movie review in japanese

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Certified Fresh Japanese Movies

Japan rose to almost immediate cinematic prominence with the one-two punch of Yasujiro Ozu’s 1953 Tokyo Story and Akira Kurosawa’s 1954 Seven Samurai , part of a creatively fertile post-war period that saw similar artistic strides in Italy, France, and Sweden. Ozu’s deeply human drama and Kurosawa’s action-genre big bang are both Certified Fresh, meaning they’ve maintained a 75% after at least 40 critics reviews. That’s the only Ozu movie on our guide to Japanese Certified Fresh films (though plenty of his movies are currently 100%, they don’t meet the minimum reviews threshold), while Kurosawa appears five more times with Rashomon , Ikiru , Throne of Blood , Yojimbo , and Ran .

Others director featured in our guide to Certified Fresh films produced in Japan include Hirokazu Kore-eda ( Shoplifters ), genre icon Takeshi Kitano ( Zatoichi ), Neon Genesis Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno ( Shin Godzilla ), the impossibly prolific Takashi Miike ( Audition , 13 Assassins ), and Yojiro Takita, whose Departures took home the Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award in 2008, a first for Japan.

Anime has been one of Japan’s greatest entertainment exports, with Hayao Miyazaki’s films ( Spirited Away , Princess Mononoke ) at the forefront. Other prominent animation directors include Isao Takahata ( Grave of the Fireflies , The Tale of Princess Kaguya) , Makoto Shinkai ( Your Name , Weathering With You ), Satoshi Kon ( Perfect Blue ), and Mamoru Hosada ( Mirai ).

Norwegian Wood (2010) 74%

Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai (2011) 77%

Warm Water Under a Red Bridge (2001) 81%

Perfect Blue (1997) 84%

Outrage (2010) 82%

Departures (2008) 80%

Dragon Ball Super: Broly (2018) 83%

Audition (1999) 83%

Sweet Bean (2015) 85%

Paprika (2006) 86%

Metropolis (2001) 87%

Shin Godzilla (2016) 86%

From Up on Poppy Hill (2011) 88%

Blade of the Immortal (2017) 87%

The Third Murder (2017) 87%

Like Father, Like Son (2013) 86%

Zatoichi (2003) 87%

Howl's Moving Castle (2004) 87%

Battle Royale (2000) 90%

Wife of a Spy (2020) 89%

The Boy and the Beast (2015) 88%

The Wind Rises (2013) 88%

Mary and The Witch's Flower (2017) 89%

My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising (2019) 90%

Belladonna of Sadness (1973) 90%

Akira (1988) 91%

Mirai (2018) 91%

True Mothers (2020) 91%

When Marnie Was There (2014) 92%

Ponyo (2008) 91%

Weathering With You (2019) 92%

Millennium Actress (2001) 93%

Godzilla (1954) 94%

Nobody Knows (2004) 92%

Princess Mononoke (1997) 93%

My Neighbor Totoro (1988) 94%

I Wish (2011) 93%

Tokyo Sonata (2008) 94%

Yojimbo (1961) 96%

Throne of Blood (1957) 96%

13 Assassins (2010) 95%

The Secret World of Arrietty (2010) 94%

Ran (1985) 96%

After the Storm (2016) 96%

Ghost in the Shell (1995) 95%

First Love (2019) 98%

Spirited Away (2001) 96%

Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) 98%

Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train (2020) 98%

Ikiru (1952) 98%

Rashomon (1950) 98%

Your Name (2016) 98%

The Twilight Samurai (2002) 99%

Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011) 99%

Shoplifters (2018) 99%

Grave of the Fireflies (1988) 100%

Tokyo Story (1953) 100%

Tampopo (1985) 100%

Only Yesterday (1991) 100%

Still Walking (2008) 100%

Drive My Car (2021) 97%

Seven Samurai (1954) 100%

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013) 100%

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132 best movies in japanese - a good movie to watch, since the 1990s, japanese filmmaking has been at the forefront of global cinema, and it seems we are entering another golden age. here are the best movies to stream now featuring the japanese language..

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20 Best Japanese Movies Every Film Buff Should Watch 

Best Japanese movies

Japanese cinema is more than just colossal sea monsters rampaging through cities, spine-chilling horror movies, and animated box office sensations. For those who are looking for something more, dive deep into the world of Japanese cinema with our top 20 picks of the best Japanese movies .  

1. Departures (2008)

After a failed career as a cellist, Daigo Kobayashi and his wife return to his hometown in northern Japan. He unwittingly finds work as a nōkanshi (納棺師; Japanese ritual mortician), an unheralded profession that is often considered unclean in Japanese society. 

Though Daigo was subjected to prejudice initially, the people around him gradually come to understand the value of the work he does. Departures is a unique and beautiful take on the cultural taboos of death and funerals. Its portrayal of the industry received critical acclaim, winning the film the 2009 Academy Award for Best Foreign Film.  

Video credit: TheBestJohnnyBoy

Available on: Amazon Prime 

2. University of Laughs (2004)

Set in pre-WWII Japan, the premise of University of Laughs is simple: a comedy playwright is determined to get his script approved by the censorship officer. The officer, who sees no value in comedy during wartime, is prepared to do everything in his power to discourage the playwright. 

As the playwright returns with an amended script day after day to have it approved, what started as outrageous demands and censorship cuts make the once subpar script better and better. Originally written as a radio show and broadcasted in 1994, University of Laughs was subsequently adapted into a play and finally, a film. 

Video credit: Federico De Marchi

Available on: DVD

3. Nobody Knows (2004)

Based on the real-life 1988 Sugamo child abandonment incident, Nobody Knows follows the heart-wrenching story of four underage half-siblings after they were abandoned by their biological mother. Left to fend for themselves with little money and food, the children struggle to survive and cope with their isolated existence in a small Tokyo apartment.  

Video credit: HD Retro Trailers

Available on: Amazon Prime

4. Always, Sunset at Third Avenue (2005)

Often touted as the Golden Age of Japan, the post-war Shōwa era was a period of rapid economic and social development. Always, Sunset at Third Avenue looks back at the good old 1950s in a fond manner. It follows the story of a group of characters as they move on from the ravages of war and strive for a better life. 

From being introduced to the wonders of refrigerators and revolutionary television sets, to having their first sips of Coca-Cola, the wholesome experiences and interactions of the characters make this a heart-warming classic not to be missed. 

Video credit: JapanFoundationSyd

Available on: Amazon Prime, Hulu 

5. Shoplifters (2018)

As the saying goes, blood is thicker than water. But the poor family of six in Shoplifters is connected by something even thicker than blood – petty theft. 

Stuck in poverty, the family members rely on committing crimes to survive. The father-son duo routinely shoplifts at local supermarkets, while the grandma continues to live off her dead husband’s pension. Shoplifters dives into the sobering reality of poverty in Japan and sheds light on those living life on the fringe.  

Video credit: Magnolia Pictures & Magnet Releasing

6. Suspect X (2008)

If you enjoy watching intelligent characters play mind games in a battle of wits, Suspect X will be right up your alley. The film was adapted from Keigo Higashino’s most critically acclaimed novel, The Devotion of Suspect X. Unlike typical mystery-thrillers, the murderer’s identity is out in the open from the start. 

After Yasuko kills her abusive ex-husband, her sympathetic neighbour Ishigami, who is a mathematician, helps her cover up the murder. Yukawa, the genius physics professor helping out with the case, happens to be Ishigami’s ex-classmate and suspects his involvement in the murder. And so begins a cat and mouse game where both parties try to outwit each other. 

Video credit: フジテレビ公式

7. Swing Girls (2004) 

What have you done to skip classes? Feign illness? Had your friend to cover up for your absence? Well, a bunch of lazy delinquent high school girls decided that joining the school’s brass band is a sure-fire way to miss their summer make-up class. 

Though initially reluctant to take learning the instruments seriously, the group of girls eventually began to enjoy playing jazz. With lovable characters and great music to boot, Swing Girls is a feel-good comedy movie that all jazz lovers should watch.  

Video credit: digiblob

8. Go (2001)

Born to a Japanese mum and a North Korean dad, Sugihara has felt like a misfit his whole life. He is what you would call a “Zainichi Korean” – ethnic Koreans with lineage tracing back to Korea, but who have since assimilated into Japanese society.  

Go is a coming-of-age film that follows Sugihara as he learns to deal with his dual identity and cultural roots after he falls for a bigoted Japanese girl. It reflects the grim reality of the racism long-term Korean residents in Japan are subjected to and tackles the complex problem of citizenship in the country. 

Video credit: okaime

Available on: Amazon Prime, AbemaTV

9. Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald (1997)

Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald is a hilarious film adapted from a stage play. 

The film shows the behind-the-scenes workings of a live radio broadcast in Tokyo and follows Miyako Suzuki, a timid housewife whose script for a romance drama gets selected for broadcast. 

However, no thanks to unreasonable demands and ridiculous ideas from difficult actors thrown into the mix, Suzuki’s story gets changed beyond recognition. As the production team improvises, the situation spirals out of control and hilarity ensues. 

Video credit: VideodromVerleih

Available on: Amazon Prime, DVD

10. Tampopo (1985)

With cooking channels abound and easily accessible, we’re truly living in the age of food porn. In 1985, however, the gastronomic experience on the big screen was not yet a thing. Tampopo was the first Japanese food movie of its kind.  

A mousy, hardworking widow is left with her deceased husband’s ramen shop. With no experience in ramen making, she enlists the help of two mentors, both of whom happen to be ramen-loving truck drivers. Tampopo is a cult classic that Japanese cinema lovers have deemed a must-watch – just make sure that you’re not viewing it in the middle of the night, lest hunger pangs strike. 

Video credit: TIFF Trailers

Available on: Amazon Prime, DVD 

11. Still Walking (2008)

One of the earlier works of Kore-eda Hirokazu, the same director behind Shoplifters , Still Walking tells the story of a family who has gathered to commemorate the death of their eldest son, who died tragically 12 years prior while trying to rescue a boy from drowning.

The film is not a tear-jerker by any means, but it’s an authentic and solemn portrayal of the life of a family in modern Japan.  

Video credit: IFCFirstTake

12. Hana-bi (1997)

Directed and written by Takeshi Kitano – who also stars in the film – Hana-Bi follows Nishi, a retired violent cop who spends most of his time taking care of his terminally ill wife. 

Life’s been going downhill for Nishi – his only daughter passed away two years ago, his wife suffers from leukaemia, and his friends in the police force were either killed or left crippled after a violent stake-out. At his wit’s end and struggling to afford his wife’s medical bills, Nishi turns to questionable methods to obtain money.  

Video credit: ryy79

13. Her Love Boils Bathwater (2016)

Grab some tissues and strap in for an emotional ride. After single mother Futaba realises that she only has months to live, she sets out to make the best out of her remaining time by bringing her family back together. 

Futaba reaches out to her estranged ex-husband, gets her defunct bathhouse running again, and prepares her adolescent daughter for life after her death. Her Love Boils Bathwater is a touching film that will make you want to hug your mum right away.  

Video credit: Panap Media

14. 100 Yen Love (2014)

Single and unemployed at the age of 32, protagonist Ichiko isn’t exactly the poster child of what Japanese society would deem as a successful woman today. She spends most of her days at her parent’s home and in oversized pyjamas, until an argument with her sister causes Ichiko to move out of the house out of spite.

After landing a part-time job at a nearby 100 yen store, Ichiko meets a regular customer and soon becomes enamoured with him and his interest in boxing. You’d have to watch 100 Yen Love to find out what happens, but let’s just say that the fateful encounter changes her life.  

Video credit: 東映ビデオ

Available on: Amazon Prime, DVD, Blu-Ray

15. Tokyo Sonata (2008)

At first glance, the Sasakis in Tokyo Sonata seem like your typical nuclear family in Japan – the dad works as a salaryman , the mum is a housewife, and the two teenage sons are still in school. 

Unbeknownst to each other, the family members all have their own secrets. The dad has been retrenched but is unable to come clean with his family. Instead, he pretends to commute to work every day. 

The mum feels unfulfilled as a housewife, the youngest son secretly takes piano lessons, and the eldest child plans to enlist in the military. As the deception and lies are revealed, the Sasaki family slowly disintegrates.  

Video credit: 8thSinMovies

16. The Great Passage (2013)

Majime, a salesman in a publishing company, is terrible at his job. But his unique connection to words and linguistics catches the attention of Araki, an editor in the dictionary department who is looking for young blood to join the team. After he is headhunted by Araki, Majime joins the team. Together, they compile the titular new dictionary “The Great Passage” .  

The premise of dictionary-making sounds dull, but The Great Passage reveals the fascinating and labour-intensive work that goes into completing one.  

Video credit: International Film Festival Rotterdam

17. The Funeral (1984)

You wouldn’t normally associate laughter with the subject of death, but in The Funeral , comedy takes centre stage. After his father-in-law passes away, the responsibility of undertaking suddenly falls on the shoulders of Wabisuke and his wife, Chizuko. 

As the couple and their extended family plan for a traditional funeral, their exposure and hilarious reactions to a slew of intricate Buddhist rituals will give you a much needed cathartic dose of laughter. 

Video credit: 劇場予告

18. Penguin Highway (2018)

Penguin Highway has a peculiar, intriguing premise imbued with cuteness and a healthy dose of fun for good measure.

When adorable penguins start to appear in his sleepy hometown, 10-year-old Aoyama decides to take matters into his own hands and investigate their origins. He soon finds out that the mysterious appearance of these aquatic mammals is connected to a young woman he met at a dental clinic. 

Video credit: Eleven Arts

19. Shall We Dance? (1996)

Virtuous salaryman Shohei seems to have his whole life figured out and is living his best life, but he can’t shake off this nagging feeling of emptiness and unfulfillment. That is until he meets Mai, a beautiful dancer, on his commute home. 

Enamoured and intrigued, Shohei signs up for ballroom dance lessons at Mai’s dance studio and his once mundane world starts to be filled with colour. Shall We Dance? was so well-received in Japan and internationally that it inspired a Hollywood remake. 

Video credit: okaime  

20. The Taste Of Tea (2004)

Hearing your voice in your head is pretty normal, but having a giant doppelganger hover around your side isn’t. Sachiko, the young daughter of the Haruno family, is being followed by a gigantic version of herself. In order to get rid of her unwelcome company, she is convinced that the perfect backflip has to be executed. 

Taste of Tea tells the story of the quirky Sachiko and her family as they move to a rural town.  

Video credit: FILMS NEW PEOPLE

Best Japanese movies to watch 

From cult classics to film festival favourites, Japanese cinema has a plethora of movies for you to choose from. Grab some popcorn, snuggle up, and enjoy our pick of the best movies Japan has to offer. 

For more films and series to watch, check out these articles:

• Award-winning animated films
• Japanese anime movies 
• Popular Japanese dramas  
• Anime series in fall 2020
• Japanese movies to watch 

Cover image adapted from: Yahoo Japan , Yahoo Japan , and IMDb

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The 55 best Japanese movies of all time

Samurai spectaculars, period epics, terrifying horrors and glorious animes

There’s more to Japanese movies than Kurosawa, Ozu and Miyazaki. That’s not to downplay their contributions to the country’s cinematic history – or cinema in general. All three are potential GOATs. It’s just that there’s much, much more where that exalted triumvirate came from. 

Like the trailblazing silent works of Kenji Mizoguchi. Or the off-kilter pop-art crime thrillers of Seijun Suzuki. Or the bizarrely horrifying visions of Takashi Miike. On this list of the greatest Japanese movies of all time, you’ll find them all, alongside, of course, Kurosawa’s epics, Miyazaki’s soulful animations and Ozu’s powerful domestic dramas – oh, and Godzilla too. You’ll trace Japan’s unique filmmaking history, moving from the silent era to its post-war golden age to the 1960s New Wave to the anime explosion of the ’80s, all the way up to the current renaissance spearheaded by Hirokazu Kore-eda, Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Mamoru Hosoda.

It’s a lot to take in. But with expert commentary from Junko Yamazaki – assistant professor of   Japanese Media Studies at Princeton , whose focuses include post-war Japanese film music and the jidaigeki (period drama) genre – this cinephile’s bible is as authoritative as it is exhaustive. Consider it your travel guide to one of the world’s most creative movie cultures.

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Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.

The greatest Japanese movies, ranked

1.  seven samurai (1954).

• Action and adventure

Director : Akira Kurosawa

If you’re looking for an entry point to Japanese cinema, or world cinema – or, shoot, just cinema in general – consider this your diving board. For experts, it probably seems a bit remedial at this point, but the most masterful of Akira Kurosawa’s many masterpieces has served as a gateway for generations of filmgoers precisely because of its simplicity. An impoverished Japanese village is besieged by bandits, so the townspeople pool their resources to hire a ragtag group of samurai to protect them. From that basic foundation, Kurosawa spins an epic that is, at turns, exhilarating, funny and emotionally resonant, not to mention highly influential – Hollywood has lifted the plot for everything from The Magnificent Seven to A Bug’s Life . Its 207 minute runtime might seem daunting, but trust us: you’ve never felt two and a half hours whizz by so quickly.

2.  Ugetsu Monogatari (1953)

Director :  Kenji Mizoguchi Japanese cinema tells a great ghost story – Kwaidan , Onibaba , The Ring et al – and there are few better than Kenji Mizoguchi’s spooky jidaigeki film. Ugetsu (‘Monogatari’ means story) was a breakthrough hit at European festivals, a gateway drug for western cinephiles beginning to discover the power and craft of Japan moviemaking. And it has both in spades, as its long sweeping camera moves follow a humble potter as he swipes right on a mysterious temptress (dude, she’s a ghost!), while his wife and child suffer back home. Backdropped by civil war, its deep humanity and sympathy for women in violent times still hit hard 70 years on.

Junko Yamazaki: Mizoguchi became synonymous with mise-en-scène (referring to how elements are arranged in the frame in front of the camera) in 1950s film criticism. Ugetsu , along with The Life of Oharu (1952) and Sansho the Bailiff (1954), was not only a subject of, but also an inspiration for the film criticism that flourished in postwar France, especially the influential Cahiers du Cinéma magazine.

3.  Tokyo Story (1953)

Director : Yasujiro Ozu Ozu made movies that drive a stake through your heart so softly and slowly you don’t even know how deeply they’ve pierced you until it’s too late. With this family drama, the director achieved the apogee of his unique quiet brand of devastation. On the surface, it’s the simple story of two grandparents visiting their adult children in Tokyo – not exactly riveting stuff. But what transpires is a rather brutal examination of ageing, parenting and flawed humanity in modern Japan. It’ll leave anyone with a parent in a state of contemplative silence afterward – or racing to the phone to give them a call.

4.  Rashomon (1950)

Director :  Akira Kurosawa One of the most influential films in all of cinema, the legacy of Rashomon ’s multi-perspective storytelling can be felt in everything from The Usual Suspects to Gone Girl . And there’s not too many Japanese movies that get namechecked on The Simpsons (‘Come on, Homer, Japan will be fun! You liked Rashomon.’ ‘That’s not how I remember it’). Kurosawa shows us the same incident – the murder of a samurai in the Kyoto countryside – from four perspectives (one from beyond the grave) and leads us down a rabbit warren of conflicting tales and shaky evidence. What really happened? Well, don’t trust our version.

Junko Yamazaki: Despite its studio’s general indifference, Rashomon was submitted to the 1951 Venice Film Festival upon Giuliana Stramigioli of Italifilm’s recommendation. Unexpectedly, the film won the top prize, the Golden Lion, leading to Japanese films becoming regular fixtures on the international film festival scene and broadening the scope of what would become the Second Golden Age of Japanese Cinema.

5.  Late Spring (1949)

Director : Yasujiro Ozu Like a cinematic Tardis, Yasujiro Ozu’s melancholy dad-and-daughter drama looks small from the outside while containing multitudes within. A widowed professor (Chishu Ryu) wants to see his 27-year-old daughter (Setsuko Hara) married, even at the cost of his own happiness. She’s appalled by the idea, happily continuing to tend to him, so he decides to feigns a remarriage of his own. Nothing in Ozu’s famously quiet, still films is accidental and here he finds a myriad of ways to chart that place where noble and murky intentions bleed into one another. It’s one of the greatest weepies of world cinema – even Ryu’s wistful sighs are enough to break your heart.

6.  Woman in the Dunes (1964) 

Director : Hiroshi Teshigahara

An amateur entomologist goes out on a beach expedition and ends up trapped in a deep dune, unable to climb back out and stuck with a nameless woman who lives there, tasked with the Sisyphean task of shovelling sand in buckets sent off to the villagers. Trapped, they live in a little hut at the bottom of the dune. Woman in the Dunes is a spellbinding and surreal film on the everyday malaise of domesticity that draws you into a dream-like state.

