Japanese films from 2005 to 2009
by intoclaustrophobia | created - 3 months ago | updated - 3 months ago | Public- Instant Watch Options
- Genres
- Movies or TV
- IMDb Rating
- In Theaters
- Release Year
- Keywords
1. 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
2. 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
3. Gimî hebun (2005)
122 min | Thriller
Shinsuke and Mari both share an unusual condition called synesthesia. Mysterious incidents and murders start to occur and Shinsuke suspects that Mari can be the next victim.
Director: Toru Matsuura | Stars: Yôsuke Eguchi, Masanobu Andô, Aoi Miyazaki, Hijiri Kojima
Votes: 303
4. 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
5. Linda Linda Linda (2005)
TV-PG | 114 min | Comedy, Drama, Music
A music group of girls need to learn to play a song before the school festival.
Director: Nobuhiro Yamashita | Stars: Bae Doona, Aki Maeda, Yû Kashii, Shiori Sekine
Votes: 4,488
6. Takeshis' (2005)
108 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Beat Takeshi, a prominent actor, meets a lookalike named Kitano, who is a struggling actor, but after the meeting, Kitano's dreams take a violent, surreal turn.
Director: Takeshi Kitano | Stars: Takeshi Kitano, Kotomi Kyôno, Kayoko Kishimoto, Ren Ôsugi
Votes: 4,042
7. 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
8. Shinku (2005)
117 min | Drama, Thriller
Shinku is a compelling drama that focuses on the strange relationship that develops between two people who find their lives irrevocably changed as a result of a horrible multiple homicide.
Director: Takashi Tsukinoki | Stars: Rina Uchiyama, Asami Mizukawa, Asahi Uchida, Takashi Tsukamoto
Votes: 197
9. 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
10. Strange Circus (2005)
Unrated | 108 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
The erotic novelist Taeko is writing a morbid story of a family destroyed by incest, murder and abuse. Her assistant, Yuji, sets on a mission to uncover the reality of this story, but the reality might be too much to bear.
Director: Sion Sono | Stars: Masumi Miyazaki, Issei Ishida, Rie Kuwana, Seiko Iwaidô
Votes: 6,258
11. Naisu no mori: The First Contact (2005)
150 min | Comedy, Fantasy
An outrageous collection of surreal, short attention span non-sequiturs largely revolving around Guitar Brother, his randy older sibling, and the pair's portly Caucasian brother.
Directors: Katsuhito Ishii, Hajime Ishimine, Shunichirô Miki | Stars: Andrew Alfieri, Hideaki Anno, Moyoco Anno, Tadanobu Asano
Votes: 2,729
12. Reincarnation (2005)
R | 96 min | Horror, Mystery
A Japanese actress begins having strange visions and experiences after landing a role in a horror film about a real-life murder spree that took place over forty years ago.
Director: Takashi Shimizu | Stars: Yûka, Karina, Kippei Shîna, Tetta Sugimoto
Votes: 6,766
13. Always: Sunset on Third Street (2005)
133 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
Leaving her provincial home, teenage Mutsuko arrives in Tokyo by train to take a job in a major automotive company but finds that she is employed by a small auto repair shop owned by ... See full summary »
Director: Takashi Yamazaki | Stars: Maki Horikita, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Shin'ichi Tsutsumi, Koyuki
Votes: 2,461
14. Yawarakai seikatsu (2005)
126 min | Drama
Yuko is 35 years old, single, out of work, and on medication from her psychiatrist to combat her manic depression. Living in Kamata Town, Yuko divides her time between a variety of men ... See full summary »
Director: Ryûichi Hiroki | Stars: Shinobu Terajima, Etsushi Toyokawa, Akira Emoto, Shunsuke Matsuoka
Votes: 364
15. Tôkyô zonbi (2005)
Not Rated | 103 min | Action, Comedy, Horror
A horror-comedy about two blue-collar factory workers (who happen to be jiu-jitsu experts) dealing with a ravenous, flesh-eating zombie uprising in Tokyo.
