Takashi Sasano

Two estranged brothers inherit Marukin Hot Springs, a small-town bathhouse. One sees it as an homage to their late father; the other – a struggling architect – as lucrative real estate for condos. Their eclectic collection of townsfolk customers show them the value of the bath goes way beyond a scrub and soak.

In the 1940s, a Japanese merchant leaves his wife behind in order to travel to Manchuria, where he witnesses an act of barbarism.

Set up strange situations for random people to experience, and monitor how they react to them.

The story centers on a group of young people who travel back in time when they are in a movie theater just before closing time. They witness deaths during the closing days of Japan’s feudal times and on the battlefront in China before they are sent to Hiroshima just before the Aug. 6, 1945, atomic bombing of the city.

Takuminokami Asano is a handshu (lord) and he is ordered to kill himself due to a scheme by Kozukenosuke Kira. Having no time to mourn his lord’s death, Kuranosuke Oishi (Shinichi Tsutsumi) decides to take revenge on Kozukenosuke Kira. Kuranosuke Oishi plans an attack with the help of accountant Chosuke Yato (Takashi Okamura), but they don't have enough in their budget.

Botan Dōrō is a Japanese ghost story that is both romantic and horrific; it is one of the most famous kaidan in Japan. The plot involves sex with the dead and the consequences of loving a ghost.

Koyama Haruka was an office worker who lived an unremarkable life, but one day she comes across a large platter of Bizen ware on display at a department store. Little by little, even at work and on her days off, Haruka is unable to think about anything but Bizen ware. With her heart filled by an inexpressible zeal, she heads to the city of Bizen in Okayama Prefecture and excitedly visits the creator of the large platter, Osamu.

Three murder cases take place in Tokyo. Numbers are left at the murder scenes, possibly hinting at where the next murder will take place. An investigation begins of the serial killer and Detective Kosuke Nitta (Takuya Kimura) works on the case. He believes the next murder will take place at Hotel Koruteshia Tokyo. To catch the killer, Kosuke Nitta goes undercover and begins working at the front desk of the hotel. Naomi Yamagishi (Masami Nagasawa) works at the front desk of Hotel Koruteshia Tokyo. She is selected to train Kosuke Nitta for his front desk job, but they can't get along. Kosuke Nitta is focused on catching the killer, but Naomi Yamagishi prioritizes the safety of the guests. As they begin to understand each others differences, they also begin to build a trust between each other. Who is the murderer? --asianwiki

Hitsujido Honpo, an established Japanese-style sweets company known for its traditional flavours and reliability, has maintained a modest popularity. To win a new segment of customers, it has embarked on new business development. The leader of this team of five young employees is 28-year old Kudo Mayuko (Takahata Mitsuki). Mayuko was headhunted by the current CEO Okazaki Kengo (Maruyama Tomomi), for her achievements in her previous job. However, she struggles with the difficulty of new business development and pressures within the company. One day, a “new” 68-year-old employee Niimoto Kazuo (Kusakari Masao) is assigned to be Mayuko’s subordinate all of a sudden. She is dumbfounded to learn that he is 40 years her senior and even feels anger. Mayuko is confronted with the question of whether he should do the old job he was proud of? Or a new job as a brand new employee, and assumes the role of mentor.

At the Hirata home, three generations of their family live together. A crisis ensues when one afternoon, housewife Fumie falls asleep and wakes up to find a thief has stolen her secret money she kept hidden in the refrigerator.

A woman was killed by a truck wheel, which flew off while the vehicle was in motion. As the freight company which owns the truck becomes the target of the public and the media’s wrath, Tokuro Akamatsu, the president of the freight company, realizes that a structural defect within the truck itself may have been to blame. A conspiracy of the wheel manufacturer's attempts to cover up a defective product is uncovered.

The Akaza family runs a construction company in Tokyo. Shinosuke (Yo Oizumi) works for his father Shinobu (Takashi Sasano) and his younger sister Momoko (Aoi Miyazaki) drives a big truck for their family business. The family is always energetic and lively. One day, Momoko tells her family that she got pregnant by her boyfriend, but she had an abortion. Momoko doesn't reveal anything else about her boyfriend. Shinosuke becomes engraged and hits Momoko. Momoko also lashes back at her older brother. The next day, Momoko leaves their home. Six months later, due to her father's birthday, Momoko decides to go back home. The rest of the Akaza family awaits for Momoko. While they are waiting for her, Momoko’s boyfriend Yuki (Taiga) suddenly visits their home.