Junko Yamazaki: Both director Teshigahara, the art student son of a modernist flower arranger, and Kōbō Abe, the influential Japanese writer who penned the original novel, were leading figures in Japan’s postwar avant-garde movement. And Woman in the Dunes is rooted in that environment, where the avant-garde music of Tōru Takemitsu (whose extensive film scoring credits also include Ran and Hara-kiri ) seamlessly integrates, creating a synergistic effect.

7.  Spirited Away (2001) 

Director : Hayao Miyazaki 

The spellbinding world depicted in Spirited Away i s a place that only exists in the brilliant imagination of Hayao Miyazaki, but fans still travel far and wide to hunt down real-life locations that either resemble or inspired the film’s peculiar bathhouse. Rich in symbolism and full of captivating characters, including a spirit with a voracious appetite and a six-legged boilerman, this stunning Oscar-winner is a testament to the value of hand-drawing anime in an increasingly digitised world (even if it’s at a rate of one minute of animation per month).

8.  Akira (1988)

Director : Katsuhiro Otomo

Based on director Katsuhiro Otomo’s own sci-fi manga epic, Akira ’s vision of the future (now in our past, being set in 2019) is vastly influential. You can see traces of it in everything that calls itself ‘cyberpunk’ – not to mention its iconic bike slide sequence that’s been homaged in animations ever since. Its visuals are staggering, with gaudy capitalist wastelands depicted in eye-popping colours, and the animation, which injects some gross body horror into the mix, is endlessly inventive. It all elevates a rather simple emotional story of disaffected youth, as biker gang leader Kaneda’s rivalry with childhood friend Tetsuo explodes outward to a level of cosmic consequence.

9.  Harakiri (1962)

Director : Masaki Kobayashi Culminating in an orgy of against-the-odds violence that makes Kill Bill look like Bambi , Masaki Kobayashi’s masterpiece bows to absolutely nothing in the field of chambara (‘ sword fighting’) movies – not even Seven Samurai . Its genius is structural: it opens with a ronin requesting permission to commit seppuku – ritual suicide – on the estate of a powerful clan, before flashing back to the agonising, humiliating fate of another ronin who made the same request. Are the two connected? And will there be hell to pay? Youbetcha.

10.  Cure (1997) 

Director : Kiyoshi Kurosawa 

A series of murders baffles police detectives. The victims are found with an ‘X’ carved on their bodies, the murderers nearby and happy to confess, but completely unaware of how or why they committed their crimes. Kiyoshi Kurosawa loved American horror movies, and conceived Cure as a homage to them. Although somewhat shadowed by supernatural fare like Ringu or The Grudge , Cure is a powerful precursor to the J-horror mania that would sweep the world in the late ’90s. Junko Yamazaki: Having studied under one of the most influential Japanese film critics and theorists, Shigehiko Hasumi (whose influential book Directed by Yasujiro Ozu became available in English in 2024), Kurosawa’s medium-conscious filmmaking revives the hypnotic spell of moving pictures in the modern era through the framework of horror films.

11.  Ran (1985)

Raging against the dying of the light in the spirit of its protagonist, an ageing Kurosawa translated King Lear into a sprawling, muscular epic set in feudal Japan. Ran has the 75-year-old at the absolute peak of his powers. It’s missing his old muse Mifune – the pair had fallen out by this point – but Tatsuya Nakadai makes a fearsome but increasingly demented warlord, whose empire crumbles after he divides it between his sons. With its vast landscapes, brutal wide-angle battles and magnificent blaze of primary colours, Shakespeare has rarely been rendered with so much grandiosity and splendour.

12.  The Human Condition (1959-1961)

Director : Masaki Kobayashi

Though released as a trilogy (with each film split into two chapters), it’s impossible to argue for any one segment of this phenomenal ten-hour war epic over any other. It tells the story of pacifist soldier Kaji (the superlative Tatsuya Nakadai, in his first leading role), who tries valiantly to protect the lives and dignity of his comrades as he trains, fights and suffers as a Japanese conscript during World War II. With feature-length sections that anticipate future Western classics like The Great Escape and Full Metal Jacket, it’s hard to deny the titanic scope of its influence. 

Junko Yamazaki : Kaji’s experience was deeply influenced by the first-hand experiences of director Kobayashi and original novel author Junpei Gomikawa, who both served in the army in Manchuria and were prisoners of war. Shot in the Sarobetsu Plain in Hokkaido, it’s a haunting reflection of Japan’s imperial history that explores the limits of humanism. Can one be a ‘sympathiser’ or remain ‘just’ while serving on the side of colonisers? 

13.  Perfect Blue (1997)

Director : Satoshi Kon

The idea of the internet as a dream space is something that Satoshi Kon would explore through to his final feature Paprika , but his debut feature offers the most terrifying realisation of that theme. Its subjective imagery makes the audience experience idol-turned-actress Mima’s loosening grip on reality as she’s stalked by an obsessive fan, with Kon’s tight editing and concise storytelling making every image untrustworthy. Perfect Blue is both disturbing and eerily prophetic in its depiction of online harassment, and the dark side of digital interconnectivity.

14.  Ringu (1997)

Director : Hideo Nakata

After multiple remakes, sequels, parodies and crossovers, you’ll know the drill: if you receive a cursed videotape and play it, you’ll be dead in seven days via the hand of long-haired ghost girl Sadako. The original film was a smash hit at festivals and sparked a worldwide obsession with Japanese horror. The original remains terrifying in its simple details: the pale whites of Sadako’s eye, her torn off fingernails and clipped movements.

15.  Tokyo Olympiad (1965)

• Documentaries

Director : Kon Ichikawa The official documentary of the 1964 Tokyo Summer Olympics isn’t just a celebration of godlike athleticism. Instead, Kon Ichikawa ( The Burmese Harp ) presents the sporting event through a humanist lens, searching for the accumulative effort and personal struggle. Even when shot with a striking, impressionistic style these acts are never isolated from their context or apolitical. As African nations making their Olympic debuts, the anti-colonialist struggle is never far from Ichikawa’s mind. The result is a beautiful, hypnotic work that raises the bar for sports documentaries.

16.  Ikiru (1952)

Director : Akira Kurosawa Akira Kurosawa’s quietest film is also his most emotionally devastating. After being diagnosed with terminal stomach cancer, a low-level bureaucrat (Takashi Shimura) quits his job to spend the last year of life searching for meaning – first in the bars and dancehalls of Tokyo, then in a more lasting final project. Few films cut so directly to the core of human existence and what it truly means to leave a legacy. A fine English remake starring Bill Nighy came out in 2022, but the original has a dreamily soulful quality that can’t fully be replicated.

17.  Sansho the Bailiff (1954)

Director : Kenji Mizoguchi Kenji Mizoguchi’s period piece is set in the 11th century and has you praying for the sweet embrace of the 12th century, which surely couldn’t have been as bad as this morass of corruption, oppression and general bastardry. Filmed by his regular cinematographer, Kazuo Miyagawa, with gliding pans and long takes, its central treatise – ‘a man is not a human being without mercy’ – underpins the epic arc of its central character, the orphaned son of a righteous governor who learns goodness only after getting pretty deep into villainy. A lot of shit goes down along the way, though, and as Mizoguchi is at pains to point out, much of it happens to women.

18.  Floating Weeds (1959)

Director : Yasujirō Ozu

Legendary US critic Roger Ebert once described Yasujirō Ozu as a director who ‘places composition above everything else’. And when the master filmmaker moved to colour filmmaking in the late ’50s, his meticulous visual style arguably reached perfection. The third of his six colour films, Floating Weeds tells the story of a sleepy seaside town that is visited by a travelling kabuki theatre troupe. It’s full of fleeting passions and quotidian encounters, backdropped by azure skies, colourful banners, red popsicles and green trees. That vibrant canvas only enriches the irresistible atmosphere of Ozu’s gentle, contemplative storytelling.

19.  My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

Though the Ghibli universe is teeming with plucky heroines and fantastical creatures, none quite possess the same degree of celebrity as My Neighbor Totoro ’s eponymous forest spirit, otherwise known as the face of the anime studio’s official logo. In this charming story set in post-war Japan, two sisters move into a new house in a rural town, where they encounter a friendly clan of mystic beings in the nearby forest. There aren’t any dastardly witches or epic battles between good and evil here, as there are in some of Ghibli’s more recent films inspired by western fairy tales, but there’s enough of Miyazaki’s magic in this beloved classic to last several lifetimes.

20.  Yojimbo (1961)

In the mid-’60s, Sergio Leone popularised the spaghetti western with a film about a cunning gunslinger who rolls into town and plays two outlaw gangs off against each other for little more than his own profit and amusement. A Fistful of Dollars made Clint Eastwood’s Man With No Name into a timeless antihero. What few western fans realised was that Dollars was a remake of Akira Kurosawa’s propulsive samurai classic, Yojimbo . Swap six-shooters for swords and the old west for the late Edo period in Japan, and you have one of the best samurai flicks of Japan’s golden age. And Toshiro Mifune is so iconic as its samurai hero, they brought him back for a sequel, Sanjuro , a year later.

Junko Yamazaki : You can’t overemphasise the role Akira Kurosawa’s films played in the aesthetic shift in jidaigeki in the early ’60s. Violence was theatrically displayed for the enjoyment of children and young women in the Tōei Company jidaigeki of the ’50s, but the depiction of violence in the ‘60s became unprecedentedly explicit and cruel. 

21.  Hana-bi (1997)

Director : Takeshi Kitano

Hana-bi – or Fireworks – tells the story of a cop (played by director Takeshi Kitano) with a wife suffering from leukaemia and a partner who gets paralysed in the line of duty.  As the mostly-silent Kitano tangles himself up in yakuza dealings and his ex-partner tries his hand at art, the most serene, contemplative and outright gorgeous gangster film ever made emerges. And all from the mind of the same guy that headed up legendarily bonkers game show Takeshi’s Castle. Which is some flex.

22.  Audition (1999) 

Director : Takashi Miike

Want to prank an unsuspecting guest who has no familiarity with the deranged oeuvre of Takashi Miike? Invite them over for a viewing of a quiet romantic dramedy called Audition and watch as their expression gradually shifts from patient boredom to nauseated terror. Burning low and slow for its first half, the movie does indeed present itself as a lightweight weepy about a widower who decides to hold a casting call for a fake film in order to find himself a new wife. But just when you think you’re about to nod off, Miike pulls the mask off, revealing an ultraviolent horror show of unimaginable terror. It’s one of the great fake-outs in movie history, but it’s also a piercing critique of masculinity and gender roles in Japan. Once the acupuncture needles come out, the ‘piercing’ becomes literal.

23.  High and Low (1963) 

Director : Akira Kurosawa Decades before Parasite , Akira Kurosawa snuck a piece of barbed social commentary to the public in the guise of a highly entertaining mixed-genre thriller. A wealthy businessman (the always-awesome Toshiro Mifune) learns his son has been kidnapped, and the ransom will destroy him financially. When he discovers it’s actually his chauffeur’s son who’s been abducted, he must decide what’s more important: his conscience or his bank account. Based on a novel by Ed McBain, High and Low can be enjoyed as pure noir, but the context of the period – Japan’s growing economic disparity and a rash of kidnappings happening across the country at the time – gives it added weight. It’s a multi-layered title, referring both to the haves and have-nots and the literal trajectory of the movie, which travels from the high rises of Yokohama down to the city’s squalid underbelly. In the subgenre of Kurosawa films with modern settings, it’s a clear masterwork – and gives the upcoming Spike Lee remake a lot to live up to.

24.  Godzilla (1954)

Director :  Ishiro Honda What makes Godzilla so enduring? Is it its baked-in nuclear anxieties – still all too relatable – or the pioneering miniature sets, mostly ransacked as Gojira emerges from the Pacific and sets about squashing large portions of the Japanese mainland beneath its scaly bulk? A bit of both, but the fact that its disaster movie mechanics are so believable, even when you know full well there’s a man inside that heavy monster suit (shout out to Katsumi Tezuka) is down to the stony-faced sincerity with which Ishiro Honda conducts his opera of destruction. He knew that, sometimes, humans need to be reminded of their place – a message that most great monster movies have run with ever since.

25.  Kwaidan (1964) 

Director : Masaki Kobayashi An anthology horror based on Japanese folk tales that’s more interested in the uncanny than outright terror, Kwaidan ’s four yarns deal with vengeful ghosts, snow spirits, possessed hair and deceitful men. While the stories are labelled as horror, they are heavy in atmosphere and light on scares. The film’s dreamlike cinematography, from the all-seeing eye apparition in the sky to the man with his body covered in incantations, offers some of the most beautiful images committed to film.

26.  Maborosi (1995)

Director : Hirokazu Kore-eda

Hirokazu Kore-eda announced himself with a drama that journeys through the grief of a widow whose husband has seemingly committed suicide. Sure, it doesn’t sound like one of the most uplifting things you’ll ever see – and, make no mistake, this thing is tundra-bleak. But the After Life and Shoplifters director’s fiction debut is also gorgeous and therapeutic. Without wallowing in its own melancholy, Maborosi is solemn and patient, giving as much time to its lonely widow as it does to dwelling on the contrasts between Osaka’s cold, still streets and the dramatic, weathered Noto Peninsula.

27.  The Burmese Harp (1956)

Director : Kon Ichikawa A consummate technical filmmaker, Kon Ichikawa gained recognition in the West with a pair of powerful anti-war films in the late ’50s. Fires on the Plain offers a shocking examination of the horrors of World War II. The Oscar-nominated The Burmese Harp , on the other hand, offers a more sentimental skew on life in uniform. It’s a pensive, philosophical drama that follows a sympathetic, musically-minded soldier (Shōji Yasui), struggling to convince a group of Japanese soldiers to surrender to the British. In the aftermath, Mizushima disappears, leaving his former battalion to ponder what happened to him.

28.  Onibaba (1964)

Director : Kaneto Shindo

Japanese cinema has a rich history of folktales and ghost stories – and Kaneto Shindo’s erotic horror Onibaba is a sublime example of both. Nobuko Otowa and Jitsuko Yoshimura star as a woman and her daughter-in-law who, while their men are off at war, survive by killing samurai lost in a marsh. It’s a tale of lust, jealousy, desperation and revenge – with the hellish marsh itself an indelible character in its own right. Shot in chilling monochrome and with marvellously whistling, blustery sound design, there’s so much texture, suspense and beauty in Onibaba ’s impenetrable reeds.

29.  Battle Royale (2000)

Director : Kinji Fukasaku

For a certain generation, this dystopian thriller served as a gateway into Japanese cinema – and what an intro. Set in a near-future Japan beset by recession, unemployment and rampant juvenile delinquency, Kinji Fukasaku’s film depicts a government-sanctioned population culling event in which a group of teenagers are made to compete in a war game where only one is allowed to escape alive. It’s an obvious touchpoint for The Hunger Games , but Battle Royale doesn’t dilute its violence for YA consumption – nor its satirical bite. Even in a post- Squid Game world, its authoritarian critique still hits hard.

30.  Lady Snowblood (1973)

Director : Toshiya Fujita As TV sets became increasingly ubiquitous in the late ‘60s, cinema audiences began to dwindle in Japan. In a bid to win them back, the big film studios turned to the throwaway thrills of violent exploitation flicks – the kind that would make a star of actress Meiko Kaji. Her most famous role came in this cult classic, a bloody vengeance thriller about a 19th-century assassin bent on justice for the crimes committed against her parents. The film, which makes memorable use of Kaji’s penetrative glare, is a major influence on Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill: Volume 1 – just compare and contrast their snowy courtyard sets.

31.  The Man Who Stole the Sun (1979)

Director : Kazuhiko Hasegawa Voted the greatest Japanese film of the ’70s in a poll by Kinema Junpo , The Man Who Stole the Sun is a showcase of  snappy editing, dynamic cinematography (courtesy of Funeral Parade of Roses ’ Tatsuo Suzuki), and a larger-than-life story co-written by Leonard ‘brother-of-Paul’ Schrader. The film concerns a high-school teacher (rock star Kenji Sawada) who threatens to detonate a homemade A-bomb unless the cops fulfil his wild demands – which include summoning The Rolling Stones. Iconic ’70s hard-man Bunta Sugawara is out to foil him; bus hijackings, flamethrower heists and outrageous car stunts ensue.

32.  Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

Director : Isao Takahata

The life of Japan’s civilian population during the war has never been as hauntingly conveyed as Studio Ghibli’s story of two malnourished children who lose their mother during a bombing raid and take refuge in a firefly-illuminated bomb shelter. Director Isao Takahata may not be as well known as his Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki (who released My Neighbour Totoro on the same day in 1988), but he was arguably the first of the pair to strike a profound emotional chord with Japanese audiences. In this beautifully-animated classic, which also boasts a moving score by Michio Mamiya, childhood whimsy is hauntingly juxtaposed with harrowing destruction. The climax is devastating.

33.  House (1977)

Director : Nobuhiko Obayashi

Imagine Dario Argento directing an episode of Pee-wee’s Playhouse , and you’re at least in the ballpark of describing this totally insane haunted house flick from director Nobuhiko Obayashi – but really, nothing can quite prepare you for the experience. Utterly nutso even by the standards of cult Japanese horror, House takes the pedestrian premise of a schoolgirl and her friends visiting her mysterious aunt’s house in the countryside and flips it into a lysergic nightmare that’s too bizarre to be truly scary but that’s so completely mad, it occupies a genre all its own. Swept under the rug upon release, a remastered version went on a revival tour in North America in 2010, where it was embraced by the midnight movie crowd. Come for the cat that suddenly starts singing the movie’s theme song, stay for the karate fight against a man-eating light fixture. 

34.  In the Realm of the Senses (1976) 

Director : Nagisa Ōshima

One of the most controversial and erotic psychosexual art films out there ( and number 5 on our list of cinema’s greatest sex scenes ), Nagisa Ōshima’s opus is based on the sensational real-life case of Sada Abe, a former prostitute who murdered her lover, cutting off his penis and carrying it around with her for days. Several films have been made about her, but it’s the Japanese New Wave filmmaker who delivers the most memorable version of the story, in this explicit study of mutual obsession, desire and jealousy.    

35.  Nobody Knows (2004)

Director : Hirokazu Kore-eda 

In this drama highlighting social issues in modern Japanese society, 12-year old Akira is left to fend for himself and his three younger siblings when their mother (Keiko Fukushima) abandons them for a new lover. With a dwindling food supply, a near-empty coin purse and no adult to care for the children, the circumstances here are dire, but Kore-eda has a unique way of capturing all the nuanced pain and bitter sorrows of everyday life while maintaining an enduring sense of hope and warmth. That’s just one of many reasons why the auteur is referred to as the heir of Yasujiro Ozu’s humanistic storytelling.  

36.  Funeral Parade of Roses (1969)

Director : Toshio Matsumoto

This vital queer text of the Japanese New Wave showcases a radical fusion of documentary and narrative fiction. Loosely based on ‘Oedipus Rex’, it also offers a vivid exploration of Tokyo’s newly-thriving gay scene, following a transgender ‘queen’ named Eddie (portrayed by androgynous icon Peter, who later appeared in Kurosawa’s Ran ). who gallivants around nocturnal and neon-lit Shinjuku – a playground of psychedelic rock music, marijuana and orgasms. There are countless nods to western upsetters like Warhol and Godard in the film’s eclectic style, with talking head interviews, pop-inspired editing, and giddy handheld camerawork galore.— James Balmont

37.  Love Exposure (2008)

Director : Sion Sono

You’ll likely come out of Love Exposure with your head in a spin; your brain having been smacked around by all kinds of absurdity to the point of exhaustion for four straight hours. And that’s all part of the charm. Sion Sono’s masterpiece is a provocative, exciting and deeply, deeply strange work that touches on everything from teenage horniness to cultish religions. From its upskirting subplot and sweeping religious metaphors, to its hyperlink flashiness, it remains bizarre, philosophical and incendiary. There’s nothing else even remotely like it.

38.  Girls of the Night (1961) 

Director : Kinuyo Tanaka A deeply patriarchical society, Japan still hasn’t produced more than a clutch of female filmmakers. It took a 1930s starlet, Kinuyo Tanaka, to make the leap to auteur status. She only made six films, combatting sexist accusations of having been westernised and the resistence of her old collaborator Kenji Mizoguchi to her directorial ambitions along the way, and this sensitive social drama is the pick of the bunch. Decades ahead of its time as a compassionate story of young sex workers – how many of those are there? – it’s set in a reformatory in the wake of the Prostitution Prevention Law and follows one woman’s attempts to start a new life. Beautifully acted and strikingly framed, it’s an underseen treasure.

39.  Tampopo (1985)

Director : Juzo Itami

This so-called ‘ramen western’ from Juzo Itami spins together food and sex into a digressive comedy that remains both sweetly endearing and utterly bonkers decades later. Arranged as a series of intertwined vignettes, it’s something akin to Robert Altman’s Short Cuts , with the main narrative involving a Japanese noodle shop and the lives that intersect there. Itami infuses the proceedings with a gonzo sense of humour, goofing on American film tropes throughout, while also playing around sexual taboos – most famously highlighting the erotic uses of a raw egg. It’s a singular joy in the canon of world cinema.

