Discoveries from Japan World Cinema

A surreal period film following a university professor and his eerie nomad friend as they go through loose romantic triangles and face death in peculiar ways.

The Dematerialization Phenomenon, in which the real world becomes digital, has become a problem and must be resolved immediately. After hearing of this incident, Netto and Rockman left off after their father and Network Researcher, Yuuichirou. He also had found news of an invasion in the computer of the Trinity Brain trust company: 'The Earth itself will understand the way things stand in the cyber world'. In order to destroy the program causing the incident, Netto and Rockman have to go deep underground. But old enemies await them there, as well as new ones. As they fought each other, the vicious cyber-life, Nebula Grey, awakens. The Dematerialization Phenomenon will not be stopped unless Nebula Grey is defeated.

Volunteering as a "comfort woman" on the Manchurian front, where she is expected to service hundreds of soldiers, Harumi is commandeered by the brutal Lieutenant Narita but falls for the sensitive Mikami, Narita's direct subordinate. Seijun Suzuki's Story of a Prostitute is a tragic love story as well as a rule-bending take on a popular Taijiro Tamura novel, challenging military and fraternal codes of honor, as seen through Harumi's eyes.

Kaoru is a 17-year-old boy with an SM fetish, secretly dreaming of an SM relationship with his childhood friend Nana. One day Kaoru's mother asks Nana to hide all his SM toys so that he will study for a change. However, Nana finds the leather one-piece that Kaoru bought and tries it on, but she accidentally locks it and does not have the key! This is the beginning of a very strange relationship...

Hibiki Shimada, a normal 17-year-old high-school student, still does not know how to fall in love—although surrounded by love "experts"—until one day she realizes she's fallen in love with her hot and nice 26-year-old teacher, Itō. She then takes a path to make her teacher understand how she feels for him.

Chihiro is depressed and obsessed with his own mortality. Him and his wife, Yuri (Yoko Mitsuya), decide to take a trip to Bali, Indonesia to see his pregnant sister, Kumi (Kiki Sugino). They hope the trip can bring about change.

A building manager spots a hooded jogger as he brazenly assaults a woman and drags her off. He follows and watches as the poor woman gets raped. After the rapist has left the manager hesitates and approaches the prone woman… and takes his turn. The next day the manager is on the lookout for the jogger, waiting for another chance.

A young girl named Kiki must leave her home for a year to begin training in witchcraft. She leaves on her broom, but first says goodbye to her friends and family. Kiki then begins her new life with her trusted cat Jiji.

The film's story is a prequel to the Fist of the North Star depicting the one year interval between Kenshiro's defeat at the hands of Shin and their later battle. Unlike the others in the series this film has a completely original storyline in which Kenshiro, near death after his battle with Shin and having used his remaining energy to kill a pack of wolves, was captured by slavers. Due to his strength, Kenshiro could escape whenever he wanted, but chose to stay and protect the other slaves.

Kaburagi was arrested as a suspect in a brutal murder case, but he escapes. He continues to hide and move all around Japan. During this time, he meets Sayaka, Kazuya and Mai. Detective Matanuki is on the trail to capture Kaburagi. He interrogates the people who met Kaburagi, but they all describe Kaburagi differently from each other. Kaburagi has been missing for 488 days. Who really is Kaburagi? What is his plan?

"Even today there are those who risk their lives to protect the world. Thirty Super Sentai who protect the Earth from dangerous enemies." GoGo Sentai Boukenger vs. Super Sentai is a multiple Sentai crossover film that celebrates the 30th Anniversary of the Super Sentai series. The team-up includes the Boukengers and special guests MagiYellow, AbareBlack, HurricaneBlue, DekaBreak, and MagiShine. They are joined by an unknown Ranger named AkaRed.

"Proof of Us" is an original animation created to motivate all exam candidates in Japan.

Yuki, the wife of a leading member of the Domoto family, must assume her husband’s role as a yakuza boss while he serves out a prison sentence. As she grows into her new role, she manages to assert control and increase the influence of her organization. But when her husband is released from prison, she finds him a changed man, lacking the character necessary to be a powerful yakuza leader. Conflict ensues and their marriage is challenged by a desire for power.

Obscure French version of the original Godzilla. The film combines elements of the original Toho version and the American King of the Monsters! in a unique assemblage exclusive to the Francophone market. Released by Les Films du Verseau.

Onimasa is the egocentric boss of a small yakuza clan on Shikoku Island, whose criminal duties conflict with his self-image as a chivalrous samurai. His struggles with his boss, the Shikoku Godfather, and the tumultuous life of his adopted daughter, Matsue, form the backdrop of this epic tale of justice, obedience, and bloody vengeance.

