Hiroshi Abe
Niina Masayoshi is the leader of DCU. The group was newly created by the Japan Coast Guard and stands for Deep Crime Unit. Their mission is to find evidence and dead bodies hidden underwater, that are crucial to solving criminal cases. Niina Masayoshi never gives up investigating the truth.
M, a mystery writer, has a girlfriend of five years named F, who disappeared on Halloween night. When a woman comes and claims to be her sister, M begins the search for his girlfriend. Along the way, the people he meets describe a woman very unlike the F he knew.
A woman seeking a quiet life in post-World War II British Malaya finds love and a common interest in gardening with a mysterious Japanese man.
Michiko Oshitani, who lived in Shiga Prefecture, is found dead at an apartment in Tokyo. She was strangled to death. Mutsuo Koshikawa is the owner of the apartment and he goes missing. Detectives including Yuhei Matsumiya who is a cousin of Detective Kyoichiro Kaga , have difficulties in solving the case. They can't find a connection between Michiko Oshitani and Mutsuo Koshikawa. They soon learn that Michiko Oshitani came to Tokyo to visit Hiromi Asai . They graduated from the same school, but there isn't a connection between Hiromi Asai and Mutsuo Koshikawa. Detective Yuhei Matsumiya finds something near Michiko Oshitani's body. That something has the names of 12 bridges surrounding the Nihonbashi area of Tokyo. Detective Kyoichiro Kaga learns of the clue and becomes agitated. There's a connection with his late mother
Hironoshin is a samurai of the Echigo-Nagaoka clan. One day, Hironoshin attends a party at a mansion in Edo where his lord, Tadakiyo is invited to recite poems. Hironoshin is asked to give his opinion and foolishly comments that the piece was plagiarized. Infuriated, Tadakiyo orders Hironoshin to live his life without honor as a ‘cat flea picker', which is in fact a pseudonym for a male prostitute. The honest and straight-shooting Hironoshin convinces himself that he has no other options, and resigns himself to live as a sex worker. Hironoshin becomes an apprentice to a flea-picker boss who encourages him, convinced that Hironoshin is exacting revenge in the guise of a prostitute.
The film follows the relationship between a mother and her son. In 1945, the mother played by Sayuri Yoshinaga fled with her two sons from the Russians to Hokkaido. In 1972, her son played by Masato Sakai returns to Japan after finding success in the U.S.
During the Late Tang Dynasty, a manor is invaded by a demon cat and a sense of unrest befalls the capital of Changan. A poet is charged with investigating the case and meets up with a monk. The two work together and pull apart the thread of clues to reveal a history of truths leading to the events.
Kuwahata Chokichi used to be a famous actor, but now he's suspected to be suffering from dementia. He is betrayed by his older daughter, Yukiko, her husband-cum-his-former-disciple, Ikuo, and Yukiko's lover, a mysterious driver, and gets sent to a high-class old folks' home. One day, Choukichi runs away from the home and wanders to the beach where he meets his younger daughter, Nobuko, who he had with his lover. Although he had thrown Nobuko out in the past, he begins to imagine seeing her as the image of Cordelia, who is the beloved daughter of King Lear, after talking to her. Gradually, his past memories start to come back to him, and Choukichi heads towards the world of insanity.
Ryota is an unpopular writer although he won a literary award 15 years ago. Now, Ryota works as a private detective. He is divorced from his ex-wife Kyoko and he has an 11-year-old son Shingo. His mother Yoshiko lives alone at her apartment. One day, Ryota, his ex-wife Kyoko, and son Shingo gather at Yoshiko's apartment. A typhoon passes and the family must stay there all night long.
Schoolteacher Yohei is married to Miyoko. For the first time in 25 years they begin to live by themselves when their son marries and moves out. Then Yohei discovers that all’s not well in his marriage.
An illegal biological weapon K-55 is stolen from a university lab. The university lab can't even call the police because the secret nature of the weapon. The school lab then receives a message stating that the entire country is now being held hostage and they must pay a ransom of 300 million yen.
Makoto Fukamachi (Junichi Okada) is a Japanese cameraman. He finds an old camera on a backstreet of Nepal. The camera might possibly solve the mystery of whether George Mallory became the first person to successfully climb Mount Everest on June 8, 1924 or not. Pursuing the old camera's past, Makoto Fukamachi meets legendary Alpinist Joji Habu (Hiroshi Abe). Joji Habu is isolated from other people because of his reckless and thoughtless personality.
A consultant who has a superhuman sense of smell and assists in solving cases by smelling the scents left behind at crime scenes. He usually lives with a nasal plug, but once he removes it, and takes one sniff with his keen sense of smell, he will know the person’s age, gender, what he or she ate and even lifestyle. Besides investigating cases, he is researching whether people’s emotions have scent too. He has a daughter with Katayama Megumi.
Only 3 days after A-bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, a streetcar started running through the town burned to the ground. The drivers were teenage girls working for the train company in place of men. The drama is based on a true story of people who strived for the restoration.
