Best Anime & Japanese Films: A Diverse 132-Movie Journey

The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya

2010 • 162 min • Budget $2M • Box office $7M

Animation, Comedy, Science Fiction

A week before Christmas, Kyon finds himself in a reality where the SOS Brigade never formed. He's an outsider, with Mikuru and Yuki failing to recognize him, and Haruhi and Itsuki seemingly gone without a trace.

7.8

8.0

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The Sky Crawlers

2008 • 121 min

Animation, Action, Adventure

The Kildren are young people who live forever as teenagers. Aware that each day could be their last, they fight a war – a conflict staged and controlled by adults for their amusement. However, accepting their fate, they make the…

6.7

13+

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Portrait of the Wind

2005 • 97 min

Portrait of the Wind follows Tamio Murase, a photographer who returns home to run his family's business after his father's death. At the studio, he meets Ayako, and they quickly develop a romantic connection. The film initially focuses on their…

6.5

6.9

No More Comics!

1986 • 127 min

A jaded investigative reporter, disillusioned with the entertainment industry, discovers a potentially explosive news story. It centers on a scheme to defraud pensions through a deceptive gold futures investment.

6.0

6.9

Tracked

1985 • 124 min

A fugitive falls in love with the woman sheltering him. Their romance complicates his chances of escaping the consequences of his crimes, and puts them both in the path of relentless detectives.

5.2

6.6

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Rurouni Kenshin Part II: Kyoto Inferno

2014 • 138 min

Action, Adventure, Drama

Kenshin has found peace living with Kaoru and his friends when he's asked for help by the Meiji government. Makoto Shishio, once an assassin like Kenshin, was betrayed and left for dead. He survived and is now in Kyoto, gathering…

7.6

7.5

17+

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Rashomon

1950 • 88 min • Budget $250K • Box office $117K

Crime, Drama, Mystery

"Rashomon" blends action and philosophical questions to examine how truth and justice are shaped by individual perspectives. Director Akira Kurosawa uses innovative camera work and flashbacks to reveal conflicting accounts of a murder and its consequences. Four people give their…

8.0

8.1

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Rurouni Kenshin Part III: The Legend Ends

2014 • 135 min

Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Shishio sets out on an ironclad ship with the goal of overthrowing the government. To prevent this, Kenshin trains with his former master to master his ultimate technique.

7.7

7.5

17+

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Dersu Uzala

1975 • 141 min • Budget $4M

Adventure, Drama

A veteran military explorer journeys deep into the Siberian wilderness and forms an unexpected friendship with a native Goldi man who has a profound connection to the land. Their bond is tested as they navigate the harsh beauty of the…

7.9

8.2

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Hana

2006 • 127 min

Action, Drama, History

In a poor district of Edo, a young samurai named Soza is tasked by his clan with avenging his father's death. Lacking skill as a swordsman, he prefers a simple life among the locals, teaching children literacy. When he finally…

6.6

Samurai Assassin

1965 • 122 min

Drama, Action, History

In 1860s Japan, members of the Mito clan undertake a perilous mission, secretly approaching Edo Castle through the Sakurada Gate. Burdened by the consequences of the Ansei Purge, a devastating period in their history, they seek out Naosuke Ii of…

7.3

7.4

Rurouni Kenshin Part I: Origins

2012 • 134 min • Box office $61M

Adventure, Action, Fantasy

Following the end of the Bakumatsu war in 1868, Kenshin Himura, a former assassin, journeys across Japan wielding his sword reversed. He dedicates himself to protecting the vulnerable, striving to do so without taking lives.

