Naoto Takenaka
The most notorious househusband in history appears!! The sinister yakuza who left behind many legends in the underworld, "The Immortal Dragon". He washed his hands of the yakuza lifestyle, and the new path he chose… was "househusband"! In the never-before-seen narrative, "Tacchan" charmed living rooms everywhere. And now the "ultimate spokesman for housewives (and househusbands) everywhere,"the Yakuza Househusband, returns!
Asuka had once realized her goal to become a teacher, but after a gutting failure, she gives up her dream profession and becomes extremely withdrawn. After a series of events, she finds herself becoming a live-in housemother for a dorm… where the boy-band septet 8LOOM live together! At the dorm, she is reunited with her former student Dan—as a teacher, Asuka used to encourage him to go for his dreams. Inspired by Dan's leadership in the band and his passion for making his dream come true, Asuka, too, regains the passion she had in her teaching days and comes to terms with her own failure.
Ikeda Yoshimi, a 28-year-old editor of a literary magazine who loves otome games and loves good-looking guys, will be in charge of a gourmet magazine even though she is not good at eating with ultra-small meals. However, she notices that when she eats with good-looking men, her appetite increases, and she pursues "good-looking rice" to improve her small meals.
Mano Hideko is a former judge who left Tokyo after getting tired of judging people. She traveled 120km south to an island called Oshima. There, she met Komiyama Nagisa, a young girl who was born and raised on the island. For some reason, Hideko decided to help Nagisa at her izakaya "Kazemachiya", which was passed down from her grandfather. Hideko then begins her "second life" as she meets many customers who have various troubles in their lives.
Newlyweds Nana (Tomoyo Harada) and Shota (Kei Tanaka) move into an apartment. Two situations, different from the drama series, take place: "What if Shota attends the resident's meeting and not Nana?" and "What if exchange murder game doesn't begin?"
"ZOKKI" is a unique film directed by Naoto Takenaka, Takayuki Yamada, and Takumi Saitoh. It is a live-action adaptation of a short story collection by manga artist, Hiroyuki Ohashi. The people of Gamagori City, Aichi, where the film will be shot, were particularly happy in 2020 when the production started. For the past eight years, volunteers from Gamagori, including printers, bakers, and pubs, have been working to bring the film to the city, and now the city of Gamagori has decided to get involved and fully support the film "ZOKKI"! A number of happenings occur in the once peaceful place of Gamagori. The film was shot by a gorgeous cast and staff. And a group of amateurs struggle to somehow make the film more exciting. "URAZOKKI" is a story about the "behind-the-scene" of a group of people who come together to make a film. That's what the film was supposed to be like....
Drama set in the historical Warring States Era of Japan. Tokaido name Imagawa Yoshimoto personally led his army to invade Owari Province territory, now in Aichi Prefecture Nagoya City area, was the leader Nobunaga of this surprising burst of death. After the war, the Imagawa clan who originally dominated the Tokaido region fell away, and the victorious Oda Nobunaga quickly expanded his power in Central Japan and the Kinki region, laying the foundation for his future control of the central government of Japan.
After being dumped by his fiancé, heartbroken Hong Kong police officer Fallon Zhu gains 200+ pounds. His superiors demote him to the job of escorting convicts to Japan. When a convict in his custody mysteriously dies, he must team up with citizen Thor to solve the mystery.
A short show based on a popular children's book that introduces the surprising characteristics of animals that are somewhat funny and cute.
Three outsider high school students who haven’t touched an instrument in their lives decide to form a band to express their teenage angst and impress girls.
Ayano, a middle-aged female director met Aoi, young attractive actor at the audition for her new film. Ayano soon felt something different in Aoi and the audition goes far beyond the moral.
When feudal lord Itakura Katsuakira decides to prepare his samurai troops for the onslaught of modernization by having them compete in a marathon, his independent-minded daughter Yuki secretly joins the race.
Based off of the most popular novel of the Edo era, Yaji x Kita follows the titular characters in several comedic situations involving the women the two stumble upon on their journey to "find themselves".
Boyatetsu travels to the year 2020 in Tokyo from the year 1945. Tokyo is now plagued by a decreasing population and an increase in unemployment.
Benjamin visits Tokyo to see Miko. At her place, he finds a photo that caught his attention. It was taken at the winery 40 years ago. There are Benjamin, his deceased wife, and Miko's parents in it. Miko starts to tell a story behind it.
Saki, Anju, Chiaki, Ami, and Kaya reunite for the first time in years. The five of them excitedly decide to go Toshimaen Amusement Park, a place that was very important to them when they were younger. None of them know that they're about to enter a nightmare…
Ayane Sukehira (Kang Ji-Young) is an overweight woman who loves chocolate. Because of her love for chocolate, she has moved to Italy which is famous for its chocolates. There, Ayane Sukehira gets involved in an accident and she passes out. When Ayane Sukehira wakes up, she finds that her appearance has totally changed. She is now a beautiful woman. Ayane Sukehira travels back to Japan and she begins work as an esthetician. She still is not interested in dating and she buries herself in eating chocolate and playing games. One day, popular idol Takumi Minato invites her for dinner
Nana and Shota are a newlywed couple and Nana is 15 years older than Shota. Nana works as a designer and Shota works as a gym trainer. They both enjoy mystery. The newlywed couple then move to an apartment and they attend a resident’s meeting there. Nana and Shota become involved in murder cases that take place at the apartment. Residents get murdered one by one. Some residents have a motive, but those suspects have an alibi. Because of this, an arrest has yet to be made.
Set at a movie theater in a small village around 100 years ago. Silent films are play at the movie theater. A young man aspires to become a benshi, a performer that provides live narration to silent films.
People from Saitama Prefecture are persecuted and, because of this, they hide the fact that they are from there. In Tokyo, Momomi Hakuhodo (Fumi Nikaido) is a male high school student and the son of the Tokyo governor. Physically, Momomi Hakuhodo looks like a girl. One day, he meets mysterious male transfer student Rei Asami (Gackt). They are attracted to each other, but Rei Asami is from Saitama Prefecture. --asianwiki
Yuri leaves Ryo with mysterious words. Ryo goes to Hokkaido knowing that his doppelganger magician is missing. Ryo realizes Yuri was also the magician’s lover and he learns magic. The story that crosses over two identities, illusion and magic.
Yoichi plays basketball at his junior high and is capable. He is granted a scholarship and attends a high school with a superlative basket team. Instead of welcoming the boy the students there decide to bully and harass the new player leading Yoichi to a new high school and basketball team. Expectedly, the basketball team is not the best. The team will have to soon play against the team from the school Yoichi was in before.
A family restaurant faces hard times due to customers running out on their bills. In his past, Shogo Kawatani was a premiere athlete. Now, Shogo Kawatani works for the family restaurant. His job is to catch customers who run out on their bills.
A fourth-grader investigates the mysterious reason behind the sudden appearance of penguins in his village, which is somehow related to a power from a young woman working at a dental clinic.
A high-school teacher is arrested for having sexual relations with a minor. Young Hiromi finds herself in the eye of the storm when she is suspected of featuring in her teacher’s leaked sex video and her innocence is questioned by everyone around her.
A human drama about a former detective pastor and people with conflicts. Shotaro (Kenichi Hagiwara), who quit his job as a detective after losing his wife and became a pastor, is confronted by Murata (Jun Murakami), an ex-murderer who served his time for interrogation as a detective. Shotaro is asked by Murata to accompany him on a trip to see Murata's mother who lives in the countryside.
Recent retiree Takeshi rediscovers his passion for food and life by getting in touch with his inner warrior and eating what he truly desires.
Documentary about the crazy cinephile Atsushi Tsuboi, vice president of the Nagoya art theatre "cinemaskhole".