Tsukuda Kohei was once a researcher with the Aerospace and Science Exploration Agency and now runs Tsukuda Industries, a small factory which was left by his father. Although his relationship with his teenage daughter Rina is somewhat strained, business at Tsukuda Industries has gradually started to improve. But Tsukuda puts too much effort into his dream of developing a rocket engine and business declines little by little. One day, a major client suddenly declares that it is dropping Tsukuda Industries. Then, Tsukuda Industries gets sued by a big rival company, Nakashima Industries, for patent infringement. Tsukuda Industries’ reputation is hurt and financing from banks is also in a desperate situation. In the midst of this, Teikoku Heavy Industries, one of Japan’s leading corporations, offers to buy a patent which Tsukuda Industries possesses for 2 billion yen
A man is found dead in a office of Takayanagi Ballet Company. The suspect is a female dancer at the ballet company. The Takayanagi Ballet Company insists that the incident is a self defense case, but after an investigation there's doubts in that claim. Then, the director of the Takayanagi Ballet Company is poisoned to death. Are the cases related?
Etsuko's café in her peaceful little seaside town is where everyone gathers to gossip and taste her famous brew. But the winds of change are beginning to blow.
At Sakurada Gate in 1860, the shogun’s chief minister and his retinue of bodyguards are ambushed and annihilated. Bearing the responsibility and shame for this failure is Shimura Kingo, master swordsman and chief of the guard. Forbidden to take his own life in atonement, he is instead tasked with hunting down the remaining assassins; however, fate intervenes and now only one is left. Devoted to his late lord and his duty, he relentlessly pursues the sole remaining assassin for the next thirteen years. But times are changing in Japan and the way of the sword has become outlawed. What does this mean for Kingo?
In ancient Rome, bathhouse architect Lucius (Hiroshi Abe) becomes famous with designing the original "thermae" (bathhouse). He receives an order to build a thermae in the colosseum to help gladiators recover from their wounds, but faces difficulties. Thus, Lucius travels again to modern day Japan through the time slip. He meets Manami (Aya Ueto) again, who is now a reporter for a magazine which covers bathroom. With the help of the flat face Japanese tribe, Lucius again designs a new thermae. Meanwhile, Emperor Hadrian (Masachika Ichimura) wants to keep the peace with the thermae, but the Senate wants to extend the land by using force. Emperor Hadrian and the Senate now have a confrontation and Rome becomes divided.
Trade company employee Shinichi recommends to Naoko and Jiro to go to a beautiful place abroad. There, Naoko and Jiro meets tribal shaman and sees through her tricks. The shaman has refused to leave her place.
Matsuoi (Hiroshi Abe) and his wife Tsuya moved to Oshima City because of her unpredictable character. Even though Tsuya continues to have affairs, Matsuoi loves her and is a devoted husband. Tsuya is then diagnosed with a cancer and later goes into a coma. Matsuoi then thinks of his wife's lovers. Matsui goes to those men and informs them of Tatsuya's condition. The other women in the lives of those men are shocked and begin to re-examine their views of their men.
Constantly on the run from a vicious loan shark, two small-time con artists, Take and Tetsu, plan their biggest and most complex con yet in order to get revenge and retire from a life of crime. However, things get complicated when they cross paths with Mahiro, a young woman that Take inadvertently orphaned during a job gone awry years ago. Seeing Mahiro down on her luck, Take tries to relieve his guilt by taking her on as a partner, while hiding his true identity. But as his plan unfolds, Take discovers that he isn't the only one with a secret.
A man's body is found under the statue of a winged kirin in the Nihombashi area of Tokyo. A suspect named Yashima has a car accident and falls unconscious while he is attempting to run away. Yashima's lover Kaori comes from Fukushima and tells detectives that he is absolutely not a criminal. Meanwhile, Detective Kyoichiro Kaga's (Hiroshi Abe) investigates and uncovers a point of contact between the dead body and Yashima. A hidden fact of the victim is revealed which even his children did not know about...
Ryota, a timid salaryman who has difficulties fitting in at home and work has his average life changed after his estranged father falls ill. Along with his wife Sae and their only child Moe, he travels to his father's country town, where he begins to uncover his father's mysterious past spent searching for a mythical creature.
The story follows a Roman architect named Lucius, who is having trouble coming up with ideas. One day, he discovers a hidden tunnel underneath a spa that leads him to a modern Japanese bath house. Inspired by the innovations found there, he creates his own spa, Roma Thermae, bringing in the modern ideas to his time.
Defence lawyer Emi is assigned to a particularly unusual case: a man is suspected of murdering his wealthy wife, and his only alibi is a 421-year old ghost, Rokubei. At first Emi is hesitant, but when she pursues her lead she is visited by the ghost herself. And so the fun begins in the courtroom when Prosecutor Osano starts to cross examine…
A 7 years girl is found dead in the local park’s toilet. Kaga Kyouichiro, who was asked to find the girl, and his cousin Matsumiya Shuhei who’s assigned to investigate the murder case, have to work together to crack the case. Their evidence lead them to Maehara’s, a family with parents, a son and a senile grandmother.
When bento shop owner Hikaru Oshiro learns that a group of high school students have no place to practice music, he takes it upon himself to build a studio beneath his store. The only stipulations he placed upon the students were that they be respectful to others, do well in school, and be empathetic towards others. Based on the true story of Hikaru Naskasone who supported students up until his death from cancer in November, 2009.
