Cinematography: Yoshio Miyajima

Direction Masaki Kobayashi

Cast Tatsuya Nakadai · Rentarô Mikuni · Akira Ishihama · Shima Iwashita

Synopsis Harakiri (1962) follows the tale of a wandering samurai, bereft of his lord, who seeks consent to perform a ritualistic act of self-sacrifice within the residence of a formidable and cruel daimyo. The daimyo is hesitant to grant this request,...

Direction Masaki Kobayashi

Cast Tatsuya Nakadai · Michiyo Aratama · Yusuke Kawazu · Tamao Nakamura

Synopsis The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer (1961) follows the journey of Kaji, a man with a deep-seated aversion to violence, who is coerced into serving in the Japanese military during World War II. Despite his pacifistic nature, Kaji is...

Direction Masaki Kobayashi

Cast Tatsuya Nakadai · Michiyo Aratama · Ineko Arima · Chikage Awashima

Synopsis The Human Condition I: No Greater Love (1959) follows the journey of Kaji, a Japanese pacifist, who attempts to evade military duty during World War II by taking on a role as a supervisor in the mines of Manchuria, a...

Direction Masaki Kobayashi

Cast Tatsuya Nakadai · Michiyo Aratama · Kei Sato · Minoru Chiaki

Synopsis The Human Condition II: The Road to Eternity (1959) unfolds during the tumultuous period of the Second World War, where Kaji, a reluctant recruit, is compelled to serve in the Japanese army and is dispatched to Manchuria. In this foreign...

Direction Masaki Kobayashi

Cast Tatsuya Nakadai · Rentarô Mikuni · Katsuo Nakamura · Kei Sato

Synopsis Kwaidan (1964) is a cinematic journey through four unique and chilling tales. "Yuki-onna" follows a woodcutter who, during a blizzard, encounters a spectral woman who saves his life but demands silence about their encounter. Years later, he inadvertently breaks his...

Direction Kinuyo Tanaka

Cast Ineko Arima · Ganjiro Nakamura · Mieko Takamine · Tatsuya Nakadai

Direction Nagisa Ôshima

Cast Kazuko Yoshiyuki · Tatsuya Fuji · Takahiro Tamura · Takuzo Kawatani

Synopsis Empire of Passion (1978) is a cinematic masterpiece that draws from the rich tradition of kaidan-eiga, or ghost stories, prevalent in Japanese cinema. The film delves into a profound and heart-wrenching tale of forbidden love, exploring themes that challenge societal...

Direction Kaneto Shindô

Cast Yujiro Ishihara · Kô Nishimura · Jerry Ito · Kunio Suzuki

Direction Kôzaburô Yoshimura

Cast Mariko Okada · Keiji Sada · Nobuko Otowa · Kunitaro Sawamura

Direction Heinosuke Gosho

Cast Chikage Awashima · Yûnosuke Itô · Kinuyo Tanaka · Yoshiko Kuga

Synopsis Yellow Crow (1957) follows the story of Kiyoshi Yoshida, a young boy who finds himself disconnected from both his parents. The narrative unfolds as his father, who has been away at war, returns home, creating a sense of alienation and...

Direction Kôzaburô Yoshimura

Cast Yuriko Hanabusa · Yasumi Hara · Chieko Higashiyama · Junji Masuda

Direction Kôzaburô Yoshimura

Cast Chiyonosuke Azuma · Nobuko Otowa · Chojuro Kawarasaki · Yoshizaburo Arashi

Synopsis The Beauty and the Dragon (1955) is a period film that presents a modern adaptation of the renowned Kabuki play, Narukami. The movie commences with a meticulous recreation of a traditional performance of the play, capturing the historical essence and...

Direction Sô Yamamura

Cast Sô Yamamura · Masayuki Mori · Sumiko Hidaka · Akitake Kôno

Synopsis The Crab-Canning Ship (1953) portrays the harsh existence of crab fishermen who endure a life of subjugation. The narrative reaches a climax when these fishermen stage a rebellion against their oppressive conditions. However, their uprising is met with brutal force...

Direction Kaneto Shindô

Cast Nobuko Otowa · Chikako Hosokawa · Eijirô Tono · Taiji Tonoyama

Direction Kôzaburô Yoshimura

Cast Rentarô Mikuni · Michiko Araki · Jun Hamamura · Daigo Kusano

Direction Tadashi Imai

Cast Chojuro Kawarasaki · Ganemon Nakamura · Isao Kimura · Gôzô Sôma

Synopsis And Yet We Live (1951) delves into the hardships faced by daily wage workers as they strive for respect and a life above mere subsistence. The narrative is brought to life by the Zenshinza theater group, which adds a layer...

Direction Tadashi Imai · Satsuo Yamamoto · Kôzaburô Yoshimura

Cast Shinsuke Ashida · Yasumi Hara · Takashi Kanda · Kunio Mita

Direction Kôzaburô Yoshimura

Cast Nobuko Otowa · Sumiko Hidaka · Sanae Nakahara · Hatae Kishi

Direction Miyoji Ieki

Cast Shinjiro Ebara · Michiko Hoshi · Tatsuya Nakadai · Hitomi Nakahara

Direction Toshio Matsumoto

Cast Hideo Kanze · Takeshi Kusaka