7.5

7.4

17+

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No poster

Tooku no Sora

2010 • 84 min

In 1980s South Korea, amidst the chaos of the Gwangju uprising, a Korean man and a Korean-Japanese woman connect through student activism and fall in love. However, the woman vanishes, and thirty years later, she hides her past, fearing her…

—

Hazard

2005 • 103 min

Shin, a Japanese university student, feels his life is dull and without purpose. He discovers a book called "Dangerous Ways to Walk the World," which contains a page detailing hazards in New York City. Hoping to find inspiration and escape…

6.6

6.7

ICHI

2008 • 120 min

Action, Adventure, Drama

Ichi, a blind entertainer, journeys through the countryside with her guitar and cane, seeking the kind man who raised her. Her beauty, however, draws unwanted attention and trouble. Fortunately, Ichi is also a skilled swordswoman, concealing a deadly blade within…

6.8

6.5

17+

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Koyaanisqatsi

1983 • 86 min • Budget $600K • Box office $3M

Documentary, Music

The film takes viewers on a visual journey across the United States, examining how modern technology is changing humanity and the environment. Without dialogue or narration, the movie uses striking visuals and a powerful musical score by Philip Glass to…

7.9

8.2

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Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion

1997 • 87 min • Box office $20M

Animation, Science Fiction, Drama

Seele launches a major attack on NERV, hoping to destroy the Evas before Gendo can complete his dangerous plan. Alliances are tested as the conflict intensifies, threatening the world's fate. Will NERV survive Seele's assault and prevent Gendo's plan for…

8.3

8.1

17+

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Fires on the Plain

2015 • 87 min

War, Drama

During the last months of World War II, Japanese soldiers in the Philippines are surrounded by resistance from the Filipino people and the advancing American forces. As their numbers decrease, they struggle to survive amidst the brutal realities of war.

6.3

6.7

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A Stranger of Mine

2005 • 98 min

Over the course of a single Friday night, Takeshi Miyata, an upright businessman, crosses paths with various individuals – some briefly, some more significantly – whose lives become connected in unexpected ways.

6.8

7.6

Ocean Waves

1993 • 72 min

Animation, Drama, Romance

In busy Tokyo, Taku Morisaki briefly meets a mysterious woman at Kichijōji Station, sparking memories of their past. While traveling to Kōchi Prefecture, he finds her photograph and begins to revisit their complicated history. This quiet, thoughtful film explores the…

6.4

6.6

13+

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Penance

2013 • 270 min

Drama

A young girl's murder rocks a quiet Japanese village. Her body is discovered by four classmates who were playing with her; the crime remains unsolved. Devastated by grief, Emili's mother, Asako, curses the girls when they insist they don't remember…

7.3

7.1

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The World of Kanako

2014 • 118 min • Box office $6M

Mystery, Crime, Thriller

When Kanako, a model daughter and high-achieving student, vanishes, her mother enlists the help of her ex-husband, a former police officer with a history of violence, to find her. As he investigates, his perfect image of Kanako begins to crumble,…

6.4

6.5

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Rent-a-Cat

2012 • 110 min

Comedy, Drama

A young woman who rents cats to lonely seniors has her life disrupted by the unexpected return of someone from her past.

7.3

6.9

Video Girl Ai

1991 • 95 min

Yota struggles with romantic relationships. The day after his crush, Moemi, confesses her feelings for his best friend, he stumbles into a video store. He rents a video and plays it on his faulty VCR, inadvertently bringing the character Ai…

5.5

5.0

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Retribution

2007 • 104 min • Box office $394K

Thriller, Horror, Mystery

A detective investigates a series of murders. The killings appear to be the work of a serial killer operating in the same area and using the same method. However, as evidence increasingly points to the detective himself as the prime…

6.5

6.4

17+

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Strange Circus

2005 • 108 min

Mystery, Horror, Drama

Taeko, an erotic novelist, is crafting a dark tale of a family consumed by incest, murder, and abuse. Her assistant, Yuji, becomes determined to discover the truth behind the story, but the reality he uncovers may be deeply disturbing.

7.2

6.9

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Turn

2001 • 112 min

Maki is a gifted copper plate artist, but her first gallery show is cut short when she's hit by a truck. She awakens to find herself back home. Stepping outside, she discovers the city is deserted, and something is terribly…

6.8

6.9

I Was Born, But...