Several years after Shuzo settled his wife’s birthday-surprise divorce proposal (What a Wonderful Family, 40th), the Hirata family faces new problems. Ignoring his family’s worry that he is too old to drive, Shuzo takes his old schoolmate for a spin after carousing. Soon, a new disturbance arises for the Hirata family. Veteran director Yamada Yoji continues his comedy about the “perfect“ Japanese family turned upside down in chaos, laughters and understanding. This time, with an additional taste of death.

In 16th century Japan, a young man has to choose between becoming a master steel maker like his father and grandfather before him, or becoming a samurai so that he can help protect his village from attacks by the various clans which want the high-quality steel made there.

Tatsuhiko Shiratori works as a scout, recruiting girls to work in the adult entertainment business. He movies to Yokohama from Shinjuku, Tokyo. He comes into conflict with Masaki Taki who is the CEO of a scout company.

Set in the Edo period, a story revolves around Kiyo, a woman who strives to overcome status differences of those days. When she pledges to live for love, a knife attack occurs at Edo castle. And as a 48th loyal retainer, her fate changes after a raid on Kira: she is determined to serve at the inner palace of Edo Castle called "Ooku".

Master Shinkome asks Shinden to find a former disciple, Shintoto, from his rakugoka (comic storytelling) family. Shinden visits ex-disciples in his search for Shintoto.

Chizuru (Anne Watanabe) is the new teacher at Umega High School. Since her school days, she has played violin in an orchestra. One day, she listens to an amateur orchestra play at the local cultural hall. She is touched by their performance and decides to enroll in the orchestra, but there are 2 orchestras in town. Chizuru mistakenly enrolls in the orchestra which consists of elderly people. The members there are thrilled to have a young person join their group. Chizuru is unable to tell them she made a mistake and becomes the conductor for their orchestra.

Genzo is a monk on his way to Tianzhu (early East Asian name for India). Along the way, he happens to visit a house and meets an old couple. The couple has an adopted son, Taro Yamada (Kenichi Matsuyama). They ask Genzo to rehabilitate Taro who makes trouble with his magical power. Genzo takes Taro and travels to Tianzhu.

A husband and wife have been married for 50 years. For her birthday, the husband asks the wife what she wants for her birthday present. She replies that she wants a divorce. The wife's divorce announcement sends the entire family into chaos.

A schoolboy has a crush on his pretty class-mate Keiko on the inland island of Awaji. He figures her routine of taking baths at the public one is a good way to get to know her, but he first has to overcome his sensitivity to hot water, the presence of other school-mates and of course his shyness. He has never mustered the courage to speak to her in class after all.

At the end of the 21st century, the world is plagued by a mysterious virus and unusual weather. Genius scientist Dr. Kisaragi creates an android with the code name “Cutie Honey” (Mariya Nishiuchi). The android is unique in that it possesses human emotions. To save mankind, Cutie Honey goes up against an evil organization.

The Ninningers come across a new enemy, Dark Doctor Mavro, a remnant of the Shadow Line, who created his own, evil version of Aka Ninger serving under him by stealing the real Aka Ninger's Nintality, and because of it, Takaharu's life is now in danger. All hope seems lost until the Ninningers meet the ToQgers, who fought and defeated the Shadow Line in the past, and it's up to them to join forces in order to overcome this new crisis.

Ichiro Numata (Hiroaki Murakami) is the chief editor of a publishing company. He suddenly falls unconscious and is hospitalized, but various cases takes place at the hospital. Hospital Director Kenichiro Asashima and Chief Nurse Junko Amemiya goes missing. There are rumors that they were in a close relationship. Head of Drug Management, Yasuharu Horimura is found dead. Rumors were that he stalked Junko Amemiya. The investigation into his dead is carried out as a suicide case, but Detective Eiji Kirishima (Takanori Jinnai) suspects foul play. Ichiro Numata follows with his sharp eyes what transpires at the hospital and he also holds a secret.

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.

The Last Ninja Yoshitaka Igasaki sends his disciples the Ninningers on a special mission over summer vacation to Shinobigakure Castle to meet its lord Tatsunosuke Hakkaku. However, Lord Hakkaku has been turned into a strange dinosaur-like creature by a strange curse, while Kibaoni Army Corps general Juza Yumihari has arrived in the village as well, seeking its "legendary evil dragon".

In 1940, Masaaki Takaoka works as a teacher in the agricultural division at a youth training institute. Although Japan’s defeat seems imminent, all of Masaaki’s students are drafted in a futile last-ditch effort. In an attempt to give the young men some hope, he makes everyone promise that they will all meet again under the cherry blossoms upon their safe return. Consumed by sadness over the fate of his students, Masaaki devotes the next 30 years of his life to develop a new species of cherry blossoms that could thrive in any climate in remembrance of his students.