Young French journalist Ada Servier arrives in Kobe to cover the memorial ceremonies of the big earthquake from 1995. Fifteen years after the disaster the city’s wounds have finally disappeared but the former victims continue to suffer. Among them is Kenji whose past is hiding a secret that only Ada is willing to hear...
A young Japanese man named Kota Tanaka (Osamu Mukai) works to raise money and then build an elementary school in Cambodia.
Set in Hokkaido, revolving around an ex-convict named Shima Yusaku (Abe) who has just been released from prison. Along with two young strangers that he meets, he sets out on a journey back to where his wife is, uncertain of what awaits him. Horikita Maki (22) and Hamada Gaku (23) will play the two strangers (originally played by Momoi Kaori and Takeda Tetsuya), while Natsukawa Yui will play the wife (originally Baisho Chieko).
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (1884-1943) was the Japanese Naval commander who was given the order to attack Pearl Harbour, an order he was duty bound to obey which went against his own personal beliefs. While this infamous attack is a low point in Japanese and US history it wouldn’t have happened if the Japanese government had listened to Yamamoto in 1939 and searched for a more peaceful way to end their war campaign, proving his many ominous presages of the outcomes of the attack to come true.
A hotel concierge (Fukatsu) who has to deal with a variety of odd guests. --Tokyograph
A phone conversation occurs between a man and a woman. They both state their love for each other and that they will do this so they can be together. The woman is in a hotel room with a view of the port. The man is inside of a parked car with a view of the ocean. A man named Colonel appears and hands the man a box with a loaded gun inside. The Colonel states "its a present from the witch". The woman's name is Meiko (Michiko Kichise) and she is the young wife of Takamitsu Temiyako (Takamitsu Temiyako) - president of a large medical corporation. The man in the parked car is Dr. Tokito Takahiko (Hiroshi Abe) an employee of the large medical corporation. This evening, Meiko and Tokito will implement their plan to murder Meiko's husband and frame his death as a suicide.
Naoko Yamada (Yukie Nakama), a female magician, and Jiro Ueda (Hiroshi Abe), a genius physicist, are back again to solve the mystery of supernatural happenings. In a village where people are cured, a battle royale is held to find the successor for shamen Kamahaeri. Naoko attempts to gain big money by participating in the battle royale, while Jiro is invited to the village to stop this custom. Naoko and Ueda then challenges this amazing trick ..
A documentary filmed behind the scenes during the making of Hirokasu Kore-eda's 2008 film "Still Walking."
Shinzanmono is a detective Japanese television drama, part of the Spring 2010 season of the Japanese TBS Network. It is based on the latest novel in the "Kyoichiro Kaga" series by mystery author Keigo Higashino and is set and filmed in the Ningyo-cho area of Nihonbashi, Tokyo. This series was followed by a special "Akai Yubi" aired on January 3, 2011 and a feature film The Wings of the Kirin, released on January 28, 2012.
Saka no Ue no Kumo is an NHK 21st Century special drama which was aired over three years starting from November 29, 2009. The series runs 13 episodes at 90 minutes each. The first series, with 5 episodes, was broadcast in 2009, while series two and three, each with 4 episodes, were broadcast in late 2010 and 2011. While most episodes were shot in Japan, one of the episodes in series two was shot in Latvia. The TV series is based on the novel Saka no ue no kumo by Ryōtarō Shiba and adopted by Hisashi Nozawa. The theme song of the drama series is titled "Stand Alone". It was composed by Joe Hisaishi, written by Kundo Koyama and performed by British soprano singer Sarah Brightman.
A year after the celebrated cracking of “The Glorious Team Batista” case, the talented medical staff at Tojo University Hospital once again finds itself embroiled in a web of intrigue and scandal.The scandal occurs this time in the ER when a mysterious letter arrives for Dr. Kimiko Taguichi (Yuko Takeuchi). The letter reads: “Chief Surgeon Hayami of the Emergency Center has a collusive relationship with a medical supplies maker. And the head nurse is in on it with him.” An unimaginable truth then awaits.
Tenchijin is the 48th NHK Taiga drama. It airs on NHK from January 4, 2009 every Sunday from 20:00 to 20:44 JST to November 22, 2009 spanning 47 episodes. The story centers on the life of the 16th century samurai Naoe Kanetsugu. Production began on April 27, 2007. The story is based on the novel Tenchijin by Masashi Hisaka and was adapted for screen by scriptwriter Eriko Komatsu. The series' music composer was Michiru Oshima. The protagonist of the drama, Naoe Kanetsugu, was taught by Uesugi Kenshin in his youth that to conquer the world is a trifling matter, but what matters is to live one's life with righteousness. After Uesugi's death, Naoe supports Uesugi Kagekatsu, who holds the destiny of Echigo province.
