Discoveries from Japan World Cinema

One day after school, Kaoru glances at Sonoko at the pool side. He falls in love with her at first sight and decides to join the swimming team even though he cannot swim.

In this special, Houtaro and Rinne swapped bodies! In order to return to their original bodies, they need to a complete mission given to them by Firemars and Inphoenix! To help them, both Professor Minato and Supana are acting differently?! The special will also feature the debut of Kamen Rider Gotchard MarsPhoenix!

A Nikkatsu sun tribe / youth film set in a small seaside town.

A Yakuza underling is given the assignment to rid an apartment of its tenants within a week. He tries a variety of desperate tactics to no avail. Soon his problems get worse as an evil spirit makes its presence known.

THE IDOLM@STER STATION!!! First Live "HEART AND SOUL" was a live concert event held on March 25th, 2012 at CLUB SEATA in Tokyo, Japan to promote THE IDOLM@STER STATION!!!. The event starred the show's hosts Manami Numakura, Yumi Hara, and Azumi Asakura performing alongside a live band. The setlist consisted of original songs from the show as well as a few select songs from THE IDOLM@STER RADIO, some covers, and a special performance of the in-game song Overmaster. The concert was released on Blu-ray format on October 31st, 2012.

Chief Iizuka, 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.

Mitsuo, unhappy in his new job as a shoe salesman, is invited to a festival and is introduced to a friend’s sister. Tora-san meanwhile helps an injured housewife on her yearly vacation.

Adapted from a book of poems by poet Taichi Nakao, the film is a road story set in beautiful nature and tranquil landscapes about a lonely janitor who doesn't communicate well and Haru, a teenage girl who is different, who travels on Route 29, which connects Hyogo-Himeji City to Tottori City, and through their encounters with marvelous people, they gain a richness of feelings, strengthen their bonds, and become fulfilled in their hearts.

During the Vietnam War era, the influx of American soldiers to Okinawa boosted the local economy and introduced many bars and nightclubs. With exhausting displays of energy, Sai presents a whirlwind romance between a local rocker and the daughter of a mixed American-Okinawan marriage.

When he is hit by a car on the street, the young man Daikoku foresees the monster Demking appearing at the end of the century. In preparation for the coming confrontation with the Demeking, he organizes a modern-day Seven Lucky Gods composed entirely of antisocial people. This is a utopian epic that, despite the ridiculousness of the story, is the most powerful depiction of the motifs seen in the first two films, which attempt to play on the sense of apocalypse through unrealistic imagination, while staying within a tenuous sense of reality.

A young man moves from the countryside to Tokyo, while experiencing hardships and happiness, in his pursuit to become a comics artist.

The sixth installment in the series of fantasy swordplay action movies starring Riki Takeuchi.

For the past 15 years, Fuyukawa Misaki has lived a quiet, reclusive life while keeping her secret well-hidden. With just two months left before the statute of limitations on the murder of her colleague expires, a mysterious man appears in Misaki’s life, who says, “I know your secret.” Is he a friend or foe? The nameless man who claims to know about Misaki’s past does not reveal any personal information about himself, but only says he wants to live with her in exchange for keeping her secret. Hence, a bizarre living arrangement begins. Who is this man and what is his purpose? Meanwhile, conventional detective Kiba is convinced that Misaki is the elusive criminal behind the 15-year old murder case and is determined to uncover evidence to prove his theory. As this peculiar love-suspense drama unfolds, you will need to piece together information to solve the mysterious puzzle of murder while the clock counts down to the expiration deadline.

