For over a century now, Japanese cinema has mesmerized audiences all over the world by delivering among the most impactful, distinguished, thrilling, and perceptive movies. Behind them are acclaimed administrators like Akira Kurosawa, Hayao Miyazaki, and Yasujirō Ozu in addition to trendy masters like Hirokazu Kore-eda and Takashi Miike. From action-packed samurai thrillers and heart-rending human dramas to mind-bending sci-fi plots and historic epics, Japanese films have a magic that’s all their very own.
Whereas these movies are universally attention-grabbing and relatable, they’re set all through the historical past of the nation. There’s modern Tokyo and feudal Japan, and their tales nonetheless make the acquainted really feel recent and permit the viewers to seek out magnificence within the easiest of issues. Let’s depend down among the greatest Japanese films of all time, however take notice — we’ve got a separate checklist of anime films right here, and we can’t be together with documentaries. Moreover, we’re making an attempt to current a variety, so whereas 15 Kurosawa movies may simply belong right here, we would fairly direct you to different masterpieces you might not have heard of.
Up to date February 23, 2025: This text has been up to date with further content material and beloved Japanese movies to make sure it stays recent and present.
35
‘What’s Up Connection’ (1990)
What’s Up Connection
- Launch Date
-
September 15, 1990
- Runtime
-
120 Minutes
What’s Up Connection is without doubt one of the uncommon co-productions between Japan and Hong Kong, and it has an outsider’s vibe as such. The underrated filmmaker Masashi Yamamoto (Robinson’s Backyard) made an entrancing, pleasant haunt film right here, following a Hong Kong teenager who wins a visit to Japan. When he will get there, although, he is caught with a hilariously incompetent tour information whereas a shapeshifting thief tags alongside their journey. The surreal comedy explores the globalized route Asia was taking within the Nineties as capitalism took even deeper roots and fringe communities had been pushed out. The result’s a cool hipster basic. Stream on The Criterion Channel.
34
‘Ringu’ (1998)
Ringu
4
/5
- Launch Date
-
January 31, 1998
- Runtime
-
95 Minutes
- Director
-
Hideo Nakata
Arguably one of many largest and most impactful horror triumphs of the ’90s and past, Hideo Nakata’s trailblazing spectacle Ring is predicated on the Koji Suzuki novel and tells the spine-tingling story of an ominous videotape that if watched will kill the particular person inside seven days of doing so. Journalist Reiko Asakawa units out to research the scary thriller after her teenage niece is brutally murdered, and she or he quickly makes the hair-raising realization {that a} vengeful spirit is behind the chain of grisly deaths.
‘Ringu’ Sparks a Worldwide Horror Phenomenon
The worldwide influence that Ring had on not solely the cinema as a complete however the horror style itself is actually astounding, because it not solely helped popularize Japanese horror within the west but additionally sparked a significant shift in Hollywood as studios and administrators moved away from slashers and into extra atmospheric and unsettling movies all through the following decade. Ring spawned a fan-favorite franchise and in addition impressed fellow flicks like The Grudge, Darkish Water, and Ju-On, successfully launching the wave of “New Asian Horror” whereas shining a constructive mild on Japanese cinema. Stream on Shudder and AMC+ and free of charge on Tubi.
33
‘Departures’ (2008)
Departures
4.5
/5
- Launch Date
-
September 13, 2008
- Runtime
-
131
- Director
-
Yôjirô Takita
- Writers
-
Kundo Koyama
Forged
In Departures, we observe a cellist named Daigo Kobayashi whose orchestra has just lately disbanded and he has returned to his hometown along with his spouse to begin recent. Taking on a fairly ominous job from an advert company, Daigo begins working as an undertaker, getting ready our bodies for funeral rites. At first, he faces prejudices for this new job however he quickly brings a novel spirit to his position.
Set within the countryside in Yamagata Prefecture, the movie finds grace in quiet gestures as Daigo cleans and attire the deceased with quiet tenderness. Director Yōjirō Takita imbues each scene with refined emotion and transformative themes and extraordinary wit. It’s no stunner that the movie received an Academy Award Finest Worldwide Function Movie again in 2009 as a result of it teaches you to actually see each other. Stream free of charge on Plex.