Kitazawa Haku had watched a movie and dreamed he was in a parallel universe. Meanwhile, Ryū, the older brother of Haku's friend Takeru, is facing down boys' bar owner Rokujō. Then Ryū becomes fascinated with Kikiyō standing behind Rokujō. On the day of the yearly festival, Haku suddenly disappears. Takeru disappears while in search of Haku. Ryū disappears while following Kikiyō. And then Rokujō also disappears.
Sara Aoyama (Kang Ji-Young) was an orphan and is now a single mother. She has suffered through poverty, lack of understanding from society and other problems that led to her being separated from her daughter. She believes that if she has money, her life will change. One day, Sara Aoyama sees a woman killing herself by jumping in front of a train. The woman who jumped looks just like her doppleganger. Sara Aoyama is stunned, but takes the woman's bag. Since then, her life takes an unpredictable turn.
The Straw Hat Pirates are taking on Gild Tesoro, one of the richest men in the world.
Takada Yu is an employee of a development firm. His father has favored his high-achieving older brother and been indifferent to Yu since young. So Yu craves for his father’s love and wants his recognition somehow. Then one day, Yu encounters a woman. Although it was the worst possible meeting, he gradually starts to have romantic feelings for her through work and an unexpected development. But ironically enough, she turns out to be the girlfriend of his older brother. Yu begins to realize what he truly treasures and matures as a person as he struggles with this complicated romance and with his older brother and father.
After the sudden death of her adoptive father Shimada Mataemon, Nui, whose own father met an untimely death when he was about to expose the corruption of the shogunate becomes determined to expose the collusion between Kannouji, and the unforgivable relationships between the ladies in waiting of the inner palace and the monks. Nui is undertaking this undercover investigation without regard for the danger she is putting herself in, for the sake of Shinnosuke whom she secretly loves
Senichi was born in 1964, when the entire nation was excited about the Tokyo Olympics. As an elementary student, Senichi won a footrace and got a taste of what winning felt like. Since then, Senichi takes part in various competitions including drawing and usually wins. He keeps struggling to win gold medals at competitions.
A single father and judicial clerk named Tsutomu's violent past in organized crime threatens to catch up to him when his daughter is taken hostage.
Two historical incidents that deepened the friendship between Japan and Turkey are connected in this Japanese-Turkish blockbuster: The sinking of the Turkish frigate Ertuğrul off the Japanese coast in 1890, and the evacuation of Japanese nationals from Iran in 1985. By making this film about friendship and compassion, the initiators intended to contribute to world peace. Director Mitsutoshi Tanaka's masterpiece was nominated for the Japan Academy Film Prize in ten categories, including Best Film and Best Director, and won the awards for Best Sound Recording and Best Art Direction.
Set in 1995. A helicopter, operated remotely, is hovering in the sky over a nuclear power plant. The power company, prefectural government and media all receive a fax. The fax contains a threat that if the nuclear power plant is not taken offline the helicopter will be dropped. 8 hours is given as the deadline. Making the situation even more dire, a young child is in the helicopter.
For this 16th Anniversary Special, Inagaki Goro is our host once again for 6 spooky tales based on tales from real people and performed here by an all-star cast. A young man who returns to his family's home after leaving Tokyo finds something else may have followed after him; a young girl dreams of darkness and a small shrine that draws ever closer; a woman with a failed business makes a go at it with a company with a bizarre dormitory, one with a past secret; a police officer receives a call from what appears to be a dead woman who wants his help; a woman taking documents to a food company finds time slipping away without her noticing; a single man who runs a restaurant sees an unusual family living down the hallway from him...
Seiji (Masanobu Ando) is a third generation "Gosei kai" gang member. He works to build up the group's strength. Meanwhile, a journalist (Tasuku Emoto) investigates a case that occurred 19 years ago. He meets Hayato (Masahiro Higashide), Daisuke (Kenta Kiritani) and Asami (Anna Tsuchiya).
Emiri Yoshii begins work at a general trading company. Due to her family's failure in business, she had to give up her dream of earning a MBA in America. Now, she hopes to become an executive of a company. Emiri is sent to the general affairs department at the trading company. She freaks out when she learns that lower level employees have to wear uniforms and she has to deal with everything from changing light bulbs to ordering business cards. Nonetheless, she works hard to pay off her family's debt. Emiri then finds herself in the crosshair of coworkers. Senior female employees are perturbed that she doesn't drink coffee with them and skips their gatherings. Meanwhile, the male employees like working with her, but only when they need an attractive women for matters like entertaining clients. The male employees do not give her serious work. Emiri, who appears popular among the male employees, soon becomes an outcast among the senior female employees. She becomes fed up with her situation and takes action.
Kenta Kurata (Masaki Aiba) lives with his father, Taichi (Akira Terao), his mother, Keiko (Kaho Minami), and his younger sister, Nana (Kasumi Arimura) in an isolated home in the suburbs. He works as an unpopular commercial designer. Kenta Kurata possesses a timid personality, which he picked up from his father. Kenta doesn't like his father. One day, while waiting for the train, Kenta warns a man who pushed a woman and cut in line. Kenta is surprised that he spoke out with his normally timid personality. After that incident, Kenta's family home is targeted by an unknown person with flowers from their garden being pulled out and the seat of a bicycle being torn. Also, Kenta's younger sister Nana is stalked by her ex-boyfriend. Kenta and his family try to find out who is responsible.
31-year-old Urara Iwasaki (Kyoko Fukada) makes an error during her first trial as an attorney which hurts her client. Urara Iwasaki thinks law isn't right for her and she quits her job. She now has a debt of 4 million yen and earns a living by doing part-time work. Meanwhile, Rinka Ebisawa (Shinobu Terajima) is a competent lawyer, but its revealed she used excessive ways in her cases and is dismissed from her law firm and disbarred. She can't work as a lawyer anymore. By chance, Rinka meets Urara.
Detectives Shintarou Sakurai (Sho Aikawa) and Koichi Hikage (Susumu Terajima) are partners. They are also corrupt and often blackmail criminal groups and seize their money. One day, the Chief of Police becomes aware that 2.5 million yen in seized money is missing. He orders Shintarou and Koichi to bring the money in by tomorrow morning. Shintarou and Koichi are in big trouble. They then read an article about a pension fund embezzlement case involving 6 billion yen. The prime suspect of the pension fund embezzlement case spent most of that money, but he has 2.5 billion yen left.
For as long as she can remember, Haruko has wanted to be a geisha. Eager to start her career, she approaches a teahouse in one of Kyoto’s famous geisha districts to become an apprentice geisha, or maiko—only to be rejected due to her lack of references, country bumpkin dialect and uncultivated demeanor. By chance, her accent catches the interest of Professor Kyono, a linguistics specialist and regular patron at the teahouse. He strikes a deal with the teahouse proprietor, promising to transform Haruko’s strong dialect into ladylike speech within 6 months. But becoming a maiko is no easy feat: have the professor and Haruko underestimated the task ahead? Based loosely on the Audrey Hepburn classic My Fair Lady, Lady Maiko is a musical comedy that provides a window into the world of geisha and the dedication it takes to achieve your dreams.
The story tells of Ge Cheng Yongwu, the brother who became a criminal, and Guiwu, the brother who became a police officer in the police room to search for a lesson of criminal police. The younger brother was arrested because he was found to be identical to the suspect's DNA in the attempted murder.
Young rocker Takuro meets pop star Saki at one of his band's shows. When she asks him to write a song for her, their views on life and music collide.
