes: 2,844
31. One Million Yen Girl (2008)
121 min | Drama
A 21-year-old girl is released from prison, only to deal with the neighborhood gossip about her and family conflicts. She decides to save one million yen, move to where no one knows her and keep repeating the process.
Director: Yuki Tanada | Stars: Yû Aoi, Mirai Moriyama, Pierre Taki, Terunosuke Takezai
Votes: 1,711
32. Memories of Tomorrow (2006)
122 min | Drama
A successful businessman's family life is shattered by an early onset of Alzheimer's.
Director: Yukihiko Tsutsumi | Stars: Ken Watanabe, Kanako Higuchi, Kenji Sakaguchi, Kazue Fukiishi
Votes: 921 | Gross: $0.14M
33. Death Note (2006)
Not Rated | 126 min | Crime, Drama, Fantasy
A battle between the world's two greatest minds begins when Light Yagami finds the Death Note, a notebook with the power to kill, and decides to rid the world of criminals.
Director: Shûsuke Kaneko | Stars: Tatsuya Fujiwara, Ken'ichi Matsuyama, Asaka Seto, Yû Kashii
Votes: 31,871
34. Ima, ai ni yukimasu (2004)
119 min | Drama, Fantasy, Romance
A young woman returns from the dead to her guilt-ridden husband and son, but she cannot remember them.
Director: Nobuhiro Doi | Stars: Yûko Takeuchi, Shidô Nakamura, Akashi Takei, Karen Miyama
Votes: 5,022
35. I Wish (2011)
PG | 128 min | Drama
Twelve-year-old Koichi, who has been separated from his brother Ryunosuke due to his parents' divorce, hears a rumor that the new bullet trains will precipitate a wish-granting miracle when they pass each other at top speed.
Director: Kore-eda Hirokazu | Stars: Kôki Maeda, Oshiro Maeda, Ryôga Hayashi, Seinosuke Nagayoshi
Votes: 7,939 | Gross: $0.15M
36. Sky of Love (2007)
120 min | Drama, Romance
Mika is a fresh high school student who starts texting a mysterious boy. She is shocked when he reveals who he is - Hiro, a delinquent attending her school. What she doesn't know is that Hiro isn't as bad as he seems.
Director: Natsuki Imai | Stars: Yui Aragaki, Haruma Miura, Yûko Asano, Yôsuke Asari
Votes: 3,763
37. Kurai tokoro de machiawase (2006)
130 min | Drama, Romance, Thriller
A precarious loner sneaks into a blind woman's home and begins living there without her noticing. Meanwhile, the woman mourns her recently deceased father and struggles to remain connected to the world.
Director: Daisuke Tengan | Stars: Rena Tanaka, Chen Bo-lin, Haruka Igawa, Mao Miyaji
Votes: 349
38. Midnight Sun (2006)
119 min | Drama, Music, Romance
Kaoru has a sickness that hindered her to go out when the sun is up. Despite this sickness, she fell in love with a boy named Koji. If she decides to pursue her love, it will mean risking her life.
Director: Norihiro Koizumi | Stars: Yui, Takashi Tsukamoto, Kuniko Asagi, Eri Fuse
Votes: 1,951 | Gross: $9.03M
39. Tony Takitani (2004)
75 min | Drama
When technical illustrator Tony Takitani asks his wife to resist her all-consuming obsession for designer clothes, the consequences are tragic.
Director: Jun Ichikawa | Stars: Issei Ogata, Rie Miyazawa, Shinohara Takahumi, Hidetoshi Nishijima
Votes: 4,940
40. Bunny Drop (2011)
114 min | Comedy, Drama
A man adopts his six-year-old aunt and raises her as his own kid.
Director: Sabu | Stars: Ken'ichi Matsuyama, Karina, Mana Ashida, Mirei Kiritani
Votes: 1,802
41. Ouran High School Host Club (2012)
105 min | Comedy
Haruhi Fujioka (Haruna Kawaguchi) is a female high school student the prestigious Ouran Academy. Unlike most of the students who come from wealthy families, Haruhi Fujioka comes from a ... See full summary »
Director: Chul Han | Stars: Haruna Kawaguchi, Yûsuke Yamamoto, Ryô Ryûsei, Masaya Nakamura
Votes: 231
42. Go (2001)
122 min | Drama, Romance
Sugihara, born in Japan but with North Korean parents, falls in love with a Japanese girl after changing from a North Korean school to a Japanese school. His boxer dad teaches him boxing - skills used a lot.