1932 • 91 min

Comedy, Drama

This touching film follows two young siblings who become the leaders of a group of neighborhood kids. As they navigate friendship, rivalry, and disagreements, they experience the joys and difficulties of growing up. Director Ozu uses humor to explore this…

7.5

7.8

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Bunny Drop

2011 • 114 min • Box office $6M

Drama, Comedy

Daikichi discovers his late grandfather had a daughter, Rin, who is now six years old. The family is ashamed of her and rejects her. Annoyed by his family's reaction, Daikichi decides to raise Rin on his own, despite having no…

7.1

7.2

Antenna

2004 • 117 min

Fifteen years ago, Yuichiro’s sister disappeared, and the unresolved trauma continues to haunt him. He drifts through Japan's underground S&M scene searching for answers. His younger brother believes he can communicate with their missing sister using a unique ability –…

5.7

6.6

Key of Life

2012 • 128 min

Comedy, Crime

Desperate to escape a life of disappointment, a struggling actor makes a risky decision: he swaps identities with a stranger at a bathhouse, hoping for a fresh start. Instead, he unexpectedly inherits the life of a highly skilled assassin.

7.6

7.3

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The Garden of Sinners: Remaining Sense of Pain

2008 • 58 min

Crime, Animation, Action

July 1998. When a group of troubled teenagers are discovered dead, their bodies grotesquely mutilated, detective Aozaki Touko is asked to investigate. She seeks assistance from Shiki, and the prime suspect emerges: Asagami Fujino. Fujino was recently involved with the…

7.0

7.3

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When the Last Sword Is Drawn

2003 • 137 min • Budget $4M • Box office $2M

Action, Drama, History

Samurai Kanichiro Yoshimura struggles to provide for his wife and children with his clan's meager pay. Driven by love for his family, he makes the difficult decision to leave his small town for the city in search of better-paying work.

7.5

7.4

Pet Peeve

2013 • 87 min

A city motorcycle accident triggers a series of increasingly strange events. At the same time, a girl named Yoko has a gift: she can see things that others cannot.

5.6

5.4

The Place Promised in Our Early Days

2004 • 90 min • Box office $44K

Animation, Adventure, Drama

After a different outcome to World War II, Japan is split: the North is under Soviet control, and the South is controlled by the United States. A strange, tall tower has appeared within the U.S.-controlled South. Three high school students…

6.6

6.8

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Firefly Dreams

2001 • 105 min

Seventeen-year-old Naomi, used to city life in Nagoya, has her world disrupted when her parents divorce. Sent to the countryside, she reluctantly works at her aunt’s inn and is then asked to care for Mrs. Koide, an elderly relative with…

6.2

7.0

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Trace

2012 • 45 min

A woman reflects on the grandmother who raised her after she was separated from her parents. The film is filled with recollections, but it's the old photographs, showing the kindness in her grandmother's gentle smile, that most vividly recall her.

6.5

6.7

Tokyo Park

2011 • 119 min

Koji, a university student with aspirations as a photographer, is asked by a man to secretly photograph his wife, Yurika. This assignment subtly alters Koji's relationships with a girl who visits his part-time job at Tominaga and his step-sister Misaki.

6.2

God's Puzzle

2008 • 134 min

Twin siblings, one focused on academics and the other living a nomadic life, join forces with a former student to uncover universal mysteries and create something new.

6.1

5.8

Oresama

2003 • 66 min

In this rock 'n' roll fantasy, Japanese music icon Miyavi plays a fictionalized version of himself. Exhausted from a lengthy concert tour and overwhelmed by fans, Miyavi falls asleep and wakes up in 1984. He explores the streets of the…

6.0

6.7

Real

2013 • 127 min

Science Fiction, Drama, Thriller

Neurosurgeon Koichi employs a new technique to access the brain of his comatose lover, Atsumi, who attempted suicide. As he delves deeper, Koichi increasingly loses his grip on reality, finding himself lost in a surreal, marsh-like spirit world. The line…

6.2

5.8

Stray Dog

1949 • 122 min • Box office $47K

Crime, Drama, Thriller

During a sweltering Tokyo summer, detective Murakami loses his service gun to a pickpocket on a crowded bus. He becomes an undercover cop, determined to find the thief and recover it. The chase reveals an unexpected link between them; the…