In the film's story, good-for-nothing rocker Takurō Hibinuma (played by Shuhei Nomura) has no money, bath, or girlfriend. He forms The Rock 'n' Roll Brothers band with his friends. One night as they are performing live, a woman like a typhoon appears. Her name is Saki Utagawa (Fumi Nikaidō). She is a charismatic and popular digital top idol who performs with a unique style. Takurō has as much freedom as anyone but isn't popular, while Saki performs as a top idol but suffers because she can't do the music she wants. They each possess what the other lacks. One day, Saki gives Takurō a request. She says, "Please, write me a song. There's no more time for me." And so, the fates of the "strongest rock idiot in history" and the "savage idol" become one.
After graduating from high school, Sota Koyurugi (Jun Matsumoto) studies bakery at an institute. In high school, he fell in love with beautiful Saeko. Because of Sota's effort, he is able to have a romantic relationship with Saeko right before Christmas. Saeko though tells Sota that she will be unable to meet him on Valentine's Day, but can meet him on the day before Valentine's Day. On that day, Sota gives Saeko chocolate that he made, but she doesn't accept his gift. Saeko tells him that she didn't think they were dating. Sota is heartbroken, but he doesn't give up hope. To make Saeko love him, he travels to France with little money and studies chocolate there. This is because Saeko loves chocolate. 5 years later, Sota becomes a first-class Chocolatier. Now back in Japan, Sota opens his very own store.
A major advertising festival is held each year to determine the best television commercial in the world. A rookie ad man at a big advertising company named Otan is selected as a judge on the festival jury. Meanwhile, a coworker also named Ota (although the Japanese characters are slightly different) poses as his wife so that he can attend an open party which is held nightly. Knowing that he’ll get fired if his company doesn’t win the Grand Prix, he’s forced to resort to a variety of desperate tactics.
The second comic original drama starring Akira Terao! Comedy suspense with a variety of guests. Fukamachi, a detective who got information that Yasuo Domon, an executive of the Kurosaki Association, who was investigating at the request of a certain person, is in the church. While investigating with a voice microphone in his suit, a detective, Goshimada, who was also chasing Domon, appears there.
In Okinawa, a down-and-out middle-aged yakuza underling named Shidara kidnaps and confines a high school girl named Yui, the daughter of a fellow yakuza’s mistress.
A lonely otaku is fired from his job. He is rescued in a ruined building by a strange girl in a sailor suit. When he wakes up, the girl becomes a figure. The young man and the pretty figure begin to live together.
Yuria discovered the pleasure of tying herself up in her university days, and resumes the pursuit in order to relieve work stress. She starts a blog to describe the sensation of rope on her skin, and becomes acquainted with a cross-dressing bondage aficionado. Eventually, she grows bolder in practicing her hobby, and begins to wear bindings under her suit while at work.
Yuko Ichihara is the sexy owner of a strange store which offers to make any wishes come true for a price. Kimihiro Watanuki has a special type of blood that attracts spirits and ghosts. He goes into the shop owned by Yuko Ichihara and asks her to get rid of the spirits. Yuko offers to do so if he works part-time at the store.
The "Himawari So" ("Sunflower House") is a group home for mentally underdeveloped adults. Manga artist Itpon Aijo (Naoto Takenaka) begins to work at the "Himawari So". He moves into the home with his daughter Mako (Shihori Kanjiya), who is mentally underdeveloped. Uyan (Takayuki Takuma) is a resident at the group home. Uyan and Mako begin to develop feelings for each, but Itpon becomes worried about them.
Ken Katakura (Naoto Takenaka) has worked as a salaryman for the past 25 years. He's on his way to Malaysia to stop his daughter's wedding. Unfortunately for Ken, the plane makes an emergency landing in a remote part of Malaysia, far from the capital city of Kuala Lumpur where he needs to go. With only 2 days left until his daughter marries, Ken looks for a way to get to Kuala Lumpur. Ken then comes across an odd Chinese truck driver named "Mary" and, with his help, sets out for Kuala Lumpur.
When Naoko was a freshman in high school she was kidnapped and imprisoned by a man who lived next door. For one month, she went through hell. Finally, she killed the man and escaped. Now as an adult, Naoko is a doctor specializing in infertility treatment, but she also has another side. Naoko is a popular master in a S&M club.
Jotaro Fukamachi (Akira Terao) is a poor middle-aged detective who separated with wife and children. He rent the office in second floor of the building owned by beautiful dentist Reiko Sugimoto (Eriko Sato).
Kotoji Akame (Naoto Takenaka) is a shabby, middle aged low-ranking samurai of small stature. One day, in a drinking contest, he misses sending his lord off as he leaves Edo for Kuju. Released from service for this blunder, Akame becomes a wandering samurai. He goes on to steal lances from many feudal lords' processions. For Furuta, suffering defeat is out of question. To protect his domain and family, he takes it on himself to meet Murase and proposes an alliance between the Wako, Fuki and Ushizu domains. With the fate of the feudal families in their hands, Furuta and Murase pursue Akame. Each with something to protect, the men fight desperately over the lances.
Marking the 75th anniversary of his birth, Shotaro Ishinomori's classic spy heroine manga "009-1" has been adapted into a live-action motion picture for the first time ever.
Laid-back baby boomer Yuichi (Ryo Iwamatsu) is a middle-aged manga artist and singer-songwriter when he isn't at his salaryman day job or watching out for his elderly mother. Suffering from increasing dementia since her husband's death, Mitsue (Harue Akagi) is a constant source of comic energy or annoyance for Yuichi, and he and his son must soon decide if they should put her in a home for the elderly. Jumping back in time, we see how Mitsue (played by Kiwako Harada) tracked the tumult of the latter half of the 20th century, being raised as one of 10 brothers and sisters, surviving the war, and having to push her alcoholic husband (Ryo Kase) along in life. "Pecoross" is directed by the oldest active film director in Japan, Azuma Morisaki, who creates an emotionally complex work that is only the more profound and life-affirming for its cartoonish portrayal.
Tenshin Okakura left the great achievement to the Japanese modern art. This is a story of Tenshin's life and conflict and teacher-student love between Tenshin, who rediscovered art of Japan and tried to produce new beauty in Meiji period, and his young pupils, Taikan Yokoyama, Shunsou Hishida, Kanzan Shimomura, Buzan Kimura.
Kageyama (Sho Sakurai) works as the butler for rich heiress Reiko Hosho (Keiko Kitagawa). Reiko happens to be a novice detective but lacks certain deductive skills needed by detectives. Because of this Reiko relies on Kageyamaa to help her solve cases. Meanwhile, Kageyama isn't afraid to mince words and often calls out Reiko with his sharp tongue!
Yamamura Shuji (Tamaki Hiroshi) runs staffing "Family Romance Company" - a company that rents out people to act like their client's family members for occasions like weddings, funerals & meeting with teachers. One day, a customer, who wants to be loved by a family, comes to the "Family Romance Company." The customer's name is Tosaki Ryunosuke (Takenaka Naoto), who only has only one month left to live. Yamamura Shuji takes on the request of Tosaki Ryunosuke, but something which Yamamura Shuji does not expect occurs in the process.
In Kyokutei Bakin's classic Japanese epic novel Nansou Satomi Hakkenden, eight samurai serve the Satomi clan during Japan's tumultuous Sengoku (Warring States) era. The Edo-era samurai are the reincarnations of the spirits that Princess Fuse mothered with a dog named Yatsufusa. In Fuse Gansaku: Satomi Hakkenden, the female hunter Hamaji comes to her brother in order to hunt Fuse. Thus, the karmic cycle of retribution that began long ago with the Satomi family begins anew. Fuse were hybrid creatures of humans and dogs in the Edo period. As there were rumors saying that they killed humans and ate their souls, the Shogun Government offered high bounty for hunting them. Hamaji was a young female huntress living in the rural part of Mutsu while her brother Dousetsu was living in Edo. The story began as Hamaji went to Edo in order to help his brother to earn some bounty. But in Edo, she met a mysterious young men being chased by others. His name was Shino ...