32
‘Battle Royale’ (2000)
Battle Royale
4
/5
- Launch Date
-
December 16, 2000
- Runtime
-
114 Minutes
Kinji Fukasaku’s auditory basic throws a chilling twist on the identical trope by pitting 42 junior excessive college students towards one another in a battle to the dying. Set in a futuristic Japan, the BR Act selects a random class to compete on an island with just one pupil surviving. They’re monitored with an explosive collar, which may blow off in the event that they break a rule. For sure, the violence within the movie goes to surprising extremes, however it serves to spotlight the deeper questions concerning the position of authority and morality.
Violent However Mesmerizing
Bear in mind how The Starvation Video games painted a dystopian world the place youngsters had been despatched to an remoted desert to fend for themselves, hunt, prey, and kill to return out victorious? Nicely, Battle Royale did it first. And in spectacular trend. Furthermore, Battle Royale is fueled by a definite youthful depth and thrilling motion sequences preventing in a society that’s prepared to sacrifice its personal youngsters for ‘the better good.’ Stream free of charge on Tubi, Pluto TV, and Prime Video.
31
‘Tokyo Drifter’ (1966)
Tokyo Drifter is a type of films that you simply watch and notice what number of different movies have been ripping it off. The vibrantly colourful Seijun Suzuki thriller helped set the template for a way cool hit males and assassins can be offered on movie, and it is protected to say everybody from Quentin Tarantino to the James Bond films have borrowed liberally from the film. The movie follows a retired yakuza hit man who dangers his life to guard his previous boss, who’s making an attempt to go straight. With its elaborate Pop Artwork units, catchy music, unbelievable trend, and irresistible sense of cool, Tokyo Drifter will go away you whistling in pleasure.
30
‘Our Little Sister’ (2015)
Our Little Sister
5
/5
- Launch Date
-
Might 14, 2015
- Runtime
-
128 Minutes
- Director
-
Hirokazu Kore-eda
- Writers
-
Hirokazu Kore-eda
Forged
Based mostly on an attractive manga written by Akimi Yoshida all through a decade from 2006, Our Little Sister is a up to date household drama that revolves across the lives of three Kouda sisters, Sachi, Yoshino, and Chika, as they reluctantly welcome their long-lost little sibling into their lives after their father passes away. The ladies wrestle to adapt to their new household dynamic and stability their obligations. They transfer to the standard seaside city of Kamakura and finally develop nearer by on a regular basis moments of pleasure, wistfulness, sorrow, and hope.
Coronary heart-Warming Household Drama
Director Hirokazu Kore-eda is thought to imbue the only scenes with so many feelings, it’s unimaginable to not really feel your coronary heart sink. From routine duties like making miso soup to hanging laundry, each body holds a deeper that means concerning the therapeutic energy of forgiveness and the way household isn’t essentially outlined by blood. Whereas Kore-eda has continued to discover sisters and female relationships in nice movies and TV exhibits, this is without doubt one of the most lovely of his research. Lease/Purchase on Prime Video and different digital platforms.
29
‘One Lower of the Lifeless’ (2017)
One Lower of the Lifeless
5
/5
- Launch Date
-
November 4, 2017
- Runtime
-
96 minutes
- Director
-
Shin’ichirô Ueda
The wildly ingenious and genre-shattering movie One Lower of the Lifeless is each a comedy about passionate filmmakers and a loving ode to schlocky B-movie horror. The universally acclaimed image is a deconstruction of the horror style and cinema itself, starting with one of many longest single takes in film historical past earlier than ending mysteriously and going again in time to inform the actual story behind the scenes of what we simply watched. It might be a disgrace to spoil the construction of the movie for anybody who hasn’t seen it, so go in blind and simply have a bunch of enjoyable.