A young woman is discovered strangled to death at the boat pier in Tokyo. There are no signs of disturbed clothing and assault, and because the body was abandoned at a prominent spot, it shows that this was a premeditated crime by a criminal with the presence of mind. Joto Chuo Police Precinct’s detective Kunihiko Katsuragi rushed to the scene, and the fact that the body is barefoot weighs on his mind. The next morning he finds out the commander assigned this case is his son Toshifumi.

Haruo (Yo Oizumi) has a dream to become the best magician, but, so far, he is only a marginal magician. Haruo also doesn't have parents. He then goes back 40 years in time to Asakusa, Tokyo. There, he meets his parents when they were young and he learns the secret of his birth.

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.

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.

One million yen in elaborate fake bills that no one can tell are not the real deal were picked up by a homeless person. The bills begin to circulate like the blood flowing through blood vessels. These fake bills undermine the Japanese economy like a virus. In order to build a world that is not dominated by money, a plan to overturn the value of the root of money is launched. What is the fate of the man with such a tremendous plan? A millionaire, an undercover agent, community representative, and a genius appraiser that specializes in distinguishing counterfeit bills, speculation is placed on each. Everything leads to a conspiracy of dark organizations trying to destroy the Japanese economy.

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.

Following the death of the unmarried and childless Taki, Takeshi, a young relative of hers, discovers several pages of closely written lines in which the old lady has recorded her memories. This is how he learns the truth about her youth working as a housemaid and nanny for the Hirai family in a little house in Tokyo with a red gabled roof.

Two feuding eccentric families with super powers clash when their young sons confront each other after a silly mistake. Meanwhile, the local high school principal has mysterious powers of his own that trump those of the two rival clans. How did this civilian acquire them? Or perhaps a better question, who or what is using him?

There was a tragedy that began at the end of the '69 war. The sad story about the lives of the orphans of Manchuria refugee camp who had to struggled against perpetual cold and hunger.

In the Edo period of Japan, a samurai’s life belonged to his lord. On the battlefield or in the home, a loyal samurai must always obey his lord’s commands. This is the tragic story of one such loyal samurai, whose love for his family forced him to make the ultimate choice of disobeying the wishes of his lord.

Set within the Kaga Domain in the Edo Period. Oharu is an excellent cook and recognized for her skills. Due to her cooking talents, she marries Yasunobu, who is an heir in the Funaki family. The Funaki family serves as the cook for the Kaga Domain. Nevertheless, Yasunobu himself is a terrible cook. With the help of Oharu's mother-in-law Mitsuru, she begins to teach Yasunobu how to cook.

Ueba Kamo is a career woman who works as a government official at the Ministry of Finance after graduating from Tokyo University. One day, her mother who is the landlady of an old Japanese-style hotel “Ueba-ya” in Kyoto, suddenly passes away, and she has to take over the hotel as a new landlady. It is hard enough for Kamo to take on this total new type of job, but she is also surrounded by tough and intensive employees. She then teams up with a calculating and clever financier named Kinugawa Shuhei who is cold-hearted, and yet somehow lovable, and tries to embark on the reconstruction of the hotel that is deeply in debt.

The Hanabishi family moves into the old building "Kogure Photo Studio." The first son Eiichi (Ryunosuke Kamiki) is a 2nd year high school student. One day, a neighbor, who is also a high school student, shows him a picture. That picture was developed at "Kogure Photo Studio."

Akinori Kimura (Sadao Abe) and his wife Mieko (Miho Kanno) opens an apple orchard in their hometown of Hirosaki in Aomori Prefecture. Due to Meiko's allergic reaction to pesticides, Akinori Kimura has to grow his apples without the aid of chemicals. Because of this challenge, his family endures hardships and suffers severe financial difficulties. Akinori Kimura even contemplates suicide. A miracle then happens...

Nami is a young woman with numerous hangups sprouting from a dysfunctional childhood. She inherits a small fortune that allows her to pursue various interests, many of which are abnormal.

Tamiko (Ayumi Ito) lives happily with her husband Hideaki (Sho Aoyagi) and step-daughter Kotoyo (Hazuki Inoue). Tamiko married her deceased friend Mari's (Mami Nakamura) husband. Tamiko gets along well with her step-daughter Kotoyo, but Kotoyo still doesn't call her mother. There is a traditional sumo game held to celebrate the moving of Mizuwakasu's shrine. The traditional sumo game is important to Tamiko who grew up on the island, while her husband Hideaki's reputation is not so good on the island because he broke off his engagement to a woman his parents set him up with. In order to marry his first wife Mari, he ran away from the island. Since then, his parents disowned him. Nevertheless, Hideaki and his first wife Mari still liked the island and went back to live there. Hideaki began sum wrestling then.