Director: Sakichi Sato | Stars: Tadanobu Asano, Shô Aikawa, Erika Okuda, Arata Furuta
Votes: 2,107
16. 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
17. 46-okunen no koi (2006)
Unrated | 85 min | Drama, Fantasy
A visually stylish tale of two male prisoners bonded by emotion, love and murder.
Director: Takashi Miike | Stars: Ryûhei Matsuda, Masanobu Andô, Shunsuke Kubozuka, Kiyohiko Shibukawa
Votes: 2,101
18.
Masters of Horror (2005–2007)
Episode:
Imprint
(2006)
TV-MA | 63 min | Horror
In the 1800s, an American returns to Japan to find the prostitute he fell in love with, but instead learns of the physical and existential horror that befell her after he left.
Director: Takashi Miike | Stars: Billy Drago, Shihô Harumi, Michié, Magy
Votes: 7,643
19. Kamome shokudô (2006)
102 min | Comedy, Drama
Where are we welcome? On a quiet street in Helsinki, Sachie has opened a diner featuring rice balls. For a month she has no customers. Then, in short order, she has her first customer, ... See full summary »
Director: Naoko Ogigami | Stars: Satomi Kobayashi, Hairi Katagiri, Masako Motai, Jarkko Niemi
Votes: 2,723
20. 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
21. Doomsday: The Sinking of Japan (2006)
PG-13 | 135 min | Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi
Japan will sink down to the deep sea. The governments only hope is evacuate all Japanese to some other countries.
Director: Shinji Higuchi | Stars: Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, Kô Shibasaki, Etsushi Toyokawa, Mao Daichi
Votes: 1,544
22. Seishun kinzoku batto (2006)
96 min | Comedy, Crime
Director: Kazuyoshi Kumakiri | Stars: Pistol Takehara, Masanobu Andô, Maki Sakai, Noriko Eguchi
Votes: 137
23. Udon (2006)
134 min | Comedy, Drama
A dramedy about the relationship between an aspiring comic and his stubborn noodlemaker father.
Director: Katsuyuki Motohiro | Stars: Yûsuke Santamaria, Manami Konishi, Tortoise Matsumoto, Takeshi Masu
Votes: 465
24. Hura gâru (2006)
108 min | Comedy, Drama
Young women in a small Japanese town look to revive their home's declining fortunes by building a Hawaiian village tourist attraction.
Director: Sang-il Lee | Stars: Yasuko Matsuyuki, Etsushi Toyokawa, Yû Aoi, Shizuyo Yamasaki
Votes: 2,270
25. Strawberry Shortcakes (2006)
127 min | Drama
Strawberry Shortcakes (2006) is a Japanese film by director Hitoshi Yazaki. The film, based on the Japanese manga of the same name by Kiriko Nananan, concerns the life of four girls, as ... See full summary »
Director: Hitoshi Yazaki | Stars: Chizuru Ikewaki, Noriko Nakagoshi, Yûko Nakamura, Kiriko Nananan
Votes: 800
26. Yo-Yo Girl Cop (2006)
Not Rated | 98 min | Action
Recruited by a clandestine police organization, "K" must stop a plot by student radicals to create anarchy in Japan. Armed with a hi-tech steel yo-yo, and a new name (Asamiya Saki), she ... See full summary »
Director: Kenta Fukasaku | Stars: Aya Matsuura, Rika Ishikawa, Erika Miyoshi, Yui Okada
Votes: 1,195
27. Nightmare Detective (2006)
Unrated | 106 min | Action, Crime, Fantasy
Three people in Tokyo take a surreal voyage of self-discovery through memory and nightmares. "O" intends suicide while talking on a cell-phone with a stranger he meets on line who plans a ... See full summary »
Director: Shin'ya Tsukamoto | Stars: Ryûhei Matsuda, Hitomi, Masanobu Andô, Ren Ôsugi
Votes: 2,753
28. 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: 17,620
29. Love and Honor (2006)
PG-13 | 122 min | Drama, History, Romance
A look at the relationship between a young blind samurai (Kimura) and his wife, who will make a sacrifice in order to defend her husband's honor.