Set within the devastated city of Eight City, the Eight Rangers protect the city and go against the evil Dark Kuruseido.
Ohno plays the role of Tarui Shotaro, an ordinary guy who dreamed of becoming a hero when he was a child, but now gets by as a part-time worker. The unexpected story unfolds when one day, the daughter of a yakuza boss asks him to plan a make-believe kidnapping. Sato Ryuta plays Shotaro's co-worker who helps him with the kidnapping. Kanjiya Shihori plays Satsuki, the eldest daughter of the Hanazono yakuza clan, while Narimiya Hiroki plays Satsuki's college senpai who joined the Hanazono clan after graduation. Takahashi Katsumi plays the head of a rival organization who has fallen in love with Satsuki. Kitaoji Kinya plays Satsuki's father and the head of the Hanazono clan.
Tsukiko Otonashi is a fashionista who is too beautiful to be a detective. She is also intrigued by urban legends so much so that she believes all crimes are somehow linked to these legends. She even conducts her investigations in such a way as to prove them to be true. Tsukiko also likes to make use of whatever she can. She especially likes to enlist the help of crime lab officer Hitoro Katsuura, who happens to have a crush on her. Many other unique characters will make appearances as she investigates the crimes related to urban legends, using odd and exquisite techniques.
Drawing influence from the street musicians of Miyagi, four high school students form a band and spend their free time practicing for their school's upcoming festival. When the festival is abruptly concealed, they come up with a dimwitted strategy of faking a bomb threat to the school in order to force the principal to change his mind. Their plan seems to work at first, but when a real bomb goes off, the group is forced to take responsibility for the explosion and they are kicked out of school. Three years later, more details of the incident is revealed as the youth look back on the past.
The film stars Seishiro Kato as Rantaro who is sent to a ninja training school by his parents. During the summer, their teacher is invaded by a group of rival ninjas culminating in a race to ring a bell on top of a mountain.
Upon return from Paris, Sasakura Ryu spends some time wandering amiss, but after some time he decides to start anew by becoming a bartender. On a daily basis as a bartender, he helps solve the various problems burdening his customers, including work and love and family troubles, one cocktail at a time. Furthermore, what will happen to the romantic relationship between Ryu, who seeks the best cocktail, and Kurushima Miwa, who ispertinent to his growth as a person. Also in the drama you'll see the fateful showdown between Kuzuhara Ryuichi, referred to as Mr. Perfect, and Master Kase Goro. -- TV Asahi
An evil criminal organisation called Sigma kidnap prominment business leaders to harvest their DNA and only Karate-Robo Zaborgar can save them.
A tale of revenge, honor and disgrace, centering on a poverty-stricken samurai who discovers the fate of his ronin son-in-law, setting in motion a tense showdown of vengeance against the house of a feudal lord.
Freeter, Ie wo Kau is a Japanese television drama series that aired on Fuji Television and on Kyodo Television in 2010. The story revolves around Take Seiji, who quits his job after three months. With no dreams, no savings, and a poor relationship with his family, he becomes a hikikomori. However, after his mother falls ill with depression, he ends up having to take on a part-time job at a construction site. Because of that, he soon decides to work towards rebuilding his life: "Even though I'm just a freeter, I'm going to buy a house for the sake of my family." One of the people he meets at the construction site is Chiba Manami, who graduated from a top-class university and joined a well-known general contracting firm. Manami is the complete opposite of Seiji. But while their personalities clash at first, they gradually come to understand each other. --Tokyograph
The introductory chapter to the movie, Strong World, which depicts the events surrounding Gold Roger's execution.
Nodame and Chiaki mutually decide that it would be for the best if they parted ways for a while so Nodame can practice for an upcoming competition. However, when things don’t go her way, she gets impatient and depressed. While Nodame is away, Chiaki’s former pianist Rui Son returns to take her place. To make matters worse, Rui and Chiaki are set to play the song Nodame dreams of playing with Chiaki herself: Ravel’s “Concerto in G Minor”.
During the Korean War, a vast amount of money disappeared. Now, some 60 years later, the money has reappeared, leading to a frantic chase across the globe.
Rin a young high school student is your everyday awkward girl who gets bullied by her fellow students. On her 16th birthday, Rin gets an unexpected surprise: she finds out that she is, on her father's side, a half-mutant.
Tsuki no Koibito ~Moon Lovers~ is a Japanese television drama starting on Fuji TV on 10 May 2010. The drama is known also under the Japanese short name Getsukoi.
The seventh film of The Perfect Education series tells the tale of a man and a girl who pursue love to the point of madness.
A beautiful mother and her two daughters run a bar in a town. They have a dream of becoming rich, reforming the building, and living as celebrities. With no chance of their dream coming true with just their everyday earnings, they had another face - blinding the elderly with their beauty, putting on insurance coverage and seeking to get rich quick by murdering. However, their scheme begins to collapse from one little mistake.
Yukio is your average high school student who spends his days going to class and avoiding bullies. That is until he meets Ryusuke, a guitar prodigy. Together with Taira, Chiba, and Saku they form the rock band BECK. As their popularity increases so does the danger as Ryusuke's past catches up with him.
Steelhead is a Chinese laborer who comes to Japan hoping for a better life. Unable to find honest work and bullied into the shadows with his fellow Chinese illegal immigrants, he soon finds himself ascending as the boss of a black market mob. After providing a deadly service to a powerful Yakuza crime boss, Steelhead’s rise to mafia power spirals rapidly out of control as he’s given reign over the dangerous and lucrative Shinjuku district.
Sisters Yoshie and Kikue are two Geisha who are abducted by a mysterious organization to be transformed into murderous cyborg assassins.
The final showdown, and the final reveal. who is Friend? How can he be stopped?
Kami no Shizuku is a Japanese multi-awards winner television comedy series, based on the manga series Les Gouttes de Dieu. Produced by Nippon Television and featuring Kamenashi Kazuya, Tanabe Seiichi, Naka Riisa, Nozomi Sasaki, and Yuki Uchida, it was first broadcast on January 13, 2009, running until to March 10, 2009.
20 years after his escape from Impel Down, the legendary pirate Shiki, the Golden Lion, reappears causing massive upheaval to the Marines. During his long seclusion, he was able to come up with a scheme to bring the World Government to his knees. On his way to execute the plan, Shiki crosses paths with the Straw Hat Pirates and becomes so impressed with Nami's knowledge of meteorology that he abducts her to forcedly enlist her into his crew. Luffy and the gang end up on a strange land populated with monstrous beasts as they desperately search for Shiki and Nami.
Following the success of the popular Japanese romantic comedy drama, NODAME CANTABILE: THE MOVIE hits the big screen! Hiroshi Tamaki and Juri Ueno reprise in their roles and continue their love for music and their pursuit for their ambitions. Chiaki (Hiroshi Tamaki) is an aspiring conductor who faces the challenge of leading an orchestra which is made up of substitutes. Nodame (Juri Ueno) gives her support to her beloved as she works hard towards achieving her dream to pass a promotion exam at their music conservatory. Will Chiaki be able to revive a broken down orchestra and launch his musical career? What will become of Nodame and Chiaki's relationship?
High school seniors Mikayo (Riko Narumi), Chuko (Mirei Kiritani), Kei (Saaya) are forced to join a historical research club to fulfill a graduation requirement. Their teacher, Mr. Kachi, plans a mandatory club trip to a small village called Oshakabe in Yamagata prefecture to study remnants of an ancient clan of warriors called the ochimusha who displayed legendary cowardice in battle. When they arrive, the local villagers hold a special ceremony and construct a "super shrine". As a result, an 800-year seal is broken, unleashing a curse that causes the ochimusha to rise from the grave.