In the early days of the Showa era in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture a newborn baby is abandoned with a doll under the eaves of a merchant house along the pilgrimage route in Shikoku. It seems to be a pilgrim struggling to make a living. This baby girl is named Haruko and brought by Tomita Shizuko and Katsuji as the younger sister of their son Ryosuke who is three years apart. When the war begins, 16-year old Ryosuke qualifies for the naval academy and crosses the Seto Inland Sea. After some consideration, Shizuko tells Haruko the truth that they are not real siblings for the first time. Haruko who has had a secret crush on her brother ever since he said that he would protect her, is innocently overjoyed and heads to Hiroshima to convey this to him. The next day, an atomic bomb explodes in the sky…

When an explosion occurs, alcoholic bartender Kikuchi, who was wanted for a bombing 20 years ago, is suspected. Having lost two friends in the incident, Kikuchi sets out to find the real culprit.

Kenmochi works as a novelist. He is able to recognize people who are suicidal. Kenmochi and his friend Urushihara meet these people and let them find hope in their lives.

Episodes 5 and 6 of Return of Ultraman show, screened at Toho Champion Festival.

Street vendor Kazuo, Hiroshi, and Umenosuke live together despite the relationship between Kazuo and Hiroshi. Then, a young man Asashi appears in the guise of wanting to open a "Yakisoba" restaurant...

Those incompetent aliens are still plotting to conquer the Earth! The only obstacle in their path is the giant, feminine robot ARIEL! But the young pilots have lives of their own... When Kazumi receives a mysterious love letter from a secret admirer, should she cancel her first date just to save the Earth?

High school music teacher, Morimura Yuuki, is the concert master and first violinist of the amateur orchestra, Fujimi Orchestra. Surprisingly, a young conductor named Tonoin Kei (known as a musical genius) joins this small orchestra to conduct. Even though Tonoin is a strict conductor, all the members adore him for the notable improvements in their performances and soon Yuuki feels his efforts for the orchestra have been fruitless. Yuuki soon comes to the conclusion that his crush of 3 years likes Tonoin, and he decides to give up on her and leave the orchestra. Tonoin refuses to let him quit, confessing that he loves Yuuki, which reveals that he's gay. Tonoin's love confession confuses Yuuki and it leads to a very horrible misunderstanding.

A cop, Katayama, gains the trust of a mother and daughter whose father, Nishina, is missing after being accused of killing a gang boss.

High school student Juri leaps to her death. Afterwards, Juri wanders to her house, school and street. She feels loneliness as nobody else is able to see her. She talks to those that she comes across including her mother and classmates, but nobody responds to her comments. Juri then sees a horrifying monster, which she never saw prior to her suicide. She calls the scary monster "Bug Man". When the mind of humans become weak, the Bug Man tempts those to commit suicide. One day, Juri walks along the street as usual. She then meets a girl that is able to see Juri. Juri names the girl Ringo-chan and plays at the park with her. Their happy moments does not last long. When they come back from the park, Juri sees Ringo-chan's mother with a grim face. The Bug Man is standing behind her mother.

Kasumi is in the midst of an affair with Ishiyama, one of her husband's clients. When Kasumi and her family visit Ishiyama's villa in Hokkaido, she plans to abandon them to be with Ishiyama. The next morning, her daughter Yuka disappears, which throws Kasumi's life into turmoil. Years later, Yuka remains missing, and Kasumi journeys back to Hokkaido with Utsumi, a terminally-ill former detective, and tries to follow any leads she can.

Hotaru Amami is a private investigator, also manages her own office. With her assistant Yayoi Mizuno, who is a law student, they try to exterminate swindlers target women. One day, Erika, Yayoi’s friend in college, visits her office. She says she is claimed to pay for sample cosmetics that she was given on a street by answering a survey. It sounds it is easy that she just has to take an action of cooling-off. However, this case is complex that it’s planned by a group to make money by eating up women’s dream.

A story of the unexplainable things that inflict sheer terror on human beings and how they leave victims psychologically devastated.

Entertainment show hosted by the comedy trio TOKYO03, based on the concept of "more freedom" and "more playfulness," brings together various individuals who excel in the fields of comedy, music, idol culture, and voice acting. The event is making a comeback after five years as a 2-day performance at the Nihon Budokan.

Witness this beautiful yet cruel story that depicts the birth of the Three Dark Sisters and Risa Arisugawa, an ordinary girl who dreams of becoming a singer and was the model used to create Lachesis.