Director: Yôji Yamada | Stars: Takuya Kimura, Rei Dan, Mitsugorô Bandô, Takashi Sasano
Votes: 4,284 | Gross: $0.02M
30. 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
31. 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
32. 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
33. Sukitomo (2006)
70 min | Drama
Story about two boys, a girl and an unusual love triangle.
Director: Mitsuhiro Mihara | Stars: Takumi Saitô, Hiroki Aiba
Votes: 111
34. Dororo (2007)
139 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
A female warrior who was raised as a man joins a young samurai's quest to recover 48 of his body parts from 48 demons and to avenge her parents death.
Director: Akihiko Shiota | Stars: Satoshi Tsumabuki, Kô Shibasaki, Kiichi Nakai, Yoshio Harada
Votes: 2,975
35. Anata wo wasurenai (2007)
130 min | Drama
Journey of Military school graduate student Soo-hyun (Lee Taesung), who travels from Korea to japan for further Education. He meets Yuri (Makii). As both share similar interests in Music, ... See full summary »
Director: Junji Hanado | Stars: Junko Hamaguchi, Hideko Hara, Takatoshi Kaneko, Maakiii
Votes: 137
36. Batterî (2007)
118 min | Drama
Takumi Harada and his family moves to Okayama during spring break before his entry to Junior High School. On the baseball field, Takumi has enormous confidence in his ability as a pitcher, but socially he is a loner.
Director: Yôjirô Takita | Stars: Kento Hayashi, Kenta Yamada, Akihiro Yarita, Misako Renbutsu
Votes: 187
37. Kiiroi namida (2007)
128 min | Drama
They famously say that all the hippies of the '60s ended up becoming nothing more than bankers. Amidst a resurgent Japan of the 1960s four young men aspire to respectively become a singer, ... See full summary »
Director: Isshin Inudô | Stars: Kazunari Ninomiya, Masaki Aiba, Satoshi Ohno, Shô Sakurai
Votes: 269
38. 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
39. Your Fingertips (2007)
17 min | Short
Two japanese girls spend time together after-school, before one of them leaves town.
Director: Hiroshi Ishikawa | Stars: Maki Horikita, Meisa Kuroki
Votes: 93
40. For Those We Love (2007)
135 min | Drama, War
Young Japanese pilots are trained to sink Allied warships by flying into them.
Director: Taku Shinjô | Stars: Ryôhei Abe, Tôru Emori, Ken'ichi Endô, Dennis Falt
Votes: 406
41. Kimagure robotto (2007 Video)
Short, Drama
Director: Koichiro Tsujikawa | Stars: Tadanobu Asano, Ousaka Jun, Karina, Mari Natsuki
Votes: 9
42. Kantoku · Banzai! (2007)
108 min | Comedy, Drama
Takeshi Kitano plays a version of himself in which he's a struggling director cycling through a number of different genres in an effort to complete his latest project.
Director: Takeshi Kitano | Stars: Takeshi Kitano, Tôru Emori, Kayoko Kishimoto, Anne Suzuki
Votes: 2,232
43. Maiko haaaan!!! (2007)
120 min | Comedy
Kimihiko Onizuka is a salaryman infatuated with maiko (apprentice geisha) and whose greatest goal in life is to play a party game called "yakyuken" with one.
Director: Nobuo Mizuta | Stars: Sadao Abe, Shin'ichi Tsutsumi, Kô Shibasaki, Saori
Votes: 600
44. Kaidan (2007)
Unrated | 115 min | Drama, Horror, Romance
Japan, 250 years ago. Soetsu is a moneylender who is killed by the cruel samurai Shinzaemon. His body is dumped in the Kasenega-Fuchi river. According to legend, all who drown in the river ... See full summary »
Director: Hideo Nakata | Stars: Kikunosuke Onoe, Hitomi Kuroki, Mao Inoue, Kumiko Asô
Votes: 1,213
45. A Gentle Breeze in the Village (2007)
121 min | Drama
When eighth grade cool guy Hiromi transfers from Tokyo to a small elementary/middle school with only six kids enrolled, wholesome and honest Soyo becomes enthralled with his sophisticated world.