“Shaking Tokyo” is about an agoraphobic man, called hikikomori in Japanese. He sustains himself on pizza, living off of money left to him by his father. One day, he does the unthinkable: he makes eye contact with a pretty delivery girl — the first eyes he’s set upon in 10 years. At this moment, the earthquake occurs.
Youngsters called Kildren, who are destined to live eternally in their adolescence. The Kildren are conscious that every day could be the last, because they fight a war as entertainment, organized and operated by adults. But as they embrace the reality they are faced with, they live their day-to-day lives to the full.
Kohei Miyazaki (Naoto Takenaka), a former railroad worker, has become obsessed with discovering the ancient country of Yamataikoku. His obsession sprouted from a day when he discovered ancient ceramics while repairing railroad tracks. Now completely blind, Kohei relies on his wife (Sayuri Yoshinaga) to guide him through the country and read the maps in their pursuit of Yamataikoku.
Cyborg She follows the burgeoning romance between an ordinary college student and his sassy love interest - who happens to be a time-traveling cyborg with superhuman powers. One day, a beautiful cyborg girl appears in front of a dull university student. Even though the cyborg starts to like him, she can’t truly feel emotions, so the boy has no choice but to say goodbye. Missing her, he continues his lonely existence. One day, a disastrous earthquake hits Tokyo and the cyborg girl saves his life. In that moment, she starts to have feelings like a real human being.
Pursued by formidable Chinese assassins, young Kotaro and his dog run into No Name, a mysterious stranger who gets pulled into the chase. The unlikely companions form a bond over saving the dog from a poison attack, but chaos erupts when the assassins find Kotaro, and No Name must face his past before a horrible fate is met again.
Famous movie actress Nami is being interviewed by a magazine reporter about her new film in which the plot resembles her real life. Her actor husband Yosuke has an affair with a young actress Junko whereas in the movie, Nami acts as an actress whose husband has an extramarital relationship with a young girl, with Yosuke as the husband and Junko as the new girl friend. In the course of the interview, Nami falls into deep thoughts and flashbacks about her lascivious encounters with strangers in a night train, in the movie as in the reality. Despite whether her intention is to revenge her husband or to satisfy her own desires, Nami demonstrates bewitching charm in a series of intercourse with different men, positions and locations. Director Takashi Ishii attempts to explore female sexual psychology through perfect blends of aesthetic nudity and violence.
Based on a true story, Shyon (Lee Taesung) travels from Korea to broaden his horizons, studying in Japan he meets Yuri (High and Mighty Color's lead singer, Maakii). Both share similar interests in music and sports as they become closer while dealing with language and racial barriers.
A young man fights for his freedom after he is accused of groping a girl on train.
A successful Japanese make-up artist collides with a tough-talking Shanghai taxi driver in this romantic dramedy that twists traditional roles by making the beauty expert a male and the cab driver a feisty female. Although he works in a glamorous industry, Naoki Mizushima (Masahiro Motoki) can't help but notice that his life is anything but beautiful. Can the uncouth Lin Xi (Wei Zhao) help him make over his life for the better?
An incident in the past causes Ogata Kouhei (Tanabe Seiichi) to resign his position and leave the country in shame. Now, at the hotel's 30th anniversary, the hotel is facing a crisis; the president has just been submitted to the hospital, and the hotel is facing a potential takeover. Under his request, assistant manager Odagiri Kyoko (Ueto Aya) goes to Korea in order to convince Kouhei to return. Kyoko is caught up in an incident when her purse is stolen when she meets Mizusawa Keigo (Oikawa Mitsuhiro), who tries to help her. Ultimately, Kyoko comes back to Japan unsuccessful. However, under the advice from Korean hotel manager Shin Dong Hyuk (Bae Yong Jun), Kouhei returns to Tokyo Ocean Hotel as the position of the new general manager. Upon his return however, Kyoko once again meets Mizusawa Keigo. Little does Kyoko know, not only does Keigo want to take over the Tokyo Ocean Hotel, but he also carries affections for her.
The series depicts the relationship between two aspiring classical musicians, Megumi "Nodame" Noda and Shinichi Chiaki, as university students and after graduation.
Amane Kaoru lives a night life, not because she wishes so, but because she is infected with the xeroderma pigmentosum virus. This virus defects the ability to repair damage caused by the sun's rays. Although she cannot expose her body to the sunlight, she dreams of becoming a singer, even if remaining positive has been ruined many times due to her illness. One night, playing outside, she meets Fujishiro Kouji, who has lost his job and hope, and becomes someone who reminds him of his long forgotten music passion.
The second feature from female director Shindo Kaze (Love/Juice), Princess in an Iron Helmet (a.k.a. Korogare! Tamako) is a bright and colorful youth film about a quirky young woman's reluctant coming-of-age journey. Tamako (Yamada Maiko) is 20 years old, lives at home with her mother (Kishimoto Kayoko) and teenaged brother, and simply refuses to grow up. Ever since her father (Naoto Takenaka) left the family, she's stopped trusting people, and now lounges around in her own small, claustrophobic world. Wearing an iron helmet whenever she steps outside, she ventures only to her mom's beauty salon, the mechanic shop, and the bakery - the source of her greatest joy in life, sweet buns. Her world is static, insular, and safe, and there's no need to change - that is until her cat runs away, the bakery closes, and her mom falls in love with another man.
Three high school students decide to challenge the legendary surf at Shonan Beach.
A film adaption of the manga Cat Eyed Boy by famous horror manga artist Kazuo Umezu. The film follows a strange boy with cat like features.
A young boy with a troubled home life becomes "chosen," and he stumbles into the middle of a great spirit war, where he meets a group of friendly spirits who become his companions through his journey. Now he must fight to protect his friends and free the world of the spirits from oppression. The creatures and ghosts are taken directly from Japanese folklore and range from the cute and silly to the disturbing. Written by Seikima
Yuki, mother of the Mashiba family, is the grease that keeps this well-oiled machine running and its seven members happy and healthy. But when Yuki herself falls ill and needs to be hospitalized, the rest of the family must cooperate and make sacrifices in order to keep everything running smoothly and make ends meet.
A tale of delinquent and lazy school girls. In their efforts to cut remedial summer math class, they end up poisoning and replacing the schools brass band.
This making of segment offers a lot of interview comments with the crew behind it, although does so in a rather rapid fashion. The most interesting element of this is probably learning a bit more behind how the movie was created from an animation standpoint, in particular the insight around animating the robots.
Groundbreaking director Mamoru Oshii continues to push the boundaries of art and anime with this universally acclaimed cyber thriller following cyborg detective Batou as he tries to unravel the reasons for a murderous robot revolt in the year 2032. A quest for a killer that becomes a mind bending search for the meaning of life.
An anthology series based on stories collected throughout Japan, mainly by writers Hirokatsu Kihara and Ichiro Nakayama.
Shuichi Kushimori is a 17 year old high school student who lives happily with his mother and stepsister. One day, without warning, his estranged stepfather returns home from a long absence. He quickly falls into a circle of drinking and starts abusing his ex-wife and daughter. When he begins making sexual advances towards Shuichi’s stepsister, Shuichi is compelled to take matters into his own hands.
Good Luck!! is a 2003 Japanese television drama starring Takuya Kimura and Kou Shibasaki. The story revolves around an up-and-coming pilot, Hajime Shinkai, and portrays his interactions with others as he progresses along the road to becoming a captain. As is common in many Japanese drama series, it blends drama and romance with comedic elements. This drama also emphasizes hardship of being a pilot or a cabin crew, and the serious nature of the industry they're in, which puts thousands of lives in its hands.