Haruo is finally released from prison after completing his sentence. With nine years worth of prison gratuities in hand, he stops at a restaurant to enjoy a good meal, but all of his money ends up being stolen. With nothing left, he spends the night at a net cafe, and he manages to look up his old friend from his yakuza days. When Haruo visits the next day, he learns that his old girlfriend Mariko was living with another man, but later died of illness. Haruo, who had committed murder 9 years earlier to earn the money for Mariko's medical treatment, is shocked and angered. He decides to track down that other man, who runs a bakery with his wife and daughter Sachi. Haruo later runs into Sachi at the park, but he has yet to find out the truth about her.
After the Akizuku clan fall in defeat to rival clan Yamana, Princess Yuki (Nagasawa Masami) and general Rokurota (Hiroshi Abe), take cover in a hidden fortress, along with their clan and gold treasury. Fortuitously stumbling into the hideaways, brash young miner Takezo (Matsumoto Jun) and his bumbling sidekick Shinhachi (Miyagawa Daiuske) hatch a daring plan to help transport the gold out of enemy terrain - in exchange for a share of the stash, of course. With assassins hot in pursuit, Yuki disguises as a male and ventures into the real world with Rukurota and her peasant companions, getting her first taste of danger, toil, and budding romance with the strong-minded and willful Takezo.
The drama stars Beat Takeshi as General Hideki Tojo, who served as Prime Minister of Japan during World War II and was later executed as a war criminal. The story's theme is said to be a look at how the Pacific War began, focusing mostly on the three month period between the Imperial Conference (Gozen Kaigi) on September 6, 1941, and the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
Toho university hospital has established an outstanding coronary surgery team under the leadership of a up and coming, star, U.S. trained surgeon (Kiji Kikkawa) that specializes in the highly risky "Batista" procedure to shrink the size of enlarged hearts. Normally this procedure has only a 60% success rate, but "Team Batista" has achieved a run of 26 straight successes....when suddenly 3 patients in a row die on the operating table. Very disturbed, the lead surgeon requests an independent investigation. The hospital turns to Dr. Taguchi (Yoko Takeuchi) who is a specialist in psychosomatic disorders who is shocked to at the assignment because she knows nothing in particular about surgery. Assured, however, that this very lack of insider specialized knowledge is in fact the "objectivity" required, she diligently begins to investigate in her own polite, but persistent manner.
An OVA which centers around Toki and his relationship with his brother Raoh, leading up to Toki's imprisonment in Cassandra and eventually his duel with Raoh. The OVA introduces another new character named Sara, a female doctor who watches over Toki and becomes his love interest.
Twelve years after their beloved eldest son, Junpei, drowned while saving a stranger's life, Kyohei and Toshiko welcome their surviving children home for a family reunion. Younger son Ryota still feels that his parents resent that he isn't the one who died; his new wife, Yukari, is awkwardly meeting the rest of the family for the first time. Daughter Chinami strains to fill the uncomfortable pauses with forced cheer.
Higashigaoka Junior High School is in turmoil as one of the pupils, Noguchi, who had been bullied, attempted suicide last term. On the first day of the new term, a substitute teacher arrives to take the second year class. When the teacher, Murauchi (Hiroshi Abe), introduces himself, the pupils are surprised by his stutter. He has a speech impediment. Unable to speak eloquently, Murauchi faces his pupils with ‘words of truth’. His first instruction to the pupils is to return Noguchi’s desk and chair to the original place in the classroom. Every morning Murauchi greets the empty desk, “Good morning, Noguchi.” This causes a ripple beyond the classroom and among other teachers and parents, but Murauchi will not stop doing it. Eventually the day comes when Murauchi must leave.
Tales From The Dead is anthology of four stories that looks at the quiet terror lurking inside the human soul, showing us that evil does not end when life departs. These original stories ...
The film's story is a prequel to the Fist of the North Star depicting the one year interval between Kenshiro's defeat at the hands of Shin and their later battle. Unlike the others in the series this film has a completely original storyline in which Kenshiro, near death after his battle with Shin and having used his remaining energy to kill a pack of wolves, was captured by slavers. Due to his strength, Kenshiro could escape whenever he wanted, but chose to stay and protect the other slaves.
At a crucial point in his business life, executive Gondo learns that his son has been kidnapped and that the ransom demanded is near the amount Gondo has raised for a critical business deal. Gondo is prepared to pay the ransom - that is, until he learns that the kidnappers have mistakenly abducted not Gondo's son, but the child of Gondo's chauffeur. Now Gondo must decide whether the other man's child is equally worth saving.
Director Yukihiko Tsutsumi wrings laughs out of an unlikely topic -- domestic violence -- in this dark comedy about noodle-shop waitress Yukie Morita (Miki Nakatani), who puts up with the fiery temper, gambling and cruelty of her shiftless, ex-gangster boyfriend (Hiroshi Abe). But as flashbacks reveal, there's a reason behind Yukie's unconditional love for her man. Yûko Natori and Mayumi Sada also star.
A film adaptation of the Last Nanto General story arc from the manga, depicting the final battle between Kenshiro and Raoh that led to Kenshiro becoming the successor of Hokuto Shinken. Some events from the manga / anime have been excluded from the story (such as Raoh's fight with Juza) whereas others have been altered or expanded. New content featuring the final battle from Raoh's perspective have been added. This film serves as the follow-up to the first film in the series, which introduced Raoh and Reina's relationship, this time bringing it to a conclusion.