Director: Nobuhiro Yamashita | Stars: Kaho, Masaki Okada, Elisa Yanagi, Shôko Fujimura
Votes: 1,507
46. Densen uta (2007)
128 min | Horror, Mystery
A thriller centered on an urban legend about a song that fatally affects its listeners.
Director: Masato Harada | Stars: Ryûhei Matsuda, Yûko Ôshima, Sayaka Akimoto, Haruna Kojima
Votes: 346
47. Sukiyaki Western Django (2007)
R | 121 min | Action, Western
A nameless gunfighter arrives in a town ripped apart by rival gangs and, though courted by both to join, chooses his own path.
Director: Takashi Miike | Stars: Hideaki Itô, Kôichi Satô, Quentin Tarantino, Yûsuke Iseya
Votes: 15,838 | Gross: $0.05M
48. Megane (2007)
106 min | Comedy, Drama
Taeko is a stressed career woman who leaves her life in the city for an island vacation. The vacation does not become what she expected as everyone on the island is strange.
Director: Naoko Ogigami | Stars: Satomi Kobayashi, Mikako Ichikawa, Ryô Kase, Ken Mitsuishi
Votes: 1,886
49. Closed Note (2007)
138 min | Drama
Kae Horii (Erika Sawajiri) moves into her new flat in an undisclosed area of Kyoto. While unpacking her belongings, she discovers a hidden compartment behind a inconspicuous mirror. In that... See full summary »
Director: Isao Yukisada | Stars: Erika Sawajiri, Yûsuke Iseya, Yûko Takeuchi, Urara Awata
Votes: 415
50. Quiet room ni yôkoso (2007)
118 min | Comedy, Drama
Asuka Sakura wakes up in the mental asylums quiet room, with no recollection of how she got there.
Director: Suzuki Matsuo | Stars: Yuki Uchida, Kankurô Kudô, Yû Aoi, Ryô
Votes: 713
51. Always: Sunset on Third Street 2 (2007)
146 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
Chagawa finds it increasing difficult to support his young ward Junnosuke in his store across the street from the Suzuki garage on Third Street. Unless he can provide a better life, ... See full summary »
Director: Takashi Yamazaki | Stars: Shin'ichi Hatori, Maki Horikita, Fumiyo Kohinata, Kazuki Koshimizu
Votes: 1,106
52. Crows Zero (2007)
130 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
A transfer student attempts to take over the most violent high school in the country, whose students form factions and battle each other for power.
Director: Takashi Miike | Stars: Shun Oguri, Kyôsuke Yabe, Meisa Kuroki, Kenta Kiritani
Votes: 8,920
53. Adrift in Tokyo (2007)
101 min | Comedy
Takemura has no friends and no family. He's a law student but he doesn't have any particular ambitions. A thug offers to pay Takemura's considerable gambling debt if the student accompanies him on a trip across Tokyo.
Director: Satoshi Miki | Stars: Joe Odagiri, Tomokazu Miura, Kyôko Koizumi, Yuriko Yoshitaka
Votes: 3,089
54. Nodame Cantabile in Europe (2008 TV Movie)
240 min | Drama
This 2 night special takes off during their graduation, where Chiaki-senpai & Nodame left for Europe. The first special centered on Chiaki's story, the story tells about Chiaki's dream to ... See full summary »
Director: Hideki Takeuchi | Stars: Juri Ueno, Hiroshi Tamaki, Eita Nagayama, Asami Mizukawa
Votes: 805
55. 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
56. 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
57. Death Note: L Change the World (2008)
Not Rated | 129 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A spin-out sequel to the popular Japanese thriller. This time it focuses on the character "L."