Tsukiko is in her late 30s and living alone when one night she happens to meet one of her former high school teachers, 'Sensei', in a bar. He is at least thirty years her senior, retired and, she presumes, a widower. After this initial encounter, the pair continue to meet occasionally to share food and drink sake, and as the seasons pass - from spring cherry blossom to autumnal mushrooms - Tsukiko and Sensei come to develop a hesitant intimacy which tilts awkwardly and poignantly into love.
A shy, nerdy man, Takeru finds a schoolgirl hooker Lily is unconscious in a Tokyo park, so he decides to bring her home and lock her up in a secret basement. Although Lily is afraid of him, in fact, Takeru didn't do anything to hurt her. After Lily begins to uncover a shocking episode
Because of the desolate landscape, Kobayashi chose snow-covered Hokkaido (the most northern island of Japan) as the setting for Amazing Story, a light-erotic drama about a lonely man, Kenji, who kidnaps the woman of his dreams. The woman is Harumi, a hairdresser in the deserted town where Kenji has just arrived. It's never really busy in her business. Harumi's husband is a gambling addict and spends all Harumi's money. Maybe that's why Harumi doesn't try very hard to escape when Kenji kidnaps her. His concern about her and his boundless worship probably help, too. Something strange and beautiful blossoms between the kidnapper and his victim, but can this be the basis of a long and happy encounter?
A lonely young Japanese student, Ai Narushima (Kana Ito) goes on a field trip with her school. At night she decides to take a taxi into the city. The Chinese taxi driver, Bo Tony Ho, is also a lonely soul and on a whim, decides to kidnap the young student. He takes her to the countryside and confines her in a room for days. The taxi driver doesn't abuse the student, but at night attempts to cuddle next to her. Eventually the lonely young Japanese student realizes he is as lonely as she is.
As children, the introverted Smile was being bullied by a gang of kids until the brash Peco comes by and chases all of them them away. Peco then takes Smile under his wings and teaches him how to play the game of ping pong. From there a life long best friend relationship comes into existence between these two polar opposite kids. Fast forward a decade later, these two best friends try to deal with their own inner turmoils, as they move further and further into the regional ping pong tournament. Peco has to overcome a knee injury while trying to rediscover the fun aspects of the game of Ping Pong. Meanwhile, Smile now seems to have gained the killer instinct by going through a rigorous training regiment instilled by his high school coach. As the tournament progresses it becomes more likely that these two best friends will face off against each in the final match.
There are all kinds of people living in the back street tenement houses in old Edo. One of them is Ashiya Dosan, the descendant of an Onmyoji who made a name for himself back in the Heian period. Unfortunately, unlike his forefathers, Dosan has not made much of a living off the fortune telling and amulet peddling that he does.
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?
In the year 2009, a young policeman must collapse a Yakuza family whose members make a large profit with a new drug.
Onna Kuni Shuu Ikki is a 2002 Japanese historical drama directed by Takashi Miike. It is one of three historical films included in the 2002 DVD compilation, Kumamoto Monogatari. The other two are Kikuchi-jo Monogatari: Sakimori-tachi no Uta and Zuiketsu Genso: Tonkararin Yume Densetsu, both also directed by Miike.
The secret warriors of feudal Japan were the Ninja. Sent on impossible missions, the Ninja were trained to work in shadows, gather information and defeat the enemy to build a world of peace. Red Shadow, Blue Shadow and Aska are neophyte ninjas under the tutelage of White Shadow. Their life is a series of perilous missions that entail intrigue, deception and intimidation.
The Katakuri family has just opened their guest house in the mountains. Unfortunately their first guest commits suicide and in order to avoid trouble they decide to bury him in the backyard. Things get way more complicated when their second guest, a famous sumo wrestler, dies while having sex with his underage girlfriend and the grave behind the house starts to fill up more and more.
Shotaro and Minako are arguing. Minako has confessed her infidelity to her husband and informs him of her intention to leave him. She has ceased to enjoy living with a submissive husband. Minako, who works for a construction company, loves her job and is progressing in her successful career, while her husband eagerly takes care of the house and the kids. He buys groceries, he cooks, he does the laundry – constantly. The couple’s arguing intensifies until Minaka files for divorce. Their older daughter Mari isn’t that upset by her parent’s problems as she’s more interested in the piano piece she’s got to play with her mother at a concert organised by her music school; admittedly, she’s also rather interested in her music teacher. But her younger brother Toru feels betrayed by his mother and can’t manage to reconcile himself to his father’s role as a housewife. A partial reconciliation occurs at Minako and Mari’s concert, where their entrance on stage is met with loud applause.
When a young Yakuza torments the customers in a rival crime family's nightclub, it is not long before his dead body is found. Soon, inter-family retaliation follows, resulting in the death for a prominent crime boss. Devastated by this turn of events, the temperamental Kenzaki vows to avenge his boss's death and, as bloody violence ensues, the body count reaches excessive proportions.
A young girl, who lost her father at her early age, is kidnapped by a school teacher. He strips, binds and attempts to rape her. For the next few days she tries to escape but in vain. Later, she becomes used to the life with him. Even when she has a chance to run, she chooses to stay. Slowly, their relationship becomes a creepy half-paternal, half-romantic liaison.
Keisuke, an aspiring samurai-movie actor lands a major role in a new film, but must contend with a director who has nothing but scorn for him, but who continually fawns over the film's obnoxious ham of a star. Meanwhile, Keisuke has been dumped by his girlfriend, Eri, after she becomes heartbroken when he considers working full-time as a bar manager rather than pursuing his dream. Through her job as a translator, she meets an Italian professor who claims to talk to trees, and who immediately starts trying to woo her.
Based on the ancient Japanese Tale of Genji. This film is set in 900AD and tells the story of a famous female writer of the time, Murasaki Shikibu. Her story begins from the death of her husband, a Japanese noble, then moves on to her recruitment to train the Prince's young 'wives in waiting'. It is dotted throughout and actually composed mainly of one of the fictional stories she wrote, the tale of Genji. Genji is a rich playboy who falls in love and has a son to his stepmother. He falls in love often and has many wives whom are all completely subservient to him. Genji is played by a woman actress from the all-female Takarazuka theatre. The two interrelating stories are also interrupted occasionally by fantasimical musical clips from a past Japanese teen-idol, Seiko Matsuda.
A man who appears to have no particular passion for anything ironically proves effective with troubled high school students. Known as a legendary savior of problem schools, he shows up one day to salvage what's left of a class that had fallen apart completely. His highly unpredictable reactions and controversial advice to students shock the teachers and staffs much as they do the problem students themselves.
Chihiro is raped by three men and it is captured on video camera. She leaves her hometown and prepares to marry a colleague five years later, when one of the rapists arrives and says the others are on their way. He behaves like her long-lost lover and mistreats her again. Chihiro takes revenge, kills him and puts him in a freezer. The other rapists are awaiting a similar fate...
Set in the Phillipines, Takashi Miike’s “The Guys from Paradise” weaves together the stories of several real-life criminal cases. Young up-and-coming salaryman Kohei Hayakawa is sent to Paradise prison on false drug charges, and assumes his lawyers will clear up this misunderstanding fairly quickly. However, he soon comes to the realization that his innocence means less than how much bribe money he’s able to come up with for his release. It becomes apparent that Kohei is going to have to get to know his fellow inmates a little better, as he’s obviously in this situation for the long haul; but meeting a female inmate from a nearby jail certainly makes his transition to the criminal life a little easier to take.