ONLY ONCE, ONLY 7TH. was the sixth live by the IDOLiSH7 franchise, held at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium. It was a celebration of the franchise's seventh anniversary and it marked a special milestone as the number "7" is very a significant number within IDOLiSH7. The theme was "parade".

A down-and-out businessman travels to a seaside town, where he meets a woman with unusual sexual powers.

Amemiya is an unpopular Youtuber who specializes in the occult. One day, his manager brings him a floor plan with an inscrutable point. With the help of Kurihara and Yuzuki, he begins to look into the plan and reveal the mystery behind.

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.

Adapted from the bestselling Japanese autobiography of the same title, this gentle coming-of-age drama concerns an adolescent boy, Boku - Masaya, torn between the inherited recklessness of his father Oton and the inherited responsibility, wisdom and emotional strength of his mother Okan. Following a period of intensely rebellious behavior, Boku learns that his mom has contracted cancer; suddenly, his mother comes to live with him in Tokyo the entire emotional landscape of his life is altered.

In the midst of an industrial revolution, the people of Hinomoto fight hordes of undead creatures, known as Kabane, using powerful armored trains. (Compilation film of the first half of the original TV series.)

The Armor of Mars -- a suit of armor consisting of six pieces. If anyone from the bloodline of the ancient warrior Godimus were to find all six pieces for himself, he would receive power equal to the level of a god. The Curse of Godimus, however, also dictates that this same person would lose all sense of himself and become an insane killing machine.

A serial killer nicknamed "Jack the Ripper" is murdering women in their own homes. While the media is reporting on his latest victims, Natsuko's husband leaves on a business trip. As soon as her husband is gone, her lover arrives for some quick sex. Then there's a knock on the door...

After twelve years of school - twelve years of a strict, regimented life-style - high school graduation can be a very scary moment. It's a time when a student suddenly realizes everything is about to change. And many are not ready for the drastic fluctuation in their lives. This film concentrates on traumas facing two different graduates. Hideo and his friends always hang out at The Joint, a sand-wich/soda shop near the school. Just prior to graduation, the place is closed up. This gives an unsettling message to the kids who are already queasy over their own future. They react badly by going to school and raping their homeroom teacher. Meanwhile, Ichiro, who failed the University Entrance Exam, has barricaded himself - along with girlfriend Ranko - in a hotel with a rifle.

Dan is a former geisha, now working as an ace pilot for the Earth Defense Troops. Her fiance was killed by the space monster Bemurasu which consumes nuclear waste. To save Planet Earth, Dan attacks Bemurasu, but whenever she does, she feels ecstasy. Can she save Planet Earth?

Dr. Cat Kagami was hoping to leave her torrid past behind, but a failed assassination attempt has now put her square in the crosshairs of a team of brutal killers. Now no one is safe, including her lesbian co-worker and a mysterious woman with a terrible secret that could bring down an entire Japanese company. Cat must take the law into her own hands and enact her own special kind of revenge!

An organization in the future sends the specially trained Team Ogre to defeat Endou Mamoru and his team, to prevent him from influencing the world with his soccer.

The movie takes place again in the fictional Wangan Station of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department the once empty space within Wangan's jurisdiction has become a popular tourist attraction. When a string of murders of company execs begins taking place, Aoshima jumps at the opportunity to pursue something other than his current case, which he finds less than inspiring. However the powers that be have other ideas, and Wangan again plays host to a special investigation team from headquarters. Aoshima's friend Superintendent Shinji Muroi, assigned by headquarters to assist Okita, is again powerless to help the local officers as decisions are made by the higher ups.

The heroes of 'Tiger & Bunny' are back in an all-new feature-length film! Picking up after the events of the Maverick incident, Kotetsu T. Kaburagi, a.k.k Wild Tiger, and Barnaby Brooks Jr. resume their careers as heroes fighting crime in Hero TV's Second League. Their partnership comes to a sudden end when Apollon Media's new owner Mark Schneider fires Kotetsu and moves Barnaby back into the First League, pairing him up with Golden Ryan, a new hero with awesome powers and a huge ego to match. When the heroes are sent to investigate a string of strange incidents tied closely to the city's Goddess Legend, they discover three super powered NEXTs plotting to bring terror and destruction to Stern Bild. With the lives of millions hanging in the balance, Barnaby and Goden Ryan must overcome their differences to contain the approaching doom, while a jobless Kotetsu's resolve as a hero is put to the test as he struggles to help his fellow heroes from the sidelines.

A look at legendary Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki following his retirement in 2013.

A man brutally murders a married couple and leaves the word “ikari” (“rage”) written with their blood. The killer undergoes plastic surgery and flees. At three different locations in Japan, a male stranger appears. People suspect that the stranger might be the murderer.