Director: Hideo Nakata | Stars: Ken'ichi Matsuyama, Sota Aoyama, Shunji Fujimura, Tatsuya Fujiwara
Votes: 8,789
58. Kids (2008)
109 min | Drama, Fantasy
Asato (Koike Teppei) is a young man who returns to a slummy neighbourhood (referred to as 'The Street') to be near his Mum who is in prison. He is like the Empath in Star Trek, able to ... See full summary »
Director: Tatsuya Hagishima | Stars: Teppei Koike, Hiroshi Tamaki, Chiaki Kuriyama, Yuki Saitô
Votes: 243
59. The Glory of Team Batista (2008)
120 min | Comedy, Drama, Mystery
Toho university hospital has established an outstanding coronary surgery team under the leadership of a up and coming, star, U.S. trained surgeon (Kiji Kikkawa) that specializes in the ... See full synopsis »
Director: Yoshihiro Nakamura | Stars: Yûko Takeuchi, Hiroshi Abe, Sei Hiraizumi, Haruka Igawa
Votes: 245
60. 10 Promises to My Dog (2008)
117 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A teenage girl adopts a homeless puppy and names it "Socks". They take care of each others since then, until one day when she is thinking Socks to be smaller than she thought it used be...
Director: Katsuhide Motoki | Stars: Rena Tanaka, Ryô Kase, Mayuko Fukuda, Chizuru Ikewaki
Votes: 707
61. 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
62. Passion (I) (2008)
115 min | Drama, Romance
A young couple announces their wedding at a party with friends. The reactions of the latter reveal hitherto unexpressed sentimental flaws within the group. The following days, the tension rises to the surface.
Director: Ryûsuke Hamaguchi | Stars: Aoba Kawai, Nao Okabe, Ryuta Okamoto, Kiyohiko Shibukawa
Votes: 940
63. Boku tachi to chûzai san no 700 nichi sensô (2008)
110 min | Comedy
After one of their group is caught for speeding a group of trouble-making teenagers decide to prank the local police officer. It starts with simple speeding pranks but gradually moves to more elaborate and bizarre pranks.
Director: Renpei Tsukamoto | Stars: Hayato Ichihara, Kuranosuke Sasaki, Kumiko Asô, Tamae Andô
Votes: 591
64. 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
65. 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: 11,812 | Gross: $0.28M
66. The Magic Hour (2008)
136 min | Comedy
A hustler who gets in trouble with a gang boss in the port town of Sukago agrees to make good with the don by putting him in contact with a mysterious hitman -- an assassin the hustler has ... See full summary »
Director: Kôki Mitani | Stars: Kôichi Satô, Satoshi Tsumabuki, Eri Fukatsu, Haruka Ayase
Votes: 1,738
67. 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
68. Hana yori dango: Fainaru (2008)
131 min | Drama
Makino and Domyoji have decided to marry, but are they really ready to take that step? F4 (Flower Four), 4 close friends, are crucial to helping them determine if they are ready to make a lifetime commitment to each other.
Director: Yasuharu Ishii | Stars: Mao Inoue, Jun Matsumoto, Shun Oguri, Shôta Matsuda
Votes: 1,563
69. Still Walking (2008)
Not Rated | 115 min | Drama
A family gathers together for a commemorative ritual whose nature only gradually becomes clear.
Director: Kore-eda Hirokazu | Stars: Hiroshi Abe, Yui Natsukawa, You, Kazuya Takahashi
Votes: 18,620 | Gross: $0.16M
70. 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
71. 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
72. Akiresu to kame (2008)
119 min | Comedy, Drama
Machisu is a painter. He never had the success he thinks he is entitled to. Regardless of this, he always remains trying to be successful. His wife Sachiko keeps supporting him, despite all setbacks.
