Cast: Hideko Yoshida

Direction Peter Greenaway

Cast Vivian Wu · Ken Ogata · Ewan McGregor · Yoshi Oida

Synopsis The Pillow Book (1996) follows the life of Nagiko, a Japanese woman whose early years are marked by her father's unique artistry, painting characters on her face, and her aunt's storytelling from "The Pillow Book," a 10th-century diary. As Nagiko...

Direction Kaneto Shindô

Cast Rentarô Mikuni · Shinobu Otake · Akira Emoto · Hideko Yoshida

Synopsis Will to Live (1999) explores the enduring legend of leaving elderly individuals in the mountains, a tale deeply rooted in Nagano Prefecture, central Japan, with parallels found in folktales across the country. This narrative has inspired numerous poems throughout history....

Direction Hiroshi Teshigahara

Cast Shintarô Katsu · Etsuko Ichihara · Osamu Okawa · Kiyoshi Atsumi

Synopsis The Man Without a Map (1968) follows the journey of a private investigator who is employed by a worried wife to locate her vanished husband. As the detective's investigation yields no results, he starts to notice eerie parallels between his...

Direction Hideaki Anno

Cast Eriko Sato · Mikako Ichikawa · Jun Murakami · Mitsuhiro Oikawa

Direction Shinji Higuchi

Cast Tsuyoshi Kusanagi · Kou Shibasaki · Etsushi Toyokawa · Mao Daichi

Synopsis The Sinking of Japan (2006) follows the aftermath of a catastrophic earthquake beneath Suruga Bay, where a young girl named Misaki and a deep-sea submarine pilot, Toshiro, are rescued from a collapsing city street just as a gasoline leak ignites....

Direction Hideyuki Hirayama

Cast Mieko Harada · Mitsuko Baisho · Shigeru Muroi · Naomi Nishida

Synopsis Out (2002) follows the chaotic journey of four housewives who, after a series of unfortunate events, decide to take drastic measures. They eliminate their husbands and then embark on a series of bizarre and humorous attempts to conceal the evidence....

Direction Yôji Yamada

Cast Kiyoshi Atsumi · Chieko Baisho · Kumiko Goto · Hidetaka Yoshioka

Synopsis Tora-san 44: Tora-san Confesses (1991) marks the forty-fourth installment in the beloved and enduring Otoko wa Tsurai yo film series. This particular chapter follows the familiar adventures of the lovable and eccentric protagonist, Torajirō Kuruma, as he navigates the complexities...

Direction Haruo Ichikura

Cast Yoshida Eisaku · Ken Ogata · Masumi Miyazaki · Hideko Yoshida

Synopsis Kokkai e ikô! (1993) delves into the intricate and often shadowy realm of Japanese politics, offering an intimate glimpse into the machinations and power struggles that occur behind the scenes. The film explores the complexities and controversies that shape the...

Direction Kazuo Ikehiro

Cast Raizô Ichikawa · Naoko Kubo · Shiho Fujimura · Kayo Matsuo

Direction Toshio Masuda

Cast Ken Ogata · Yukiyo Toake · Toru Emori · Koichi Sato

Synopsis Company Executives (1989) follows the intense power struggle that erupts within a prominent newspaper corporation after the sudden demise of its president. The vacuum left by his death sparks a ruthless competition among the remaining high-ranking officials, each vying for...

Direction Shusuke Kaneko

Cast Ken Ogata · Harumi Harada · Noboru Nakaya · Sumiyo Hasegawa

Direction Kaneto Shindô

Cast Naoto Takenaka · Keiko Oginome · Hideko Yoshida · Nobuko Otowa

Synopsis By Player (2000) is a compelling biopic directed by the renowned Japanese filmmaker Kaneto Shindo, who, at the age of 88, was the second-oldest working director globally. The film chronicles the life of the esteemed character actor Taiji Tonoyama, who,...

Direction Yoshimitsu Morita

Cast Etsushi Toyokawa · Yûki Amami · Shuto Tanabe · Rina Matsumoto

Direction Yoshimitsu Morita

Cast Kyoka Suzuki · Shin'ichi Tsutsumi · Ittoku Kishibe · Naoki Sugiura

Synopsis 39 keihô dai sanjûkyû jô (Keiho) (1999) follows the story of Masaki Shibata, a stage actor portrayed by Shinichi Tsutsumi, who stands accused of brutally taking the lives of a man and his pregnant wife. Masaki openly admits to the...

Direction Kei Kumai

Cast Katsuo Nakamura · Masaaki Daimon · Mitsuo Hamada · Daigo Kusano

Synopsis Ocean to Cross (1980) unfolds during Japan's Tenpyou era, chronicling the journey of four young monks dispatched to China. Their mission is to delve into the teachings of Buddhism and escort a revered high priest back to their homeland. The...

Direction Tetsuo Shinohara

Cast Yuka Itaya · Jun Murakami · Saki Takaoka · Gô Rijû

Synopsis Desire (2005) is a captivating film directed by Tetsuo Shinohara, inspired by the acclaimed love story penned by Mariko Koike. The narrative revolves around a young man who is on a quest for physical satisfaction and fleeting pleasures, and a...

Direction Tokuzo Tanaka

Cast Shintarô Katsu · Makoto Fujita · Shiho Fujimura · Tomomi Satô

Direction Tomoyuki Furumaya

Cast Masami Nagasawa · Shun Oguri · Atsushi Ito · Takashi Tsukamoto

Synopsis Robot Contest (2003) follows the journey of Satomi, a student who is struggling to meet the academic requirements to progress to the next grade. Her instructor suggests an alternative path: joining the Robot Club, which is gearing up for a...

Direction Makoto Wada

Cast Kyôko Koizumi · Hiroyuki Sanada · Kumi Mizuno · Masumi Okada

Synopsis Ruby, the Thief (Mysterious Thief Ruby) (1988) follows Toru Hayashi, a young salaryman leading a monotonous life with his mother. His existence is unremarkable until a captivating young woman, Rumi Kato, moves into the apartment above his. Rumi, who is...

Direction Kôhei Yoshidome

Cast Hiroshi Ohmori · Yasushi Suzuki · Shun Ueda · Etsuko Ohtsuka

Synopsis No Longer Human (1978) follows the poignant journey of a young man torn between the crumbling traditions of a prestigious northern Japanese aristocratic family and the encroaching influence of Western ideologies. Struggling to reconcile these conflicting worlds, he begins to...