A series of murders of beautiful girls occur in Tokyo not long after the end of the war. Also the daughter of a retired actress, Yuzuki Yoko, has gone missing. In the meantime, a religious cult that claims to shut away misfortunes in a box has been gaining popularity, displaying an eerie aspect. Yoko's daughter is alleged to have been run over by a train, and taken into a research institute situated in a gigantic box-shaped building. A private detective Enokizu (Abe Hiroshi), a writer Sekiguchi (Shiina Kippei), a journalist Atsuko and a police detective Kiba each pursues their own case, and Chuzenji (Tsutsumi Shinichi), an owner of a secondhand bookshop, "Kyogoku Do" suspects that all cases are linked to the box-shaped research institute.
Original story by Yasushi AKIMOTO, writer of the mega hit movie One Missed Call (Chakushin Ari) series. As the project was in development with an idea of an "infectious song (Densen-Uta)", one of the staff called out..."There was a real Densen-Uta!" He discovers on the internet of a song back in 1933, Hungary, which caused mysterious deaths of many people. In "Densen-Uta", high school girls get mixed up in the Japanese version of this infectious song, and with the help of third rate gossip magazine reporter, tries to solve the mystery and horror behind the song. They come to know just how real, an urban legend can become.
Orichalcum is a mystical metal material that gives great powers to the life form that possesses it. Many Eons ago, the Orichalcum was split into three and landed on Earth. The metal then took the form of three relics: Skanda’s Vajra, Jew’s Cross, and the Sword of Alexander. Anyone able to re-unite these three Orichalcum relics would then obtain the powers of a God. Now two rival aliens are in a heated race to reunite the Orichalcum. They land in Edo era Tokyo where the relics are thought to exist.
This OVA features a somewhat original storyline because it presents the story from Yuria's perspective, spanning from her childhood, including the day she first met Kenshiro, to the conclusion of the previous film, as well as certain scenes from the manga and anime in which Yuria was not present. This story is the most expansive of the series, even covering never before seen events from Yuria's childhood, revealing both her mother and father, as well as her brother Ryuuga during his childhood. It also adds some details that were not in the manga, such as the time and place when Yuria developed her illness, her meeting with Rei (making his only appearance in the series), and her transition to the role of the Nanto General. One of the more notable additions is Yuria's dog Tobi, who serves an important role in the relationship between her and Ken. However, the OVA ends at the death of Souther and does not follow Yuria to the time of her death.
It's 2007 and the Japanese Ministry of Finance have calculated that the economy will collapse in two years' time. They intend to prevent this by sending home appliance designer Mariko back in time 17 years using a time machine she accidentally invented. However, things don't go as planned and Mariko's daughter, Mayumi, is also sent back to find her mother and save Japan's economy.
A writer moves to a remote island with his daughter and young son. After settling into their new home, a neighbor arrives to welcome them and give them a breakdown of the local rules; most important: do not go outside when the island's siren starts wailing.
Ueda employes Yamada to go a mysterious island in search of a girl (played by Maki Horikita) that disappeared 10 years ago. They discover the island is run by Kobako Sachiko, who can appear and disappear via boxes, among other strange powers.
Baruto no Gakuen is a Japanese film released in 2006 and based on the true story of the Bandō prisoner-of-war camp in World War I. It depicts the friendship of the German POWs with the director of the camp and local residents at the stage of Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture in Japan.
A film adaptation of the Holy Emperor story arc, which primarily depicted the conflict between Kenshiro and Souther. New characters Reina, one of Raoh's army officers who falls in love with him, and her brother Soga, Raoh's advisor, play an important part with much of the plot involving Raoh's relationship with Reina as he conquers the land; most of this portion is new content exclusive to this film. The other side of the story is the retelling of Ken's attempt to save and protect the villagers from Souther's army with the help of Shū. There is also a small subplot of Bart returning to his home.
Kekkon Dekinai Otoko, known in English as The Man Who Can't Get Married, is a 2006 Japanese drama broadcast by Fuji TV. The theme song is "Swimmy" by Every Little Thing. The drama was produced by Kansai Telecasting Corporation and Media Mix Japan.
Ueda joins other professors to debunk a spirtualist, Midorikawa Shouko, who claims she knows when people will die. The professors die one by one. Introduction of Yabe's Otaku assistant, Akiba.
Kyogokudo is a used book seller who doubles as an onmyouji, or Heian style occultist. His friend Sekiguchi brings him the story of a woman who has been pregnant for twenty months. Sekiguchi investigates further with the help of his friend Enokizu, a detective with the unusual ability to see people's memories. They are hired by the impossibly pregnant woman's sister to find the woman's missing husband and lay this whole matter to rest. In the end, they need the help of Kyogokudo to exorcise the family curse.
The Man Behind the Scissors centers around two serial killers: mastermind Yasunaga and helper Chinatsu. The two risk being found out when the police question them as witnesses to a gruesome murder they themselves may have committed. A quirky and perplexing police thriller centered around two murderers who thrive on slicing up schoolgirls. Calculated serial psycho Yasunaga (Tokokawa) and Chinatsu (Aso), his sweet female sidekick, find themselves being questioned as witnesses to a murder when their next potential victim turns up dead...with their M.O.