40.  A Fugitive From the Past (1965)

Director : Tomu Uchida This sprawling crime drama (also known as ‘Straits of Hunger’) follows a trio of robbers whose disappearance coincides with a terrible storm and the capsizing of a passenger ship. A policeman becomes obsessed with the case – and spends a full decade ruminating on the whereabouts of the missing criminal mastermind. Frustratingly under-seen in the West, where it finally got a release in 2022, it marries epic, golden age with the formal experimentation of the Japanese new wave. In Japan, its status is much more secure: the country’s answer to ‘Sight and Sound’, ‘Kinema Junpo’ ranked it third in a poll of the greatest Japanese films in 1999.

41.  When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (1960)

Director : Mikio Naruse

Less celebrated outside Japan than contemporaries such as Kurosawa and Ozu, Mikio Naruse’s social melodramas deserve equal attention – and this is masterpiece. The movie follows a young widow named Keiko (Hideko Takamine) and her struggle to find happiness for herself while also honouring her husband’s memory after his death. As was his signature, Naruse handles the surface story with a graceful touch, allowing the ultimately bleak conclusion to sneak in a gut-punch you don’t see coming.

Junko Yamazaki: The jazz score, inspired by the Modern Jazz Quartet, was composed by one of the most prolific and celebrated composers of the era: Toshiro Mayuzumi. A fearless young man, Mayuzumi experimented with a diverse array of musical styles from big band jazz and electro-acoustic music to Buddhist cantatas, spearheading a new generation of composers that helped transform Japanese cinema during its second Golden Age of the ’50s and ’60s.

42.  Pulse (2001)

Director : Kiyoshi Kurosawa Saturated with dread, Pulse is one of the most atmospheric Japanese horror films ever made. Inspired by Y2K techno-anxiety and the hikokimori social crisis (the phenomenon of severe social withdrawal among young people), it follows citizens of a lonely metropolis who become increasingly isolated from one another after receiving strange computer transmissions that ask: ‘Would you like to meet a ghost?’ There are nods to Hitchcock and Herrmann everywhere, plus one of the most terrifying spectral encounters in cinema.

43.  Sonatine (1993)

Director : Takeshi Kitano The mercurial talent that is comedian-actor-director Takeshi Kitano – aka ‘Beat Takeshi’ – was once christened the heir to Akira Kurosawa. If that seems hyperbolic in retrospect, he’s made a bruising mark on Japanese cinema with his unsmiling but still often oddly LOL-worthy visions of the criminal underworld. In this, his most ruminative, bleakly funny Yakuza flick, Kitano decamps to the seaside of Okinawa and creates an offbeam spiritual limbo for a cadre of can-kicking gangsters. Needless to say, he then fills it with violent mayhem – much of its originating with the jaded the gangster he himself plays. It’s Samuel Beckett with bullets.

44.  Drive My Car (2021)

Director : Ryusuke Hamaguchi

The rising star of Japanese cinema, Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s inspired but understated fusion of Chekhov and Haruki Murakami became the country’s first ever Best Picture nominee – and made Saabs cool again in the process. A widowed theatre director ( Hidetoshi Nishijima ) arrives in Hiroshima to oversee a production of ‘Uncle Vanya’ and for arcane insurance reasons, has a young driver ( Toko Miura ) foisted on him. The bond that follows would be saccharine and predictable in the wrong (ie Hollywood) hands, but such is Hamaguchi’s ear for human complexity and our contradictory need for solitude and connection, that it swells into a deeply moving story of art, grief and healing.

45.  Fires on the Plain (1959)

Director : Kon Ichikawa Japan’s answer to Come and See and Apocalyse Now , Kon Ichikawa’s anti-war movie is spectacularly bleak – even before you get to the cannibalism. It’s a film you limp away from, much in the spirit of its broken-down infantryman (Eiji Funakoshi). He hobbles, hungry and in rags, across a scorched Leyte landscape: a symbol of a defeated army as well as the moral degradation of war. Ichikawa’s rep has always been a notch or two below the likes of Kurosawa and Ozu, but this pitiless yet philosophical adaptation of Shōhei Ōoka’s novel is yet more evidence that he deserves to stand in their company. The studio that greenlit it probably wouldn’t agree: they were expecting an action movie.

46.  The Ballad of Narayama (1983)

Director : Shôhei Imamura Long before Dignitas, there was ubasute , a ritual that sees the elderly take themselves to the top of a mountaintop once they reach 70 and wait for death to claim them. Social care may have come a long way, but filmmaking rarely slaps as hard as this story of an elderly woman facing up to her mortality, the second of two masterpieces based on the 1958 novel (Keisuke Kinoshita’s sombre, kabuki-inspired version is worth searching out too). It beat Scorsese’s The King of Comedy, Bresson’s L’Argent and Nagisa Oshima’s Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence to win the Palme d’Or, a mark of its haunting, philosophical payload.

47.  The Sword of Doom (1966)

Director : Kihachi Okamoto This brutal jidaigeki follows a wandering samurai who surrenders his soul and sanity in a bid to achieve ultimate mastery of the sword. It’s so masterful in its bloody execution that it’s hard to think of a Hollywood equivalent prior to Kill Bill. Even so, it’s not the climactic ten-minute sword fighting siege, nor a snowstorm slash-down from Toshiro Mifune’s serial hand-chopper, that makes The Sword of Doom such a stand out. It’s the otherworldly presence of Tatsuya Nakadai ( Ran ) as one of the most memorable villains in Japanese cinema. 

48.  Tokyo Drifter (1966)

Director : S eijun Suzuki A man who made movies like he was joyriding them, Seijun Suzuki’s punk energy jolts through a film that plays like someone took Le Samourai out and got it massively drunk on jägerbombs. It’s a Yakuza flick turned up to 11 that opens, seemingly for no reason, in black and white before toggling through literally all the colours across an array of vibrantly visual, Austin Powers -y nightclubs and crime dens in a blizzard of stupidly cool set pieces. The plot – again, not important – involves an enforcer retiring from gangland, only to be discover that gangland isn’t quite done with him. Filmed in a few weeks with no rehearsals, its scrappy spontaneity makes it what it is: a violent blast of cinematic disorder.  

49.  Gate of Hell (1953)

Director : Teinosuke Kinugasa Adapted from a 13th-century picture scroll, Gate of Hell is the story of a virtuous warrior who, in the aftermath of a violent attempted coup, becomes obsessed with the woman he was sworn to protect. As the film creeps towards a suspenseful and tragic climax, it fuses Shakespearean drama with rich colour cinematography, lavish costumes and intricate sets – formally anticipating the great Kurosawa masterpiece Ran some 30-odd years later. Veteran director Teinosuke Kinugasa, whose 1926 silent horror film A Page of Madness remains one of the great surviving works of early Japanese cinema, won two Academy Awards for his troubles.

Junko Yamazaki: The first colour film from Daiei Studio (which was eager to export its signature period dramas abroad after the breakthrough success of Rashomon ) , Gate of Hell utilised Eastman Color film stock – known for offering a broader range than Technicolor and a palette less pastel than Agfacolor. It won the Grand Prix at Cannes, praised by jury president Jean Cocteau for possessing ‘the most beautiful colours in the world’.

50.  Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989)

Director : Shinya Tsukamoto A grizzly, low budget sci-fi horror, Tetsuo is an unholy, psychosexual union of flesh and metal that represents Japanese cyberpunk at its most brutal. An unnamed salaryman is infected by metal that gradually takes over his body, a disturbing transformation that Shinya Tsukamoto captures in stark, high-contrast 16mm black-and-white film. Its sequels never quite lived up to the promise, but the first remains as a jagged landmark of underground creativity.

51.  Crazy Thunder Road (1980)

Director : Sogo Ishii Considering its influence on both Japan’s underground filmmaking scene and the dystopian cyberpunk genre (see Akira and Tetsuo: The Iron Man ), it’s incredible to think that Sogo Ishii’s indie biker gang flick never received proper international distribution until 2022. Filmed for peanuts using equipment borrowed from his uni, and utilising real-life biker gang members among its cast, it’s a kinetic, chaotic Japanese answer to Mad Max . Snapped up by Toei Studios and blown up for a big-screen release in 1980, its unlikely success inspired a whole generation of guerilla filmmakers.

52.  Departures

Director : Yojiro Takita  The premise of Departures – an Oscar winner for  Best International Feature Film  – begins the same way a B-grade horror movie might, with a failed cellist (Masahiro Motoki) reluctantly returning to his quiet hometown to start a new job as an undertaker. Rather than ghoulish corpses and vengeful ghosts, however, the film highlights the profoundly intimate nature of traditional Japanese funeral rituals, like hand-washing bodies for cremation. A thought-provoking and disarmingly moving piece about life, death and intricate familial bonds, it’s hard to come away from this one without tear-stained cheeks.

53.  Suzaku (1997)

Director : Naomi Kawase Naomi Kawase has come under fire in recent months, with allegations of on-set bullying and violent conduct hanging over her. But she also remains a singular, inspirational force, and an all-too-rare female filmmaker in an overwhelmingly male-driven film culture. Her breakthrough film is set in a logging village in Nara and brings documentary techniques to bear in its observations of a family’s deterioration in the wake of an aborted industrial development. It made her the youngest ever recipient of Cannes’s Camera d’Or gong for first-time directors.

54.  All About Lily Chou-Chou (2001)

Director : Shunji Iwai Once derided by Roger Ebert as ‘enigmatic, oblique and meandering’, All About Lily Chou-Chou is now considered a powerful embodiment of the confusing emotions of Y2K teen life. It follows high-school students enamoured with the music of an enigmatic, Björk -like pop singer while enduring physical and psychological abuse in their day-to-day lives and is shot in an experimental style built around handheld cameras, ethereal piano music, and a non-chronological narrative that unfolds via internet messageboards. The film’s potent, dreamlike atmosphere lingers long past the end credits.

55.  One Cut of the Dead (2018)

Director : Shin'ichirō Ueda Shin'ichirō Ueda’s meta zom-com is a bit like a Japanese Blair Witch Project , a leftfield phenomenon that stands as a monument to low-budget ingenuity. A film crew is assigned to shoot a cheap horror movie for television when, wouldn’t you know it, an actual zombie plague breaks out on set. That makes it sound like a fun novelty rather than a must-see classic, but the movie positively explodes with energy and smart, winking humour on par with Shaun of the Dead . Made for an utterly paltry $25,000, it’s grossed $31 million worldwide – a testament to how far brains, blood and exhilarating creativity can take a movie.

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‘A Man’ Review: Brooding Japanese Thriller Explores Lives Defined by Relationships with the Dead

Kei Ishikawa’s meditative tale about identity, love and truth explores what it means to have enduring relationships with those we’ve lost — but perhaps never fully knew.

By Claire Lee

• ‘Aloners’ Review: A Contemporary Korean Woman Navigates Loss in Self-Imposed Isolation 1 year ago
• ‘20th Century Girl’ Review: A Korean Teenager Navigates First Love and the Complexity of Female Friendship 2 years ago

Set in rural Japan, Kei Ishikawa ’s brooding investigation tale “ A Man ” questions the meaning of identity in a society where discrimination persists, while offering a meditation on love and death, as well as the elusive boundary between truth and lies. Adapted from a novel by Keiichiro Hirano, the sensitive drama skillfully combines thriller aesthetics with subtle social analysis, while never straying from the wider metaphysical questions it explores.

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Kubota is especially convincing as the deeply wronged Daisuke, who bears his destiny of being doomed at birth while carrying unimaginable self-hatred. “When I wake up, I look in the mirror, my father’s there,” the character says in the film, trying to explain why he started boxing. “It feels like my father is inside me, and I want to rip away at myself and tear off my skin.”

At the heart of the mystery, the film focuses on the impossible choices faced by those who realize that society would never accept them for who they really are. What use does truth serve if it all but ensures social exclusion? When Daisuke meets Rie and falls in love with her, he lies about his entire existence. But this love, based on lies, is the only thing that shields him from years of self-harm and makes him want to live.

Ishikawa offers a contemplative and moving exploration of such questions, particularly as seen through the eyes of Daisuke’s teenage stepson — including whether love can overcome what will forever remain an enigma about the departed, those who so profoundly shaped us but can now only respond in silence.

Reviewed online, Feb. 12, 2022. In Santa Barbara, Busan, Venice film festivals. Running time: 122 MIN. (Original title: “Aru Okoko”)

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38 Best Japanese Movies on Netflix to Watch in September 2024

When I was growing up, Japanese horror movies were all the rage, with massive hits like “The Grudge” and “The Ring.” A lot of Japanese films have even become cult classics outside the country, including the wonderfully gory “Battle Royale.”

Watching Japanese movies immersed me in the language and culture and offered me an interesting perspective on how cinema differs between countries.

It’s no wonder that movie buffs and language learners alike turn to Netflix to check out Japanese movies. 

So, here’s a list of some of the best Japanese movies on Netflix that should keep you entertained for many hours to come!

1. “In Love and Deep Water” (2023)

2. “once upon a crime” (2023), 3. “call me chihiro” (2023), 4. “zom 100: bucket list of the dead” (2023), 5. “hard days” (2023), 6. “the village” (2023), 7. “love like the falling petals” (2022), 8. “re/member” (2022), 9. “hell dogs” (2022), 10. “drifting home” (2022), 11. “hell dogs—in the house of bamboo” (2022), 12. “the violence action” (2022), 13. “bubble” (2022).

• 14. “Ride or Die” (2021)

15. “Asakusa Kid” (2021)

16. “rurouni kenshin: origins” (2021), 17. “bright: samurai soul” (2021), 18. “the door into summer” (2021), 19. “child of kaminari month” (2021), 20. “mother” (2020), 21. “a family” (2020), 22. “violet evergarden: the movie” (2020), 23. “a whisker away” (2020), 24. “words bubble up like soda pop” (2020), 25. “dragon quest: your story” (2019) , 26. “37 seconds” (2019), 27. “the forest of love” (2019), 28. “the fable” (2019), 29. “kingdom” (2019), 30. “hot gimmick: girl meets boy” (2019), 31. “flavors of youth” (2018), 32. “river’s edge” (2018), 33. “fullmetal alchemist” (2017), 34. “blame” (2017), 35. “high&low” (2016), 36. “stand by me doraemon” (2014), 37. “we couldn’t become adults” (2021), 38. “maboroshi” (2023), and one more thing....

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Japanese Title: クレイジークルー IMDB Score:  4.9/10 Director: Yusuke Taki Genre: Romantic, Thriller

This film follows Suguru Ubukata, a devoted butler on a luxury cruise ship, and Chizuru Banjaku, a mysterious woman who boards the ship with a hidden agenda. The two team up to investigate a murder that takes place on the ship, which leads to some hiliarious mishaps and shenanigans. As the pair get closer to the truth, they also start to develop feelings for each other.

Japanese Title: 赤ずきん、旅の途中で死体と出会う。 IMDB Score:  5.4/10 Director: Yuichi Fukuda Genre: Mystery, Thriller

This ridiculous—and ridiculously fun!—twisted fairy tale follows Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and a number of other beloved storybook characters. On the way to the royal ball, our two heroines have an accident that may have fatal reprecussions. Once at the ball, they realize trouble is afoot! Now Little Red has until the clock strikes midnight to sovle the mystery and prevent more trajedy. 

Japanese Title: ちひろさん IMDB Score: 6.9/10 Director: Rikiya Imaizumi Genre: Drama, Animation

Chihiro takes up a job at a bento shop in a seaside town after falling in love with the food there. This job gives her the opportunity to strike up heartfelt conversations with all types of customers, which helps her feel less lonely in her everyday life. Unafraid to be herself and open up about her past, Chihiro connects deeply with many of the people she meets and changes their lives. 

Japanese Title: ゾン100 ～ゾンビになるまでにしたい100のこと～ IMDB Score:  6.0/10 Director: Yusuke Ishida Genre: Action, Comedy

Based on Haro Aso’s manga by the same name, an ordinary young man suddenly finds himself amidst a zombie apocalypse. Unprepared and disillusioned with his mundane life, he decides to seize the opportunity and live life to the fullest by completing a bucket list of crazy and adventurous goals, all while trying to survive the zombie onslaught.

Japanese Title: 最後まで行く IMDB Score:  7.1/10 Director: Michihito Fujii Genre: Action, Thriller

The film follows Detective Yuji Kudo, a man already struggling with a mountain of problems. One night, while driving to see his sick mother, Kudo accidentally hits and kills a man. In his desperation he decides to try and cover up the accident, but there’s just one problem: There’s a witness. 

Japanese Title: ヴィレッジ IMDB Score: 5.8/10 Director: Michihito Fujii Genre: Thriller, Drama

This film takes us to a once-scenic secluded village, which has now become dominated by a vast trash disposal site. A young man living in the village yearns to break free from his life there and escape to the outside world. When a mysterious stranger comes to the village, she brings with her a sense of hope and the potential for change—and a chance for the man to find a new meaning to his life. 

Japanese title: 桜のような僕の恋人 IMDB Score: 6.5/10 Director: Yoshihiro Fukagawa Genre: Drama; Romance

Haruto, an aspiring photographer, falls head over heels in love at first sight for Misaki, a vibrant hairstylist. Their initial awkwardness blossoms into a beautiful love story as they get to know each other. But their idyllic romance is tragically interrupted when Misaki reveals she has a rare disease causing her to age rapidly, throwing their future together into uncertainty. The film explores themes of fleeting beauty, cherishing the present moment and the resilience of love in the face of adversity.

Japanese title: カラダ探し IMDB Score: 5.1/10 Director: Eiichiro Hasumi Genre: Horror, Drama

Six high school students find themselves trapped in a time loop, reliving the same day over and over again. Each night, they’re hunted down and brutally murdered by a vengeful ghost known as “The Red Person.” To escape the loop and break the curse, they must find and reassemble the scattered body parts of a dismembered corpse hidden within the school grounds. As they search for the body parts, they uncover dark secrets about themselves and their classmates, and must confront their own fears and weaknesses.

Japanese Title: ヘルドッグス IMDB Score: 6.7/10 Director: Masato Harada Genre: Action, Crime

A traumatized ex-cop haunted by a past mistake is tasked with going undercover in the Yakuza. To gain their trust, he must befriend their most unpredictable member, a trigger-happy gangster known for his violent outbursts. As he navigates the treacherous world of organized crime, the undercover operation pushes him to his limits, forcing him to confront his own demons and face the consequences of his actions.

Japanese Title: 雨を告げる漂流団地 IMDB Score: 6.3/10 Director: Koji Yamamoto Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Animation

A group of childhood friends are mysteriously transported to an abandoned apartment building adrift at sea. As they explore the strange and seemingly endless structure, they encounter supernatural phenomena and hidden dangers. They must work together to unravel the mysteries of the drifting apartment and find a way back home, facing their deepest fears and rekindling the bonds of friendship.

Japanese title: ヘルドッグス IMDB Score: 6.7/10 Director: Masato Harada Genre: Action, crime, drama

Shogo Kanetaka is a traumatized ex-police officer consumed by revenge for his loved one’s murder. He spends years cultivating his skills as a fighter, and finally gets recruited for a risky assignment: to infiltrate the notorious Yakuza clan, “The House of Bamboo.” His mission? To get close to Hideki Murooka, a ruthless and unpredictable member known for his violent outbursts and insatiable hunger.

Shogo must navigate the treacherous world of the Yakuza, blurring the lines between loyalty and betrayal as he seeks his ultimate goal: vengeance.

Japanese Title: バイオレンスアクション IMDB Score: 4.7/10 Director: Tôichirô Rutô Genre: Action, Thriller

A seemingly innocent college student named leads a double life as a skilled assassin for hire. By day, she blends in with her classmates but by night, she takes on dangerous assignments for a mysterious organization. When she receives a contract to eliminate a powerful gangster, she finds herself in over her head.

Her target is not only heavily guarded, but he also possesses a dark secret that could have devastating consequences if exposed. With her life on the line, Kei must decide how far she’s willing to go to complete her mission.

Japanese Title: バブル IMDB Score: 6.3/10 Director: Tetsurō Araki Genre: Action, adventure

This story takes place in Tokyo after a mysterious rain of bubbles has defied gravity and rendered the city isolated from the rest of the world. The city’s youth have formed parkour teams and turned the cityscape into their playground, engaging in gravity-defying battles. When a mysterious girl with special powers appears, she leads them to face not only the dangers of the gravity-defying world but also the secrets of their own pasts.

14. “Ride or Die”  (2021)

Japanese title: 彼女 IMDB Score: 5.6/10 Director: Ryūichi Hiroki Genre: Drama, romance, thriller

Rei, a stoic and determined woman, impulsively kills Nanae’s abusive husband. This sets off a chain of events that entangles them in a dangerous spiral of love, guilt and violence. Nanae, initially horrified by the act, slowly finds herself drawn to Rei’s unwavering devotion and fierce protection. As they embark on a fugitive journey, their emotions intertwine, blurring the lines between desperation and obsession.

