Tōru Chiba
Tired of poverty, Keiko leaves home and soon takes a lover, but leads a wanton life without paying heed to his advice. However, the younger sister Yoshiko, is an innocent and kind girl. One day, with the sudden death of their mother in a car accident, Keiko learns that she and Yoshiko are actually stepsisters, and that she is the daughter of a murderer. She now plans extortion from Yoshiko's true father who is the president of a well-known trading company.
After the massacre of Christians at Shimabara, followers of Amakusa Shiro band together in a plot to overthrow the shogunate in order to exact revenge on the Tokugawa. At the same time there is a succession dispute in the Kuroda clan, as one faction tried to usurp the rightful heir and take over the honored clan. Before his untimely death, the lord of the Kuroda bestowed “Nihongo”, a magnificent spear, on his finest warrior, which ultimately brings him into contact with two of Japan’s most famous historical figures, Yagyu Jubei and Miyamoto Musashi. Can the three masters of martial art join forces to defeat their enemies and save the nation?
In 1941, overpopulated Japan faces an economic boycott and its armed forces push further to the south. And despite negotiations between Japan and the U. S. A. war is declared with the attack on Pearl Harbour. Victories follow for Japan on land and sea and her forces push forward to the borders of India. But gradually the tide turns in favour of the Allies and after the atom bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan is compelled to accept the Potsdam Declaration and by the order of the Emperor agrees to unconditional surrender. Under the supervision of the occupation forces the International Military Tribunal opens in Tokyo to try the Japanese war leaders. Established in the cause of justice, and to prevent future aggressive wars the trials drag on for two and a half years. And on December 23, 1948, General Tojo and six other war leaders mount the thirteen steps to the gallows at Tokyo's Sugamo prison.
Rika, a manageress of a night club is about to be arrested on suspicion of smuggling. However, she escapes through the assistance rendered her by First Lieutenant Yokoyama of the Japanese Naval Commander's Office. After the end of war, Yokoyama plans to escape from riot-ridden Amoy and finally succeeds with the help of Rika to whom he gives a destroyer. Rika is actually the leader of a gang of pirates, and plans to rule the East China Sea by crushing Banryu, her rival.
Meiji Tenno portrayed the ramp up to the Russo-Japan War. In addition to showing the political events that led to war, it also showed the era from the story of a farm family in rural Japan who sent their son off to war. As such, it could be considered an anti-war movie, showing how, while war is devised by governments, the people do not really understand what war is, and it's combatants often do not know what they are fighting for.
A 1956 alien invasion tokusatsu film. Mostly known for being directed by Shinichi Sekizawa, writer of numerous Godzilla films.
Italy is usually cited as the anchor of the neo-realist movement in cinema, but Mikio Naruse's Ginza Cosmetics (1951) is a reminder that Japan had its own output equally rooted in realism. Set in Tokyo's Ginza district, this low-key, lyrical unassuming account of a few days in the life of a luckless geisha (Kinuyo Tanaka), as she struggles to make a living for herself and her young son, has few dramatic highs or artificial moments, but possesses a startlingly vivid power in its slice-of-life texture.