Yoshitsune is a Japanese television drama series originally broadcast between 9 January and 11 December 2005, with a three-part special compilation being aired from 24 December to 25 December 2005. The 44th Taiga Drama, the original work is by Miyao Tomiko, screenplay by Kaneko Narito and starring Hideaki Takizawa.
Dragon Zakura is a Japanese live action television series based on the manga of the same name.
Satomi is a research student who travels to northern Japan seeking reported olden Christian relics. On the island of Hokkaido and in a village, odd deeds are occurring. As such, she bands together with another researcher and locals to uncover the truth and understand the infernal happenings of which there are many.
A man continually trying and failing to get his wife to stay dead; a self-absorbed ad agency creative director who comes up with one unworkably inane idea after another; a British hitman who only wants to know everyone's function in life; and an unfortunate office worker and father whose brain is left scrambled after a stage hypnotist is murdered in mid-performance.
Two teenage best pals attracted to the same boy end up scrambling his life after he walks into a door and is knocked unconscious.
A Proud "man of the house", Yamamura Kazuyuki is the bread winner in a society where men bring home the money. He is a tv commercial director and makes good money to support his wife and son. After recently buying a house, he finds his new neighbor is a stay at home dad. Finding it hard to respect a man who isn't the money maker, he finds the tables are turned as he himself is out of work and running the household, while his wife returns to the workforce. It isn't quite as easy as he keeps telling everyone, but that's okay since he is looking for a new job and should have one soon.It is a look at how society is changing with often times, hilarious results. Struggling to keep his head above water, he finds himself being tutored by his neighbor (even if he doesn't want to be), and at the same time building a friendship.Through trials and tribulations, he learns to respect his new role, while giving credit to the women (and men) who are the ones staying home and keeping home-life afloat.
8-year old boy, Shimpei, who loves fishing and painting, lives with his beautiful mother, surrounded by nature. His mother, Satsuki, has a weak constitution and lost her husband years ago. She takes care of her son lovingly but sometimes strictly, on her own. Shimpei's childhood sweetheart, Sayuri, is deaf, but somehow they can understand each other and they always spend time together.
Yumi, a 23-year-old office worker, is fired from her job out of the blue. A few days later, coming from a friend's wedding and having no time to change out of her kimono, she is rushing to an interview for a job at a publishing company. Yumi stumbles into the room, looking for somewhere to change out of her kimono, and finds popular comic book writer Reijiro Sakurai is having an editorial meeting with some staff. He is planning to lock himself away at a hot spring for the next three months to concentrate on his next project. Sakurai comments that if Yumi were to join him he wouldn't mind being away for so long..., and so their adventure begins.
Tokura Takashi (Oda Yuji) is a talented and somewhat arrogant surgeon who is recruited to work for a private hospital run by the secretive Izumida family. Through an odd series of events, he finds himself in the company of Misuzawa Yukiko, a detective, who has some issues of her own. As the story unfolds, Tokura finds himself embroiled in Izumida family and police matters. What do he, the Izumidas, and Misuzawa all have in common...? -Jdorama.com
Seri, an unknown yet talented female chef from the country, arrives in Tokyo to work at French restaurant, Etoire, but discovers that they have gone out of business due to the departure of their main chef. Together with the restaurant's former manager, she opens a French restaurant of her own and begins to recreate the flavors her late father mastered as a famous gourmet chef. Unfortunately, Etoire returns with an unscrupulous manager, and to make matters worse, Seri learns that it happens to be owned by her birth mother living in Paris who she hasn't seen since she was a child. Seri wonders if her passion and skill will be enough to succeed. --TBS
Disaster befalls a village's inhabitants every 300 years. A popular self-styled magician named Naoko (Yukie Nakama) is summoned as a deity to rid the people of their anxiety. But there are many would-be deities there, each posing as a god. When a series of bizarre incidents occur, Naoko is cornered with a genius physicist (Hiroshi Abe) and Detective Yabe (Katsuhisa Namase). Do deities actually exist, or are they charlatans?
This story is about four men who work in a confectionary. Tachibana Keiichiro (Shiina Kippei) is the owner; Ono Yusuke (Fujiki Naohito) is the superb baker that has a mysterious and mesmerizing aura; Kobayakawa Chikage (Abe Hiroshi) is the waiter and close bodyguard of Tachibana; and last but not least is Kanda Eiji (Takizawa Hideaki), the ex-boxer who loves cake so much that he becomes a waiter at 'Antique'. This is a refreshing, yet heartfelt comedy about the 4 very unique personalities that work until the wee hours of the night at the small confectionary. The series follows the romance, family life, and most importantly friendship that these 4 men from different generations experience. This is a confectionary with a "flavor" not like most. Located in the middle of an ordinary residential area, "Antique" stays open until 2 a.m. Every single thing in the shop is antique, in fact even the sherry glasses that water comes in look like they would cost 50,000 yen. On top of this, all the sweets that are sold are unbelievably delicious. The thing that is most peculiar about "Antique" though is that all 4 of the men that work here are very handsome, and each has an interesting past. Those that frequent the store also have a story to tell. Edited Excerpt from JDorama.com
When Aoi is gang-raped by her classmates and kicked out of her home by her own parents she sees no reason to continue living. Before she commits suicide, however, she receives an email on her cellphone from a man named Toshi addressed to a girl named Ai. The message simply thanks the girl for being alive, but this specific message has an effect on Aoi and she decides to keep on living. Without many options, Aoi resorts to everything from paid dating to porn to earn money and meets a lot of less than reputable characters. Throughout it all though she looks toward Toshi as her hope for happiness and the two form a relationship.