The mayor of Oita wants to improve the image of his city, so he instructs Chiaki - a young woman working for the city's PR department - to form a female tug of war team. Nobuo MIZUTA mixes comedy, drama and a pinch of social criticism to tell a tale of eight women, their everyday struggles and their support for each other.

A chronicle of the life of Yasui Santetsu, a 17th century master of go who turned his attention to astronomy and created a new calendar for Japan. Based on the life of Santetsu Yasui (December 27, 1639-November 1, 1715), appointed as the first official astronomer in the Edo Period and would go on to create the Jokyo calendar at the imperial request.

Real estate company employee Komachi and steelworks heir Kodama are both train aficionados. Their hobby proves useful for their burgeoning careers, but their romantic fortunes do not go as smoothly. Will the awkward Kodama and the indecisive Komachi find the loves of their lives?

Daimon Michiko is a 37-year-old freelance surgeon who is part of a questionable “doctor placement service” that has her wander from hospital to hospital. The harsh environment at the hospitals led many doctors to retire from their positions, forcing hospitals to make use of said program to fill the empty spots at least temporary. However, Michiko doesn’t look like a doctor at all with her flashy clothes and eccentric attitude. In the first episode she raises objections to a certain operation which is planned to be done by the head of a hospital who hasn’t performed an operation for a very long time. This causes Michiko to incur odium at the hospital, however, everyone becomes frozen when Michiko points out the outdated skills of the director. She also holds a scrupulous compliance when it comes to her working hours, never does any unnecessary chores that don’t require a medical license, and couldn’t care less about the power struggles within the hospitals. Nobody knows how she acquired such a top-level skill that allows her to claim exorbitant sums as reward, but her private life is an even greater mystery to everyone around her. Tanaka plays a rookie surgeon, Uchida an anesthetist, Kishibe the head of the placement service, and Ito the head of the surgical department of this institution.

Nobuko is a plain, unattractive woman with disheveled hair, and is hired as a housekeeper in the Inamura residence in Tokyo. The Inamuras are a family of six. The father, Tatsuya, is the head of a university hospital's department of internal medicine. He lives with his wife Haruko, their three sons, and Tatsuya's mother, Shigeko. Although the Inamuras appear to be a happy family, Nobuko soon uncovers the truth.

In 2011, a journalist arrives in Nagaoka, a Japanese village that underwent destruction during both World War 2 and the 2004 Chuetsu Earthquake, and is now notable for the fireworks it launches annually in memory of the victims of war. She is there for two reasons: firstly, to learn about the experiences of Nagaoka's inhabitants, and secondly, to watch a stage play written by an enigmatic student of her ex-boyfriend, which depicts the bombing of the city during WWII.

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.

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.

Wasao, an Akita dog in Aomori Prefecture that became famous as an ugly-yet-cute dog from a traveller's blog. Heartwarming drama starring Wasao himself turns part of the life of this former stray into an original story. Setsuko, who runs a grilled-squid shop in a fishing village at the foot of the Shirakami mountains, decides to take in a large dog with a long, unruly fur that has shown up in town. She names the dog Wasao and showers it with affection, but Wasao at that time doesn't take to Setsuko.

Yoshino Nao is a girl who fails the entrance exams of her target high school. She winds up enrolling in a technical high school called Kenritsu Asuka Kougyou Koukou, also known by the nickname "Asuko." Out of the 148 entering freshmen, only three are girls, and Nao is the only one in her class.

Shunsuke Honma is a detective from the #1 investigation team at the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. Shunsuke takes a leave from work due to an injury. One day, his relative comes to see him and asks him if he can find his missing fiance Akiko Sekine. Shunsuke takes on the job and enlists the help of Detective Sadao Ikari. The detectives soon uncover the shocking truth behind the missing woman.

Shuji is an uncompromising young filmmaker at odds with Japanese society. One day he learns that his loan shark brother, who had helped to finance his films, has been executed by his own yakuza gang for failing to repay his debts. Described as a love poem to Japanese films of the past, as well as a protest at the present, CUT is an exploration of one man’s obsessive relationship with cinema.

Tobio Kurosawa (Ryuta Sato), who has been part of a manzai (stand up comedy) duo for ten years, finds himself in trouble after his partner Tamotsu Ishii (Yuji Ayabe) quits due to their declining popularity and mounting debts. Tobio then attempts to drink his problems away, but the next morning finds himself locked up in a detention center. At the detention center Tobio meets tough dreadlocked Ryuhei Onizuka (Yusuke Kamiji) who has an uncanny knack for comedy. Tobio attempts to recruit Ryuhei to become a partner in a new comedy duo. Once on the outside, they start practicing ...