7.5

7.8

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Hotarubi no Mori e

2011 • 45 min

Romance, Animation, Fantasy

On a sweltering summer day, a young girl becomes lost in an enchanted forest, the domain of a mountain god and its resident spirits. A boy appears before her, but she's afraid to touch him, worried it will make him…

8.3

7.8

Shield of Straw

2013 • 125 min • Box office $17M

Thriller, Crime

Powerful Japanese politician and economist, Ninagawa, suffers a devastating blow when his granddaughter is murdered. The prime suspect is Kunihide Kiyomaru, who has a history of violence, including a conviction for assaulting and killing a girl eight years prior –…

6.4

6.2

Burst City

1982 • 115 min

In a desolate, futuristic Tokyo of highways and ruins, a rebellious group of punk bands and their followers unite to demonstrate against the stagnant, uninspired pace of Japanese life.

6.3

6.0

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The Naked Island

1960 • 97 min

A family of four lives isolated on a small island, dedicating their days to the difficult task of watering their crops.

8.0

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A Blue Automobile

2004 • 90 min

Richio is a young DJ who appears to be completely detached from emotion. He builds a hard exterior to avoid forming connections with others and with the world around him.

4.3

6.0

R100

2013 • 100 min • Budget $5M

Comedy, Drama

A mild-mannered salesman tries to escape a binding contract he made with a secret bondage club, but he finds himself relentlessly pursued by the club's powerful and ruthless dominatrixes.

5.7

5.9

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Tenchu!

1969 • 140 min • Box office $2M

History, Action, Drama

During a time of political turmoil and economic hardship, a masterless samurai seeks money. He joins forces with the powerful Tosa clan and its shrewd, ruthless leader, Takechi. But the alliance turns out to be a dangerous trap, as Takechi…

6.9

7.4

Love & Pop

1998 • 112 min

Drama

The film follows Hiromi, a regular high school student in modern Tokyo, as she navigates the difficulties of being a teenager and dealing with financial strain. Faced with increasing costs and expectations, she and her friends turn to *enjo kosai*…

7.7

7.4

—

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Throne of Blood

1957 • 108 min • Box office $13K

Drama, History

Inspired by Shakespeare's "Macbeth," Akira Kurosawa's film updates the story to feudal Japan, set among samurai warriors bound by honor and loyalty. Two samurai, Washizu and Miki, travel to their lord's castle and encounter a supernatural being who reveals their…

7.9

8.0

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Canary

2005 • 132 min

Following the deadly Sarin gas attack on Tokyo's subway system, two children who have both been abandoned by their families find themselves drawn together. The story is based on the true events of the devastating attacks carried out by members…

5.9

6.9

My Man

2014 • 129 min

When Hana is a young child, a devastating tsunami destroys her town and family. At a shelter, a distant relative named Jungo finds her alone and takes her in as his daughter.

5.8

6.2

Hanzo the Razor: Sword of Justice

1972 • 94 min

Action, Drama

In Edo-era Japan, Hanzo Itami, a fearless and unconventional police inspector nicknamed "The Razor," investigates his superior officer's secretive mistress. Suspecting links to a dangerous criminal, Itami navigates the city's hidden world. He uses his intelligence and unusual methods to…

6.2

6.5

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Gonin

1995 • 109 min

Action, Crime, Thriller

Five men team up for a daring heist targeting a large fortune belonging to a powerful yakuza organization. Their carefully planned scheme quickly unravels, drawing them into a dangerous game pursued by relentless and highly skilled assassins. As they struggle…

6.5

6.7

Organ

1996 • 110 min

Detectives Numata and Tosaka go undercover to expose an illegal human organ trafficking ring. A raid on the group's surgical base turns chaotic, and Numata narrowly escapes while Tosaka is left behind, wounded. The ensuing events become increasingly bizarre and…

5.4

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Kuroneko

1968 • 100 min

Drama, Fantasy, Horror

Set during Japan's warring Sengoku period, this story follows a young hero tasked with restoring peace to a land ravaged by civil war. A mother and daughter were brutally murdered by soldiers, and their vengeful spirits, known as Onryō, haunt…