Director: Takeshi Kitano | Stars: Takeshi Kitano, Kanako Higuchi, Makoto Araki, Kumiko Asô
Votes: 3,818
73. Gou Gou, the Cat (2008)
116 min | Drama
Asako, a comic book artist in her early forties, is devastated by the death of her precious cat, CaVa, which kept her company for over 15 years, as her assistant Naomi watches on with ... See full summary »
Director: Isshin Inudô | Stars: Kyôko Koizumi, Juri Ueno, Ryô Kase, Denden
Votes: 253
74. Ikigami (2008)
133 min | Drama
Ikigami takes place in a dystopian society where the government has implemented the "Prosperity Law". This law dictates 1 in 1000 random citizens ages 18~24 will die for the state in a ... See full summary »
Director: Tomoyuki Takimoto | Stars: Shôta Matsuda, Takashi Tsukamoto, Riko Narumi, Takayuki Yamada
Votes: 1,113
75. 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
76. Happy Flight (2008)
103 min | Comedy
A great variety of aviation professionals such as pilots, flight attendants, the ground crew, mechanics, dispatchers, controllers, and the bird patrol crew all support a single flight. They... See full summary »
Director: Shinobu Yaguchi | Stars: Seiichi Tanabe, Saburô Tokitô, Haruka Ayase, Kazue Fukiishi
Votes: 1,040
77. Ain't No Tomorrows (2008)
79 min | Drama
17 year-old Hiruma is desperate to get laid and takes out his sexual urges on Anpai, a fat boy who has "boobs." His classmate Tomono, a sickly loner, is in a serious relationship with their married teacher.
Director: Yuki Tanada | Stars: Tokio Emoto, Yûya Endô, Ini Kusano, Sakura Andô
Votes: 122
78. 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
79. K-20: The Fiend with Twenty Faces (2008)
137 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
Set in a fictional Japanese city in 1949, a master criminal hones in on his latest victim.
Director: Shimako Sato | Stars: Takeshi Kaneshiro, Takako Matsu, Tôru Nakamura, Ryôhei Abe
Votes: 2,153
80. Goth (2008)
95 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Morino and Kamiyama share a morbid fascination with cruelty and murder in this horror. Together they track down a brutal serial killer to find the latest two victims - not necessarily to ... See full summary »
Director: Gen Takahashi | Stars: Kanata Hongô, Rin Takanashi, Kunihiko Ida, Mika Kamiya
Votes: 617
81. Zen (2009)
127 min | Biography, Drama
'Zen' Buddhist teacher Dogen Zenji is a very important religious person during the Kamakura period, 750 years ago. After his mother died, he decides to move to China and settle as a ... See full summary »
Director: Banmei Takahashi | Stars: Kankurô Nakamura, Yuki Uchida, Ryushin Tei, Kengo Kôra
Votes: 1,175
82. Crows Zero II (2009)
133 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
Tension escalates and violence ensues when a young student unwittingly breaks a non-aggression pact between two rival high schools.
Director: Takashi Miike | Stars: Shun Oguri, Kyôsuke Yabe, Meisa Kuroki, Kenta Kiritani
Votes: 5,414
83. 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
84. Fish Story (2009)
113 min | Action, Comedy, Music
Several seemingly unrelated but surprisingly intertwined tales reveal how a Japanese band that independently invented punk rock in 1975 is, 37 years later, connected to a comet that is about to destroy the world.
Director: Yoshihiro Nakamura | Stars: Atsushi Itô, Kiyohiko Shibukawa, Noriko Eguchi, Hidekazu Mashima
Votes: 3,433
85. 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
86. Yomei 1-kagetsu no hanayome (2009)
129 min | Drama
A young woman is diagnosed with breast cancer but keeps the information from her boyfriend. When he finds out, he decides to plan a wedding even though she only has one month to live.
Director: Ryûichi Hiroki | Stars: Nana Eikura, Eita Nagayama, Akira Emoto, Ryûki Nishimoto
Votes: 241
87. Air Doll (2009)
Unrated | 125 min | Drama, Fantasy, Romance
A life-size blow-up doll develops a soul and falls in love with a video store clerk.
Director: Kore-eda Hirokazu | Stars: Bae Doona, Arata Iura, Itsuji Itao, Joe Odagiri
Votes: 8,137
88. Jûryoku piero (2009)
118 min | Drama
A haunting mystery about a Japanese family where a current series of crime paves the way to unraveling an unexpected family truth.