Director: Isao Yukisada | Stars: Yôsuke Kubozuka, Kô Shibasaki, Tarô Yamamoto, Hirofumi Arai
Votes: 3,015
43. The Last Promise (2010 TV Movie)
130 min | Drama
Saigo no Yakusoku (The Last Promise) is a suspense drama about five men working in or for a company that is hijacked by terrorists. Satoshi Ohno plays a janitor who cleans the offices ... See full summary »
Director: Yûichi Satô | Stars: Satoshi Ohno, Masaki Aiba, Shô Sakurai, Kazunari Ninomiya
Votes: 132
44. Goemon (2009)
128 min | Action, Drama, History
Based on a Japanese folk legend that echoes the tale of Robin Hood, this ninja thriller follows the exploits of Goemon Ishikawa (Yôsuke Eguchi), who leaves his fighting clan after its chief... See full summary »
Director: Kazuaki Kiriya | Stars: Yôsuke Eguchi, Takao Osawa, Ryôko Hirosue, Jun Kaname
Votes: 5,551
45. The Hidden Blade (2004)
R | 132 min | Drama, History, Romance
A 19th Century samurai, held in low esteem due to an action by his late father, must resolve his history with a maid and with his close friend.
Director: Yôji Yamada | Stars: Masatoshi Nagase, Takako Matsu, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Yukiyoshi Ozawa
Votes: 7,201 | Gross: $0.04M
46. When the Last Sword Is Drawn (2002)
Not Rated | 143 min | Drama, History
A samurai goes to extraordinary lengths to provide for his family.
Director: Yôjirô Takita | Stars: Kiichi Nakai, Kôichi Satô, Yui Natsukawa, Takehiro Murata
Votes: 5,360
47. Ichi (2008)
R | 120 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Ichi is a blind woman who roams about town with her shamisen (a three-stringed Japanese guitar), but she has exceptional sword skills with which she fights off yakuza and other villains.
Director: Fumihiko Sori | Stars: Haruka Ayase, Shidô Nakamura, Yôsuke Kubozuka, Takao Osawa
Votes: 3,979
48. Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles (2005)
PG | 107 min | Drama
A Japanese father travels to China's Yunnan province in the place of his ailing son to film a folk-opera singer.
Director: Yimou Zhang | Stars: Ken Takakura, Kiichi Nakai, Shinobu Terajima, Ken Nakamoto
Votes: 5,628 | Gross: $0.25M
49. Chûgoku no chôjin (1998)
TV-PG | 118 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
A salaryman and yakuza are each sent by their bosses to a remote Chinese village but discover more than they expected.
Director: Takashi Miike | Stars: Masahiro Motoki, Renji Ishibashi, Mako, Michiko Kichise
Votes: 4,921
50. Tokyo Sonata (2008)
PG-13 | 120 min | Drama
An ordinary Japanese family slowly disintegrates after its patriarch loses his job at a prominent company.
Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa | Stars: Teruyuki Kagawa, Kyôko Koizumi, Yû Koyanagi, Kai Inowaki
Votes: 11,811 | Gross: $0.28M
51. Mandei (2000)
100 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
A simple funeral turns a man's world topsy turvy.
Director: Sabu | Stars: Shin'ichi Tsutsumi, Yasuko Matsuyuki, Ren Ôsugi, Masanobu Andô
Votes: 2,393
52. Niji no megami (2006)
118 min | Drama, Romance
Incompetent film set gopher Tomoya finds out that the girl he loved has died in a plane crash, after he e-mails a picture of a rainbow to her. While her family sets off to retrieve a body, he recalls the love affair they never really had.
Director: Naoto Kumazawa | Stars: Hayato Ichihara, Juri Ueno, Yû Aoi, Wakana Sakai
Votes: 1,495
53. Departures (2008)
PG-13 | 130 min | Drama
Soon after buying an expensive cello, Daigo learns that his orchestra is disbanding. He moves back to his hometown with his wife, where he answers an ad for what Daigo thinks is a travel agency but is, in actuality, a mortuary.