A samurai Sakunosuke gets an order from clan chamberlain to kill another samurai who is married with his own younger sister. As a loyal samurai he has to accept the mission even though he has inner conflicts.

Ginko’s younger brother Tetsuro, a failed comedian, is the oddball of the family. Embarrassing, loud and plain inappropriate at times causes Ginko to disown him. The two reunite when she discovers Tetsuro is terminally ill. Tetsuro’s impending death marks the beginning of love and toleration.

Yuukai Rhapsody follows a man who is stuck in a rut, no personal life and no cash lead him to the drastic decision of kidnapping a rich boy, unbeknownst to him the boy's father is a yakuza boss! With the yakuza and the police hot on his tail he is forced to take the boy and go on the run, somehow during the journey kidnapper and kidnappee begin to develop a friendship with one another.

¥ 260,000,000 is stolen from armored vehicle. The criminals escape into a crowded shopping mall and take over 50 hostages. Reiko Usagi (Ryoko Yonekura) and the SIT members are called in to break the stand-off. When Reiko goes into the shopping mall to negotiate, an explosion suddenly occurs. The hostages panic and run, while the criminals are able to blend into crowd of people and escape. A few weeks later, Reiko is at the Haneda Airport to go on a vacation. She then spots Yusuke Kimoto (Kento Hayashi), a man who was one of the hostages at the shopping mall. Reiko remembers Yusuke's bizarre behavior and her instinct starts kicking in. She decides to follow the man and boards the airplane that Yusuke is taking. Shortly after take-off her instincts prove correct. The airplane is hijacked ...

The story is based on the bestselling autobiography of 25-year-old Rie Saito, who became a number-one hostess in Ginza despite being deaf. "Hitsudan Hostess" was published by Kobunsha this past May, and so far it has sold roughly 115,000 copies. The book depicts the life of Saito, who was born in Aomori and became deaf at the age of 1 due to an illness. She rebelled against her strict parents, and she ran away from home several times as a youth. At a local club, she began taking an interest in "hitsudan" (communicating through writing), which she later made use of when she moved to Tokyo and became a popular hostess at a Ginza club. --Tokyograph

Sharply revealing the issue of Japanese construction industry where bid-rigging was a common practice among the giants. After working diligently for three years at a construction site, Heita unwillingly transfers to a sales department where he becomes a part of the illegal collusion -- to limit open competition and obtain high-price public works within the colluding parties. He is torn from conducting unlawful action to save his company, yet deep inside wishing to abide by the law to follow his justice. What will his answer be?

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.

In 1907, a group of men climb an unconquered peak in the last unmapped region of Japan.

After being forced to resign from her publishing company job when her magazine goes out of circulation, office worker Haname Jinchoge (Kumiko Aso) is given the name of her real father-Noburo Jinchoge when her mother (Keiko Matsuzaka) falls into a coma after nearly drowning in a pond while searching for kappa. Unsure if Noburo (Morio Kazama) is her father, Haname decides to visit him but tells him that she is a distant relative, he happens to be the shopkeeper at an odd antiquities shop called Light Bulb Co., working for her father is a punk rocker named Gas (Ryo Kase).

In the early 1200s, Dogen brought Chinese Zen philosophy to Japan, and established the Japanese Zen school of Buddhism. He taught that a person was capable of realizing Buddhahood within himself, by way of Zazen. Zazen is extended hours of sitting and meditating to achieve a state of “Mu” (nothingness, or empty existence).

In an attempt to spur citizens into taking more productive roles in society, the Japanese government issues death messages, or "ikigami", informing them that they have only 24 hours left to live. The film follows a young man tasked with delivering these messages, as well as the victims.

Chief Iizuka (Kaoru Kobayashi), who works at the Cultural Center, misunderstands two chorus groups with similar names and double-books the concert hall on New Year's Eve. Although they talk to each other, neither of them gives up a step and develops into a big problem.Iizuka, who has lived his life with a "no-nonsense" attitude, finds himself in the middle of two groups and at a loss for words.

A set of twins -- one a hard-working student and the other a drifter -- team up with a dropout to unlock the secrets of the universe and to build one of their own.