A dangerous shadow organization launches a campaign of fear and violence in the city of Shinjuku, pushing society to the brink of chaos. As a young police officer tasked with restoring order, you become the target of an attack, and have a poisonous collar attached to your neck. With the situation spiraling out of control and time running out, five mysterious strangers appear to aid you in your quest for the truth. Who can you trust? Will you be able to save yourself and the soul of Shinjuku from the clutches of oblivion?

A school appears peaceful from a distance, but a fierce gambling battle takes place once again. Yumeko Jabami is involved in the battle.

Fujiko Mine, the devastating femme fatale whose only loyalty is to her desire, befriends a young boy whose late father hid away a fortune. A killer is on the boy's trail and it's up to Fujiko to stop him: but where do her interests really lie?

After facing many dangers in the brothel town, Tanjiro, Zenitsu and Inosuke, along with the Flame Pillar Tengen Uzui, enter a deadly battle with the Upper Moon Six pair – Daki and Gyutaro. The fierce confrontation not only shows the strength of teamwork but also highlights the spirit of sacrifice of the Pillars. This is one of the most epic and emotional battles in the entire series.

Rudolf, a black stray cat, is suddenly separated from his beloved master. He unexpectedly wakes up in a long-distance truck that takes him to metropolis Tokyo. There, he meets Ippai-attena, a big boss cat feared by everyone in town. Unable to return home, Rudolf starts a life as a stray with Ippai-attena, but Ippai-attena isn't all that he seems to be.

A self-destructive man becomes a powerful member of the yakuza but quickly loses his self-control. Based on the true story of Rikio Ishikawa.

When a powerful new foe known as the Legendorga arises in 2008, Wataru investigates the mystery behind the crisis, which brings him in contact with a man Nago once knew, Shiramine Takato, whose 3WA also possess their own Rider System. When Shiramine explains how everything began in 1986, Wataru uses Castle Doran’s Time Door to travel back in time, leading him to meet his father face-to-face at last. But has Wataru managed to change the future, or will the Legendorga still rise and enslave humanity?

Japanese nunsplitation movie from 1998

What would you do to save someone you love? All brothers Shoma and Kanba know is that, after collapsing in an aquarium and apparently dying, their terminally ill sister Himari was somehow revived by a Penguin hat that she had wished for. Now they're on an impossible mission, because the price of keeping Himari alive is to find a mysterious object called the Penguindrum, and they'll do anything to save their sister. Anything. As they travel separate paths in their search, they'll have to unravel complex riddles, make alliances with strangers they know they shouldn't trust, and question the very fabrics of time and destiny.

As Sato’s plan enters its second phase, known as the “Purge,” key political and military figures begin falling one by one. With the operation rapidly advancing toward its final stage, the Japanese government remains steadfast in its refusal to negotiate with terrorists. Behind the scenes, the police, special forces, and even the United States Department of Defense begin making moves of their own. Meanwhile, high school student and fellow Ajin Kei Nagai devises a desperate strategy to stop Sato once and for all—but can he succeed before the final phase begins?

Three high schoolers, Minami, Ayaka, and Haruka, head out for a sunny day of relaxation at the golf course. Beginner Minami slowly gains confidence on the grass as she learns and laughs with the help and encouragement of her more experienced senpai.

After years of war against the monstrous kaiju, the world finally knows a time of prosperity and peace — but the presence of the kaiju can still be felt. Girls with the souls of kaiju are born every so often, and each is gifted with the unusual abilities of kaiju! An organization called GIRLS has collected the kaiju girls to defend the earth, but rising from the shadows comes BLACK STARS, a troupe of evil kaiju girls who just recruited their latest — and somewhat bewildered — new member…

The forbidden book that will make any wish come true "The Ghostly Book of Books". However, in order to make your wish come true you have to go through a life-threatening trial. What is that trial...?

1615. Ninja Sarutobi Sasuke is assigned the task of finding a hidden treasure that will restore his clan to their full power. However, sexy ninja warrior Kagero stands in Sasuke's way. Complications ensue when a sudden time warp occurs and both Sasuke and Kagero find themselves thrust hundreds of years into the future to Tokyo, Japan in 1984.

Has the world suddenly split into four? Keiwa Sakurai, Neon Kurama, Michinaga Azuma, and Tsumuri are flung into different worlds. And for some reason, a different Ace exists in each of the four worlds. The cause seems to be from the "World Doomsday Game" started by the staff from the future. In light of this crisis, the mysterious Cross Geats appears. Just what will happen to Ace and his friends?

Buddies working at an oshibori factory bond over an uncontrollable rage neither can control, as well as a strange jellyfish they keep as a pet.