Japanese title: 浅草キッド IMDB Score: 7.1/10 Director:  Gekidan Hitori Genre: Biography, drama

Before he became a comedy legend in Japan, Takeshi Kitano got his start as an apprentice to Fukami of Asakusa, another big name in Japan’s comedy world. Asakusa Kid tells the story of Takeshi’s youth and the strong bond he shared with his master before the two had to part ways.

Japanese title: るろうに剣心 IMDB Score: 7.2/10 Director: Keishi Ohtomo Genre: Action, adventure, drama, history, war

Kenshin Himura was a legendary assassin during the Shogunate era, but vows to never take another life after the Meiji government is instated. Ten years later, Kenshin seeks to help Kaoru Kamiya fend off a powerful drug lord and his gangsters, only to find his determination to not kill put to the test.

Japanese Title: Bright: Samurai Soul  IMDB Score: 5.5/10 Director: Kyohei Ishiguro Genre: Action, Adventure, Animation

In a fantastical world where humans and mythical creatures coexist, a lone ronin and an elf warrior team up to protect a young girl who possesses a powerful and coveted artifact. Their action-packed journey takes them through stunning landscapes and thrilling battles, exploring themes of loyalty, honor and the power of diversity.

Japanese title: 夏への扉 IMDB Score: 6.4/10 Director: Takahiro Miki Genre: Sci-fi

This movie is an adaptation of an American sci-fi novel by Robert A. Heinlein. It revolves around Soichiro Takakura, who is played by popular Japanese actor Kento Yamazaki. After the loss of his company, Soichiro places himself in a “cold sleep,” then wakes up 30 years in the future.

The storyline explores interpersonal relationships through a slice-of-life setting with some sci-fi elements thrown in. 

Japanese Title: 神在月のこども IMDB Score:  5.9/10 Director: Kyohei Ishiguro Genre: Romance, Comedy

The film is based on the Japanese folktale of the Izumo no Okuninushi (Great Deity of Izumo), and follows a young girl named Kanna. After losing her mother, Kanna must travel across Japan to the annual gathering of the gods in the sacred land of Izumo. Along the way, she’s joined by a mischievous yokai and a wise old woman. 

Japanese title: マザー IMDB Score: 6.8/10 Director: Tatsushi Omori Genre: Thriller, Drama

Akiko is a single mother who lives in poverty while trying to raise her son, Shuhei. She leads her son along an unconventional lifestyle on the streets of Japan and exposes him to the darker sides of life. This movie portrays a chilling tale of how an emotionally unstable mother affects her child.

Japanese title: ヤクザと家族 The Family IMDB Score: 7/10 Director: Michihito Fujii Genre: Crime, drama

After his father dies, a young Kenji is taken by the Yakuza and he develops a strong bond with the crime syndicate’s boss Hiroshi Shibasaki. The film follows the development of their father-son relationship, along with Kenji’s rise in the Yakuza and the changes in Japan following Yakuza exclusion ordinances passed in the early 2010s.

Japanese Title: 劇場版 ヴァイオレット・エヴァーガーデン IMDB Score:  8.3/10 Director: Taichi Ishidate Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Animation

A young woman who’s brought up to be a war machine must find her place in the world at the end of the war. She’s employed as a letter writer, helping people to express their emotions through beautifully crafted letters. As she delves deeper into the complexities of human relationships and grapples with her own past, she embarks on a journey of self-acceptance and healing.

This beautiful movie will almost definitely make you cry happy tears. And if you enjoy it, there’s much more to love—the title has an anime series where every episode packs an emotional punch.

Japanese title: 泣きたい私は猫をかぶる IMDB Score: 6.7/10 Director: Junichi Sato, Tomotaka Shibayama Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Miyo “Muge” Sasaki is a lonely and unhappy middle schooler who harbors a crush on her classmate Kento Hinode. Struggling to express her feelings, she encounters a mysterious mask seller who grants her the ability to transform into a white cat named Tarō. As Tarō, sh’s able to get closer to Kento and even spend time with him at his grandfather’s pottery studio. However, as she spends more time as a cat, the line between her human and feline identities begins to blur, with potentially dangerous consequences.

Japanese title: サイダーのように言葉が湧き上がる IMDB Score: 6.8/10 Director: tbd Genre: tbd

Kouichi “Cherry” Sakura accidentally swaps phones with Smile, a popular social media influencer. A friendship begins to blossom between the two after they return each others’ phones, and the pair decides to help vintage record shop owner Fujiyama find a record of “Yamazakura.” The hunt for the record takes the two on a journey that brings them closer together. Together, they navigate the ups and downs of teenage life, learning to overcome their insecurities and express their feelings for each other.

Japanese Title: ドラゴンクエスト ユア・ストーリー IMDB Score:  6.5/10 Director:  Takashi Yamazaki, Ryuichi Yagi, Makoto Hanafusa Genre: Adventure, Fantasy

In a world inhabited by monsters and magic, a young village boy embarks on a quest to save his mother from the clutches of an evil sorcerer. This animated adventure film reimagines the “Dragon Quest” video game series, featuring stunning visuals and a heartwarming story of courage and self-discovery… with a nod to anyone who grew up playing the classic games.

Japanese title: 37セカンズ IMDB Score: 7.4/10 Director: Hikari Genre: Drama

Yuma is a 23-year-old woman who becomes disabled because she lost consciousness for 37 seconds when she was born. She has great aspirations to become a manga artist, but her editor believes she lacks worldly experience and implores her to lose her virginity so she can breathe life into her depictions of sex. Yuma decides to embark on a journey of sexual exploration to better understand her subject matter.

Japanese title: 愛なき森で叫べ IMDB Score: 6.3/10 Director: Sion Sono Genre: Crime, drama

Joe Murata, a manipulative conman, exploits the vulnerabilities of Mitsuko and Taeko, two girls dealing with the trauma of a group suicide pact from their high school years. An aspiring film crew starts documenting Murata’s eerie exploits, which eventually spiral into violence and madness as Murata takes control of the film.

Japanese Title: ザ・ファブル IMDB Score: 6.5/10 Director: Kan Eguchi Genre: Action, Comedy

A legendary hitman known only as “The Fable” attempts to leave his violent past behind and live a normal life as a regular citizen. However, his efforts are constantly challenged by his former associates and his own inherent instincts. This action-packed comedy-drama explores the themes of redemption and the difficulty of escaping one’s past.

Japanese Title: キングダム IMDB Score: 6.7/10 Director: Shinsuke Sato Genre: Action

“Kingdom” is a live-action historical action film based on the popular manga series of the same name by Yasuhisa Hara. The film depicts the rise of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, and the role of two young warriors in his quest to unify the warring states.

The film follows the story of Li Xin, a young orphan who dreams of becoming the greatest general under heaven. After witnessing the death of his friend, Xin swears revenge and joins the Qin army. There, he meets Ying Zheng, the young and ambitious king of Qin who shares his dream of unifying China.

Japanese title: ホットギミック ガールミーツボーイ IMDB Score: 4.4/10 Director: Yûki Yamato Genre: Drama

Hatsumi Narita lived life as an ordinary high school girl until she got involved with Ryoki Tachibana, a tenant in her apartment building. Her life takes a turn for the worse as she finds herself being blackmailed and bullied by Ryoki.

Japanese title: 詩季織々 IMDB Score: 6.6/10 Director: Yoshitaka Takeuchi, Haoling Li, Jiaoshou Yi Xiaoxing Genre: Animation; Drama; Romance

This animated movie uses three stories to express the Chinese concept of “Si Shi Wei Mei” (Four Necessities of Life)—clothing, food, shelter and transportation—and uses three stories to highlight each aspect.

The first focuses on a San Xian noodle dish that the protagonist links to his childhood and love for his grandmother. The second storyline revolves around the struggles of a model to stay relevant in the fashion world. The third storyline focuses on a romance between two high school students that may be cut short by having to relocate for school.

The stories capture the fleeting beauty and poignant nostalgia of growing up, showcasing the power of memory and the enduring spirit of human connection.

Japanese title: リバーズ・エッジ  IMDB Score: 6.2/10 Director: Isao Yukisada Genre: Crime, drama

High school student Haruna Wakagusa grows close to Ichiro Yamada after telling off her ex-boyfriend, Kannonzaki, for bullying him. Ichiro decides to take Haruna to a river’s edge to share a secret with her—a dead body. Rather than reporting it to the police, Haruna confides in her best friend Kanna about the situation, and this incident unites the three in a peculiar friendship.

Japanese title: 鋼の錬金術師 IMDB Score: 5.3/10 Director: Fumihiko Sori Genre: Action, adventure, fantasy, sci-fi

This is an adaptation of the beloved manga and anime series of the same name. It delves into the exciting world of alchemy and follows the Elric brothers, Edward and Alphonse, on their quest to regain their bodies after a failed attempt to bring their mother back to life through alchemy.

Edward, a brilliant young alchemist, loses his left arm and Alphonse loses his entire body in the failed transmutation. The brothers embark on a journey to find the Philosopher’s Stone, a mythical object believed to be able to amplify alchemy beyond its normal limits and potentially undo their mistake. Along the way, they encounter alchemists, military forces and dangerous homunculi, all with their own agendas and secrets.

Japanese Title: ブラム IMDB Score:  6.6/10 Director: Hiroyuki Seshita Genre: Sci-fi, Animation

In the a dystopian future, humans have been hunted down to near extinction by robots. Now, what’s left of humanity resides within a vast and self-replicating megastructure known as “the City.” The film follows the story of Killy, a mysterious man with enhanced cybernetic abilities, who’s searching for the “Net Terminal Gene,” a key to restoring human control over the City. Along the way, he encounters various characters, including a young woman who’s trying to survive in the City and a rogue AI entity that seeks to destroy the City and its inhabitants.

Japanese title: HiGH&LOW〜THE STORY OF S.W.O.R.D.〜  IMDB Score: 6.4/10 Director: Shigeaki Kubo Genre: Action

The Mugen clan dominated a town in Japan until the Amamiya Brothers refused to submit to their rule. This created a split among the members, causing the town to be broken up into five districts run by different gangs. The five gangs, known by their acronym S.W.O.R.D., clash with each other in a tussle for power.

Japanese Title: ドラえもん IMDB Score: 7.3/10 Director: Takashi Yamazaki, Ryuichi Yagi Genre: Sci-fi, Adventure

A young Nobita Nobi dreams of a better future and seeks help from his robotic cat Doraemon. With the aid of Doraemon’s gadgets, they embark on a heartwarming journey through time, revisiting key moments in their lives and learning valuable lessons about friendship, courage and self-acceptance.

Japanese title: ボクたちはみんな大人になれなかった IMDB Score: 6.5/10 Director: Yoshihiro Mori Genre: Romance, Drama

Sato, a middle-aged graphic designer, sinks into depression after realizing that his life has become completely ordinary. But when he receives a message from an old flame, it triggers a series of nostalgic flashbacks about his past relationships. These force Sato to confront the growing pains of becoming an adult and the mistakes he has made along the way.

Japanese title: アリスとテレスのまぼろし工場 IMDB Score: 7.2/10 Director: Mari Okada Genre: Romance, Anime

This anime movie follows Masmune, a third-year middle school student, as she navigates her new life in Japan after a major explosion.

The explosion caused time to stop, and every exit to the town has been closed down. The town’s solution to returning to normal is forbidding the citizens from ever changing, so every day they live out the same day as before.

One fateful day, Masmune and his friend meet a wild, energetic girl who can’t speak when visiting the steelworks factory where the explosion happened.

Because meeting this girl was not part of their every day routine, the world suddenly becomes imbalanced and is about to be destroyed.

These Japanese Netflix movies cover a wide range of genres, plus their plots can be wildly original and unpredictable, so you’re in for a ride!

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Visions of Japanese cinema

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Reflections in a Midnight Eye

MIDNIGHT EYE RETIRES. After 15 years of making the world's go-to source for info on Japanese cinema in English, we're calling it a day.

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Miike's riff on The Ghost Story of Yotsuya evokes both the supernatural and the resolutely down-to-earth

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“I feel like I’m always searching for something, someone.” Haven’t we all felt that at some point in our lives? A sense of displacement from our daily lives, and a search for something that would anchor us to a more commonly perceived sense of normalcy? The Japanese phenomenon “Your Name” (it was the highest grossing film of last year in the country and the highest grossing anime film of all time worldwide, passing “ Spirited Away “) is about this highly relatable sense of looking for something, someone, someplace. And so much more. It’s a beautiful, captivating piece of work that gets off to kind of a rocky start but achieves remarkable momentum toward an emotional, powerful ending. And you won’t see a better-looking animated film all year.

Writer/director Makoto Shinkai takes what could have been a very cheesy “Freaky Friday”-esque concept and imbues it with melancholy and honesty. The set-up is relatively simple: Mitsuha ( Mone Kamishiraishi ) is a high school-age girl who lives in the fictional Itomori, a gorgeous, quaint village in the Hida region of Japan; Taki ( Ryunosuke Kamiki ) is a slightly older boy living in Tokyo. They are both average kids with their own social circles, but they have no actual connection, and lead very different lives, at least partially defined by their equally gorgeous settings of city vs. country.

One day, Taki wakes up and looks down to see breasts. He’s in Mitsuha’s body. The next day, Mitsuha wakes up back in her own form but with only vague memories of the day before. And, of course, the same thing happens in reverse. Mostly through discussions with people around them about how weird they were acting, Mitsuha and Taki figure out that they’re switching places randomly, only after sleep. Rather than get into wacky hijinks like an ‘80s Disney movie, they work to help each other, leaving each other notes and diaries about what happened when they switched places. For example, Mitsuha has the courage to talk to the girl Taki likes, serving as a sort of body-switching Cyrano de Bergerac. But one day, they stop switching, and Taki can’t get a hold of Mitsuha in any way. He has vague memories of vistas from Mitsuha’s life and he sets out to try to find her. This is when “Your Name” becomes something very unexpected.

To say that “Your Name” is visually striking would be a giant understatement. Shinkai and his team have both an eye for detail and a poetic vision. The settings of “Your Name” somehow feel both lived-in and magical at the same time. Whether it’s the train system in Tokyo, its gorgeous skyscrapers touching the sky, a never-ending horizon in Itomori, or even just a series of streets on a mountainside, “Your Name” is one of those animated films in which one could pick any still frame from it and hang it on their wall. And yet the gorgeous visuals of the film never stifle the storytelling; they’re intertwined with one another. “Your Name” seems to often be saying: city or country, it’s a beautiful world out there and we only need to find our place in it.

Shinkai avoids so many potential narrative pitfalls (that it feels like the inevitable live-action remake will tumble into willingly). For one, Mitsuha and Taki maintain gender differences without feeling clichéd in the boy vs. girl way that Hollywood films so often define. We feel like these two very different people find commonality in gender and class without losing their personalities at the same time. The movie reminded me at times of Roger’s famous quote about empathy, about how film has a gift to put us in someone else’s shoes in ways that nothing else does. Mitsuha and Taki would likely never interact in the real world, but they start to become supportive of each other, and essential to each other’s happiness. The idea that someone you’ve never met and would never otherwise interact with has the same needs, joys, and fears as you is something worth remembering in 2017. It reminded me of “ Arrival ” in the way that film takes an out-of-this-world concept and then ties it to issues with which we can all relate.

Most of all, “Your Name” balances fantastic beauty and grounded reality in ways that are simply impossible outside of animation. Shinkai alternates between detailed visions of Tokyo that feel like they were constructed from real location photos and fantastical images of places that don’t exist in the real world, and never skews that balance too far to either side. It becomes more and more impressive. Few animated films in recent memory have built scene upon scene to such a rewarding final shot. Few animated films in recent memory are this good.

Brian Tallerico

Brian Tallerico is the Managing Editor of RogerEbert.com, and also covers television, film, Blu-ray, and video games. He is also a writer for Vulture, The Playlist, The New York Times, and GQ, and the President of the Chicago Film Critics Association.

• Masami Nagasawa as Okudera Miki (voice)
• Nobunaga Shimazaki as Fujii Tsukasa (voice)
• Aoi Yuki as Natori Sayaka (voice)
• Tani Kanon as Miyamizu Yotsuba (voice)
• Kaito Ishikawa as Takagi Masahiro (voice)
• Mone Kamishiraishi as Miyamizu Mitsuha (voice)
• Etsuko Ichihara as Miyamizu Hitoha (voice)
• Ryou Narita as Teshigawara Katsuhiko (voice)
• Ryunosuke Kamiki as Tachibana Taki (voice)
• Kazuhiko Inoue as Taki's father (voice)
• Makoto Shinkai

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The 10 Best Japanese Movies of 2021

Discover the top Japanese movies of 2021 across genres like comedy, action, romance, anime, and more—streaming links included.

By The Editors , 23 Dec 21 02:52 GMT

2021 was a big year for Japan, with the Tokyo Olympics finally occurring and a big COVID surge thereafter. Despite ups and downs, Japanese theaters and film festivals still persisted for a good part of 2021.

So what were the Best Japanese Movies of 2021 ?

Cinema Escapist has selected 10 Japanese movies that we feel are the top releases from 2021. Our choices include both indie and blockbuster films, with samplings across genres like comedy, action, romance, animation, and more. Note while feature-length sequels to popular anime or manga franchises took Japan’s box office by storm in 2021, we’ve tilted this list towards more original movies that display better narrative innovation and societal significance. We’ve also tried to include streaming links on services like Netflix, when available.

Let’s look at 2021’s top Japanese films!

Japanese title: いとみち | Director: Satoko Yokohama | Starring: Ren Komai, Daimao Kosaka, Mei Kurokawa | Genre: Drama, Music

Teenage girl rebels against family and finds a job at a maid cafe—that’s one way to describe the 2021 Japanese film Ito . However, this isn’t some sordid tale of a young woman fallen from grace. Instead, it’s an exploration of Japan’s cultural traditions, and outer prefectures that you don’t often see in cinema.

Ito ’s title comes from its protagonist, a girl named Ito Soma. She’s really good at a variety of music called Tsugaru-shamisen that’s a centerpiece of local culture in her native Aomori prefecture (in the north of Japan). However, Ito has significant anxiety about playing in public, and feels ashamed by her regional Aomori dialect. Pining for self-transformation, she ends up getting a job at a maid cafe (a wholesome one) and learning about life from the people she meets there.

Though Ito might feature some highly specific Japanese traditions, it managed to gain a decent amount of festival distribution in New York , Hawaii , and more. The film also won the Audience Award at 2021’s Osaka Asian FIlm Festival in Japan.

10. Masquerade Night

Japanese title: マスカレード・ナイト| Director: Masayuki Suzuki | Starring: Takuya Kimura, Masami Nagasawa, Fumiyo Kohinata | Genre: Fantasy, Thriller, Mystery

Masquerade Night is the sequel to Masquerade Hotel , which was on our list of 2019’s best Japanese movies .

The film returns to the Hotel Cortesia Tokyo, where detective Kosuke Nitta goes undercover to investigate a murder threat. At the hotel, Detective Nitta runs up against Naomi Yamagashi—a concierge who’s ruthlessly committed to fulfilling guest requests.

If you enjoyed Masquerade Hotel , you’ll find Masquerade Night strikingly similar in terms of substance and characters. Even if you haven’t seen its predecessor film, Masquerade Night should prove a spirited and entertaining movie with your standard murder mystery elements. Japanese audiences seemed to like it at least; Masquerade Night was the eighth highest grossing film of 2021 in Japan.

9. The Blue Danube

Japanese title: きまじめ楽隊のぼんやり戦争 | Director: Akira Ikeda | Starring: Kou Maehara, Hiroki Konno, Hiroki Nakajima | Genre: Drama, Experimental, Comedy, War

Movies critiquing militarism are part and parcel of Japanese cinema, given the nation’s pacifist legacies in the wake of WWII. The Blue Danube continues this tradition in its own absurdist, artistic way.

This 2021 Japanese film examines war through the perspective of two towns on opposite sides of a river. Every day, these towns wake up and start shooting at each other—though nobody really knows why. When a bugler named Tsuyuki is assigned to play in a marching band, he begins to play the Blue Danube Waltz by the riverbank whilst wondering what people in the other town are like.

The Blue Danube proceeds almost like a series of episodic sketches. It’s reminiscent of a Samuel Beckett play—full of boredom and bleakness, yet somehow still able to find humor amidst it all. It’s no wonder the film did decently on the festival circuit, screening at the International Film Festival Rotterdam and Japan Cuts, among others. If you’re someone who enjoys independent, experimental films, The Blue Danube is worth a watch.