In a modern society in which violent crimes are on the rise, there is a team that tries to resolve cases without bloodshed. It is the metropolitan police's special team, known by the abbreviation SIT (Special Investigation Team). The SIT doesn't get into action after a case but heads to the site just as a crime is being committed. They are on the front-line of risky missions, facing off against criminals; tenaciously conducting negotiations with criminals. As a result of the rigid police hierarchy that can curb the conduct of negotiators, the SIT is also a male-dominated society controlled with strict discipline. There is one female negotiator, Usagi Reiko, who bravely fights at the frontline. She is isolated in the male world of the SIT but courageously fights against crime as well as her organisation.

A 21-year-old girl is released from prison, only to deal with the neighborhood gossip about her and family conflicts. She decides to save one million yen, move to where no one knows her and keep repeating the process.

Police superintendent Makishima (Toyokawa Etsushi) suffered a demotion transfer after he failed to capture the suspect in a kidnapping case of a boy, who was subsequently killed, and made a blunder in the press conference. Six years later, Makishima is improving his performance at Ashigara station, when he is summoned by the prefectural police headquarters and asked to take on the investigation of a serial child murder case which has reached a deadlock. Makishima, still bearing an emotional scar from the previous case, accepts the request, and pushes through an unprecedented investigation, where Makishima appears on TV as the person responsible for the investigation and appeals to the killer directly in order to bring him into the open. Despite being caught in disputes within the police force and facing criticism from rival TV stations, Makishima talks to the camera as the whole nation watches on. "This is for the killer. Go to sleep trembling in fear tonight."

A freelance writer (Iseya Yusuke) is given a bizarre assignment by the sexy editor of "Black Book Monthly" (Mizuno Miki): find a bug with the power to bring humans back from the dead, in order to report on the afterlife. With his trusty companion Endo (Matsuo Suzuki) in tow, he sets off on a quest for the elusive insect and along the way meets the mysterious Sayoko (Kikuchi), a former dominatrix and habitual wrist-cutter who delights in rubbing wasabi into her wounds.

Hama-chan goes to Okayama to look for Su-san when he goes missing a few days after freezing up during his inaugural speech as the company chairman.

A yakuza must take care of some children from a nursery

A look at the relationship between a young blind samurai (Kimura) and his wife, who will make a sacrifice in order to defend her husband's honor.

Shinji (Shinichi Tsutsumi) steps out of a train station to find himself transported back to 1964.

An off-beat comedy about 3 'damejin' (useless persons), who don't work and spend their lives doing nothing. They actually don't want to work. When they hear 'in India one can live without working' they take it seriously. They begin to raise the money to go to India by doing anything but working, such as ripping off stamps from others' letters to sell, robbery at the bank which itself went bankrupt, etc.

Ayami, who works in the marketing department of an advertising agency, is about to turn 30 and is beginning to think that she would rather live her life for work than marriage. Just then, she meets Kurasawa, who works at the same company, and they soon find themselves drawn to each other.

After finally passing his teacher's exam, Miwa (Yukiyoshi Ozawa) devoted himself to teaching in a rustic primary school. He struggles to get through to his students, until he creates a class project to raise fireflies to fly over it once again. All students, even the reserved girl Hikari (Risako Sugaya), become passionately involved in the project. However, it brings them into conflict with parents and the school, one problem after another stands in his way.

Hama-chan takes a vacation to go fishing in Akita despite warnings from Su-san as his company faces a restructuring process.

Half a Confession introduces itself as a thriller and abruptly changes gears, transforming into a tale of morality with deeper insights into its characters than we had anticipated. It begins when Soichiro Kaji (Terao), a retired detective, walks into police headquarters and confesses to the murder of his wife. We learn that the victim had prematurely developed Alzheimer's after the tragic death of their son, and in her suffering, had asked to die. The police chiefs would be far more content to take him at his word if it were not for a conspicuous hole in his story: 48-hour gap between the alleged murder and his confession. Fearing a public relations nightmare, they are eager to bury the incident and keep the press in the dark.

Two friends who work together at a Tokyo laundry are increasingly alienated from everyday life. They become fascinated with a deadly jellyfish.

Daisuke and his girlfriend have failed at selling a smelly health drink named Akajiru in Tokyo, amassing five million yen in debts. In order to recover financially, they retreat to Daisuke's island hometown.

Mr. Takano, a company employee, announces plans to take an early retirement so he can return to his home town and spend his days fishing. Su-san and Hama-chan envy his decision, and Hama-chan conspires to visit Takano, even though he has no vacation time left.

Fighting Girl is a Japanese television drama starring Kyoko Fukada.

Ginjiro barks at unscrupulous finances that cheat multiple debtors! The target this time is a major finance company grieving multiple debtors behind the scenes.

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.

