Best Japanese Films Kinema Junpo (1926-2025)

Suffering from double vision, a single mother tries to take care of her baby in the grip of terrifying hallucinations. Experiencing a nervous breakdown, she is deemed unfit to take care of her child and has it taken away from her. The only respite the mother has from her visions is when she sings. An award-winning novelist overhears her singing whilst riding the bus and the pair subsequently develop a volatile relationship.

A chronicle of the life of Yasui Santetsu, a 17th century master of go who turned his attention to astronomy and created a new calendar for Japan. Based on the life of Santetsu Yasui (December 27, 1639-November 1, 1715), appointed as the first official astronomer in the Edo Period and would go on to create the Jokyo calendar at the imperial request.

Teacher Kawashima Haru takes a position on a remote island off the coast of Hokkaido, where she takes charge of six students. However, she is later forced to leave after an accident occurs. 20 years later, Haru learns that one of her former students has committed a crime, and eventually returns to the island once more.

2012 film by Abbas Kiarostami

A widowed lumberjack's life is turned upside down when a film crew shooting a zombie movie asks for his help and increasingly starts to rely on him.

The mini budget psycho drama, somewhat based on true story, follows a bunch of adorable high school girls whose casual pastime includes throwing small animals in the air – and not catching them on the way down. The leader of the sweethearts is Mizuki (Kaori Kobayashi), who loses whatever traces of sense she might have possessed when her teacher turns up knocked up! The girls form a “miscarriage club” to kill the unborn baby in order to show the insolent adult who calls the shots.

Troubled high school student Makoto arrives in Tokyo to exact revenge from a past incident. He then falls in love at first sight with Ai, a daughter raised in a wholesome family. Around Makoto and Ai are Iwashimizu, who has feelings for Ai and Gamuko, a gang member who eyes Makoto.

The posthumous wish of Eiji's wife is for her ashes to be scattered in the ocean near her hometown. Eiji also learns that his wife letter for him at the post office before she died.

Saeko and Yukako live together in a small apartment complex in Tokyo. After the Tohoku earthquake in 2011, both live in a state of unease. Saeko, who is in a divorce, is worried that her daughter is exposed to radiation. Yukako is also afraid of radiation and tries to convince her husband to move. The two become friends after Yukako tries to save Saeko after a suicide attempt.

Theatre 1 (Observational Film Series #3) is a feature length documentary, which closely depicts the world of Oriza Hirata, Japan's leading playwright and director, and his theatrical company, Seinendan. By depicting them, the film leads the audience to revisit fundamental but timely questions: What is theatre? Why do human beings act?

Oriza Hirata is Japan's leading playwright and director, who runs his own theatrical company, Seinendan. Theatre 2 (Observational Film Series #4) examines the dynamic relationship between theatre and the society through depicting Hirata's activities. In order for his art and his not-so-commercial company to survive this highly capitalistic modern society, what kind of strategy does Hirata have and practice?

15年前，位于乡下的下田市迎来了一个美丽的女孩子——足立惠美理（木村叶月 饰），她家境显赫，容貌甜美，因此赢得了同学们的喜爱。可就在某天，天使般的惠美理被人残忍杀害，其4名好朋友因惊吓过度，而对有过一面之缘的凶手的容貌完全没有记忆。惠美理的妈妈麻子（小泉今日子 饰）伤心过度，迁怒于4名女孩，责令她们找出凶手，否则在接下来的日子里就要不断赎罪。此去经年，当年的4名女孩纱英（苍井优 饰）、真纪（小池荣子 饰）、晶子（安藤樱 饰）和由佳（池胁千鹤 饰）各自经历不同的人生。但是童年的阴影仍时刻萦绕心头，而阴森的麻子则如幽灵一般，提醒着女孩们始终不曾完成的赎罪之旅……
本片根据凑佳苗的同名原著改编。

2012 film by Takashi Miike

Toward the end of World War II, middle-aged soldier Keita is entrusted with a postcard from a comrade who is sure he will die in battle. After the war ends, Keita visits his comrade's wife Yuko and bears witness to the tragic life she has led.

Shamoto runs a small tropical fish shop. When his daughter Mitsuko is caught shoplifting at a grocery store a man named Murata steps in to settle things between the girl and the store manager. Murata also runs a tropical fish shop and he and Shamoto soon become friendly. However Murata hides many dark secrets behind his friendly face.

2011 film by Tatsushi Ōmori

After the collapse of their relationship, Kiwako abducts the 6-month old child of a man she was having an affair with. Raising the child as her own, it is four years before the authorities catch up with her and the young child.

Seiji works on construction sites. He sympathizes with Hosaka just back from Thailand. Together, they spend their evenings in bars with Thai girls. On a construction site, they meet Takeru, a member of the hip-hop collective of the city.

University student and budding photographer Koji is asked by a man to secretly take pictures of his wife Yurika. As a result, his relationships with a girl who visits his workplace and his stepsister Misaki begin to change subtly.

Set one year after the drama series "Moteki." 31-year-old Yukiyo Fujimoto doesn't have money, dreams or a girlfriend. He has left his job at a staffing firm and is attempting to start a new life by working as a writer for a news site. Suddenly, Yukiyo experiences "moteki" - a period when a man becomes suddenly popular with woman. Cute magazine editor Miyuki, pure and naive office worker Rumiko, beautiful shop assistant Ai and beautiful, but tough co-worker named Motoko all become interested in Yukiyo. He tries to calm down, but is shaken by the interests of these women.