After not having seen him for several years, a woman working as a clerk at a stylish boutique finds herself drawn to her old lover from college after seeing him again at a class reunion. While he is also attracted to her, there are the small matters of his wife and her boyfriend to be considered. Will they remain faithful to their partners, or fall back into each other's arms?
Ryunosuke, who directs commercials, receives a phone call. On the other end of the phone is a friend from his college days inviting Ryunosuke to come out to the beach. Ryunosuke first turns down the offer because of his workload, but when he learns that some girls are coming, he says yes. Several months later, he hears from Chiyo – a girl he had met at the beach that day – that she is pregnant with his child. Although the news bewilders Ryunosuke at first, he ultimately decides to raise the baby. However, he will later have to face the strong objections from Chiyo’s father, the ever-changing situation at work, and many other obstacles. With help from friends and family, Ryunosuke and Chiyo take a step forward on their way to marriage and the birth of their baby.
A mother is accused of murdering her daughter but when she tells her tale, things don't seem to make sense. Her husband says they have no daughter, there's a psychic that can trace phone calls, a blonde who sings the US anthem, a house with no bathroom, some Lynchian dream sequences, aliens, breeding experiments, very quirky FBI agents, and some other random events.
This film is the memoirs of Takasugi Shinsaku about the life of his great teacher Yoshida Shoin. Yoshida Shōin (吉田 松陰, 1830-1859) was one of the most distinguished intellectuals in the closing days of the Tokugawa shogunate. He devoted to developing many Ishin Shishi who made an outstanding contribution to the Meiji Restoration. At least two of his students, Takasugi Shinsaku and Itō Hirobumi later became famous, and virtually all of the survivors of the Sonjuku group became officers in the Meiji Restoration. Takasugi led rifle companies against the shogun's army when it failed to conquer Chōshū in 1864, rapidly leading to the fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Ito Hirobumi became Japan's first prime minister. His admirer, Maebara Issei, was later killed rebelling against the Meiji regime. He is now enshrined in Setagayaku-（世田谷区）Tokyo, Japan.
When a private eye, a jilted bride and a mysterious stranger join forces to track down an elusive mobster, there's more than trouble in the air.
After her brother is accused of murdering four people, his sister, desperate to prove his innocence, goes to a psychic for help. The price they ask, however, is far more than she expected, and the answers they give her are nothing she could ever have imagined. And what is the FBI doing investgating a murder in Japan?
Trick comprises a comedic Japanese television drama and movie series, as well as associated comic books, novelizations and meta-fiction novels about a failed magician and an arrogant physicist who debunks fraudulent spiritualists. It stars Hiroshi Abe and Yukie Nakama and is shown on TV Asahi. It was created by Japanese director Yukihiko Tsutsumi.
Yoko always seems to say and do the right thing and has forever been the center of attention. Her younger sister, Tsukiko, having been compared to her sister since birth cannot help but feel inferior. Yoko has benefited from this situation for so long that she expects it to last forever. However, when Tsukiko's career takes a turn for the better and she gets engaged, Yoko feels that she must somehow sabotage her sister's success since her own career and marriage are not faring well. Tsukiko decides to defend herself, and the resultant feud threatens to ensnare their family and loved ones.
An independent group of researchers called the Godzilla Prediction Network (GPN) actively track Godzilla as he makes landfall in Nemuro. Matters are further complicated when a giant meteor is discovered in the Ibaragi Prefecture. The mysterious rock begins to levitate as it's true intentions for the world and Godzilla are revealed.
Tamura Masakazu returns as Nemuri Kyoshiro for the fourth and final time. Gensai, an eccentric Ukiyoe artist, urgently requests Kyoshiro to kill his wife. He believes that the moment she is killed will represent the ultimate state of beauty, and wishes to see Kyoshiro's signature “Engetsu Sappo” (“Full Moon Cut”) killing technique for the purpose. But this unusual request comes not only from Gensai, but also his wife, Orin, who has a tie to Kyoshiro's past. Meanwhile, Tenzen wants to hire Kyoshiro as their master sword instructor for the Kurume Clan, whose lord has an unhealthy obsession with Kyoshiro and his Engetsu Sappo…
Drama about a narcoleptic senior-high student, Mayumi, and his relationships with a male teacher who raped him and a female classmate whose boyfriend keeps bullying him.