Yu feels hopeless in rural life. Impulsively visiting his girlfriend in Tokyo, he ends up staying at "Eden," a cheap lodging with odd residents. After one vanishes, Yu suspects they may be killing newcomers. Can he escape safely?

Den Shichi of Kurodomon-chō, the best detective in Edo, captured members of a thief gang called "Kitsutsuki," but let three, including the rōnin Daikoku Yajūrō, Tengai Omachi, and Kasumi no Seiji, escape. Among the captured who were exiled, Genta and Kakuroku broke out and returned to Edo to reorganize the Kitsutsuki gang, starting to wreak havoc in the city. Due to the brutal methods used, Den Shichi suspected Yajūrō and Omachi had rejoined the gang. One day, a child who saw a hairdresser resembling Den Shichi, named Kiyoshi, reported to him. Kiyoshi, trusted by the moneychanger Yamano-ya, frequented by Den Shichi's wife Oshun, was rumored to be in love with Yamano-ya's daughter Oiku. In fact, Kiyoshi was Kasumi no Seiji, now living an honest life.

One day, it's decided that all people with blood type B have to be killed. There are people in black costumes who chase after and kill everyone with blood type B. Tsukasa is one of those people. Together with her friend Yui she tries to stay alive and staying alive means running because hiding isn't a solution. On the hunt, they meet Masaharu and together they decide to fight against those black costumed creatures.

Based on the book of the same name by Rieko Matsuura, the film depicts an ultimate love between two women.

Kouta and Kaito learn their Lockseeds rusted as they and Mai are visited by the mysterious girl who cryptically tells them the best way to restore the Lockseeds is to make them "fresh." From cleaning the Team Gaim garage to Kaito making a fruit tart and then Mai setting up a fashion show, future Mai explains the final step is a fresh smile. Though Kouta succeeds with his Lockseed transformed into a Fresh Orange Lockseed, Kaito is disillusioned and decides to go Hellheim Forest. Found by Kamen Riders Zangetsu and Ryugen, who respectively equip the Mango and Pine Lockseeds, Kaito becomes Kamen Rider Baron Kiwi Arms to call out Kouta as he transforms into the shiny Kamen Rider Gaim Fresh Orange Arms.

Tora-san befriends the descendant of a feudal lord. The man asks Tora to locate his deceased son's wife who resides somewhere in Tokyo.

A yakuza family goes into show business.

Ever wonder what it would be like to work for an animation studio? Kuromi just landed her dream job at the famous Studio Petit, and boy is she in for a rude awakening! The new head of the ultimate team of slackers, it’s up to her to finish "Time Journeys Episode 2," or fans everywhere will be let down. Will Kuromi's love of cartoons clean up this horrible mess... or make an even bigger one?

Yamagata is a middle-aged real estate sales manager. One day, a Twitter account that appears to belong to him seems to incriminate him for a murder of a young woman. He knows nothing about the account – but an online outrage declares him a dangerous criminal, and he ends up running for his life, both from the police and clout-chasing YouTubers. A body of another murdered young woman turns up at his house, and he receives an accusatory letter from the one who has framed him. But who would do such a thing? He's well-liked by everyone… or so he thinks.

It depicts a world overflowing with the manly spirit of the stall vendors who run the festival. Kanji, the son who comes to inherit Kantaro’s stall-vendor business, heads to Niigata in order to save fellow stall vendors who are being attacked one after another.

Writer Jippensha Ikku hears Tsutaya Juzaburo, a wholesaler of picture books, mutter on his deathbed, "Where has Sharaku gone?" He begins to figure out the true identity of Sharaku, who disappeared after about 150 portraits of actors he created came out.

A beautiful hostess of a small restaurant moonlights as a well-trained assassin tasked with taking the life of a wealthy businessman...

OVA of Diabolik Lovers included with the game Diabolik Lovers DARK FATE.