7.4

7.7

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Dreams

1990 • 119 min • Budget $12M • Box office $2M

Fantasy, Drama

Filmmaker Akira Kurosawa explores the dream world, drawing inspiration from his own nocturnal visions to create fantastical stories. Each narrative takes viewers on a journey through magical realms filled with enchantment. Using vivid imagery and storytelling, Kurosawa blurs the lines…

7.7

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Kwaidan

1965 • 183 min

Horror, Fantasy, Drama

"Kaidan: Ghost Stories" is an anthology film inspired by traditional Japanese folklore, presenting unsettling tales about human longing, the results of choices, and supernatural forces. Each story is richly detailed, transporting viewers to a chilling glimpse of Japan's past. One…

7.7

7.9

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Backwater

2013 • 102 min

Toma lives in a quiet town by the river with his abusive father and his father's girlfriend. Growing up under their roof, Toma worries he's inherited his father’s violent tendencies.

5.7

6.2

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Nobody To Watch Over Me

2009 • 118 min

Fifteen-year-old girl goes into police protection to evade relentless journalists after her brother is arrested for murder.

6.1

6.8

Greatful Dead

2013 • 97 min

Comedy, Drama, Horror

Nami is a young woman struggling with emotional issues stemming from a difficult upbringing. After inheriting a considerable sum of money, she begins exploring a wide range of unusual pursuits.

5.9

6.4

Be with You

2004 • 119 min

Drama, Fantasy, Romance

Takumi and his six-year-old son, Yuji, are still grieving the loss of their wife and mother. While sheltering from the rain near their house, they encounter a woman who bears a striking resemblance to her.

7.5

7.8

Angel Dust

1994 • 117 min

Each Monday, a young woman is found murdered on the subway. Psychiatrist Setsuko Suma begins investigating Dr. Rei Aku's work deprogramming people who used to be members of a cult.

6.6

6.8

UNFAIR: the movie

2007 • 112 min

A dedicated detective investigates her father's death and discovers widespread corruption, putting her life at serious risk.

5.8

5.0

Love Exposure

2008 • 237 min

Action, Comedy, Drama

Yu, a teenage boy, develops feelings for Yoko, a girl he meets while working as an "up-skirt" photographer. His efforts to win her affection are complicated by cross-dressing, a fascination with kung fu and crime, and ongoing guilt stemming from…

8.0

Under the Blossoming Cherry Trees

1975 • 95 min

Drama, Horror, Fantasy

Deep in the mountains, a man lives alone, believing only extreme devotion can create true love. He's married several times, each spouse meeting a violent end at his hands. While traveling through a magical forest, he meets a captivating woman…

6.9

7.3

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Ghost in the Shell 2.0

2008 • 85 min

Action, Animation, Crime

Set in 2029, *Ghost in the Shell 2.0* revisits the story of Section 9, a team of cybernetically enhanced law enforcement officers tasked with capturing a notorious hacker called 'The Puppetmaster'. This version is a remake of the 1995 film,…

7.4

7.8

14+

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The Face of Another

1966 • 122 min

Drama, Science Fiction

The film tells the story of an ambitious businessman who, after a severe car accident leaves him with a disfiguring facial injury, seeks help from his doctor to regain normalcy. The doctor creates a remarkably realistic mask that allows the…

7.8

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Tokyo Family

2013 • 146 min

Drama

A senior couple travels to Tokyo to see their adult children, but discovers the children are absorbed in their own lives and seem distant.

7.3

7.5

Guilty of Romance

2011 • 145 min • Box office $246K

Thriller, Horror, Mystery

A woman is found dead in a rundown apartment in Tokyo's love hotel district. While police investigate, the wife of a romance novelist leads a seemingly routine life devoid of passion. Seeking an escape from this emptiness, she embraces her…

6.9

6.8

Neighbour No. 13

2005 • 115 min

Haunted by schoolyard bullying, Juzo Murasaki returns to his hometown and finds work on a construction site with his former tormentor, Toru Akai. However, Juzo's past has fractured his psyche. He struggles with a dangerous alter ego, Neighbor No. 13…