Director: Yôjirô Takita | Stars: Masahiro Motoki, Ryôko Hirosue, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Kazuko Yoshiyuki
Votes: 54,984 | Gross: $1.50M
54. Josee, the Tiger and the Fish (2003)
116 min | Drama, Romance
Tsuneo is a university student working part-time in a mah-jong parlour. Lately the customers have been talking about an old lady who pushes a baby carriage through the streets. They say she... See full summary »
Director: Isshin Inudô | Stars: Satoshi Tsumabuki, Chizuru Ikewaki, Juri Ueno, Hirofumi Arai
Votes: 2,304
55. Crying Out Love in the Center of the World (2004)
138 min | Drama, Romance
While searching for his fiancee Ritsuko, Sakutarou rediscovers through flashbacks the void deep within him caused by the events from his high school days.
Director: Isao Yukisada | Stars: Takao Osawa, Kô Shibasaki, Masami Nagasawa, Mirai Moriyama
Votes: 3,896
56. Shinobi: Heart Under Blade (2005)
R | 107 min | Action, Drama, Fantasy
Star-crossed lovers must fight on opposing sides in a battle that will determine the next Shogun.
Director: Ten Shimoyama | Stars: Yukie Nakama, Joe Odagiri, Tomoka Kurotani, Erika Sawajiri
Votes: 12,943
57. Nobody Knows (2004)
PG-13 | 141 min | Drama
In a small Tokyo apartment, twelve-year-old Akira must care for his younger siblings after their mother leaves them and shows no sign of returning.
Director: Kore-eda Hirokazu | Stars: Yûya Yagira, Ayu Kitaura, Hiei Kimura, Momoko Shimizu
Votes: 31,411 | Gross: $0.68M
58. Kisaragi (2007)
108 min | Comedy, Mystery
Five devoted fans of a late idol gather for a commemorative meeting, only to uncover surprising revelations about her untimely death, leading them to question what they thought they knew.
Director: Yûichi Satô | Stars: Shun Oguri, Yûsuke Santamaria, Keisuke Koide, Muga Tsukaji
Votes: 1,303
59. Swing Girls (2004)
105 min | Comedy, Drama, Music
A tale of delinquent and lazy school girls. In their efforts to cut remedial summer math class, they end up vitiating and replacing the schools brass band.
Director: Shinobu Yaguchi | Stars: Juri Ueno, Yûta Hiraoka, Shihori Kanjiya, Yuika Motokariya
Votes: 4,683
60. Dare mo mamotte kurenai (2008)
118 min | Drama
Ryoichi Kimizuka's riveting exploration of the Japanese media's feeding frenzy focuses on a15-year-old girl forced into police protection to escape from the journalistic hordes after her ... See full summary »
Director: Ryôichi Kimizuka | Stars: Kôichi Satô, Mirai Shida, Ryûhei Matsuda, Yuriko Ishida
Votes: 358
61. All About Lily Chou-Chou (2001)
Unrated | 146 min | Crime, Drama, Music
The problematic lives of teenager students for whom the singer Lily Chou-Chou's dreamy music is the only way to escape an alienating, violent and insensitive society.
Director: Shunji Iwai | Stars: Hayato Ichihara, Shûgo Oshinari, Ayumi Ito, Takao Osawa
Votes: 11,183 | Gross: $0.02M
62. Kamikaze Girls (2004)
102 min | Comedy
Momoko, a strange and seemingly emotionless girl obsessed with 18th century France, befriends a Yanki biker and the two experience the ups and downs of their unusual lives in a rural Japanese town.
Director: Tetsuya Nakashima | Stars: Kyôko Fukada, Anna Tsuchiya, Hiroyuki Miyasako, Sadao Abe
Votes: 8,091
63. Bright Future (2002)
Not Rated | 92 min | Drama
Two young guys work in a plant that manufactures oshibori (those moist hand-towels found in some Japanese restaurants). Their weird bond is based on uncontrollable rage--something neither ... See full summary »
Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa | Stars: Joe Odagiri, Tadanobu Asano, Tatsuya Fuji, Sayuri Oyamada
Votes: 3,003 | Gross: $0.00M
64. Sway (2006)
120 min | Crime, Drama
On the anniversary of the death of the mother of a hip and happening Tokyo-based photographer, the son returns to his hometown for the funeral. What follows is a return to the past that is ... See full summary »
Director: Miwa Nishikawa | Stars: Joe Odagiri, Teruyuki Kagawa, Masatô Ibu, Hirofumi Arai
Votes: 1,208
65. Tokyo Tower: Mom and Me, and Sometimes Dad (2007)
142 min | Drama
Masaya is going through a period of intensely rebellious behavior. He then learned that his mom has contracted cancer; suddenly, his mother comes to live with him in Tokyo the entire emotional landscape of his life is altered.