Shizuya thought that he had won the deadly battle with Kaifu, the fifth generation of Kishu-gumi, and put an end to the long-standing conflict, but the tenacity of Kaifu's overthrow Shinsei-gumi does not change even in a dying state. He is a hitman who attacks Shizuya many times. Not only that, the Kishu-gumi buys the company that Shizuya works for, disbands the design department, steals the face of the day and drags him into the world of conflict. Shizuya, who has promised Akino his dream as a designer, solidifies his resolve to overcome this crisis... It's been 10 years since the series started. The immortal series is completely revived. In addition to the combination of Teruyuki Kagawa and Mai Kitajima, the original cast of Yasuaki Kurata, Isamu Ichikawa, Shinichi Ishii, Hiroaki Iiyama, Takashi Sasano, and Yozaburo Ito will all appear. What is the conclusion with Kishu-gumi? What is the fate of love with Akino?

Bored with school, 15-year-old Daisuke Kawashima embarks on a pilgrimage to visit the 7,000-year-old cedar tree on distant Yakushima Island. Through his journey, Daisuke meets a number of interesting people, including friendly truck driver Sumire and a mysterious mountaineer girl.

"Home Sweet Home" deals with a family who, unable to cope with their aging grandfather's worsening dementia, abandon him at a group home for the elderly. When, racked by guilt, they return to retrieve him, they discover to their surprise. . .

Koji, a jazz musician, takes a cigarette break in between sets at a Tokyo nightclub. He witnesses a murder and runs into a girl, Linda, who is being pursued by the killers. For the next two hours, Koji and Linda are running from both the hitmen and the police. Mistakenly identified as prime suspects, they have to solve the crime but time is running out: Koji has to be back to perform in his club by midnight, as a very special guest will be attending.

Togashi, an enthusiastic marathon runner and his wife are occupied with their daughter Mayumi's grade school entrance examinations, but he becomes jobless when his company folds. To regain his confidence Togashi decides to join the marathon that is taking place on the very day of his daughter's examination and the all important interview.

Set in the late 1950s, when geisha culture was threatened by moral crusades, it tells the story of Omacha (Miyamoto Maki), a young girl who sees the geisha life as a way to lift her poverty-stricken family from their hand-to-mouth existence. Through her eyes, we see the protocols and complex financial relationships which dictate the running of the geisha house. Fukasaku's film is a work of great delicacy with moments of hypnotic beauty, and his tender direction, often touched with a sense of wonder, fills the screen with lovingly constructed scenes. At its heart is the poignant situation of the women who must sacrifice their normal relationships to live an ambiguous life in which they are a key part of society while being kept, for the most part, on its periphery, like perpetual mistresses.

The psychiatric evaluation of a young actor arrested for a brutal double murder concludes he may be unfit for trial. Further investigation, however, reveals the crime was a well-planned statement against the section of Japan's criminal code granting diminished responsibility to the mentally impaired.

Su-san resigns after getting fed up with corporate life, but he finds himself back in familiar surroundings on his first assignment at a new job.

Hama-chan’s sales department gets a new supervisor, a hard-working taskmaster that’s the very opposite of carefree, irresponsible Hama-chan. The veteran employee decides to find his boss, a divorced father, a new wife. The supervisor loves a bar hostess “mama-san,” but is unable to confess his true feelings until Hama-chan comes to his rescue.

A young man fails his company entrance exams and leaves home to work at a run-down cinema in Tokushima, whose owner lives to bring entertaining films to the residents of his small town.

When Su-san invites his late friend's daughter to come along on a fishing trip, she falls in love with Hama-chan's fishing protégé.

Based on the comic by Tatsu Kariya.

Assistant police inspector Aida is assigned to investigate the murder of a former gang member. When a justice ministry official is killed days later in a similar manner, he begins to suspect that something bigger is going on...

Juukou B-Fighter, was a 1995 Japanese tokusatsu television series. B-Fighter is short for "Beetle Fighter". It was part of Toei's ongoing Metal Hero Series. It dealt with three members of the prestigious Earth Academia fighting against the evil forces of the otherworldly Jamahl Empire. The action footage and props were used for Big Bad Beetleborgs.

The movie version of Juukou B-Fighter premiered in Japan on April 15, 1995 at the Toei Super Hero Fair '95. It was originally shown as a triple feature alongside Mechanical Violator Hakaider and the feature film version of Chouriki Sentai Ohranger.

an Stripper called Mary, who had burned her debt, suddenly paid it off. Suda, a fan, borrowed money from Ginjiro and was satisfied. Ginjiro, who knows nothing, is shocked to see the counterfeit loan book brought by Sawaki, who escaped borrowing 10 million yen.