5.3

6.3

17+

Blind Beast

1969 • 84 min

Thriller, Horror

A blind sculptor takes an artist's model hostage in his warehouse studio. He transforms the space into a gallery of disturbing sculptures, exploring the connection between touch and vision. As they live together, the sculptor's obsession with his captive deepens,…

6.4

7.0

18+

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Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone

2007 • 101 min • Budget $7M • Box office $20M

Animation, Science Fiction, Action

Following a devastating event known as the Second Impact, the city of Tokyo-3 faces relentless attacks from colossal beings called Angels, who aim to destroy humanity. Young Shinji is tasked with battling these Angels by piloting advanced, enigmatic mecha known…

7.6

7.5

13+

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Rampo Noir

2005 • 134 min

This film is an anthology, featuring four stories adapted from the writings of Edogawa Ranpo.

5.6

6.2

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Ramblers

2003 • 83 min

Tsuboi and Kinoshita, two aspiring filmmakers, arrive at a remote, abandoned train station. They're traveling to meet a famous actor, hoping to persuade him to star in their upcoming film.

6.7

7.0

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Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance

2009 • 112 min • Budget $10M • Box office $44M

Animation, Science Fiction, Action

When humanity faces extinction from monstrous beings known as Angels, the U.N. Special Agency NERV deploys two new pilots to protect Tokyo-3: the enigmatic Makinami Mari Illustrious and the driven Asuka Langley Shikinami. Simultaneously, Gendo Ikari and SEELE secretly initiate…

7.8

7.9

14+

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Golden Slumber

2010 • 139 min

Action, Comedy, Mystery

A laid-back guy named Aoyagi goes fishing with an old friend, but things go terribly wrong. He's drugged, falsely accused of assassinating the Prime Minister, and now he's being hunted by corrupt police. This is just the start of a…

7.1

7.0

Sing a Song of Sex

1967 • 103 min

Four high school students, all eager to get into university, find themselves drawn to a teacher who is drunk and singing crude songs about drinking. This meeting leads them away from their studies and onto a different course.

5.6

6.5

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Sukiyaki Western Django

2007 • 121 min • Budget $3M • Box office $2M

Adventure, Action, Comedy

A gunslinger with no name rides into a town consumed by warring factions. Both sides try to recruit him, but he sets off on his own course.

6.2

6.1

17+

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Himizu

2011 • 129 min

Crime, Drama

Two teenagers escaping difficult home lives find solace in each other, leading them down a path of exploring profound questions about life, hopelessness, and the fragility of people.

7.0

7.1

Midori

1992 • 55 min

Animation, Drama, Horror

This is the story of Midori, a young girl whose life changes drastically when her parents die. Alone and vulnerable, she is taken in by a carnival and becomes exploited working as a flower seller. Her situation worsens as she…

6.1

6.2

Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death and Rebirth

1997 • 101 min • Box office $15K

Animation, Drama, Science Fiction

The End of Evangelion is a powerful and emotionally intense conclusion to the acclaimed anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion. Originally planned as a new ending to the show, this film explores the psychological and philosophical ideas at the heart of…

7.4

7.2

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Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter

2014 • 104 min • Box office $739K

Drama

Feeling trapped by her ordinary life, a Tokyo office worker becomes captivated by a movie she believes is real. She becomes fixated on a scene depicting buried money in North Dakota and travels to the United States to locate it.

6.6

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Saudade

2011 • 167 min

Seiji is a construction worker who feels a connection with Hosaka, who recently returned from Thailand. They often spend their evenings together at bars with Thai women. While working on a construction site, they meet Takeru, a member of a…

6.9

6.5

Last Life in the Universe

2003 • 112 min

Drama, Action, Thriller

A Japanese librarian with obsessive tendencies lives in Bangkok, frequently considering suicide in his apartment. His routine is disrupted when he witnesses the death of a young girl and subsequently meets her older sister.