28
‘Woman Snowblood’ (1973)
Woman Snowblood
5
/5
- Launch Date
-
March 22, 1974
- Runtime
-
97 Minutes
- Director
-
Toshiya Fujita
-
-
Toshio Kurosawa
Ryūrei Ashio
Kill Invoice is enjoyable and all, however it pales compared to the O.G. A basic revenge story led by an unbelievable efficiency from the intimidating and delightful Meiko Kaji, Woman Snowblood has gone on to form many exploitation movies and girls revenge photos. A murderous street journey throughout Japan, the movie follows a lady who was nearly cursed into existence as a manifestation of revenge after the brutal therapy of her mom. The movie finds Kaji searching down every member of a now-dissolved crime group, with Toshiya Fujita’s movie using flashbacks, slow-motion, beautiful hyper-artificial units, and extra to create a mesmerizing automobile of vengeance.
27
‘Audition’ (1999)
Audition
5
/5
- Launch Date
-
March 3, 2000
- Runtime
-
115 minutes
- Writers
-
Daisuke Tengan
Takashi Miike garnered worldwide recognition when he directed the controversial and downright surprising J-horror sensation Audition, a majorly influential image that follows lonely widower Shigeharu Aoyama as he units out to discover a new romantic companion by having his movie producer pal stage faux auditions in order that he can display potential girlfriends. When Shigeharu meets the attractive and enchanting applicant Asami Yamazaki, he rapidly learns there’s something deeply mistaken with the younger lady as her true nature is finally revealed.
A Jaw-Droppingly Brutal Grand Finale
Regardless of initially beginning out as a gradual burn that masterfully disarms audiences all through the primary half right into a faux sense of security, the second portion of Audition left moviegoers completely terrified as a deranged and grotesque horror present begins to play out earlier than their very eyes. The movie’s stomach-churning last torture scene left fairly an influence on each followers and critics, with many deeming Audition as one of many best horror films ever made due to the surprising twist whereas serving to it have an enormous affect on fellow administrators the Soska sisters and Eli Roth. Stream on Peacock and free of charge on Tubi and Philo.
26
‘Tampopo’ (1985)
Tampopo
4.5
/5
- Launch Date
-
November 23, 1985
- Runtime
-
115 Minutes
- Director
-
Jūzō Itami
- Writers
-
Jūzō Itami
Forged
Japanese tradition has essentially the most mouthwatering meals. So it’s obvious {that a} basic comedy centered round meals and, nicely, intercourse, in a manner that’s heartwarming but additionally ridiculous can be thought-about apt for the checklist. Juzo Itami’s whimsical Western, Tampopo, follows a bunch of males who assist a widow revive her struggling ramen store.
Honors Japanese Tradition and Meals
The film blends hilarious humor, significant drama, and erotic stress whereas making enjoyable of American movie tropes all through and creating sequences round sexual taboos. At its coronary heart, it might be an ode to the pleasures of easy issues in life – meals, friendship, and love. However with Itami’s route, the result’s a wildly imaginative story shot in sudden scenes that commemorate Japanese delicacies and the communal pleasure that comes from sharing a bowl of noodles. Stream on Max.
25
‘Eureka’ (2000)
Eureka
5
/5
- Launch Date
-
Might 18, 2000
- Runtime
-
218 Minutes
- Director
-
Shinji Aoyama
- Writers
-
Shinji Aoyama
Forged
Eureka is an epic that transpires throughout emotional areas fairly than bodily ones, exploring a small group of characters (the one survivors of a mass killing) with astounding consideration to element. Superbly filmed in black and white throughout greater than three hours, the modernist movie by the late, nice Shinji Aoyama is actually not like anything in Japanese cinema. Balancing tender humor, a number of knowledge, and disturbing acts of violence with a little bit of thriller and solemnity, Eureka is extra like a tone poem concerning the aching, wordless loneliness and guilt in a society that so usually hides it.