An experimental, psychedelic odyssey through Japanese subculture experienced via the eyes of a disillusioned young man, who must contend with intense familial dysfunction, psychosexual alienation, and existentialist malaise.

Ten years have passed since the defeat of the Zangyack Empire, and the Gokaigers have seemingly disbanded and gone their separate ways. On Earth, “Super Sentai Derby Colosseum” has become the hottest gambling venue ever, with various Super Sentai battling each other for charitable causes. Suddenly, Captain Marvelous appears, issuing a challenge to the Colosseum’s administration and those who work for them... including Gai Ikari! Is it the Gokaigers or the people of Earth who have changed in the past ten years? And what of Joe, Luka, Doc, and Ahim? After ten years, an extraordinary battle is about to begin…

The inhabitants of a small Japanese town become increasingly obsessed with and tormented by spirals.

As each group pursues their mission, a fierce battle unfolds over the tattooed prisoners. Who is friend, and who is foe? The fight leads them all to Abashiri Prison, where Noppera-bo, the man who holds all the answers, is locked away...

Sensual love story about the romance between a single mother and a younger man. Directed by Ueno Takahiro of Pink Lady Woman Cannot Stand It. Koike Ryoko (Mizushima Yuko) lives with her daughter Mina (Sasaki Kokone), who she has raised by herself while running an izakaya restaurant. One day, Mina brings her boyfriend Kitagawa Kota (Sugawara Masanori) to apply for a part time job at Ryoko's restaurant. Ryoko keeps her distance at first, but she starts feeling drawn to Kota's kindness…

A prequel to Promare, set one day before the events of the film.

The Pictorians have arrived from deep in space. They also have dangly glow-balls on their heads, which is kinda cool, but still. The freaky aliens are using use their crazy rainbow-beam-thingy to paint everything on Earth the same color: white! See, now the title of the movie makes more sense, right? Anyway, if the Pictorians are to be stopped, the Allied guys and the Axis boys - plus some new characters, too - must set aside their differences, unite against their common foe, and hopefully get together for a sweaty workout to make sure they're super-ready to save the world!

Ayame, a courtesan, attracts the attention of street vendor Kisuke and decides to run away with him to America. Unfortunately, a crazed tattoo artist is obsessed with Ayame's perfect skin as a potential canvas, so he kills Kisuke to keep Ayame in Japan. Later, Ayame is sold to a brothel in Yokohama. Kisuke's ghost possesses her, causing his image to appear tattoo-like on her skin whenever she has sex.

Nicola, who has ascended to the throne as the queen of Planet Trickle, has decided to form an alliance with Planet Chikyu. Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger has been invited to act as witnesses. However, a remnant of the Hashiriyan named Manhole Grumer appears and steals the jewel that's been passed down in the Trickle royal family from Nicola! Furthermore, Minongan, one of Dagded's five jesters appears and steals the Ohgercalibur ZERO, which was prepared for the alliance ceremony! The Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger rushes to the scene and fights alongside the Boonboomger, but the warriors are separated by Manhole Grumer's mysterious power. Taiya and the others were scattered across the stars, each take action to escape from this dire situation. Soon, a dangerous heartbeat begins to resonate from deep underground. As a powerful evil awakens, will the two great Super Sentai be able to come together again fight together?! The battle for the three planets begins now!!

Kei Kikuno attends a vocational school as a student. For her part-time job, she works as a contract killer. She is excellent at her job and never gets scared by anyone. One day, she receives the most challenging request.

Rune Ballot is a down-and-out teen prostitute in Mardock City. One day, she's picked up by an ambitious casino manager named Shell who gives her everything she could want. Renewed by a false innocence, a false past, and now the false life Shell has given her, Ballot feels grateful. However, she can't help but be curious about why he's done so much for her, so she does some research about his past on a computer. This turns out to be a mistake which will change her life greatly. When Shell finds out what she's done, he attempts to burn her to death by blowing up her car.

Maruo, an independent film director, feels that he doesn't want to have sex because he loves her, and because of this, he breaks up with his girlfriend Aki. Unable to forget Aki, he tries to make a new movie based on his experience, but is stuck in writing the script. Why couldn't he hold Aki? Unable to find the answer himself, Maruo decides to meet her again to face that question. On the other hand, Aki is married to Tagashira, an office worker, but even though she wants to have children, she is worried about a sexless marital relationship. When Aki meets Maruo again after a long time, she asks him to give her some of his sperm.

A female student falls for a senior, but the senior not really for her. He is willing to go to bed with her, but doesn’t feel love. The couple embark on a painful yet passionate experiment. Based on the legendary book by Kei Nakazawa.