Director: Joji Matsuoka | Stars: Joe Odagiri, Kirin Kiki, Yayako Uchida, Kanato Tanihata
Votes: 1,044
66. Noriko's Dinner Table (2005)
Not Rated | 159 min | Drama, Horror
A teenager called Noriko Shimabara runs away from her family in Tokoyama, to meet Kumiko, the leader of an Internet BBS, Haikyo.com. She becomes involved with Kumiko's "family circle", ... See full summary »
Director: Sion Sono | Stars: Kazue Fukiishi, Tsugumi, Yuriko Yoshitaka, Shirô Namiki
Votes: 4,993
67. The Great Happiness Space: Tale of an Osaka Love Thief (2006)
Not Rated | 76 min | Documentary
Osaka's top host club owner trains boys to excel in the underground love scene. They learn to fake relationships with girls, their income source.
Director: Jake Clennell
Votes: 1,473
68. Gururi no koto (2008)
TV-14 | 140 min | Drama
In 1993 Kanao and Shoko are a Tokyo couple awaiting the arrival of their first child. Although both have studied art, Kanao works as a shoe repairman, which doesn't stretch his rather ... See full summary »
Director: Ryosuke Hashiguchi | Stars: Lily Franky, Tae Kimura, Masaaki Akahori, Tamae Andô
Votes: 906
69. A Stranger of Mine (2005)
98 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Six months passed and Takeshi Miyata is still depressed after his girlfriend dumped him in a sudden way especially after he bought a big apartment for both of them but in one night after he just finished work his childhood friend.
Director: Kenji Uchida | Stars: Yasuhi Nakamura, Reika Kirishima, So Yamanaka, Yuka Itaya
Votes: 1,236
70. I Just Didn't Do It (2006)
143 min | Drama
A young man is falsely accused of molesting a high-school girl on a train. He is arrested and charged, and goes through endless court sessions, all the while insisting that he is innocent.
Director: Masayuki Suô | Stars: Ryô Kase, Asaka Seto, Kôji Yamamoto, Masako Motai
Votes: 1,908
71. Mezon do Himiko (2005)
130 min | Drama
Saori is a young woman who struggles to make a living, with no financial or romantic prospects in her life. One rainy day, she receives a visit at work from a handsome young man called ... See full summary »
Director: Isshin Inudô | Stars: Joe Odagiri, Kô Shibasaki, Min Tanaka, Kira Aoyama
Votes: 649
72. Cyborg She (2008)
115 min | Action, Comedy, Romance
A lonely university student develops a romance with a beautiful interesting woman, who turns out to be a cyborg from the future.
Director: Jae-young Kwak | Stars: Haruka Ayase, Keisuke Koide, Risa Ai, Nya Daigo
Votes: 4,249
73. Heaven's Story (2010)
Not Rated | 278 min | Drama
(Japanese with English subtitles) Part revenge story, part existential meditation, Heaven's Story is 100% modern epic, gracefully threading together multiple suburban tales of lost souls seeking retribution and redemption.
Director: Takahisa Zeze | Stars: Noriko Eguchi, Akira Emoto, Mitsuru Fukikoshi, Kanji Furutachi
Votes: 158
74. Blood and Bones (2004)
140 min | Drama
In 1923, the Korean teenager Kim Shun-Pei moves from Cheju Island, in South Korea, to Osaka, in Japan. Along the years, he becomes a cruel, greedy and violent man and builds a factory of ... See full summary »
Director: Yôichi Sai | Stars: Takeshi Kitano, Hirofumi Arai, Tomoko Tabata, Joe Odagiri
Votes: 2,132
75. Our Homeland (2012)
100 min | Drama
Based on the director's own experience, Our Homeland follows a Korean family living in Japan, of which the father (Masane Tsukayama) decided to take North Korean nationality because of his ... See full summary »
Director: Yong-hi Yang | Stars: Sakura Andô, Arata Iura, Yang Ik-joon, Kotomi Kyôno
Votes: 295
76. The Great Passage (2013)
134 min | Drama
Majime, an eccentric man in publishing company, who has unique ability of words, joins the team that will compile a new dictionary, 'The Great Passage.' In the eclectic team, he becomes ... See full summary »
Director: Yûya Ishii | Stars: Ryûhei Matsuda, Aoi Miyazaki, Joe Odagiri, Kaoru Kobayashi
Votes: 2,872
77. Hazard (2005)
103 min | Crime, Drama
Faced by a society of criminals, these three youths avenge their rights.