8. We Made a Beautiful Bouquet

Japanese title: 花束みたいな恋をした | Director: Nobuhiro Doi | Starring: Masaki Suda, Kasumi Arimura | Genre: Romance

Masaki Suda and Kasumi Arimura are two of Japan’s most popular actors; they unite for the 2021 romance film We Made a Beautiful Bouquet .

Suda and Arimura respectively play a man named Mugi and a woman named Kinu. One day, the two meet after missing the last train home.

However, the movie starts five years after that encounter, and establishes that their relationship will not last. What makes this film interesting, then, is its exploration about the ephemerality of love and happiness, and how that fleeting nature imbues relationships with meaning.

Furthermore, We Made a Beautiful Bouquet offers a realistic, modern take on the challenges of romance. The film dives into the character’s financial issues and professional obligations, offering a welcome respite from the sudden cancer diagnoses or memory loss-inducing car accidents that often plague East Asian melodramas.

7. Aristocrats

Japanese title: あのこは貴族 | Director: Yukiko Sode | Starring: Mugi Kadowaki, Kiko Mizuhara, Kengo Kora | Genre: Drama

In 2019, a whopping 92% of Japanese considered themselves middle class. However, as director Yukiko Sode’s film Aristocrats show, that doesn’t mean Japan lacks class distinctions.

Aristocrats centers on two women, Hanako and Miki. The former is a wealthy Tokyoite; the latter grew up in a small prefecture and tested into the prestigious Keio University, but dropped out due to family circumstances and has to work odd jobs to make ends meet. When Hanako learns that Miki has also been seeing the man her upper-class family wants her to marry, the two end up meeting and building an unlikely connection.

Class divisions are certainly on display in Aristocrats . However, what’s even more interesting is how the movie shows that, regardless of wealth or privilege, Japanese women seem to always be second-class citizens compared to men. If you’re looking for a socially conscious film that’s female-centric and mellow, check out Aristocrats .

Learn more about Aristocrats in our full-length review

6. We Couldn’t Become Adults

Japanese title: あのこは貴族 | Director: Yoshihiro Mori | Starring: Mirai Moriyama, Sairi Ito | Genre: Romance, Drama

With the 2021 film We Couldn’t Become Adults , it seems like Japanese cinema is taking a page from China by producing a nostalgia-tinged tragi-romance .

The movie starts with a 46 year-old man named Makoto Sato. One day, a sudden friend request sends Sato back on a nostalgia trip to the 1990’s, one imbued with reminisces about past lovers. We see the vagaries of romantic disappointment and professional failure gradually grind Makoto down, his dreams fading into the past.

We Couldn’t Become Adults is particularly interesting when viewed as a mirror for the social malaise of Japan’s Lost Decades . Since the early 1990s, Japan’s economy has stagnated. As a result, a whole “lost generation” of Japanese stuck in a state of sclerotic social purgatory, with some retreating inwards as hikikomori . Though Makoto Sato is not a hikikomori himself, his trials and tribulations offer an easily accessible and emotionally resonant look into the struggles of those who’ve lost all direction in modern Japan.

Stream this Japanese movie on Netflix

5. Ride or Die

Japanese title: 彼女 | Director: Ryuichi Hiroki | Starring: Kiko Mizuhara, Honami Sato | Genre: Romance, LGBTQ

The combination of brooding violence and lesbian sex isn’t something you see very often in live-action Japanese cinema. However, Ride or Die contains that unique mix.

This 2021 Japanese movie begins with an introduction to Rei. She’s a plastic surgeon from a rich family, who also happens to be a lesbian. Rei has just killed a man—the abusive husband of her former classmate (and teenage crush) Nanae Shinioda. In the wake of the murder, Rei and Nanae go on the lam together, and begin to explore the messy depths of their rekindled relationship.

What makes Ride or Die worth including on this list is just how refreshingly different it feels from other live-action Japanese movies. Most live-action Japanese movies these days are yawn-inducingly mellow , agonizingly spineless , disappointingly regressive , or some combination of those factors.

Ride or Die is none of those things. It’s exciting, avoids usual Japanese LGBTQ stereotypes (ex. Boy’s Love romance), and replete with a level of passion (thanks to gratuitous violence and full-frontal sex scenes) you might expect from Korea or Hollywood.

With high production values and a distinctive soundtrack from eclectic musician Haruomi Hosono as icing on the cake, Ride or Die is worth a watch if you’re tired of the usual plodding fare Japan puts out these days. Even better, it’s easily streamable on Netflix.

4. Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle

Japanese title: ONODA 一万夜を越えて | Director: Arthur Harari | Starring: Yuya Endo, Kanji Tsuda, Yuya Matsuura | Genre: War, Drama, History

You might notice that the director of Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle isn’t Japanese. Indeed, this film is a Japanese-French co-production with a heavily French crew and financing. However, Onoda tells a thoroughly Japanese story with 100% Japanese cast and dialog.

Onoda takes its name from Hiroo Onoda , a real-life Imperial Japanese Army officer who spent 29 years hiding in the Philippine jungle after WWII, refusing to surrender or even believe that the war had ended.

The film centers on Onoda’s time in the Philippines, diving deep into his psyche to explore what motivated him to hold out for so long. In doing so, it offers a nuanced and resonant exploration of the psychology of fanaticism. That should hold resonance for viewers even outside Japan, given the popularity of conspiracy theories and lies about stolen elections these days. Within a Japanese context, the notion of militaristic fervor should also strike a chord given increased nationalistic burblings over the past few years.

3. Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy

Japanese title: 偶然と想像 | Director: Ryusuke Hamaguchi | Starring: Kotone Furukawa, Kiyohiko Shibukawa, Fusako Urabe | Genre: Drama, Romance

Noted Japanese director Ryusuke Hamaguchi kicked off 2021 with Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy . The film won the prestigious Silver Bear Award at 2021’s Berlin International FIlm Festival, and garnered significant critical acclaim worldwide.

Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy consists of three parts. Each depicts a coincidental encounter centering on a female character, and explores the vicissitudes of love. With this film, Hamaguchi has crafted flowing dialog and fleshed-out characters that all come to life with excellent acting.

If you enjoy artistic films that explore the intricacies of human nature, look no further than Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy . It’s a sweet, sensitive, and humorous examination of what it means for humans to feel, and be, connected.

Learn more about Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy in our full review .

Japanese title: 竜とそばかすの姫 | Director: Mamoru Hosoda | Starring: Kaho Nakamura, Ryo Narita, Shota Sometani | Genre: Animation, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Mamoru Hosoda is one of Japan’s most critically acclaimed animators, and he returned in 2021 with Belle . The film was not only critical success—garnering a standing ovation upon its premiere at Cannes—but also became one of the top grossing films in Japan during 2021.

Belle focuses on a 17 year-old student named Suzu, who lives with her father in Japan’s rural Kochi prefecture. After becoming traumatized by the death of her mother, Suzu finds solace in a virtual world called “U” and assumes an online alter ego through her avatar “Belle.”

It goes without saying that Belle contains some high quality animations; Hosoda does an exceptional job of bringing “U” to life with epic visuals of dragons and castles. On the front of social significance, Belle also comes at an opportune time. With large tech companies ramping up their efforts to create metaverses, the film helps us ponder whether such virtual realities will truly bring the world closer together, or instead simply transplant the real world’s alienation into a new yet parallel medium.

1. Drive My Car

Japanese title: ドライブ・マイ・カー | Director: Ryusuke Hamaguchi | Starring:  Hidetoshi Nishijima, Toko Miura, Reika Kirishima | Genre: Drama

Topping off our list of 2021’s best Japanese movies is Drive My Car . This is yet another movie from director Ryusuke Hamaguchi, who seems to have had quite a good year with 2021.

Hamaguchi was working from some pretty strong source material for this movie. Drive My Car is the adaptation of an eponymous short story by famed author Haruki Marukami . Despite the fact that the original story is just under 40 pages, Hamaguchi manages to make Drive My Car the movie into a three hour-long epic. Don’t be scared by that running time though. Drive My Car ’s plot flows by smoothly, and is pretty easy to follow.

The film follows a Tokyo-based theatrical actor named Kafuku. We learn that his wife Oto has been dead for two years, and her death has imbued Kafuku with silent streaks of trauma. One day, Kafuku accepts an invitation from a theater festival in Hiroshima to put on a production of Chekov’s Uncle Vanya. The festival assigns him a driver, a young woman named Misaki. As the two journey across Japan, their bond deepens—and the film takes us into a devastatingly beautiful exploration of loss and letting go. It’s a profound meditation on the human condition.

Want to find more good Japanese movies? Check out our lists of  2020  and  2019 ’s best Japanese films.

Want more? Join our 30K+ followers on Facebook and Twitter .

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The Best Japanese Films of the 21st Century — IndieWire Critics Survey

David ehrlich.

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Every week, IndieWire asks a select handful of film critics two questions and publishes the results on Monday (The answer to the second, “What is the best film in theaters right now?”, can be found at the end of this post).

This past weekend saw the release of Wes Anderson ‘s “ Isle of Dogs ,” a movie that was inspired by classic Japanese cinema (even if some feel that it may ultimately have been more informed by its director’s personal worldview).

The film is littered with references to revered old masters like Akira Kurosawa, Seijun Suzuki, etc., but movie-lovers the world over may be much less familiar with the more recent history of Japanese cinema.

Related Stories Wes Anderson Wants to Adapt Charles Dickens: ‘People Keep Going Back to Them’ Wes Anderson Scales a Mountain and Designs His Own Luxury Pen in New Montblanc Commercial — Watch

This week’s question: What is the best Japanese film of the 21st century?

Joshua Rothkopf (@joshrothkopf), Time Out New York

The life-long, nourishing adventure of making one’s way through Ozu, Mizoguchi, Imamura and Miyazaki (just to name my four favorites) shouldn’t be rushed. But if a person ever wanted a “one-stop shop” for everything that’s exquisite about Japanese cinema, I can’t pick a better example than Hirokazu Kore-eda ‘s resilient yet devastating 2008 grief drama “Still Walking.” It’s basically all the feelings of Yokoyama family over 24 hours, as they continue to grapple with the ripped-out loss of their son, Junpei, 15 years after his accidental death by drowning. The title in the film’s original language captures the continuum better: “Even If You Walk and Walk.” Sometimes words like  closure and catharsis  don’t really work.

Candice Frederick (@ReelTalker), Freelance for Broadly, Vice, Thrillist

“Like Father, Like Son.” This film, written and directed by Hirokazu Koreeda, took me by surprise. The premise alone, about a father who learns that the son he raised was switched at birth with his biological son, is already heartbreaking. Top that with Masaharu Fukuyama’s portrayal of the father who faces the unthinkable decision to give up the son he loves for the son he’s never met, and it is just shattering. “Like Father, Like Son” is such a moving portrait of fatherhood and familial love that has somehow flown under the radar. Make sure you watch this original film before there is an American remake. It’s beautiful.

Christian Blauvelt (@Ctblauvelt), BBC Culture

You could really choose any of Hirokazu Kore-eda’s films as “The Best Japanese Film of the 21st Century.” His glimpses of complex family dynamics are always moving without working hard to tug at your heartstrings. But I’d pick “Our Little Sister” as the best of the best. Three sisters take in a much younger half-sister after their father’s death. There’s unresolved pain from their parents’ separation, but Kore-eda doesn’t delve into the histrionics usually involved with depictions of “broken families” in American films – these young women know they have to make do, get on with life, and leave the self-pity behind. Kore-eda is often compared to Ozu for his gentle pace and his focus on small moments, but Louisa May Alcott is just as much a reference point for “Our Little Sister.” I’ll always cherish the moment the sisters find a box of their late grandma’s clothes, open it, dig their noses in the folds of cloth, and declare, “That’s grandma’s smell!”

Jordan Hoffman (@JHoffman), Freelance for Vanity Fair, The Guardian

If there must only be one, let it be Koji Wakamatsu’s 190 minute “United Red Army” (2007).

Edward Douglas (@EDouglasWW), The Tracking Board

Tough call to choose between Yoji Yamada’s “The Twilight Samurai” and “The Hidden Blade,” which both are excellent and topped my year-end lists in their respective years. Both of them examine Edo-era Japan in a way that hasn’t really been covered even in Kurosawa’s films, but I guess I’ll go with “The Hidden Blade” because that’s one of the best non-Kurosawa samurai films.  (Unfortunately, “Love and Honor” ended the trilogy on a low note because it wasn’t nearly as good.)

Carlos Aguilar (@Carlos_Film), Freelance

“The Tale of the Princess Kaguya.” Most would argue that the indisputable crowing jewel of Japanese cinema this century came early on with Miyazaki’s “Spirited Away,” and I would agree. But in an effort to celebrate another masterpiece, I’ve chosen Isao Takahata’s exquisite “The Tale of the Princess Kaguya” as a work of nearly identical caliber. It took more than a decade for Ghibli’s second-in-command to dive into another animated feature following “My Neighbors the Yamadas,” but the result was a sublime effort with a delicate aesthetic but potent observations. “The Tale of the Princess Kaguya” is a meditation on the human condition from the perspective of an innocent and otherworldly being that falls in love with mankind’s flawed existences and the joy and suffering that define it. It’s also an artistic triumph that delights with exuberant handcraft where the each pencil stroke comes alive on screen. Takahata made something at once pastoral, timeless, and epic in proportion with an emotional depth rarely seen in films – animated or not.

Richard Brody (@tnyfrontrow), The New Yorker

I don’t think that the Japanese cinema is in extraordinary artistic shape, at least, not on the basis of many of the most heralded films that have been released here, and I wonder whether there are better movies being made in Japan that aren’t getting shown here. One film from among the recent Japanese films that I’ve seen stands out as a truly exalted experience: Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s “Happy Hour,” from 2015, which, I learned to my surprise, is his eighth feature in a career that only began in 2007. (He’s now only thirty-nine.) Which leads me to wonder: where were–and are–his earlier films?

Vadim Rizov (@VRizov), Filmmaker Magazine

I’m not qualified to answer this question — I’m hardly a specialist in Japanese cinema. But I would be remiss in not missing a chance to stump for Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s outstanding 2015 film “Happy Hour,” a 5+-hour colossus that begins as a low-key humanist drama before slowly morphing before your eyes into something much stranger. The logline is that it’s a drama about five Japanese women charting their friendship, using duration to build character depth, and that’s absolutely true, but there’s so much more going.

David Ehrlich (@davidehrlich), IndieWire

I don’t know if I can legitimately argue that it’s a profound masterpiece on par with the likes of “Spirited Away,” “Millennium Actress,” “Nobody Knows,” or even Hirokazu Kore-eda’s criminally under-seen “Air Doll,” but none of those films makes me happier than Nobuhiro Yamashita’s “Linda Linda Linda.” Named after the classic Blue Hearts rock song “Linda Linda,” this euphorically fun movie tells the story of a group of schoolgirls who recruit the new Korean exchange student (Bae Doo-na) to be the lead singer of their band. It’s so rich, so charismatic, and so damn catchy, you’ll be itching to show it to all your friends. Paranmaum forever!

Question: What is the best film currently playing in theaters?

Answer: “the death of stalin”, most popular, you may also like.

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Review: In ‘Drive My Car,’ Ryûsuke Hamaguchi delivers a haunting masterpiece of art and life

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At the simplest of its many intricate levels, Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s “Drive My Car” is a masterpiece — haunting and true, melancholy and wise — inspired by another. It follows a middle-age actor and director, Yûsuke Kafuku (a superb Hidetoshi Nishijima), who specializes in experimental multilingual theater productions, the latest of which is “Uncle Vanya.” The play’s still the thing, but you’ve never seen or heard Chekhov quite like this, in a Babel-esque collision of tongues including Japanese, Mandarin, Korean and Korean sign language. It presents an unusual challenge for Kafuku’s actors, who must draw on all their expressive powers to achieve an eloquence that transcends words.

They more than rise to that occasion — and so, with shimmering elegance and lucidity, does “Drive My Car.” On the one hand, Hamaguchi and his co-writer, Takamasa Oe, are clearly enamored of words: There are a lot of them in this nearly three-hour movie, adapted and significantly elaborated from a 2014 short story by Haruki Murakami. (The movie, which will represent Japan in the Academy Awards race for international feature, won the screenplay award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival .) But the filmmakers also harbor a certain skepticism about words, with their capacity for imprecision, evasion and outright fabrication. This is a movie that understands how seldom people really know or understand each other even when they are speaking the same language.

That uncertainty creeps into the seductive, hypnotic opening sequence, which finds Kafuku and his wife, Oto (Reika Kirishima), lost in a post-coital haze. Silhouetted against the dusky Tokyo light outside their window, Oto begins to tell Kafuku a story, involving a teenage girl and a secret intrusion, that has just come to her in the midst of their lovemaking. You sense that this storytelling is a ritual for them, that sex is a source of creative inspiration as well as pleasure. (Kafuku is a theater star, Oto an acclaimed screenwriter.) You also feel the sadness that hangs over them, signaled by the somber cast of Eiko Ishibashi’s score and the dark, enveloping shadows of Hidetoshi Shinomiya’s cinematography.

Perfectly paced, intricately structured and entirely absorbing, “Drive My Car” is a movie about love and grief, full of winding journeys and unplanned connections. It’s also a story about storytelling, in which art and life don’t imitate so much as embrace each other, becoming intimate, ultimately indistinguishable bedfellows. Both Kafuku and Oto have turned to art to assuage the pain of profound loss, though Hamaguchi is in no hurry to reveal the nature of that loss or the unique toll it’s taken on their marriage of roughly two decades. Instead, he drops clues — and contradictions — that pull us ever deeper into his story.

Kafuku is methodical and soft-spoken, a creature of habit: Driving his red Saab 900 each day around Tokyo, he rehearses his lines by listening to audiotapes that Oto has made for him. The contrapuntal interplay of their voices, his memorized lines filling in the silences between her recorded ones, beautifully sums up their mutual devotion. But then Kafuku returns home early one day and spies something that radically reshapes what he understood about Oto and their marriage — or does it merely confirm what he already suspected? In a different movie, the answer would become clear in an eruption of melodramatic fireworks; instead, Kafuku slips out unnoticed and doesn’t tell Oto what he’s seen — not using words, anyway. (Watch his body language and you’ll see the precise moment when he discloses the truth.)

Hamaguchi isn’t being deliberately slow or obscure. He’s examining the contours of a marriage that, as with every marriage, only its participants can ever truly understand. Scene by scene, there’s more going on in any five minutes of “Drive My Car” than in some movies in their entirety; it just happens to unfold, like real life, at a more serene clip and a lower volume. Meaning coalesces not only through reams of dialogue but also through expressive glances, reverberant silences and many atmospheric shots of Kafuku’s car rolling down roads and highways. During those drives, he keeps listening to Oto’s voice — and suddenly, that voice is all he has left of her, as tragedy strikes and compounds his devastation.

Two years pass, and this, you might say, is where “Drive My Car” well and truly begins. Still quietly picking up the pieces of his life, Kafuku agrees to serve as artist-in-residence at a Hiroshima theater festival, where he will oversee that multilingual production of “Uncle Vanya.” It’s a play that holds particular significance for him, though Chekhov’s fragile, self-deluded hero — an emblem of romantic frustration — is a role to which he can no longer fully surrender himself. Instead, he chooses to direct, a position that grants him the satisfaction of mentoring other actors as well as the illusion of control.

But Kafuku is denied control in one crucial respect. Because of safety regulations, the festival has assigned him a personal driver, a 23-year-old woman named Misaki (Tôko Miura, quietly spellbinding), to chauffeur him to and from his hotel. While Kafuku initially resents this intrusion, as his Saab has become a personal shrine and a creative workspace, he reluctantly turns over the keys to Misaki. Gradually, a bond of trust forms between them as they drive along the Hiroshima coast, Kafuku listening to Oto’s tapes while Misaki maintains a respectful silence. She’s a sensitive companion and, unsurprisingly, an excellent driver, with a particular gift for imperceptibly speeding up, slowing down and weaving in and out of traffic.

“Drive My Car” moves with the same stealthy grace. It’s composed from maybe a thousand banal details — schedules and appointments, arrivals and departures — and yet it glides by like a dream. It’s full of playful coincidences and memorable characters, including a mute actor, Yoon-A (a superb Park Yoo-rim), whose interactions with Kafuku strike their own gorgeous grace notes. It’s a seamless work, but crucially, it isn’t airbrushed or sanitized. Hamaguchi builds and sustains extraordinary tension, especially when Kafuku finds a surprising role in his production for Takatsuki (Masaki Okada), a hotshot young actor with whom both he and Oto have some unacknowledged emotional history.

Once again, having set the stage for something explosive, Hamaguchi chooses a less predictable route. It’s the characters’ restraint, their instinctive avoidance of confrontation, that makes the human stakes so wrenching. Takatsuki struggles to suppress his youthful callowness and self-destructive temper, and in Okada’s sensitive performance, we see an alarming vision of another encroaching tragedy. By contrast, Nishijima is impeccably controlled, and all the more heartbreaking for his restraint. He makes you feel Kafuku’s anger and resentment, but they are matched — and possibly eclipsed — by his curiosity. We can never be sure if Kafuku is playing an elaborate mind game with Takatsuki — or if, more heartbreaking still, he’s trying to extract some hidden truth about the woman he loved but never fully knew.