7.2

7.4

17+

Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence

2004 • 100 min • Box office $10M

Animation, Drama, Science Fiction

Detective Batou is tasked with solving a string of murders committed by gynoids – highly advanced, doll-like cyborgs. Each gynoid malfunctions, kills its victims, and then self-destructs. It appears their core programming activates to safeguard their manufacturer's data. However, in…

7.3

7.4

13+

Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo

2012 • 96 min • Budget $13M • Box office $67M

Animation, Science Fiction, Action

Fourteen years after a devastating event called Third Impact, Shinji Ikari wakes up in a world he barely recognizes. He hasn't aged, and much of the Earth is in ruins. NERV, the organization he once worked for, is gone, and…

7.2

6.9

14+

Ghost Soup

1992 • 58 min

On Christmas Eve in Tokyo, Ichiro arrives at his new apartment a month early. While unpacking, two strangers unexpectedly enter and are displeased to find him there. They begin complaining about how his presence disrupts their plans for a Christmas…

6.6

6.2

Ran

1985 • 160 min • Budget $12M • Box office $23M

Action, Drama, History

Akira Kurosawa's 'Ran' is a sweeping historical epic based on Shakespeare's King Lear, set in 16th-century Japan. The film highlights Kurosawa's masterful storytelling and his profound examination of human weakness, particularly the destructive effects of war. This late-career masterpiece explores…

8.0

8.2

17+

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Taro the Dragon Boy

1979 • 75 min

Inspired by Japanese art and silk screens, *Taro, The Dragon Boy* is an animated film exploring Japanese mythology and culture. It follows Taro, a young boy on a journey to a faraway lake. His mission: to save his mother, who…

6.5

7.5

Hole in the Sky

2001 • 127 min

A drive-in worker encounters a young woman stranded in Hokkaido after being abandoned by her boyfriend. Their initial connection deepens, but the drive-in worker's possessive nature gradually poisons their relationship, culminating in a bittersweet conclusion that hints at hope.

5.4

6.8

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Vibrator

2003 • 94 min

Rei, a writer struggling with inner turmoil, battles insomnia, eating disorders, and a constant barrage of voices in her head. On Valentine's Day, she encounters truck driver Takatoshi and impulsively joins him on a trip in his rickety truck. The…

5.9

6.9

Jiro Dreams of Sushi

2011 • 82 min • Box office $2M

Documentary

Master sushi chef Jiro Ono relentlessly pursues perfection in his craft. His eldest son, Yoshikazu, struggles to measure up to his father's renowned legacy.

7.7

7.8

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Vengeance Can Wait

2010 • 97 min

For ten years, Hidenori and Nanase have shared a strained, non-romantic life together. Their quiet existence is disrupted when a married couple, Takao and Azusa, become their new neighbors. When Hidenori witnesses Nanase and Takao's affair, he becomes consumed by…

6.2

5.9

Attack on Titan

2015 • 98 min • Box office $30M

Horror, Action, Science Fiction

A century ago, colossal beings known as Titans unexpectedly arrived on Earth. This event plunged humanity into crisis, threatening the very survival of civilization. To protect themselves, humans constructed a massive wall. For 100 years, life within the walls was…

6.1

5.0

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A Distant Neighborhood

2010 • 98 min • Budget $18M • Box office $231K

Drama, Fantasy, Comedy

Thomas, a man in his fifties, unexpectedly returns to his hometown and collapses. He awakens forty years in the past, inhabiting his teenage body. Back in his youth, Thomas must navigate his first love and uncover the truth behind his…

7.1

7.0

Always: Sunset on Third Street '64

2012 • 142 min

As the Tokyo Olympics prepare to begin, Rynosuke Chagawa looks forward to watching them on his new television. His wife Hiromi is expecting a child, and he's added a second floor to their shop for their adopted son Junnosuke to…

6.8

7.1

The Blue Light

2003 • 116 min

Seventeen-year-old Shuichi Kushimori lives a peaceful life with his mother and stepsister. His estranged stepfather unexpectedly returns after a long absence and quickly becomes consumed by alcohol. He begins abusing his ex-wife and daughter. When he starts making unwanted advances…

7.4

7.2

100

Zëiram 2

1994 • 107 min

Bounty hunters Iria and Bob are hired to find a powerful, ancient artifact. Their mission turns dangerous when a second Zeiram unit appears and becomes violently unstable. Iria must fight desperately to survive a perilous chase with the terrifying space…

6.4

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