A retired warrior comes to see his former lord and learns that someone is making indestructible swords from some unknown metal. He is sent together with a swordsman to investigate the source. Along the way they meet a young girl working as a beekeeper. She is later witness to the appearance of three strange females from another dimension. They are searching for a lost weapon that has landed on earth and as one of them lay dying she enlists the girl to help them control the strange beast/weapon. Meanwhile the warrior and the swordsman learn that an old nemesis has created the swords from the shell that surrounded the alien weapon. Soon the alien beast/weapon is awakened and battle for control ensues.
Standing in the way of Hojo and Asami is Secretary-General Isaoka, and a new enemy, the Russian Mafia. The magnificent war between front and back society has finally reached its climax! What is the incurable disease that hit Asami when the secret bond between the two was revealed? Two men work to transform their lives and reshape Japan.
Edogawa Rampo is a writer whose latest work is censored by the government, deemed too disturbing and injurious to the public to be allowed to be published. However, after burning his drafts, his publisher shows him a newspaper with an account of events just like his forbidden story. As the film progresses, fantasy and reality intermingle in a tale that draws heavily on influences from Poe and Stoker's Dracula. The film's strongly Expressionistic direction skillfully combines a variety of media (animation, computer-generated imagery, grainy black-and-white fast film stock, color negatives) for artistic effect.
Based on the popular Manga/Animated Film Series, Sanctuary: The Movie is the live action version of Sanctuary telling the story of two boys who survived the Khmer genocide in Cambodia and now try to create their own sanctuary in Japan. Asami is going into politics to become a national leader, seeking to create a new and better Japan, whereas Hojo wants to improve Japan by "infiltrating" and changing the other side of Japanese society, the Yakuza, becoming one of their bosses and most influencial members. Together, they are working their way up, each if them in his very own way, just to fulfill their dream: creating their very own sanctuary in a world that has gone mad.
Two people who lead Japan to "Sanctuary". Hojo aims to unite the Yakuza organization in the Kanto region, and Asami to create a faction "Rifukakai," aiming to destroy Isaoka's system of the ruling Democratic Party. Meanwhile, the connection between Hojo and Asami is revealed.
After killing his brother, Prince Yamato is banished from his father's kingdom until he can bring his dangerous powers under control. On his journey, he meets and joins with the magical priestess Oto, and together they go to fight against an evil god that has been ravaging the Earth in the form of an enormous hydra. Will Yamato ever return home to reclaim his rightful place on the throne?
With an all-star cast led by Matsudaira Ken and Natsuyagi Isao, this exciting tale set in the aftermath of the fall of Osaka Castle tells the story of the last of the Toyotomi heirs in his quest for revenge against the Tokugawa. Hidenari, the son of Hideyori and grandson of Hideyoshi is smuggled to safety after his hideout is discovered. Bringing together many of the most renowned historical figures from that era, including Hattori Hanzo, Yagyu Jubei, and Miyamoto Musashi, the gathering forces of each faction strive to succeed in battle. Spectacular action sequences abound as some of the most powerful forces in Japan prepare to meet on the field of battle! Original story by Shibata Renzaburo.
The detective with the highest arrest rate. In fact, he was a vicious detective who communicated with the gangsters!
This 'Young V-Cinema' film was created for young people, turning from the action of Toei V-cinema. A pop love story featuring a veteran actor and a unique female talent / model.
Yawara Inokuma is a girl who aspires to an ordinary life but due to her innate talent is forced to practice judo by her authoritarian grandfather, Jigorou Inokuma, with the aim of achieving the championship in Japan and the gold medal in the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games. Because of the pressure from her grandfather she has a generally bad attitude about judo, avoiding it as much as she can. However, over time she comes to understand why her grandfather loves judo and appreciates it more.
Hell Virgin is granted permission to live on earth for 7 days, if she promises not to cause armageddon whilst she's there. She accepts and tries to enjoy her remaining time... but Hell Concubine has other plans.
Benio, a peppy tomboy, is surprised to learn that she has been secretly betrothed by her grandfather to a young officer named Shinobu Ijuin. Because of his family’s noble status, Benio must first undergo rigorous training to learn how to be a proper bride and wife before she can marry. However, because of her vivacious personality, this proves to me more challenging than anyone imagined.
There is a story of a grand love torn apart by the Russo-Japanese War. It is an incomparable love story, crossing the borders of Russia and Japan and surmounting fifty years time. The true story of one woman who continued to wait because she loved, and one woman who said farewell because she loved. And a man who, bolstered by the love of these two women, struggled through the most extreme of circumstances and survived.
9 years after the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, two murder cases take place in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. The two victims are assumed to have been murdered by the same person. Both of the victims were tied all over their body and starved to death. Yasuhisa Tone (Takeru Satoh) emerges as a suspect in the murders. Yasuhisa Tone was just recently released from prison. In his past, he committed arson and injured someone to protect his acquaintance. Detective Seiichiro Tomashino (Hiroshi Abe) discovers a common link between the two victims and chases after Yasuhisa Tone.
Yasuo (Hiroshi Abe) grew up as an orphan. He married a woman he loved and they had a son Akira (later played by Takumi Kitamura). Yasuo's life seemed great at the time, but his life totally changed after his wife died in accident. Since that time, Yasuo, who never experienced parents' love himself, has to raise his son Akira alone.