Hama-chan and Su-san go fishing during a business trip, but Hama-chan has to give a lecture on Su-san's behalf in a case of mistaken identity.

A cantankerous but loveable high school teacher teaches a night school in a poor neighborhood for adult students on the fringes of Japanese society.

Part two of twelve.

Hama-chan shows up to work with his son on his back when his wife goes to her class reunion and his mother throws her back out.

The story of an unconventional teacher facing up to his unruly and apathetic class.

Hama-chan and his wife are ecstatic about their long-awaited pregnancy. Meanwhile, Su-san's nephew joins Hama-chan's department at the company.

Kyosuke Kozu (Masaomi Kondo), a university professor and a famous detective, is a big magic lover. He was asked to judge the Magic Competition to be held in Ito, and set out with his sister Nobuko, her lover's newspaper reporter Kenzo, and the brothers Shiro Kishibe. On the day, Shigeko Mizutani, who was supposed to play the guillotine technique, went missing, and she was found dead while her sister Yoshiko was taking her place. The suspects include Yoshiko, Shigeko's husband, Ryohei Mizutani, and her secretary, Yuriko.

The film is based on true events. It centers around Shunzo, a popular greengrocer who lives in a city near Tokyo. His life, and that of his wife, Michi and their two children, undergoes a dramatic change when he encounters Li, a poor college student from China.

Tora-san's nephew Mitsuo is exchanging letters with Izumi, a former classmate whose parents divorced and took her out of Tokyo.

Hama-chan gets Su-san hooked on fishing, but Su-san has some problems to deal with; a beautiful woman saves Su-san when he collapses while fishing.

During his wandering throughout Japan, Tora-san meets a suicidal man. He travels with the man to Vienna, but winds up homesick for Japan.

Ryoko, a free-spirited 23-year-old woman, quits her job after being caught having an affair with a co-worker and finds herself on the street. She comes to Tokyo, relying on her aunt Moeko, a career woman who works as a manager at a major city bank. The two, who have completely different personalities, quarrel constantly whenever they see each other.

In his travels through Japan, Tora-san meets and falls in love with a female doctor, however he is afraid of committing to a relationship.

Harada is a successful scenario writer, and his best buddy has just announced an intention to propose to Harada's ex-wife. Recovering from the shock, Harada indulges in melancholy, mainly on his failure as a husband and father, and goes to a 'Rakugo' (sit-down comedy) show, where a friendly man in the audience invites him home. Harada is puzzled at the strong resemblance of this man and his wife to his own parents, who were killed nearly 30 years ago when he was twelve.

Junior-high students are restrained by their teachers and parents... One day, they plan a rebellion....

Densuke Hamazaki is an office worker at Suzuki Construction and gets transferred to the main Tokyo office. After settling in to his surrounding along with his wife Eri, Densuke befriends an elderly man named Ichinosuke Suzuki. Ichinosuke is a lonely and old man who learns to enjoy life again through his friendship with Densuke. Meanwhile, Densuke is completely unaware that Ichinosuke is the boss of his construction company. The two men become friends through their shared passion for fishing.

When his travels take him to rural Hokkaido, Tora-san helps a cantankerous old veterinarian (Mifune) in his relationships with his estranged daughter, and a woman in whom he is secretly interested.

A playboy-gambler friend of Tora-san’s dies and, abandoned by his mother, his little boy suddenly turns up in Shibamata. Searching for the boy’s mother, Tora-san meets a cosmetics saleslady and the three become a surrogate family, with Tora-san as “daddy”.

Having been demoted for failing to prevent the murder of one of his superiors, Mondo is startled by a group of masked thugs who are soon attacked in turn by an unseen force. He begins to suspect the work of assassins, but whose side are they on?

A hardened gangster encounters by chance a woman he hasn't seen since childhood. They are both engulfed in the underground world of intergang warfare.

During his travels, Tora-san comes across a traditional theater he used to visit, and discovers that one of his old friends has died. Tora-san and his family help the friend's daughter, who becomes romantically involved with an aspiring artist.

Tora-san's family's neighbor, Akemi, who had been married in Marriage Counselor Tora-san (1984), runs away from her husband, who is only interested in work. Tora-san follows her to Shikinejima, and attempts to bring her back to her home. In doing so he encounters a school-reunion group who are traveling to meet their elementary school teacher, which is a reference to the film Twenty-Four Eyes by Keisuke Kinoshita. Tora-san joins them and falls in love with the teacher.

A mahjong neophyte loses everything to game master only to hone his skills, take on all challenges and plan for an ultimate revenge match.

Ryuji tries quitting the yakuza to actively support his wife and daughter; as he's used to easy money, it's a difficult transition.