The twelfth 'Japan Gangster War' film.

A young factory worker struggles to figure out what she wants to do with her life.

During a motocross practice, Keisuke Jin is ambushed by two Myth Cyborgs created by a secret organization that's attempting to control Japan, G.O.D. (Government of Darkness). He transforms into Kamen Rider X, but little does he know that his battle is recorded and analyzed by King Dark, G.O.D.'s commander, to create a super cyborg. Other G.O.D. cyborgs are attacking all over Tokyo and in the middle of the crisis, the original four Riders return to Japan from different countries around the world. The five Riders unite to lead a counter attack against G.O.D.

Kimiko (Yui Hatano), who works for a fishery cooperative, remains a virgin. In a matchmaking marriage, he married a fisherman, Yoshio (Morira Manzo). Kimiko is desperate for her marriage because she is forced to do housework and SEX every day like a maid of Yoshio. What appeared in front of her was Totsuka (Mutsuo Yoshioka), who came from Tokyo to inspect the city's water quality. Kimiko, who felt the forbidden love investigation in Totsuka's kindness, put up a bold strategy ... A shocking work with the motif of the Showa era that actually happened! The starring is very popular in Asia such as Taiwan. Yui Hatano, an adult idol who is proud of her!

Long ago, a fallen Makai Priestess named Higari became too powerful and after tampering with powers no one should wield, she had to be stopped and was eventually sealed away by another Makai Priest named Sougen. Using his body and his own life, he created the Tougen Flute and sealed Higari shortly after his death. However, through a special ritual, those who seek Higari's power can resurrect her by replaying eight notes on the Tougen Flute to undo Sougen's seal. In the present, while Kouga Saezima has travelled to the promised land (Garo: Soukoku no Maryu), two fallen priests,Jabi and Rekka, will attempt to return Higari.

In a beautiful yet mysterious world reminiscent of a mother's womb. Guided by equally mysterious creatures, two twin children embark on a journey to meet the mother they have never known.

To bring back her dead friends, high school student Naomi (Rina Ikoma) goes back to the elementary school where a tragedy took place. She becomes involved in a new incident.

Natsumi (Ai Takeuchi) is forced to work in a steel factory in order to pay off a debt, a factory notorious for employing women with "dark pasts" as slave labor. Tsukada, Chief of Security places Natsumi in a team of four women led by Atsuko(Nagisa Umeno). When one worker fails to follow instructions, Tsukada rapes her, and Natsumi is next on his list. Natsumi tries to fight the insanity, but is hindered by managing director Hideko and factory president Kamiyama. It is up to Natsumi to take on the evildoings of the factory.

Story of a bandit king part 2.

An intense, middle-aged postal worker kidnaps an university student and confines her long enough that he may have successfully be-petted her... a thrilling criminal-drama with a surprise twist that will satisfy all audiences.

Midori is a coming-of-age drama set amongst the heady high school world of peer rivalry and sexual awakening, featuring an emotionally-detached high-school girl who, her parents dead, lives with her brother and his overprotective wife. After being sent out of class due to a dizzy spell, she becomes acquainted with Shun, a boy in the class below, in the school sanatorium. As the two begin feigning illness together on a regular basis, their uncomfortable flirtations soon blossom into a full sexual relationship.

A failed director is trying to get his next movie off the ground, while dealing with his cranky brother and his estranged wife.

Nine maids serve the household of a writer and his wife. The couple treat their maids like daughters and marry them off to eligible men. So, they are forever looking for new maids. As the years go by maid servants become hired help and more bossy and independent, so Chikura and his wife find themselves adjusting their lives to keep up with changing times.

Enthralled with tales of the Great North Forest conveyed to him by friendly carrier pigeon Pippo, young chipmunk Glikko leaves the safety of his comfortable cage to explore the world.

Yano, a progressive individual who seeks to overcome strength with gentleness and confronts physical power with moral principles, faces off against a man protecting jujitsu in the twilight of Kikyōgahara!