In one extraordinary scene, Misaki drives both Kafuku and Takatsuki down a highway at night, and a space that was once a private shrine suddenly takes on the hushed quality of a confessional. (It’s not a tearjerker, but it is a Saab story.) The role Misaki plays here is crucial, and Miura remarkably conceals many layers within her coolly watchful stare. It may not surprise you to learn that Misaki is guarding some painful secrets of her own, or that she and Kafuku will gradually tease out each other’s respective traumas. But inevitable as that may seem on paper, nothing about “Drive My Car” feels obvious. As in his astonishing run of recent movies — they include “Happy Hour,” “Asako I & II” and this year’s luminous “Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy” — Hamaguchi delights in taking seemingly familiar narrative arcs and turning them over and over, yielding brilliant new emotional configurations each time.

“Drive My Car” is about the gift of unexpected friendship, one that Kafuku and Misaki have to learn to give each other. But really, it’s about so many things that by the time it nears the three-hour mark, you might find yourself in awe of Hamaguchi’s economy. It’s about how acting can achieve the force of real life, and how real life requires a measure of acting. It’s about the scalding, clarifying power of Chekhov (“When you say his lines,” Kafuku says, “it drags out the real you”) and also the strange, eerie compassion of Murakami, two authors whose particular sensibilities — and their specific insights into men’s longing for women — are harmoniously united here. Most of all, it’s about the elusive magic that still sometimes transpires between actors, the kind that can turn words on a page into a work of art and a moving vehicle into a space as cathartic as the theater itself.

‘Drive My Car’

(In Japanese, Mandarin, Korean, Korean sign language and English with English subtitles) Not rated Running time: 2 hours, 59 minutes Playing: Starts Dec. 3 at Landmark’s Nuart Theatre, West Los Angeles

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Justin Chang was a film critic for the Los Angeles Times from 2016 to 2024. He won the 2024 Pulitzer Prize in criticism for work published in 2023. Chang is the author of the book “FilmCraft: Editing” and serves as chair of the National Society of Film Critics and secretary of the Los Angeles Film Critics Assn.

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The 20 Best Japanese Films of 2022

Quite a weird year for Japanese cinema, since there was no definite masterpiece this year, in the fashion of “Shoplifters” for example, while short and mid-length movies seem to have been rising intently in quality, a tendency that actually extended to a number of Asian countries, including Korea. At the same time, the “issues” of Japanese cinema, particularly the lack of mid-budget films and the “Koreeda style” of filmmaking that usually results in invitations to (big) festivals continue to happen, and along with the #MeToo movement hitting the industry quite hard, resulted in a year for local productions that is by no means great. At the same time, however, the size of the industry in terms of number of productions still gave way to a number of titles to stand out, 20 of which are to be found here. This time, the main criteria, besides the always present diversity, is films whose filmmakers at least tried to do something different.

In any case, here are the best Japanese films of 2022, in reverse order. Some films may have premiered in 2021, but since they mostly circulated in 2022, we decided to include them.

20. Missing ( Shinzo Katayama )

Shinzo Katayama  has come up with a very interesting narrative that manages to incorporate the concept of the serial killer and a whodunit element, along with rather pointed remarks about suicide and euthanasia, caring for incapacitated people, family, and how criminals and murderers are created, all the while, however, retaining a somewhat flimsical approach that mostly derives from Satoshi’s persona. (Panos Kotzathanasis)

19. Blink in the Desert (Shinobu Soejima)

Shinobu Shoejima  creates a world where tension and grief seem to be the main ingredients, along with a sense that something dangerous is happening, which is also communicated by the excellent score by Marty Hicks and the uncanny sound efffects by Hisako Nakaoka and Nao Tawaratsumida. Understanding that the butterfly incident is actually a flashback and essentially the reason behind the tension of the two creatures, is not exactlly easy but it does happen, essentially giving a whole different hypostasis to the whole film. At the same time, the action itself seems to show that violence can come from everywhere, in this case from disgust, but always has consequences for both recipient and advocate. Lastly, that relief can come from doing exactly the opposite, when the opportunity appears, concludes the context of the short.

18. Shrieking in the Rain ( Eiji Uchida )

Eiji Uchida  manages to highlight the reality of moviemaking in the most detailed and realistic fashion, with the plethora of characters appearing in the story presenting all of its aspects, including dubbing, art direction, sound and all the elements mentioned before. At the same time, and although the madness of shooting a movie is the permeating sentiment here, Uchida also induces the narrative with a sense of nostalgia by placing his story in the currently trending globally 80s, while also focusing on the fact that, in the end, the love for cinema is a driving force that can overcome every obstacle, and something that actually all involved in the industry are “injected” with.  (Panos Kotzathanasis)

17. Lesson in Murder ( Kazuya Shiraishi )

Despite some very easy solutions in order for the story to progress,  Kazuya Shiraishi  directs an intricate crime thriller, which focuses both on a whodunnit aspect but also in the portrait of a deep psychological transformation, which is filtered through a family drama. Furthemore, the elements of exploitation and of a court drama add even more to the slight genre mashup here, in an amalgam, though, that is handled excellently by Shiraishi. One of the main “tools” he uses to achieve this is the excellent placement of the various twists within the narrative, each of which adds another level to the story, occasionally even canceling the ones before. (Panos Kotzathanasis)

16. Ring Wandering ( Masakazu Kaneko )

The first part, despite the travel-in-time sci-fi element, actually unfolds in realism, in the usual style of the Japanese indie, with characters of different quirkiness meeting each other and somewhat changing through their interactions. As such, the meeting of Sosuke with Midori emerges as one of the most interesting and entertaining aspects of the film, with the antithesis of the two, as the former is a laconic, keeping-his-distance type and the latter cheerful and essentially nosy, being highly rewarding to experience. Even more so after the appearance of her family, with the way the protagonist changes through this interaction being another great trait, as much as a testament to Show Kasamatsu’s acting and his chemistry with  Junko Abe . (Panos Kotzathanasis)

15. We’re Dead ( Yusuke Noro )

At the same time though, the interactions of the three result in a series of very interesting comments about relationships, love and how the work people do actually affects both the aforementioned. The fact that relationships are becoming more and more difficult in this contemporary setting is also remarked upon, with Noro seeming to state that immaturity, the lack of expression regarding one’s feelings, and the self-centered way of thinking that characterizes many youths these days, make sincere and meaningful romantic interactions essentially impossible. (Panos Kotzathanasis)

14. I am a Comedian (Fumiari Hyuga)

Evidently, having won the utter trust of Muramoto, the documentarian stays rather close to him, both his professional and personal moments, who eventually are revealed to be utterly intertwined, as his life experiences dictate his comedy, to the point that events like his father’s death become part of it. It is this sincerity and in-your-face-attitude, along with the ability to turn such dramatic events to comedy, that is what essentially allows Muramoto to stand out, while making his portrait so captivating. The same applies to his insistence to his belief that laughter can change the world, as much as his portrayal behind the stage, who is eloquently revealed as one of depression and probably alcoholism, for which making people laugh seems to be the only medicine. (Panos Kotzathanasis)

13. Bad City ( Kensuke Sonomura )

Probably as expected, given the director’s background and his previous feature, it should come as no surprise that the action and martial-arts-scenes in “Bad City” are top-notch. Excellently photographed and choreographed, the finale alone is worth checking out this movie, with the focus being on hand-to-hand-combat as well as blunt or sharp weapon, giving these moments a heightened sense of physicality and kinetic energy. In combination with the editing, these are definitely the formal high points in this thriller, but there are a few instances which are also worth pointing out. (Rouven Linnarz)

12. North Shinjuku 2055 (Daisuke Miyazaki)

Truth be told, the concept of a film that is exclusively presented through black-and-white photo stills, even at 35 minutes, does not sound particularly appealing. Miyazaki, however, manages to make the whole thing work, through a number of “tricks”. The first one is the actual story of the area, which is rather appealing, as its future premises actually comment on a number of notions that characterize present-day Japan in general, as the mentality of seclusion and the distaste for any kind of outsiders are still at large in the country. Furthermore, the yakuza-like rules, the past of the area that included many foreigners, violence, rap battles, mystery, and a series of omerta-like laws, as much as Mr K’s own history add much depth and appeal to the overall script. Additionally, the interaction of the two men, which resembles more and more a cat-and-mouse game as time passes, particularly as the journalist bases his opinions on rumors and Mr K tries to explain reality, adds even more to this approach. (Panos Kotzathanasis)

11. The Fish Tale  ( Shuichi Okita )

Shuichi Okita  takes a number of creative liberties in this biopic of sorts, particularly in the beginning, where some fish appear as some sort of aliens, as much as Meebo does, who does not seem to have much to do with this world, at least as the others perceive it. Through all the quirkiness, though, a number of messages are presented here, in the most eloquent and intriguing fashion. (Japanese) society demands from people to mature, adapt, study hard and get a job according to their potential, with the people who are not, eventually treated as pariahs. Meebo’s path however, highlights the fact that there are alternative, “not-normal” roads to success, and that following your obsession to the end can actually lead to great things, even if they probably will take a bit more time than the “right way”. That the protagonist remains cheerful even in the face of total failure also sends a message, as much as how important friendship and good parenting (essentially meaning understanding and supporting children even when they do not make sense) can be in the life of anyone. That her will to chase her dreams eventually brings a number of people around her, also sends a message in the same, anti-pariah path. (Panos Kotzathanasis)

The article continues on the next page

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About the author.

Panos Kotzathanasis

Panagiotis (Panos) Kotzathanasis is a film critic and reviewer, specialized in Asian Cinema. He is the owner and administrator of Asian Movie Pulse, one of the biggest portals dealing with Asian cinema. He is a frequent writer in Hancinema, Taste of Cinema, and his texts can be found in a number of other publications including SIRP in Estonia, Film.sk in Slovakia, Asian Dialogue in the UK, Cinefil in Japan and Filmbuff in India.

Since 2019, he cooperates with Thessaloniki Cinematheque in Greece, curating various tributes to Asian cinema. He has participated, with video recordings and text, on a number of Asian movie releases, for Spectrum, Dekanalog and Error 4444. He has taken part as an expert on the Erasmus+ program, “Asian Cinema Education”, on the Asian Cinema Education International Journalism and Film Criticism Course.

Apart from a member of FIPRESCI and the Greek Cinema Critics Association, he is also a member of NETPAC, the Hellenic Film Academy and the Online Film Critics Association.

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Best Japanese Movies on Netflix Right Now

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It seems like more and more people are opening up to watching movies and television in other languages. With extreme hits like Parasite and Roma as just a couple of examples, there are plenty of places to find something new and fantastic to watch. Japanese movies are especially underappreciated. While many of the country's films are based on pre-existing manga and anime , as you'll quickly notice on this list, there's clearly a reason for that. When you already have an amazing story in your hands, why not adapt it for the screen? Because of the fantastic anime coming out of Japan, where the medium originated, there are many beautiful animated films to watch, while it appears that there is also an abundance of great thrillers and dramas. With Netflix becoming more and more known for its international offerings — just look at Squid Game and Money Heist — it should be no surprise to learn that the streamer has many amazing Japanese movies on offer. Here are the best Japanese movies on Netflix.

For more recommendations, check out our lists of the best movies on Netflix , best Korean movies on Netflix, and best Hindi movies on Netflix .

Disclaimer: These titles are available on US Netflix.

Editor's note: This article was updated October 2023 to include Once Upon a Crime.

Once Upon a Crime (2023)

Runtime : 1 hr 47 min | Genre : Adventure, Comedy | Director : Yûichi Fukuda

Cast : Kanna Hashimoto, Yûko Araki, Takanori Iwata

Comedy Once Upon a Crime ’s Japanese title literally translates to ‘ Little Red Riding Hood, on her journey, encounters a corpse,’ with the famous fairytale character eventually having to solve the mystery behind said corpse before the clock at Cinderella’s ( Yûko Araki ) royal ball hits midnight. A fun play on classic fairytale stories akin to Shrek , Once Upon a Crime is an unconventional spin on well-worn genre trends, using its wit and whimsy to deceive. Wonderfully acted, the film is funny and touching, with the child-like wonder of its character’s inspiration seeping through into a clever murder mystery narrative. - Jake Hodges

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Watch on Netflix

Bleach (2018)

Runtime : 1 hr 48 min | Genre : Action Fantasy | Director : Shinsuke Sato

Cast : Sota Fukushi, Hana Sugisaki, Ryo Yoshizawa, Erina Mano

Like with many other films on this list, Bleach is based on a popular pre-existing manga of the same name. A live-action adaptation, the 2018 film does justice to the original story for the fans, while also doing a fantastic job with worldbuilding and introducing the characters so that those who know nothing about Bleach can also enjoy it. The fantasy story follows Ichigo Kurosaki, played by Sota Fukushi , a teenage boy who sees ghosts. He lives a (relatively) normal life, until one day, when he accidentally becomes a Soul Reaper, or someone who fights off evil spirits and transfers those who pass over to the Soul Society. Basically, he's a new Grim Reaper, given the powers by a woman with a katana named Rukio ( Hana Sugisaki ) during an attack. The movie is an example of a great live-action anime adaptation, and a truly enjoyable action film on its own.

Call Me Chihiro (2023)

Runtime : 2 hr 11 min | Genre : Drama | Director : Rikiya Imaizumi

Cast : Kasumi Arimura, Hana Toyoshima, Tetta Shimada

Based on the manga series Chihirosan by Hiroyuki Yasuda , Call Me Chihiro is a beautiful story about how embracing your true self gives others the freedom to do the same. The film follows Chihiro ( Kasumi Arimura ), a cheerful, foul-mouthed, often too-direct young woman who decides to quit being a sex worker and settle down in a quiet seaside town making bento meals for a small shop. The pacing is as relaxed and meditative as the small town it takes place in, giving the story and characters room to enjoy wholesome moments of true growth and introspection. It’s a truly wonderful tale that warms your heart throughout.

Love Like the Falling Petals (2022)

Runtime : 2 hrs 8 min | Genre : Romance | Director : Yoshihiro Fukagawa

Cast : Kento Nakajima, Honoka Matsumoto

A beautifully haunting love story, Love Like the Falling Petals , is based on a novel by Keisuke Uyama . Love Like the Falling Petals is the story of a young couple who meets and falls in love before unexpected circumstances threaten to tear them apart. Through harsh realities, director Yoshihiro Fukagawa captures the grace and beauty of the main characters, as well as the vibrant world in which they live. Starring Kento Nakajima and Honoka Matsumoto , Love Like the Falling Petals explores the challenges that test the strength of love, like sickness and secrets. With a title so gracefully poetic, Love Like the Falling Petals is a splendid romance worth savoring. – Yael Tygiel

Asakusa Kid (2021)

Runtime : 2 hr 2 min | Genre : Biographical Drama | Director : Gekidan Hitori

Cast : Yo Oizumi, Yuya Yagira, Mugi Kadowaki

From writer/director Gekidan Hitori and based on the memoir of Takeshi Kitano comes a touching drama about a hilarious comedian. Taking place in Japan during the late 1960s, Senzaburo Fukami ( Yo Oizumi ) was a comedian and entertainer who ran a theater troupe out of the strip club he also owned. Inspired, young Takeshi Kitano ( Yuya Yagira ) drops out of school and begins apprenticing at the legend’s club, learning from the best how to capture the attention of an audience. As Takeshi’s star begins to rise, his mentor deteriorates. In a poignant story about mentorship, perseverance, and passion, Hitori provides a loving tribute to Takeshi’s mentor, allowing Oizumi and Yagira to truly shine. – Yael Tygiel

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Eternal The Movie (2021)

Runtime : 2 hr 40 min | Genre : Action Fantasy | Director : Chiaki Kon

Cast : Kotono Mitsuishi, Hisako Kanemoto, Rina Satō, Ami Koshimizu

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Eternal The Movie is the latest installment in the never-ending Sailor Moon anime series. The two-part film came out in 2021 as a sequel and sort of fourth season of the Sailor Moon Crystal anime series, which aired three seasons between 2014 and 2016. Both the series and the film are well-loved by the fans, with many appreciating how closely it follows the original manga. Whether you are already a Sailor Moon fan or not, Sailor Moon Eternal is a great anime movie, and perfect for anyone looking for an adventure-filled, emotional story of teenage girls who moonlight as superheroes guarding the solar system from evil. No biggie, right?

A Family (2021)

Runtime : 1 hr 32 min | Genre : Drama | Director : Takashi Miike

Cast : Kenichi Endō, Kojiro Hongo, Koichi Iwaki, Taishu Kase, Ryuji Katagiri

Family , also known by the original title Yakuza and The Family , is a character drama like no other. The movie focuses on a man named Kenji Yamamoto ( Gô Ayano ) through three periods of his life. Beginning in 1999, Kenji's father's death inevitably drives him to join the yakuza and become embroiled in violence, before moving to 2006, when Kenji is at the center of the gang. After an incident sends him to jail for more than a decade, the last section of the film brings the story to 2019. During this time, an older, weary Kenji attempts to reconnect with his fellow yakuza members and the woman he used to like, only to find the world a much different, anti-yakuza place. A Family takes a very unique approach to the presence of yakuza in Japan, portraying the shifting landscape of gangs in a country slowly transitioning away from them.

Homunculus (2021)

Runtime : 1 hr 55 min | Genre : Psychological Thriller | Director : Takashi Shimizu

Cast : Gô Ayano, Edward Bosco, Amber Lee Connors

Another movie based on a manga, Homunculus is a live-action thriller about a 34-year-old man down on his luck and with memory loss who volunteers to participate in a trepanation procedure to open his "third eye." Directed by Takashi Shimizu , who also directed the original Japanese The Grudge movie, the movie stars Gô Ayano as Susumu Nakoshi, the male protagonist. After the procedure, Nakoshi begins to see visions of everyone's "homunculus," which is thought to be the manifestations of their personal stressors or desires, and he tries to help them overcome these issues. But all the while, Nakoshi is facing his own mysterious past, and once he regains his memories, he is forced to face the truth of what caused his amnesia. While fans of the original Homunculus didn't really like the adaptation, it's still a great Japanese thriller for those looking for a psychological mystery.

A Whisker Away (2020)

Runtime : 1 hr 44 min | Genre : Fantasy Romance | Director : Junichi Sato, Tomotaka Shibayama

Cast : Mirai Shida, Natsuki Hanae, Hiroaki Ogi

Directed by Junichi Sato and Tomotaka Shibayama , A Whisker Away is a 2020 animated film about a young girl named Miyo Sasaki, voiced by Mirai Shida , who finds a reprieve from her troubles of a new stepmother and a crush who doesn't like her back by becoming a cat named Tarō through a magical Noh mask she is sold by a stranger. With her cat identity, Miyo gets closer to the boy she likes, finding out more about his anxieties and cares while also escaping her own. Eventually, she is convinced to give up her human life and become a cat completely, but will she regret it? A Whisker Away is a sweet, honest movie about friendship, family, and appreciating what you have, not what you don't. Definitely one of the best anime films Netflix has to offer.

Ride or Die (2021)

Runtime : 2 hr 22 min | Genre : Romance Drama | Director : Ryuichi Hiroki

Cast : Kiko Mizuhara, Honami Sato, Yoko Maki, Shunsuke Tanaka, Anne Suzuki, Shinya Niiro, Tetsushi Tanaka, Setsuko Karasuma

If you are looking for an emotional drama with queer characters, Ride or Die is for you. Written by Nami Sakkawa and directed by Ryuichi Hiroki , the movie focuses on the relationship between a gay 20-something woman named Rei Nagasawa ( Kiko Mizuhara ) and her former classmate, Nanae Shinoda ( Honami Sato ), who is in an abusive marriage looking to escape. In order to show how much she cares for Nanae, Rei murders her husband, and the two run off together. As the women try to navigate this new stage of their life, Rei and Nanae are forced to face the complicated, intertwined emotions of their shared trauma and love for one another. The movie is based on the manga series Gunjō by Ching Nakamura and came out on Netflix in 2021.

Mother (2020)

Runtime : 2 hr 6 min | Genre : Drama | Director : Tatsushi Ohmori

Cast : Masami Nagasawa, Daiken Okudaira, Sadao Abe, Kaho, Sarutoki Minagawa

Released in 2020 and directed by Tatsushi Omori , Mother is the story of a boy's unbreakable love for his mother, no matter how much she puts him through. Daiken Okudaira plays the son, Shuhei (played by Sho Gunji as a young boy), while Masami Nagasawa plays Akiko Misumi, his mother. The story follows Shuhei from his early years being raised by his inattentive single mother, through to his teenage years. Despite constantly facing struggles, whether emotionally, economically, or physically, Shuhei is unable to separate himself from the mother he loves so much. Even when a social worker finds him and his younger sister, offering them a new, better life, he just can't leave Akiko behind. While a lot of the film is focused on the son, Mother also puts a spotlight on Akiko's issues, and how her mental illness is only amplified by the fact that she was never taught how to be a good mother or responsible human.