Director: Jun'ichi Mori | Stars: Ryô Kase, Masaki Okada, Fumiyo Kohinata, Yuriko Yoshitaka
Votes: 461
89. Map of the Sounds of Tokyo (2009)
R | 109 min | Drama, Thriller
A dramatic thriller that centers on a fish-market employee who doubles as a contract killer.
Director: Isabel Coixet | Stars: Rinko Kikuchi, Sergi López, Min Tanaka, Takeo Nakahara
Votes: 2,487
90. Door to Door (2009 TV Movie)
123 min | Drama
Real story about about a man who was told for many years that he was not employable, but threw all of his effort into working as a door-to-door salesman. Despite the pain attributed to his ... See full summary »
Director: Ken Yoshida | Stars: Kazunari Ninomiya, Rosa Katô, Ikkei Watanabe, Akio Kaneda
Votes: 124
91. Hijoshi zukan (2009)
105 min | Comedy
This is an omnibus of six short films by six different directors, whose lead characters are unconventional women. They are "Hijoshi," females who live true to themselves and their desires.
Directors: Yoshihiro Fukagawa, Kôji Kawano, Takashi Shimizu, Keisuke Toyoshima, Renpei Tsukamoto, Yûdai Yamaguchi, Yûka Ôsumi | Stars: Rika Adachi, Toshiki Ayata, Jiji Bû, Noriko Eguchi
Votes: 94
92. Dear Doctor (2009)
127 min | Drama
A young medical intern student is dismayed when he is assigned to work in a remote countryside village.
Director: Miwa Nishikawa | Stars: Tsurube Shôfukutei, Eita Nagayama, Teruyuki Kagawa, Haruka Igawa
Votes: 746
93. Ju-on: Black Ghost (2009)
Not Rated | 60 min | Fantasy, Horror
After losing her child at birth, the dark horror of the grudge begins growing within her.
Director: Mari Asato | Stars: Kôji Seto, Kuniteru Shigeyama, Kana Tsugihara, Ai Kago
Votes: 2,036
94. Ju-on: White Ghost (2009)
Not Rated | 61 min | Fantasy, Horror
Akane begins seeing visions of a female ghost wearing the same yellow hat and red satchel she wore as a school child.
Director: Ryûta Miyake | Stars: Hiroki Suzuki, Ichirôta Miyakawa, Natsuki Kasa, Akina Minami
Votes: 2,547
95. Gokusen: The Movie (2009)
118 min | Comedy, Drama
A young teacher is given the toughest classroom in the school. Based on the TV series.
Director: Tôya Satô | Stars: Yukie Nakama, Katsuhisa Namase, Aya Hirayama, Aki Hoshino
Votes: 634
96. Symbol (2009)
Not Rated | 93 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Mystery
A man wakes up in a white room empty other than buttons on the walls, he must find out which button to push to get what he wants.
Director: Hitoshi Matsumoto | Stars: Hitoshi Matsumoto, David Quintero, Luis Accinelli, Lilian Tapia
Votes: 4,449
97. Kakera (I) (2009)
107 min | Drama
The story of the relationship between a college student whose relationship with her boyfriend is going nowhere and a bisexual medical artist who makes prosthetic body parts.
Director: Momoko Andô | Stars: Hikari Mitsushima, Eriko Nakamura, Ken Mitsuishi, Tasuku Nagaoka
Votes: 392
98. Parade (2009)
118 min | Drama
Four youths share a two bedroom apartment in a corner of Tokyo. A series of assault cases occur in the same district. Eighteen year old Satoru, a male prostitute, joins them as a new house mate. Their daily life slowly starts to change.
Director: Isao Yukisada | Stars: Tatsuya Fujiwara, Karina, Shihori Kanjiya, Kento Hayashi
Votes: 673
99. 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
100. Bokura wa aruku, tada soredake (2009)
74 min | Comedy, Drama
Director: Ryûichi Hiroki | Stars: Sakura Andô, Tamae Andô, Tasuku Emoto, Kengo Kôra
Votes: 35
Tell Your Friends