Director: Sion Sono | Stars: Joe Odagiri, Jai West, Motoki Fukami, Hiroyuki Ikeuchi
Votes: 843
78. Fine, Totally Fine (2008)
110 min | Comedy, Romance
A tragicomedy about two listless friends who fall for the same girl and try to find out what they want from their life.
Director: Yosuke Fujita | Stars: Yoshiyoshi Arakawa, Yoshino Kimura, Yoshinori Okada, Yûka Arai
Votes: 626
79. Sunô purinsu: Kinjirareta koi no merodi (2009)
115 min | Drama
A young boy lives in poverty with his grandfather while tending his dream of becoming a painter.
Director: Joji Matsuoka | Stars: Shintarô Morimoto, Marino Kuwajima, Tadanobu Asano, Rei Dan
Votes: 140
80. Donjû (2009)
106 min | Comedy, Drama
An editor arrives at a Sumo village to find the missing award-nominated writer Deko just in time to bring him to an award ceremony. There, the editor learns that Deko's weird friends have ... See full summary »
Director: Mr. Hide | Stars: Tadanobu Asano, Kazuki Kitamura, Yôko Maki, Aimi Satsukawa
Votes: 140
81. Dreaming Awake (2008)
106 min | Drama
A university art professor who is about to be promoted becomes friends with a student who, in turn, respects and admires his teacher. The two become involved in each others lives and the ... See full summary »
Director: Takeo Kimura | Stars: Hiroyuki Nagato, Ineko Arima, Yoshio Inoue, Rie Miyazawa
Votes: 24
82. Kabei: Our Mother (2008)
Not Rated | 133 min | Drama
Based on childhood days of Teruyo Nogami.
Director: Yôji Yamada | Stars: Tadanobu Asano, Mayumi Tanaka, Chieko Baishô, Mirai Shida
Votes: 1,518 | Gross: $0.01M
83. Sad Vacation (2007)
136 min | Drama
Kenji, abandoned by his mother, scrapes out a meager existence doing odd jobs including driving bar hostesses and their customers home. Besides this he takes care of the sister of an old ... See full summary »
Director: Shinji Aoyama | Stars: Tadanobu Asano, Kaori Fujimitsu, Eri Ishida, Yuka Itaya
Votes: 484
84. Hana (2006)
127 min | Comedy, Drama
A troubled young samurai seeks revenge for the death of his father.
Director: Kore-eda Hirokazu | Stars: Jun'ichi Okada, Rie Miyazawa, Arata Furuta, Jun Kunimura
Votes: 1,901
85. Vital (2004)
R | 86 min | Drama, Thriller
After a tragic car accident where his girlfriend Ryôko Ooyama (Nami Tsukamoto) died, Hiroshi Takagi (Tadanobu Asano) suffers amnesia with his memories completely blanked. When he sees a ... See full summary »
Director: Shin'ya Tsukamoto | Stars: Tadanobu Asano, Nami Tsukamoto, Kiki, Kazuyoshi Kushida
Votes: 3,373
86. The Taste of Tea (2004)
143 min | Comedy, Fantasy
A spell of time of a rural family's slightly surreal life.
Director: Katsuhito Ishii | Stars: Maya Banno, Takahiro Satô, Tadanobu Asano, Satomi Tezuka
Votes: 7,196
87. Viyon no tsuma (2009)
114 min | Drama
This enticing period melodrama depicts a long-suffering woman's relationship with her brilliant but self-destructive writer husband in postwar Tokyo. Based on a semi-autobiographical 1947 ... See full summary »
Director: Kichitarô Negishi | Stars: Takako Matsu, Tadanobu Asano, Shigeru Muroi, Masatô Ibu
Votes: 426
88. Vengeance Is Mine (1979)
Not Rated | 139 min | Crime, Drama
Chronological exploits of Iwao Enokizu, a murderous thief on the run.