37 Seconds (2019)

Runtime : 1 hr 55 min | Genre : Drama | Director : Hikari

Cast : Mei Kayama, Misuzu Kanno, Shunsuke Daitō, Makiko Watanabe

Starring Mei Kayama in her acting debut as Yuma Takada, 37 Seconds is an honest tale about a young woman with cerebral palsy (Kayama also has the condition) who has a clear talent for art and creating manga, but doesn't exactly know how to move forward in her career. Part of what holds her back -- at least according to a magazine editor she submits her work to -- is her lack of romantic experience, specifically sex. Deciding to follow the editor's advice, Yuma goes out into the world to gain more relationship and sexual experience, finding out a lot about herself in the process. 37 Seconds is a wholly original and moving story, and it's a definite must-watch on Netflix.

Mirai (2018)

Runtime : 1 hr 38 min | Genre : Fantasy Adventure | Director/Writer : Mamoru Hosoda

Cast : Moka Kamishiraishi, Haru Kuroki, Gen Hoshino, Kumiko Aso

The Academy Award-nominated and Annie Award-winning film Mirai is an animated fantasy adventure about a young boy's journey throughout time to learn about his family, realizing just how special those around him really are. Specifically, the film focuses on the boy, a four-year-old named Kun ( Moka Kamishiraishi ), and his newborn sister, Mirai ( Haru Kuroki ), who appears from the future to help him learn from the experience. Mirai came out in 2018 and was absolutely adored by audiences. In fact, with its Oscar nomination, it is the first non-Studio Ghibli anime movie to be nominated, produced by Studio Chizu. Over the years, Mirai is destined to become an essential anime movie alongside other well-known hits like Spirited Away and Your Name .

'Alice in Borderland': The Differences Between the Manga and the Netflix Series

With the second season of Netflix's dystopian series premiering, you might want a refresher on how the show differs so far from the manga.

Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop (2021)

Runtime : 1 hr 27 min | Genre : Romance Comedy Drama | Director : Kyōhei Ishiguro

Cast : Ichikawa Somegorō, Hana Sugisaki, Megumi Han, Natsuki Hanae

A recent anime film release as well, Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop came out in 2020 and is set in a rural Japanese town in which the social scene is centered around the local shopping mall. There, two awkward teenagers with low self-esteem meet, sparking a sweet relationship as they learn from one another and become more comfortable in themselves. The two main characters are Yui "Cherry" Sakura ( Ichikawa Somegorō VIII ), a boy who tends to only express his feelings through haikus, and Yuki, also known as "Smile," a bright influencer who constantly hides her braces behind a mask. Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop also features a lot of intriguing supporting characters, and it's a quintessential slice-of-life style story.

Rurouni Kenshin: The Final and Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning (2021)

Runtime : 2 hr 18 min / 2 hr 17 min | Genre : Action | Director : Keishi Ōtomo

Cast : Takeru Satoh, Kasumi Arimura, Issey Takahashi, Nijirō Murakami

These two films -- Rurouni Kenshin: The Final and Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning -- are actually the fourth and fifth movies in a live-action series based on the popular Rurouni Kenshin manga written and illustrated by Nobuhiro Watsuki. The franchise is all about a deadly samurai named Himura Kenshin, played by Takeru Satoh , who decides to change and be a protector of the innocent, never to kill a person ever again. It seems like Netflix used to host the whole series, but right now the streaming platform only has the final chapter of the main character's story, as well as the most recent movie, which happens to be a prequel. Both films were released around the same time in 2021, and despite being later movies in a franchise, they are still fantastic, action-packed films. Even if you don't want to find and watch the first three movies, these are still great picks worthy of checking out.

We Couldn’t Become Adults (2021)

Runtime : 2 hr 4 min | Genre : Romance Drama | Director : Yoshihiro Mori

Cast : Mirai Moriyama, Sairi Ito, Masahiro Higashide, Sumire, Atsushi Shinohara

Based on the popular novel of the same name by Japanese author Moegara , We Couldn't Become Adults is about a 40-something man named Makoto Sato ( Mirai Moriyama ) who is looking back at various stages of his life, from the present to all the way back in 1995. At a low point in his life with no real meaning to what he's doing, Sato revisits all of his past experiences, no matter how inconsequential they seem, to see how they brought him to where he is in the present. We Couldn't Become Adults is more of a subtle, introspective romantic drama, perfect for those who like movies like Before Sunrise or Chungking Express .

Flavors of Youth (2018)

Runtime : 1 hr 15 min | Genre : Romance Drama | Director : Li Haoling, Jiaoshou Yi Xiaoxing, Yoshitaka Takeuchi

Cast : Taito Ban, Mariya Ise, Takeo Otsuka, Ikumi Hasegawa, Minako Kotobuki

Flavors of Youth is a Japanese-Chinese co-production anthology drama released in 2018, which features three stories: "The Rice Noodles," "A Little Fashion Show," and "Love in Shanghai." The first tale of the anime is about a man and his relationship with his grandmother told through their love of San Xian noodles, while the second story follows a successful model as she loses confidence in her career and personal talent, leading those around her to come together in support. For the third chapter, this is about a young couple who fall in love through cassette tape messages they send one another, only for miscommunication to drive them apart. Like other more grounded, reality-based anime, Flavors of Youth is beautiful and extremely poignant, portraying intimate narratives that explore relatable aspects of the human experience.

Hikaru Utada: Laughter in the Dark (2019)

Runtime : 2 hr 21 min | Genre : Concert

Going in a completely different direction, Hikaru Utada: Laughter in the Dark is the tour concert of Japanese-American singer-songwriter Utada Hikaru . The filmed version available on Netflix captures the final performance of the pop star's fourth tour of Japan, and it's genuinely one of the best concert films out there. At the time of the tour, in 2018, Utada was celebrating 20 years since she first debuted on the Japanese music scene. If you are interested in exploring new music or love concert movies, Hikaru Utada: Laughter in the Dark , is a fascinating watch. The concert includes the performance of songs from her seventh Japanese album, Hatsukoi, as well as many of her past hits. The movie also got fantastic reviews, so why not risk it and watch?

Fullmetal Alchemist (2017)

Runtime : 2 hr 15 min | Genre : Action | Director : Fumihiko Sori

Cast : Ryosuke Yamada, Tsubasa Honda, Dean Fujioka, Ryuta Sato

The 2017 live-action fantasy action film Fullmetal Alchemist is an adaptation of the fan-favorite manga and anime. Written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa , the original manga was released from 2001 to 2010, with 27 volumes total. The narrative follows two brothers, Edward Elric ( Ryosuke Yamada ) and Alphonse Elric ( Atomu Mizuishi ), whose loyal relationship keeps them alive (literally). At the beginning of the movie, the two brothers attempt a prohibited form of magic, and it doesn't go well. As a result of the experiment, Alphonse is transported to the Gate of Truth (basically the afterlife), and so in order to save him, Edward binds Alphonse's soul to a big suit of armor, sacrificing an arm in the process. Together again, the brothers embark on a new journey to develop their alchemy, widely studied in this world, and find the legendary philosopher's stone so that they might return to their normal states. The Fullmetal Alchemist movie does a good job of staying faithful to the original story, although some fans were a little disappointed. Despite that, it's still a very fun and action-packed story with an emotional relationship at the center.

The Forest of Love (2019)

Runtime : 2 hr 31 min | Genre : Thriller Crime | Director / Writer : Sion Sono

Cast : Kippei Shiina, Kyoko Hinami, Shinnosuke Mitsushima

First, to get this warning out of the way, The Forest of Love is not for the faint of heart, or anyone who can't handle extreme violence on screen. The film, which is directed by Sion Sono , came out in 2019 and is based on a brutal Japanese con man, torturer, and serial killer who committed a series his crimes throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. To put it bluntly, this man committed some of the most horrific crimes I've ever read about, and I'm a major fan of true crime. In The Forest of Love , Sono presents a fictional story inspired by the original crimes about a group of students who decide to make an amateur film with a stranger they meet. But soon enough, the strange man is in total control of them, pushing them to do whatever he wants, even murder. If you can handle the violence and dark themes, The Forest of Love is a true psychological crime thriller that explores how people are able to so deftly manipulate each other to the extreme, with amazing performances from the main cast.

• Movie Features

10 Best Japanese Movies on Netflix (August 2024)

Good stories and artistic talent know no boundaries, and those captivated by exceptional cinematic experiences often look past subtitles. As cinema spreads across the globe, Japan shines as one of the leading and cherished film industries, especially having earned more Academy Awards than any other nation in Asia. While it is predominantly celebrated for its unrivaled contributions to anime and manga, the Land of the Rising Sun has no shortage of creativity in other genres.

With international cinema becoming more and more accessible through streaming platforms, Japanese films have garnered global recognition for their cultural richness and refreshing storytelling techniques. Whether you’re seeking a departure to discover new cinematic experiences or are a dedicated fan, here are some of the best Japanese movies on Netflix that you can watch.

10. Love Like the Falling Petals (2022)

This adaptation of the novel ‘ Sakura no yôna boku no koibito ‘ by Keisuke Uyama unfolds a romance set in the vibrant cherry blossoms of autumn. The story begins with a meet-cute between Haruto, an aspiring photographer uncertain about his future, and Misaki, a hairstylist. When Haruto, initially a mere client, introduces himself as a professional photographer to impress Misaki, the two begin to get closer.

As the couple’s relationship deepens, the film beautifully portrays their pursuit of dreams and the intimate moments they share, set to a captivating soundtrack. Directed by Yoshihiro Fukagawa, ‘ Love Like the Falling Petals ‘ benefits from the strong chemistry between leads Kento Nakajima and Honoka Matsumoto. Their performances highlight a tender romance while subtly hinting at the impending challenges and heartbreaks. The romantic drama also reflects warmth and empathy, showcasing the characters’ emotional growth. You can watch the movie on Netflix .

9. In Love and Deep Water (2023)

Combining a classic whodunit aboard a ship with a romantic comedy, ‘ In Love and Deep Water ‘ follows Suguru Ubukata, a dedicated butler, and Chizuru Banjaku, a mysterious passenger. On the luxurious MSC Bellissima, their chance encounter uncovers startling truths about their partners. As Chizuru persuades Suguru to help her halt the cruise and return to Japan, their mission takes a darker turn with the discovery of a body and a murder mystery .

While most passengers are quickly cleared or deny witnessing anything suspicious, Suguru and Chizuru are reluctantly drawn into the investigation. As they analyze clue after clue, their initial conflict evolves into mutual affection amidst the tension. Directed superbly by Yûsuke Taki, the film utilizes both the thrill and character drama, enhanced by the unpredictable nature of the sea. You can watch the movie on Netflix .

8. Call Me Chihiro (2023)

‘ Call Me Chihiro ‘ converts the manga series ‘Chihirosan’ by Hiroyuki Yasuda into an inspiring film that reflects the power of self-acceptance. Directed by Rikiya Imaizumi, the plot follows Chihiro (Kasumi Arimura), a candid and direct young woman who leaves her life as a sex worker to settle in a small seaside town, where she begins making bento meals for a local shop. Embracing her past without hiding it, Chihiro treats everyone with warmth and respect, finding joy in her new life. The drama captures the calm pace of the town, allowing the characters to find themselves in genuine feel-good moments of personal growth and self-discovery. With its heartfelt portrayal of Chihiro’s journey towards living authentically, ‘Call Me Chihiro’ offers a deeply resonant experience. You can watch ‘Call Me Chihiro’ here .

7. We Couldn’t Become Adults (2021)

‘ We Couldn’t Become Adults ‘ takes viewers into the life of Makoto, a middle-aged man caught between nostalgia and reality. Directed by Yoshihiro Mori, the drama film adapts Moegara’s novel of the same name, transitioning the screenplay between past and present. Makoto’s routine suddenly changes when he receives a friend request from Kaori Karo, an ex-girlfriend who had left him years earlier to chase her dreams.

Now leading an ordinary life, Kaori’s current situation contrasts sharply with the aspirations she once had. This revelation prompts Makoto to reflect on their past relationship and its influence on his own life. As the narrative unfolds, it explores themes of unfulfilled dreams, lost love, aging, and solitude. The tearjerking tale hits the hardest when highlighting the emotional toll of missed opportunities and the unavailability of freedom to pursue passions. You can watch ‘We Couldn’t Become Adults’ on Netflix .

6. Rurouni Kenshin Part I: Origins (2012)

Based on the ‘Rurouni Kenshin’ manga series by Nobuhiro Watsuki, ‘Rurouni Kenshin Part I: Origins’ is directed by Keishi Ōtomo. Packed with action and drama, the film centers on Hitokiri Battōsai (Takeru Satoh), a wanderer/assassin who has abandoned his sword and sworn never to kill again. However, his oath is compromised when his newfound shelter, owned by Kamiya Kaoru (Emi Takei), comes under attack. Will Battōsai pick up the sword again? ‘Rurouni Kenshin Part I: Origins’ is a must-watch, especially for jidaigeki fans, offering a true-to-form live-action rendition of the popular manga. You can watch it here .

5. The Forest of Love (2019)

‘ The Forest of Love ‘ presents a disturbing story of crime and deceit, drawing inspiration from the real-life crimes committed by convicted serial killer Futoshi Matsunaga. Directed by Sion Sono, the film follows three aspiring filmmakers, Jay, Fukami, and Shin, who aim to start their movie. They recruit two young women: Taeko, who has a promiscuous past, and Mitsuko, who is shy and has strict parents.

As the narrative unfolds, flashbacks reveal the girls’ shocking pasts, including a canceled high school production, a suicide pact, and a tragic car accident. Divided into various chapters, the thriller also introduces Joe Murata, a screenwriter whose true nature creates much of the tension, steering the story with manipulation and deception. Originally known as ‘Ainaki Mori de Sakebe,’ the film combines psychological drama with elements of crime, capturing the raw and often hidden aspects of human behavior. You can watch the movie on Netflix .

4. 37 Seconds (2020)

This acclaimed coming-of-age drama follows the life of Yuma Takada (Mei Kayama), a young manga artist with cerebral palsy. ‘ 37 Seconds ‘ portrays the 23-year-old’s journey through obstacles that extend beyond her physical challenges. Directed by Hikari, it introduces the main character to the harsh realities of the outside world, which often seem more daunting than her disability. Familial pressures also emerge, hindering her pursuit of independence and recognition. Yuma’s story sees her and her coming to terms in order to approach personal and professional liberation. She must also step outside and try to look for her imaginary world by living new experiences and making friends. You can watch the drama movie on  Netflix .

3. Ride or Die (2021)

This feature adaptation of the manga ‘Gunjō’ by writer-illustrator Ching Nakamura is originally known as ‘Kanojo,’ translating to both ‘her’ and ‘girlfriend’ in the native language. ‘Ride or Die’ stars Kiko Mizuhara as Rei Nagasawa, a woman in her late 20s who reunites with her school crush and former classmate, Nanae. Rei resorts to desperate measures to rescue Nanae from the domestic violence inflicted by her husband.

The two soon go on the run, with Rei hoping to win Nanae’s love on this second chance. Directed by Ryuichi Hiroki, this LGBTQ drama delves into themes of love, sacrifice, and survival. The emotional depth is complemented by a rollercoaster adventure, as rooted in crime as it is in romance, to showcase the lengths one will go to protect a loved one. You can watch the movie here .

2. Asakusa Kid (2021)

‘Asakusa Kid’ recounts the early life of renowned comedian Takeshi Kitano , adapting his 1988 memoir of the same title. Starring Yuya Yagira as Kitano, the biographical drama focuses on his start apprenticing under comedy legend Senzaburo Fukami (Yo Oizumi). Directed by Gekidan Hitori, the story is set against the backdrop of Asakusa France-za Engeijo, an iconic performance theater in Tokyo. Kitano dedicates himself to becoming an entertainer, supported firmly by his mentor.

As Kitano’s popularity rises, Fukami’s career declines, creating room for conflict as fewer people attend the theater. Despite the fading interest of the audience, Fukami refuses to close the theater, symbolizing the old guard’s struggle against changing times. ‘Asakusa Kid’ captures the humor and tragedy of the comedy duo’s journey, offering a nostalgic glimpse into Japan’s entertainment scene in the 1980s. You can watch the biopic here .

1. Godzilla Minus One (2023)

Directed by Takashi Yamazaki,  ‘ Godzilla Minus One ‘ once again features Toho’s legendary monster Godzilla in a tale that is both engaging and emotional. Set in post-war Japan , this film brings a fresh perspective to the classic kaiju saga through the eyes of Kōichi Shikishima, a former kamikaze pilot dealing with severe post-traumatic stress disorder. As he tries to rebuild his life with Noriko Ōishi, another war survivor, Godzilla emerges from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean , symbolizing both nature’s wrath and humanity’s guilt.

Yamazaki’s direction combines the splendid use of visual effects with a deep exploration of themes such as guilt, hope, and redemption. The film reflects Japan’s efforts to cope with trauma and devastation through the destructive force of Godzilla. As the monster wreaks havoc, the narrative delves into the characters’ personal battles with their inner demons. You can watch the movie on Netflix in both the color and black-and-white versions.

Read More:  Best Korean Movies on Amazon Prime

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• <i>Perfect Days</i> Is a Gently Astonishing Film About Finding Joy in Everyday Life

Perfect Days Is a Gently Astonishing Film About Finding Joy in Everyday Life

T he more complex and threatening the greater world seems, the more we seek to patrol the borders of our own lives. If you spend any time at all on social media, or even if you don’t, you might feel as if you’re doing modern life all wrong if you’re not decluttering your house, editing your closet down to a single beige capsule, carving out meditation time in the middle of a stressful day. The pressure to live simply is almost unbearable.

The antidote is Wim Wenders’ Perfect Days, a movie as transcendent as a zephyr. The extraordinary Japanese actor Koji Yakusho plays Hirayama, whose life, it may seem at first, is defined by his job: he cleans public toilets in Tokyo, and every day he zips himself into a blue jumpsuit ( The Tokyo Toilet is emblazoned across the back, jaunty as the name of a sports team), retrieves his keys and flip phone from a narrow shelf in the entryway of his compact apartment, and drives through the city making his rounds. To New Yorkers, in particular, the toilet facilities under Hirayama’s purview probably look pretty clean to begin with. Even so, he polishes mirrors to a sterling gleam, wipes down faucets and levers with care, and inspects a toilet’s underside with a small mirror to ensure he's scrubbed every inch of it.

Read more: The 10 Best Movie Performances of 2023

It's not so much that Hirayama is dedicated to his job; it’s more that the ritual of doing it right means something to him. Besides that, his workday is so much more than work. He takes lunch in a public park, noting the tracery of leaves against the sky, maybe even snapping a picture of it with the small camera he carries with him. On his drive to work, and in the travel time between toilet facilities, his small van is filled with sound, music that pours from his cassette deck. The song might be the Animals’ “House of the Rising Sun” or the Velvet Underground’s “Pale Blue Eyes,” though it never plays all the way through—there’s a time for music and a time for cleaning toilets, and when Hirayama reaches his next destination, the singers’ voices are clipped off mid-phrase, the stories they’re telling left in a kind suspended animation.

All of this makes Perfect Days —which has been nominated for an Academy Award in the Best International Feature category—sound like a simple exhortation to live in the moment, to take pleasure even in tasks that could be considered drudgery. There’s nothing wrong with summing it up that way; and yet doing so threatens to crush the delicate surface of this gently astonishing movie. Wenders—who cowrote the script with Takuma Takasaki—is one of those filmmakers you’ve got to keep your eye on. His 1987 Wings of Desire, made shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall, told the story of an angel, played by a soulfully leonine Bruno Ganz, who observes the lives of humans from a high perch above Berlin, only to find himself longing to become human too. The film became a touchstone for a whole generation, speaking to the restlessness and longing that young people of the Reagan era believed to be exclusive to them, although of course it wasn’t. Not all of Wenders’ films over the years—and he’s made many—have had that kind of impact, but documentaries like the 2011 Pina (about choreographer and dancer Pina Bausch) and the more recent Anselm (about the sobering, ruminative work of painter Anselm Kiefer), both rendered in 3D, are proof of his adventurous spirit and his eye for evocative details.