24
‘Ugetsu’ (1953)
Ugetsu
5
/5
- Launch Date
-
September 7, 1954
- Runtime
-
96 Minutes
- Director
-
Kenji Mizoguchi
Ugetsu (titled Ugetsu Monogatari in Japanese) is predicated on two tales from Ueda Akinari’s 1776 e-book of the identical title. It’s set throughout Japan’s civil wars within the sixteenth century and follows the lives of two peasants, Genjūrō and Tōbei. The previous is a humble potter who leaves his spouse and son for wealth and glory and as an alternative is pulled right into a forbidden romance with a spirit, and the latter is his brother-in-law who chases his dream of changing into a samurai.
Blends Conflict, Supernatural, and Human Drama
Conflict movies are often about fight, however the ones that spotlight the influence of battle on humanity stand out extra. Ugetsu is a uncommon movie that focuses on the transient nature of human needs and intertwines a ghostly ingredient into the stark realities of battle. Each the primary characters face ethical repercussions whereas going after their ambitions, and the portrait painted by director Kenji Mizoguchi is profound and poetic. Stream on Max.
23
‘Excessive and Low’ (1963)
Excessive And Low
5
/5
- Launch Date
-
March 1, 1963
- Runtime
-
143 Minutes
Akira Kurosawa’s suspenseful, high-stakes, riveting police thriller follows a rich businessman, Gondo, making an attempt to stage a large shoe firm buyout, when his home is invaded by kidnappers demanding a ransom. However the kidnappers by chance abduct the mistaken baby (Gondo’s driver’s son) and what follows is a determined hunt for the perpetrator because the gears of regulation and justice slowly grind into movement.
Intense From Begin to End
The film begins as a thriller and eases right into a procedural drama, and it occurs effortlessly sufficient to get you acquainted with Japan’s grievances that had been long-forgotten. As for Kurosawa, he masterfully layers social commentary on class and morality in between a plot so tightly woven, you don’t even see a double-cross staring proper at you. Toshiro Mifune brings depth as Gondo, and Excessive and Low turns into one of many best thrillers of all time. Stream on Max.
22
‘Remedy’ (1997)
Remedy
5
/5
- Launch Date
-
December 27, 1997
- Runtime
-
111 Minutes
- Director
-
Kiyoshi Kurosawa
-
Masato Hagiwara
Det. Kenichi Takabe
-
Kôji Yakusho
Kunio Mamiya
Whereas Se7en was redefining the serial killer movie over in the USA, Remedy was doing the identical in Japan, spinning an nearly supernaturally darker sort of thriller than individuals had been used to. Kōji Yakusho provides one among his many timeless performances right here as a Tokyo detective finding out a sequence of murders dedicated by completely different individuals similarly, carving an “X” into the our bodies of the victims and confessing with none motive. What transpires is a tough, mind-melting film that pulls you deep into a unique sort of evil.
21
‘Branded to Kill’ (1967)
Branded to Kill
5
/5
- Launch Date
-
June 15, 1967
- Runtime
-
91 Minutes
- Director
-
Seijun Suzuki
-
Jô Shishido
Gorô Hanada
-
The aforementioned and at all times infamous Seijun Suzuki broke each cinematic rule with Branded to Kill, a film that appears like a big center finger to movie studios, audiences, and society basically. He had at all times fought with studios over his trendy route, however he blew all of it up right here and was blacklisted for twenty years in consequence. The movie follows Jō Shishido in his funniest, most warped efficiency, enjoying an unhinged hit man who goes more and more mad after failing an unimaginable mission. Branded to Kill is a pure blast of favor and rebel, with sufficient artistic creativeness in a single minute of its runtime than most movies have of their entirety.
20
‘Kwaidan’ (1964)
Kwaidan
4.5
/5
- Launch Date
-
December 29, 1964
- Runtime
-
183 Minutes
- Director
-
Masaki Kobayashi
-
-
Michiyo Aratama
First Spouse
The best movie about basic Japanese folklore, Kwaidan is a masterful anthology of spooky tales that manages to be not solely scary however clever and traditionally fascinating. The at all times eclectic Masaki Kobayashi stitches collectively 4 distinct ghost tales throughout practically three hours, every of them with moral or philosophical messages. “The Black Hair,” “The Lady within the Snow,” “Hoichi the Earless,” and “In a Cup of Tea” completely stability one another, oscillating between ominous and terrifying, emotional and chilly, mysterious and surprising.