Director: Shôhei Imamura | Stars: Ken Ogata, Rentarô Mikuni, Chôchô Miyako, Mitsuko Baishô
Votes: 7,299
89. A Scene at the Sea (1991)
101 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
The lives of a young, hearing-impaired and gloomy couple are fulfilled after the boy holds interest in surfboarding.
Director: Takeshi Kitano | Stars: Claude Maki, Hiroko Ôshima, Sabu Kawahara, Toshizo Fujiwara
Votes: 6,687
90. The Mourning Forest (2007)
Not Rated | 97 min | Drama
A care-giver at a small retirement home takes one of her patients for a drive to the country, but the two wind up stranded in a forest where they embark on an exhausting and enlightening two-day journey.
Director: Naomi Kawase | Stars: Shigeki Uda, Machiko Ono, Kanako Masuda, Yôichirô Saitô
Votes: 2,898
91. Shuarî samudei (2010)
122 min | Comedy, Drama
Drawing influence from the street musicians of Miyagi, four high school students form a band and spend their free time practicing for their school's upcoming festival. When the festival is ... See full summary »
Director: Shun Oguri | Stars: Gô Ayano, Satoshi Tsumabuki, Aya Ueto, Shun Oguri
Votes: 124
92. Kikujiro (1999)
PG-13 | 122 min | Drama, Comedy
A young, naive boy sets out alone on the road to find his wayward mother. Soon he finds an unlikely protector in a crotchety man and the two have a series of unexpected adventures along the way.
Director: Takeshi Kitano | Stars: Takeshi Kitano, Yusuke Sekiguchi, Kayoko Kishimoto, The Great Gidayû
Votes: 22,168 | Gross: $0.20M
93. Dolls (2002)
114 min | Drama, Romance
Three stories of never-ending love.
Director: Takeshi Kitano | Stars: Miho Kanno, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Tatsuya Mihashi, Kyôko Fukada
Votes: 17,362 | Gross: $0.00M
94. Dead or Alive (1999)
R | 105 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A yakuza of Chinese descent and a Japanese cop each wage their own war against the Japanese mafia. But they are destined to meet. Their encounter will change the world.
Director: Takashi Miike | Stars: Shô Aikawa, Riki Takeuchi, Renji Ishibashi, Hitoshi Ozawa
Votes: 8,563 | Gross: $0.00M
95. Thermae Romae (2012)
108 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Lucius, a Roman architect, is transported through time to modern-day Japan, where he learns about Japanese bathhouses and uses this to his gain back home.
Director: Hideki Takeuchi | Stars: Hiroshi Abe, Aya Ueto, Kazuki Kitamura, Riki Takeuchi
Votes: 2,694
96. Shady (2012)
94 min | Horror, Thriller
Because of her last name "Kumada" (bear + rice paddy) and her appearance, Misa's high school classmates call her "Pooh" disparagingly. She obviously has no friends and can only let down her... See full summary »
Director: Ryôhei Watanabe | Stars: Hiroki Horikawa, Gôta Ishida, Jûzô Kakei, Mimpib
Votes: 286
97. Why Don't You Play in Hell? (2013)
Not Rated | 129 min | Action, Comedy, Horror
A renegade film crew becomes embroiled with a yakuza clan feud.
Director: Sion Sono | Stars: Jun Kunimura, Fumi Nikaidô, Shin'ichi Tsutsumi, Hiroki Hasegawa
Votes: 8,987 | Gross: $0.03M
98. The Woodsman and the Rain (2011)
129 min | Comedy, Drama
Rookie movie director Koichi and his crew travels to the mountain village of Yamamura to film his next movie. The villagers are eventually enlisted to help film the movie and, in particular... See full summary »
Director: Shûichi Okita | Stars: Koji Yakusho, Shun Oguri, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Kengo Kôra
Votes: 995
99. Mai Mai Miracle (2009)
95 min | Animation, Adventure, Drama
Inspired by her grandfather's stories, young Shinko embarks on wild flights of fancy about the history of the little town she lives in. But dreams can't fend off the realities of growing up.
Director: Sunao Katabuchi | Stars: Masao Agawa, Chisa Bandai, Romy Beckman, J. David Brimmer
Votes: 1,197
100. A Story of Yonosuke (2012)
160 min | Drama
Were people's lives changed by having known Yonosuke?
Director: Shûichi Okita | Stars: Ayumi Ito, Kengo Kôra, Gô Ayano, Jun Kunimura
Votes: 2,312
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