Read more: The Best International Movies on Netflix

Perfect Days is like none of those films, at least in any strict sense. Yet there’s something inexplicably Wenders-like about it; he’s a filmmaker who looks for joy in the corners, and finds it. His lead actor is the perfect partner here. Yakusho is extremely famous in Japan; American audiences may have seen him in the 1996 art house hit Shall We Dance, or in Takashi Miike’s 2010 samurai bloodbath reverie 13 Assassins. His performance here is nearly wordless, reliant on his ability to listen rather than to simply react. When Hirayama leaves the house for the day, he greets the outside world with a quiet, inquisitive smile: What might be in store for him today? He seems tuned in to signals—from nature, from other human beings—that we too should be able to hear; somehow, in the clamor of our own specific and personal distractions, we’ve lost the ability, but Perfect Days suggests we can get it back.

The not-so-secret secret of Perfect Days is that no day is actually perfect, though each has a texture of its own. The pattern of leaves against the sky is never the same because the color of the air changes with the weather and the seasons. Some days, probably often, Hirayama’s lackadaisical co-worker Takashi (played, wonderfully, by Tokio Emoto, as chaotic as an unmade bed) will show up late—and then one day he quits, without giving notice, and we see the exasperation on Hirayama’s face. He’s neither a saint nor a pushover.

And although Hirayama spends most of his free time alone, reading in the evenings, tenderly misting his plants in the morning, he’s alive to others who enter his orbit: there’s Aya (Aoi Yamada), with her blonde Louise Brooks bob, the bar girl with whom Takashi is infatuated, who hears Patti Smith’s “Redondo Beach” for the first time on one of Hirayama’s tapes and instantly falls in love with it—the only appropriate response, and one that marks her as a kindred soul to Hirayama, and maybe to us. Hirayama at first seems like an eternal loner, but he does have a family. One day his teenage niece, Niko (Arisa Nakano), shows up unannounced, having run away from home. This episode gives us a whispering glimpse into Hirayama’s possible past, though we still know so little about him beyond his relationship with the here and now.

In Perfect Days, that’s all that matters. On Hirayama’s day off—the only day he wears a watch, which on workdays is left safe at home on his shelf—he cycles to a small bookstore for fresh reading material. The owner knows him, and she’s happy to share a conspiratorial observation about the gifts of, say, Patricia Highsmith or midcentury Japanese novelist Aya Kōda. As evening approaches, he cycles to a small restaurant, where the hostess also knows him; she passes him free drinks, while the other customers grumble about having to pay. A little later, she’ll sing a song in Japanese, immediately recognizable as a version of “House of the Rising Sun.” Her voice is like pale amber honey, the color of regret—we want to hear all of this song, but it too drifts away before she can finish.

The idea, maybe, is that in seeking a comfortable closure—to a song, to a movie, to a random day—we’re looking for the wrong thing. That’s what Perfect Days, its title borrowed from one of the most beautiful songs Lou Reed ever wrote, is about. We seek meaning in everyday life, not realizing that life every day is the meaning.

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Oppenheimer won Best Picture. Its new reception in Japan was very different.

The film’s Japan premiere renews critiques about what the movie omitted.

Oppenheimer ’s premiere in Japan this past weekend has renewed scrutiny of how the film depicted the devastating bombings that killed more than 200,000 people during World War II .

The Oscar-winning film centers heavily on J. Robert Oppenheimer and follows the physicist’s journey in developing the atomic bomb for the United States. It does not directly show the fallout of the bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and it also does not feature any Japanese perspectives in the form of major characters or testimonials.

While some Japanese viewers noted that the film is from Oppenheimer’s point of view and that the lack of these voices is in line with that, others argued that its focus on his perspective helped glorify his actions and downplay their consequences.

“From Hiroshima’s standpoint, the horror of nuclear weapons was not sufficiently depicted,” former Hiroshima Mayor Takashi Hiraoka said during a premiere event for the film .

These reactions echoed similar pushback the film received in the US — reinvigorating questions about whose stories get told, and whether the ones that Hollywood chooses to focus on offer a limited understanding of the world and gloss over major harms.

Japanese viewers questioned Oppenheimer’s framing

Last year, Oppenheimer’s release coincided with that of the summer’s other big blockbuster — Barbie — timing that prompted a wave of memes and articles about a “Barbenheimer’’ double feature. “Barbenheimer,” however, inspired posts — like that of a mushroom cloud replacing Barbie’s hair — which were heavily criticized in Japan for failing to recognize the impact of the atomic bombs. Warner Brothers, the company distributing the film, eventually apologized for official tweets that had responded to these memes.

In the wake of this controversy — as well as concerns about the sensitivity of the film — the Japanese release of Oppenheimer was delayed. Such timing isn’t uncommon for foreign films , though the movie screened earlier for audiences in other Asian countries in the region including China and Korea.

On Friday, the film premiered with content warnings for viewers , which noted that it could spur recollections about the damage and trauma the bombs caused in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. Those bombs killed an estimated 140,000 people in Hiroshima and 74,000 in Nagasaki, maimed and wounded tens of thousands of others, and caused higher rates of cancer survivors.

According to several news reports , the Barbenheimer controversy and the nature of the film’s subject matter have added attention to its release in Japan. Hiraoka, the former mayor of Hiroshima, is among those who have commented on the film, along with multiple surviving victims of the atomic bombs, known as “hibakusha.” “Is this really a movie that people in Hiroshima can bear to watch?” Kyoko Heya, the head of Hiroshima’s international film festival, previously asked . According to Variety , the film placed third at the box office in its opening weekend.

Some Japanese people who saw the film questioned both the lack of Japanese perspectives as well as the tone of the movie, which they saw as lauding both Oppenheimer and his work on the Manhattan Project.

“The sense of excitement among people celebrating the experiment and the dropping of the atomic bomb. I felt incredibly disgusted,” Erika Abiko, an anti-nuclear activist, told the BBC .

“Of course this is an amazing film which deserves to win the Academy Awards,” Kawai, another viewer in Hiroshima, told Reuters . “But the film also depicts the atomic bomb in a way that seems to praise it, and, as a person with roots in Hiroshima, I found it difficult to watch.”

Director Christopher Nolan has responded to such critiques in the past, noting that the film is intended to capture Oppenheimer’s perspective, so it doesn’t go beyond that. “To depart from [his experience] would betray the terms of the storytelling,” Nolan has said. “He learned about the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on the radio — the same as the rest of the world.”

Certain Japanese moviegoers agreed with this sentiment, stating that the film’s emphasis on Oppenheimer and exclusion of other experiences made sense. Others noted that it still served as an important cautionary tale despite failing to fully capture what took place in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

“This was really a film about Oppenheimer the man, and the way he wrestled with his conscience, so in that sense, I think it was right not to broaden it out too much to show the aftermath,” Mei Kawashima, a Hiroshima resident, told the Guardian.

Broadly, though, many Japanese viewers expressed discomfort with Oppenheimer’s storytelling and felt the portrayal was incomplete. “The film was only about the side that dropped the A-bomb,” Tsuyuko Iwanai, a Nagasaki resident, told NPR . “I wish they had included the side it was dropped on.”

These reactions build on a conversation about missing voices

At its core, the Oppenheimer discourse is about which characters get humanized in major films — and who gets to narrate these stories.

“I was uncomfy watching yet another movie about tortured white male genius when the victims of the atrocities glossed over by the script — Japanese people, interned Japanese Americans, and Native Americans — had no voice,” Li Lai, a Taiwanese American media critic, wrote last July .

The exclusion of Japanese people in the film has been a major point of contention, as has the erasure of stories of Native Americans and Hispanic Americans who lived near New Mexico sites where significant bomb testing took place.

Both Native and Hispanic communities in the region were displaced by the construction of Los Alamos, and residents who lived close to test sites have experienced disproportionately high rates of cancer and infant deaths in the decades since .

By leaving these voices out of the movie, critics say Oppenheimer fails to fully grapple with the impact of the titular character’s actions — and the violence that followed.

The film’s premiere in Japan has forced a confrontation of some of these concerns. There’s been debate , too, about whether Oppenheimer could have shown more of the trauma from the bombings, or if that approach would have been harmful and effectively gawking at the suffering .

Naoko Wake , a Michigan State University historian who has interviewed survivors of the bombings, notes that thoughtfully including such images could be vital for awareness when there has been so little understanding of Japanese civilians’ perspective.

“I ask my students every time I teach this subject, ‘Have you ever been exposed to any of the images outside of the mushroom clouds?’ They say that they have never seen images from ground zero or any effects of radiation exposure,” Wake told Vox. She points to a scene of Oppenheimer turning away from photos he’s being shown from the bombings as a potential moment in which the film could have allowed viewers to bear witness as well.

Beyond videos or photos of the violence, no Japanese characters were included to express or convey the effects of these weapons, either. It’s possible to envision a scene of a radio broadcast featuring interviews with Japanese people describing their experience with the horrors of the bombs, for example.

Notably, this pushback matters because it raises questions about whose perspective gets to be the definitive one in storytelling — including on such high-profile platforms.

“Hollywood is a powerful tool for white perspectives,” Ponipate Rokolekutu, a professor of race and resistance studies at San Francisco State University, told KQED . “They don’t want other histories to be known.”

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‘Perfect Days’ Features the Best Screen Performance in Recent Memory

By David Fear

You may know Kōji Yakusho as the oyster-slurping mystery man from the noodle-Western extraordinaire Tampopo (1985). Perhaps you remember him as the depressed suburbanite who ballroom dances his blues away in the international feel-good hit Shall We Dance? (1996). He’s the reformed felon in the Cannes -winning character study The Eel (1997), a former muse to filmmaker Kiyoshi Kurosawa in the late Nineties and early aughts, the familiar face who graced Hollywood fare like Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) and Babel (2006), and — if you’ve followed his 40-plus years as a major figure in Japanese cinema — the gentleman behind a legion of memorable cops, gangsters, salarymen, and samurai. Not to get all IMDb on you, but the 68-year-old Yakusho has the sort of resume that suggests range, depth, and an enviable ability to contour a role to his strengths rather than go full Method chameleon.

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For so much of Perfect Days ‘ running time, the Japanese A-lister doesn’t seem to be “acting.” He laughs, he momentarily tears up, he plays a beer-buzzed game of tag, but he’s largely, deceptively communicating this man’s internal monologue through a sort of muted screen-performer semaphore. And then he and Wenders hit you with the sucker punch. The greatest gift the movies have ever given us is the close-up. This climactic wallop keeps the point of view locked tight on Kōji Yakusho’s face, Nina Simone ‘s “Feeling Good” in full swing, and suddenly, an emotional floodgate opens. It is, quite simply, one of the most astounding shots in recent cinema, a communion between a camera and an actor that somehow feels like Hirayama’s inevitable end point. You won’t be able to get it out of your head. And thanks to Yakusho, you won’t ever want to.

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‘happyend’ review: high school becomes a microcosm of surveillance-state oppression in affecting near-future drama.

In Neo Sora's narrative feature debut, the threat of natural disaster and citizen unrest provides justification for incursions into personal freedoms by the Japanese government and education authorities.

By David Rooney

David Rooney

Chief Film Critic

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Keeping his focus tight on five inseparable friends plus one influential outsider to the group, the filmmaker effectively views their acts of individual and collective resistance, in the shadow of a government leaning toward totalitarianism and a climate in which the threat of natural disaster is constant.

Cellphone earthquake alerts have become a regular part of life, prompting the prime minister to announce expanded government power in cases of emergency. This reveals itself notably when protest movements form and police crackdowns turn violent.

All this is background canvas, however, for a delicate portrait of late adolescence, suspended between pleasurable distractions and creeping anxieties about what comes next. At the center are two lifelong friends whose contrasting responses to the darkening mood around them, both at school and in the national political arena, expose differences of which neither had previously been aware.

Close since childhood, Yuta (Hayao Kurihara) and Kou (Yukito Hidaki) are talented amateur DJs, aspiring to careers at the mixing deck. Their easy, uncomplicated bond extends to a posse that also includes Tomu (Arazi), Ming (Shina Peng) and Ata-chan (Yuta Hayashi), whose renegade sense of style can be gleaned from the billowing skirt he pairs with his uniform of a white shirt and a black blazer. 

Police are summoned, prompting an outburst from student activist Fumi (Kilala Inori) about cops being “bureaucrats with weapons,” serving only to protect the country’s wealth. Kou is the main suspect, more by virtue of his being from a Korean family than anything else; the principal, who refers to the car vandalism as “terrorism,” threatens to withhold Kou’s college recommendation. But with no proof, disciplinary measures take a different course.

The principal has an elaborate new security system installed with facial-recognition technology cameras positioned throughout the school, allowing for miscreant students to be identified and slapped with demerit points. At first, it’s treated like a joke, with Ata-chan getting a round of applause when he swiftly racks up ten points for making obscene gestures at a camera.

The graduating class finds their simpatico homeroom teacher replaced by a humorless, by-the-book type, and the Music Research Club is deemed a fire hazard and shut down, the electronic equipment locked away in a storeroom.

A substantial earthquake, which further damages the car, prompts the prime minister to put an emergency decree into effect, claiming that natural disasters increase crime rates. Fumi encourages Kou to join her at the resulting street protests. The ripple effect of alarm and paranoia brings out neighborhood watch groups to patrol the streets at night.

The situation at school becomes more incendiary when a military instructor is brought in to teach self-defense and, in another example of casual racism, all non-Japanese nationals are excluded “for security reasons.” Fumi leads the pushback, her actions yielding results and prompting defiance in others — most amusingly seen in Ata-chan’s graduation outfit. But when Yuta speaks up, his courage comes at a price.

Sora strikes an expert tonal balance between the bittersweet, elegiac qualities of the end-of-school drama, with compassionate observation of the maturation process, and the volatile microcosm of an education institution that becomes like a prison, pointing to broader political implications in the outside world. The movie never loses sight of the personal, involving us from the start in the experiences of Yuta, Kou and their friends, while bringing a light yet lingering touch to larger fears affecting all of us.

DP Bill Kirstein, who also shot Sora’s Opus , has an elegant eye for composition, finding poetry in the stark urban landscapes of a fictional Tokyo ( Happyend was shot mostly in Kobe). Composer Lia Ouyang Rusli’s score complements that visual grace while also capturing the characters’ youthful energy in techno interludes. The young actors, almost all newcomers, are naturals in a sure-footed movie that is set in the future but fully plugged into global political anxieties of the present.

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'Japan' Movie Review: What's Good, What's Bad; Find Out From Viewers' Words

After 'Ponniyin Selvan: II', Karthi is back with his latest venture 'Japan', directed by Raju Murugan of 'Cuckoo' and 'Joker' fame.

The movie has Anu Emmanuel playing the female lead. Jithan Ramesh, KS Ravikumar, Sunil, Bava Chelladurai in the supporting roles. The movie has GV Prakash Kumar's music, Philomin Raj's editing and Ravi Varman's cinematography.

It is a heist action comedy film which revolves around notorious master thief who steals Rs 200 crore worth of jewels at a jewellery shop. It leads to an exhilarating cat-and-mouse pursuit between this morally ambiguous protagonist and the virtuous law enforcement.

It is reportedly inspired by an actual infamous thief associated with multiple robberies in Tamil Nadu. Will the thief manage to successfully escape? Answer to this question forms the crux of the story.

The movie has piqued a lot of interest with the teaser and trailer striking the chord with the viewers. With Raju Murugan's earlier movies winning the hearts of the viewers, people have high expectations from this movie.

Showtime #Japan pic.twitter.com/5fOHMxVZ95 — Karthik Ravivarma (@Karthikravivarm) November 10, 2023

Will it live up to the viewers' expectations? Find it out from the viewers' words:

Gokul_g: #Japan review: 1st half ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 Fantastic establishment of Japan character and the heist followed by a terrific karthi anna dialogue interval block 💥 Comedy scenes worked well 😁so far Into the second half which is curse to tamil cinema so far let's see

Darkroom: Good first half... Average second half with too much emotional scenes.. Overall watchable in festival time..

Anand Mopoori: Excellent acting by Karthik excellent directoion and screen play

#JapanReview 🍿 #publicopinion 🔥🔥🔥🔥 #japanmoviereview #positivetalk #japan #japanthemovie #tamilmovie pic.twitter.com/IZoaKzl9ou — Saradha Sivalingam Kalai (@SaradhaKS) November 10, 2023

#CinetrakFlash : Diwali releases final advance sales in Tamil Nadu for Opening Day, 10/Nov #Japan : ₹1.46 Cr (1176 S, 21.74%) #JigarthandaDoubleX : ₹1.09 Cr (1168 S, 16.60%) Comparison to last year Diwali releases at the same time Prince: ₹3.05 Cr (1754 S, 25.84%) Sardar:… pic.twitter.com/bZkc2hBMEC — Cinetrak (@Cinetrak) November 9, 2023

Movie Tamil: #JapanReview Rating - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Pure fun entertaining movie filled with full of action comedy with well crafted script. Outstanding performance from #Karthi amazing bgm with impressive cinematography and colour grading

Vijay Devarkonda reference in #JapanTheMovie #Japan #JapanMovie — Milagro Movies (@MilagroMovies) November 10, 2023

#JapanMovie telugu first half report - Disaster vibes!! Positives: 👉Nothing Negatives: 👉Everything till now 🙏🙏🙏 #Japan #JapanReview #JapanDiwali #JapanFDFS #JapanFromTomorrow — Popcorn 🍿 (@popcorn1903) November 10, 2023

#Japan Interval: ரொம்ப சுமார் 🫤 ஜப்பான் மாதிரி ஒட்டாத டார்க் காமெடி படம் எடுக்க இங்க நிறைய டைரக்டர்ஸ் இருக்காங்க.. ஆனா ‘குக்கூ’, ‘ஜிப்ஸி’ போல உணர்வுப்பூர்வமான அழகியல் படங்களைத் தர உங்கள போல வெகுசில மேக்கர்ஸ்தான் தமிழ் சினிமால இருக்கீங்க. Pls come back to form Dir. Raju Murugan! — Azeem Jaffer (@azeem_jaffer) November 10, 2023

Movie time #Japan — Raisa Nasreen (@RaisaNasreen) November 10, 2023

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Japan Reveals Its Top 10 Anime Recommendations for Upcoming Fall 2024 Season

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The Fall 2024 anime season is fast approaching, with exciting new series like Dandadan and new seasons of popular shows like Blue Lock set to begin airing. As revealed in a recent survey conducted by major news and entertainment outlet Animate Times, Japanese audiences can't wait for Fall 2024 anime like Re:Zero Season 3 and Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online Season 2, among several other titles.

In Animate Times' survey , Japanese fans were asked which anime from the upcoming season they're most looking forward to. The current responses have been tallied, and rankings have been provided for three separate categories: the top five most anticipated anime by male fans, the top five most anticipated anime by female fans, and the top 10 most anticipated anime overall. These are interim results, and fans will continue to be able to participate and vote until Sept. 29, 2024.

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Japan's Top 10 Most Highly Anticipated Anime of Fall 2024 Is Filled With Sequel Shows

• Natsume's Book of Friends Season 7
• Re:Zero Season 3
• Blue Lock Season 2 ( Blue Lock vs. U-20 Japan )
• Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online II
• Shangri-La Frontier Season 2
• As a Reincarnated Aristocrat, I'll Use My Appraisal Skill to Rise in the World Season 2
• Rurouni Kenshin Season 2 (Kyoto Disturbance Arc)
• DanMachi Season 5

According to the survey, Natsume's Book of Friends Season 7 is the anime that audiences are most looking forward to overall. The supernatural slice-of-life shojo series has been running since 2008. With its seventh season receiving more votes from female fans than any other series, but fewer votes than at least five other series from male fans, it's evident that more women have currently participated in the survey than men.

Taking second place in the survey is Re:Zero Season 3 . Notably, the third season of the fan-favorite isekai series is the only anime to place among the top five in both the male-only and female-only rankings. It's the most anticipated anime of the season by male fans, as well as the fourth most anticipated anime of the season by female fans.

Bleach Gets 20th-Anniversary Zanpakuto to "Experience the Ultimate Zangetsu" in New Bandai Release

A replica of Ichigo Kurosaki’s Zanpakuto, Tensa Zangetsu, is being released in celebration of the Bleach anime TV series' 20th anniversary.

Major Anime Like Bleach & Dragon Ball Daima Missing From Top 10 Fall Recommendations

The top five of the overall rankings are rounded out by Blue Lock vs U-20 Japan in third place, Ranma 1/2 in fourth place and Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online II in fifth place. From six to 10, the current rankings are Shangri-La Frontier Season 2, As a Reincarnated Aristocrat, I'll Use My Appraisal Skill to Rise in the World Season 2, Dandadan , Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Disturbance Arc and DanMachi Season 5.

Despite its relatively low ranking compared to the anime that snagged the top spots, Dandadan in eighth place is notable for being the only series represented that isn't either a sequel or, in the case of Ranma 1/2 , a reboot . Meanwhile, notably missing from the top 10 are major headliners for overseas fans, such as the upcoming Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3 and Dragon Ball Daima , the latter of which recently received a brand-new trailer starring Goku in Super Saiyan form .

Source: Animate Times