19
‘Shoplifters’ (2018)
Shoplifters
5
/5
- Launch Date
-
November 23, 2018
- Runtime
-
120 Minutes
- Director
-
Hirokazu Kore-ada
-
Lily Franky
Osamu Shibata
-
Sakura Andō
Nobuyo Shibata
Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda, this Palme d’Or winner charts the lifetime of an impoverished but loving makeshift household who make ends meet by petty crime. On one among his common shoplifting sprees, Osamu finds Yuri, a little bit woman, freezing within the chilly. He takes her residence and learns the reality about her household, following which, he decides to make her part of his circle of relatives.
Koreeda’s Empathetic Show of Feelings
Shoplifters has a unique setting than Koreeda’s former movies like Our Little Sister, Maborosi, and Like Father, Like Son, however the central message is just too gripping to disregard. It holds your coronary heart in its hand and exhibits what it feels wish to be tender and compassionate towards each other. Via quiet moments of pleasure and day by day routines in a household residing on the sting of society’s wealth margins, the film retains a lightweight contact however delivers immense classes. Stream on Prime Video and free of charge on Tubi, Pluto TV, Peacock, and Xumo Play.
18
‘Godzilla’ (1954)
Godzilla
4.5
/5
- Launch Date
-
November 3, 1954
- Runtime
-
96 minutes
- Director
-
Ishirō Honda
-
Akira Takarada
Hideto Ogata
-
Momoko Kôchi
Emiko Yamane
The now-famous first movie in a large franchise, Godzilla, or Gojira, is an authorized epic. The story goes as follows: within the aftermath of a devastating nuclear explosion, a prehistoric creature of unimaginable energy is woke up from the depths of the ocean and unleashes terror on the individuals of Japan. As the town faces chaos and destruction, a group of scientists and the navy scramble to discover a method to cease and defeat the indestructible behemoth.
Nothing Wanting A Cinematic Big
Godzilla will not be merely a monster film; it’s a highly effective metaphor for the horrors of nuclear destruction. Directed by the visionary Ishirō Honda, it’s a beloved basic and a seminal work of Japanese fashionable tradition. Regardless of the tacky particular results, its haunting rating and social commentary paved the way in which for numerous imitations and spawned a sequence of flicks that proceed to dominate the sci-fi and kaiju style. The unique Godzilla holds a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes; actually, it is truly good. Past that, it is arduous to seek out many extra culturally impactful films than this one. Stream on Max.
17
‘Within the Realm of the Senses’ (1976)
Within the Realm of the Senses
5
/5
- Launch Date
-
September 15, 1976
- Runtime
-
105 minutes
- Director
-
Nagisa Ōshima
-
-
Tatsuya Fuji
Kichizo Ishida
Nagisa Ōshima was sort of just like the Gaspar Noé or Lars Von Trier of his time, a filmmaker who thrived on shocks and interrogating social mores. The subject material of Within the Realm of the Senses was excellent for him in consequence, based mostly off the notorious true crime of Sada Abe, the intercourse employee who killed her lover and carried his penis and testicles in her kimono along with her. The story is informed with sweaty intimacy and rising dread in Ōshima’s movie, which has a few of his most clever and hypnotic route.
16
‘The Sword of Doom’ (1966)
The Sword of Doom
5
/5
- Launch Date
-
July 1, 1966
- Runtime
-
120 Minutes
- Director
-
Kihachi Okamoto
We do not usually get samurai movies about villains, however then once more, we do not get many movies like Sword of Doom. The origin story of a talented psycho, this masterpiece follows the event of an excellent however bitter samurai and the completely different selections and circumstances which led him down a path of darkness. Together with some unbelievable motion sequences and an unforgettably haunting efficiency by the nice Tatsuya Nakadai (a favourite of Kobayashi’s), Sword of Doom is an endlessly gripping and rewatchable story with a very excellent ending.