When Me Snowdon's sadness of her father's disappearance get to her, she unknowingly uses the Unknown to create her own dream world along with Entei, who she believes to be her father. When Entei kidnaps Satoshi's mother, Satoshi along with Kasumi & Takeshi invade the mansion looking for his mom and trying to stop the mysteries of Me's Dream World and Entei!
The eruption of Mt. Fuji in 1707 released hordes of demons from deep inside the earth. Sakuya, the young daughter of a samurai killed fighting these demons, accepts a mission to travel to Mt. Fuji and defeat the evil spirits. Accompanying her on her journey are two veteran warriors who served her father, and Taro, a young kappa, or river spirit, whom she has adopted as her little brother. Along the way, the two warriors have doubts about Taro's loyalties, and the young kappa himself must decide if he will stand with his own species or with the humans who have cared for him.
The film is a series of vignettes from Taiji Tonoyama's life and film clips, interspersed with a dialogue to camera by Nobuko Otowa, addressing the camera as if she is addressing Tonoyama himself, recollecting events in his life. The film focuses on Tonoyama's alcohol dependence and his various sexual relationships, as well as his film work with Shindo.
This hard-boiled action starring Naoto Takenaka is directed by popular manga artist Kazuhiro Kimchi. 8 years previously, one man, Brazilian Mafioso Carlos had brought the Japanese Yakuza organization to its knees. He breaks out of prison while being transported back to Brazil. He then begins to seek to get even with the organization.
Schoolgirl Kuniko is kidnapped by a middle-aged man Iwazono when she is jogging. He tells her that he had a failed marriage which leaves him a deep and everlasting scar in his mind. He kidnaps her in search of a perfect marriage and intends to lock her in the room and 'educate' her to perform perfect sex where body and soul are united.
The story follows a trio of Japanese youths of Chinese descent who escape their semi-rural upbringing and relocate to Shinjuku, Tokyo, where they befriend a troubled Shanghai prostitute and fall foul of a local crime syndicate. Like many of Miike's works, the film examines the underbelly of respectable Japanese society and the problems of assimilation faced by non-ethnically Japanese people in Japan.
Traditional Japanese pop singer Reiko (Muroi) decides to enter a well-known TV program for amateur singers along with a confused teenager (Ôtomo) and a 40-year-old father of four (Bito).
After his daughter Mai is killed in an auto accident, a genius programmer recreates her in the form of a computer program called AI. His jealous brother-in-law, wanting to get his hands on the technology for profit, sends his client to steal it and Mai’s father is killed in the process. Learning of her capture, Mai’s old friends race to free AI from her captors so that she won’t fall into the corporate clutches that threaten to erase her “soul.”
Nostalgia is Takashi Miike’s favorite film of his considerable body of work. Including biographical elements, Nostalgia centers around the home and school of a young boy, whose family mix the violent and dysfunctional with the comic and the loveable. Though containing elements of the sudden and shocking brutality that many associate with this director, Young Thugs – Nostalgia is more concerned with a child’s moment of leaving the internalized world of fantasy, and passing on eagerly to the next stage of life. A wonderful, touching, startling vision that is uniquely Miike’s.
After the 1995 Kobe earthquake, a writer remembers travelling with his family to bury his brother after World War II.
This is a biographical film about the late Yoko Araki, who was the wife of Japan's leading photographer, Nobuyoshi Araki.
A hard-boiled film that follows a detective who will be killed the next morning should he fail his mission, the yakuza assigned to watch over him, and the friendship that develops as they work together.
A bored Japanese accountant sees a beautiful woman in the window of a ballroom dance studio. He secretly starts taking dancing lessons to be near her, and then over time discovers how much he loves ballroom dancing. His wife, meanwhile, has hired a private detective to find out why he has started coming home late smelling of perfume.
Masamichi Toyama is a loyal husband with a bad gambling debt. Mobsters out for the money track him down, beating him and raping his wife. Desperate for revenge, he makes himself a sword and sets out to wreak havoc. When he meets the Gonin, a group of five female thieves, his luck only gets worse. Run, Sayuri, Shiho, Saki and Chihiro are fast-shooting, strong-arm women. Not only that, but they're more than prepared to take on an army of gangsters. Unfortunately for them, they stole the ring Masamichi wanted for his wife, and now he's more likely to hunt them than join their cause.
A dramatized biography of the second of Japan's three legendary leaders. Rising from obscurity, Hideyoshi served under the command of Oda Nobunaga. With an extraordinary combination of intelligence, bravery and military skill, Hideyoshi rose to near-absolute power and greatly expanded upon Nobunaga's unification of Japan's warlords. This series also focused on Hideyoshi's personal life, particularly his relationships with his mother and his wife, and the pair's rivalry for influence over him.
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.
The film starts off with an old man in the desert and two signs are shown; one that says East, the other says west. Japan has sent a mission to San Francisco. In San Francisco, the Japanese are surprised by the American culture. One American, Gus Taylor, and his gang steal all the gold from the mission and make their way in to the desert. One of the samurai of the mission chases after the gang into the desert. He is joined by a young American boy, Sam, whose father was killed by the gang leader. The group picks up a variety of people along the way to New Mexico. The Japanese and the Americans on the trip share parts of their own cultures with each other. The group of vigilantes eventually makes it to New Mexico and finds the gang. They take back their stolen gold and return to San Francisco.
A businessman, Tsuda, runs into a childhood friend, Tajuki, on the subway. Tajuki is working as a semiprofessional boxer. Tsuda soon begins to suspect that Tajuki might be having an affair with his fiancée Hizuru. After an altercation, Tsuda begins training rigorously himself, leading to an extremely bloody, violent confrontation.
The ukiyo-e (woodblock print) artist Sharaku is an enigmatic puzzle in the world of Japanese art. Working at an age when such masters of the trade as Hokusai and Utamaro were at their zenith, Sharaku suddenly emerged out of obscurity and produced roughly 140 strikingly brilliant portraits of Kabuki performers, only to disappear just as suddenly. To date, no one knows about his true identity or about his post-ukiyo-e career. Veteran director Masahiro Shinoda tries to fill in the blanks with this lavish period production. Set in the 1790s, the film centers on Tombo (Hiroyuki Sanada), a lowly Kabuki player who gets dumped from his troupe after breaking his foot. He joins a ragged traveling outfit run by former courtesan Okan. While not on-stage, he takes up drawing, for which he realizes he has considerable ability. His talents are noticed by Tsutaya Juzaburo, a ukiyo-e publisher who is desperate for a replacement after his star artist Utamaro defected to his rival's stable.
An undercover narcotics officer is killed, and after his funeral some yakuza break into his apartment and rape his wife, Nami, while looking for the drugs they claim he stole from them. Afterwards Nami attempts to commit suicide, but after being rescued by a mysterious yakuza she decides to infiltrate the gang and get revenge.
In Harari-cho, a small and quiet bayside town by the sea, the firemen have not seen a fire for nearly twenty years. Each day passes eventlessly... until one day. The monotony of their daily lives is interrupted by the appearance of a beautiful female college student, Momoko (Suzuki Kyoka), who comes to visit her aunt. After catching a glimpse of Momoko, both Tatsuya (Takenaka Naoto) and Nobuyuki (Akai Hidekazu) can't stop thinking about her. Since then, the small town is not so quiet anymore…
Tanaka is a yakuza who collects 'protection money' from establishments. He has just been released from jail, where he had spent eight years, and finds out that his boss wants to get rid of him. Tanaka is not an archetypal yakuza; he travels by public transport. But he does have two mistresses: Ayumi, who runs a nightclub, and Yoshie, a brothel-keeper. When Tanaka's boss ends up in hospital, second man Kurauchi exerts increasing pressure on Tanaka. Tanaka deliberately has himself wounded by a fighter to dodge several of Kurauchi's demands.
A Japanese police unit who use giant anthropomorphic robots (called Labors) is caught up in a political struggle between the civilian authorities and the military when a terrorist act is blamed on an Air Force jet. With the aid of a government agent, the team gets close to a terrorist leader to stop things from going out of control when after the military is impelled to impose martial law.
Jiro is a Tokyo man who offers a stand-in service where he'll do "anything". A woman claiming to be from Fukuoka wants to be shown around Tokyo and see the sights. What Jiro doesn't know is that this woman isn't who she says she is. She's on the run from her Yakuza boyfriend, and Jiro is going to be unwittingly entwined in the situation.
A college senior, Shuhei, is blackmailed by a professor into joining the school's sumo team. He is aided by a group of misfits who must team together to defeat their rivals or face disgrace and the disbandment of the sumo club.
Based on a novel by Bo Nishimura, the film is about an extramarital affair between the wife of an estate agent and a 22 year old man.
A female detective realises that the construction company corruption case was not guilty... there was an evil mastermind behind it!
A young boy gets caught up in the machinations of a new religious order, that seeks to revive demonic beings.
A school was built on one of the Gates of Hell, behind which hordes of demons await the moment they will be free to roam the Earth. Hiruko is a goblin sent to Earth on a reconnaissance mission. He beheads students in order to assemble their heads on the demons' spider-like bodies. Hieda, an archaeology professor, and Masao, a haunted student, investigate the gory deaths and eventually battle Hiruko
Chizuko and Mika are sisters who get along very well, and have a good relationship, but one day Chizuko dies unexpectedly in an accident. Mika always feels undermined for not living up to her sisters achievements until one day the ghost of her sister appears again. And by the encouragement of Chizuko, she overcomes various difficulties in her life.
Sukezo, a farmer manga comic artist, takes up the art rock business by setting up a shop in a shed by the river. He tries hard to be successful, but business does not go well and the family becomes progressively poorer.
Until The End of the World is an odyssey for the modern age. As with Homer's Odyssey, the purpose of the journey is to restore sight -- a spiritual reconciliation between an obsessed father and a deserted son. Dr. Farber, in trying to find a cure for his wife's blindness, has created a device that allows the user to send images directly to the brain, enabling the blind to see.
Lone wolves join forces and plunge into a reckless fight with the organization.
A violent action film depicting the success of a female investigator in the fight against drug syndicates.
It is a youth group of third-class university students struggling to get a job at a first-class company.
Tamako chases Ricky, the vocalist of the heavy metal band, to the hotel, where he happens to get information about a drug deal. She receives an emergency call from Tamako, and Rino immediately issues a dispatch order to the three elite members of the Zepra Corps. How will she handle the fight between the army and the drug smuggling organization...!? When she learned of the fact that she was being toyed with by a designer, she was the one who chose her death. After hearing her story, her girlfriend Rino and her girlfriend Tamako stand up for her to take her revenge on the man who betrayed her!
Based on the "2.26 Incident", an attempted coup d'état in Japan 1936, launched by radical ultra-nationalist parts of the military. Several leading politicians were killed and the center of Tokyo was briefly held by the insurgents before the coup was suppressed.
Yohei, a punk rocker, becomes a Buddhist monk in order to inherit a mountain temple. Though initially rebelling against the tough monastic discipline, he learns to adjust. Then his girlfriend shows up, enticing him to return to his rock 'n' roll roots.
At a run down school the "Ultimate Teacher" Ganpachi is sent to get things back on track and prepare the delinquent students for the real world. But the students don't want Ganpachi ruining the gang they got going so their boss, Hinako, fights back Ganpachi aided by her secret power...her lucky kitty underwear. Things get more interesting when we findout Ganpachi is the result of genetic experiments.
What's Michael is a set of episodic stories about the lives of cats and their owners, there is no continuity from episode to episode. Michael goes into heat so his owners buy him a mate. Michael, Popo and their kittens attack a teddy bear that has invaded their house. Michale catches the fleas. The Freyman Reaction is explained.
Yuichi Koga is an upper-class business executive, running his own adult video company, and living a successful life with his wife and daughter. Outwardly, his family seems really happy, but in reality Yuichi enjoys sex with everyone but his wife Chikako. One day, he gets a phone call from a woman named Sanae, an old elementary school classmate of his.
Kyoko Sawai, a TV reporter, is making a report about an idol singer named Emi Kato. Emi and her staff are preparing the promotion of her next tune "Love Craft". And as spiritual accidents happen around her, Kyoko finds out that the woman who composed the tune died seven years before.
Nami is a nurse and the unwilling object of her patients' lust. When she is hit by a car whilst fleeing from the home of her unfaithful boyfriend, the driver of the car takes her as a sexual prisoner.
Fumio Yano is an unassuming young businessman in the ski wear line. His own skiing ability is close to professional level, and he assists a former world champion, Tayama, on the sales team. Fumio meets and falls in love with Yu, a young secretary, but initially finds it hard to express his true feelings for her. A St Valentine's Day fashion show provides an unexpected backdrop for crisis resolution, and a mad scramble ensues to beat the clock and make it to a neighboring ski resort in time for the press and photographers. A pack of chocolate is a symbol of true love...
Chiaki Onoda a young assisstant sound mixer is unhappy with his job, but otherwise he is enjoying life. He loves his cat, his friends, hunting for girls and breakdancing in discos. A funeral forces him to return home and meet his familiy, which (espicially his father) disapprove of his lifestyle.
Three men sentenced to death are spared and changed into “shadows executioners”, a group of ruthless ninja working for mysterious high ranking officials. During their investigation on some illegal business, one of them, called “Yazuke the Viper”, finds his abandoned daughter, Ocho, who has now become a mistress of Denzo, a smuggler. After Yazuke’s death, Ocho is also recruited as a “shadows executioner”, with the task of completing her father’s mission.
The tragic story of Gonza, a handsome ladies man, set in the Tokagawa Period, a time in which appearences are very important. Gonza competes with Bannojo for the honor to perform the tea ceremony to celebrate the birth of an heir to the lord of their clan. To see the sacred tea scrolls Gonza promises to marry the daughter of the family which possesses them, even though he is unofficially engaged to another. When studying the scrolls with Osai, the mother of the house, Bannajo sneaks into the house and steals their obis and runs through the town proclaiming the two as adulterers.
Six year old Momoko and Motoharu are turned suddenly into High school students. And more than that they have now psychic powers.
The world's largest black pearl has vanished without a trace, and it's up to Detective Ippei to track it down. His only clue is the mysterious words of a dying man, who managed to mutter "Pussy Print!" before slipping away forever. Teaming with the man's younger widow Matsuko, Detective Ippei boards a local train and begins taking prints of the female passenger's vulvas in hopes of matching one to the print that Matsuka's husband had in his possession at the time of his death.
The melodramatic story of a pink crew’s tragi-comedic adventures on location. A fictionalized adaptation of set photographer Ichiro Tsuda's 1980 book The Location (Za Rokēshon), an illustrated 229-page document about the cameraman’s experiences with pink cast and crew on the sets of several films produced in the late 1970's.
Ryou Naruzawa (Kenji Sakaguchi), a detective at the Asagaya station, along with his partner Satoko Hagio (Akiko Yada) and senior detective Atsuo Ishii (Kenichi Endo), are Arrested Shigeru Majima (Kazuma Suzuki) serial female murderer. However, just before the indictment, a bomb threat arrives at the investigation headquarters was the beginning of all nightmares. The demand is for the release of the arrested murderer, Majima.
A unique black comedy set in Ginza Cinepathos, a long-established movie theater that closes at the end of March 2013 while being familiar to movie fans with its retro appearance and unique lineup. Unique guests visiting the theater draw a human pattern during breaks.
