Discoveries from Japan World Cinema

Sara, a young actress, is able to land the leading role in big theater play, but soon learns that somebody or something is trying to end the production at all cost, which puts Sara in deadly danger.

Two sexually energized young women who live in a high-rise apartment building happen one day to spy from their window a mother and son making love in the apartment across from theirs. They decide to stage a rescue attempt to free him and in the process one of the young women ends up falling in love with the son despite having a boyfriend and enjoying sex with her female companion. Of course, the mother they are warring against has her own plans when she feels her privacy invaded.

Tomoyo was the lover of Udo, a leading member of the Japanese mafia. When Udo disappears with a bundle of dirty money, she is a suspected accomplice. tomoyo is a woman who has always depended on men, and she often sleeps with them in order to survive. Yuki spent all her time around dangerous men, until her luck finally ran out. Beaten, raped and left in the trunk of a car, she ends up overhearing Udo as he assassinates his fellow mafia agents. Yuki is a woman who has always confronted men, and she often spills blood in order to survive. Thrown together by chance, Tomoyo and Yuki must work together, or die at the hands of the syndicate. They're always ready to love, always read to kill, and never ready to trust.

Hibi tells about mother who does pottery and lives rather simple life, growing her children up. She does remarkable job in pottery, finding a new way to make natural pottery in her own tunnel kiln. Then, her son gets leukemia. And entire family has to fight hard to find a donor who has matching bone marrow.

In the roaring 1970s, a man who has left the world of the yakuza to become the owner of a sushi restaurant decides to rise up again when he sees his former family being overrun by a modern yakuza group from the Kansai region.

A woman from rural Japan marries a struggling cartoonist in Tokyo. Their life is difficult before he finds success, but at least they're together.

A Crowd of Three tells the story of two men, Kenta & Jun, who grew up as almost brothers at a children's facility. Kenta & Jun now works as part of a demolition crew but become fed up with their jobs. The friends then decide to take a road trip up north to visit Kenta's brother at the Abashiri prison.

A young woman is forced by circumstance into a loveless marriage while still in love with another. This episodic tale follows their story through three decades of bitter conflict which engulfs their children and those around them.

A young doujinshi writer doesn't win the literary prize award, and ends up killing the selection committee.

Comedy of high school where students and teachers run wild, based on a popular comic strip.

It's the night before the fair celebrating the Kingdom of Guardia's one thousand year anniversary. When the humans have gone to sleep for the night, excited about the next day's celebration, the monsters come out to play. Nuu and Mamo are two little monsters itching to have their own adventure in time and space, and their adventure group Nuumamonjaa is recruiting new members. Since neither is particularly strong in the brains department, their adventure turns into a disaster as they get into one mishap after another. A fast drinking competition, a close encounter with a robotic cat, and a high-speed car chase—this might be more adventure than the tiny duo bargained for!

This sensuously beautiful film chronicles the activities of four sisters who gather in Kyoto every year to view the cherry blossoms. It paints a vivid portrait of the pre-war lifestyle of the wealthy Makioka family from Osaka, and draws a parallel between their activities and the seasonal variations in Japan.

Rinne Kudo, who is studying abroad in England, sees her classmate kidnapped by Yoko Minato right in front of her. Rinne returns to Japan with Sophia's guidance, who is investigating a series of female kidnappings, and decides to investigate the case with Girls Remix. They head to the scene of the crime with Reika Shindai to investigate a case suspected to involve an alchemist. At that moment, Yoko appears again and attacks them, but a woman who looks like Clotho appears and fights Yoko. Will Rinne be able to solve the case and save her classmates?!

Historical drama about a sleep-eyed ronin

In the year UC 0071, three years after escaping the Zabi faction on an Ocean Cargo ship, Artesia and Casval are living happily in Andalusia, Spain, Earth under the identities of Sayla Mass and Éduoard Mass, respectively; masquerading as the children of Don Teabolo Mass, a long time friend of their father Zeon Zum Deikun.

Summer 1995. With the arrival of the "Age of Cats", the former Kerberos police unit is now disbanded. However one member remains, a stray dog who returns to his old roost after a three-years exile. This wild dog no longer has a master, but now the "Young Lady of Fate" will guide him on his journey.

Deaths in Tokimeki tells the story of a nondescript hitman, in a remote country villa, waiting to carry out a job: the assassination of the leader of a religious cult.

A semi-autobiography of Tezuka Osamu combined with a 30 minute science-fiction setting of Journey to the West.

Three elite salarymen find themselves in a bar fight with a group of threatening but mysterious men. When the mystery men come looking for revenge, the salarymen find themselves embroiled in a deadly game...

During an interplanetary concert tour, Ranka Lee visits the ruins of a temple: the Well of Souls.

A live concert in the Love Live franchise held at Saitama Super Arena on January 18 & 19, 2020, celebrating the franchise's 9th anniversary by uniting its first three groups together: µ's, Aqours and Nijigasaki High School Idol Club.

When these Pokémon friends begin the holidays with Christmas quarreling, can Pikachu restore good cheer? Then, on a winter's eve, when not even a trailer is stirring, the Pokémon are making a Yuletide discovery you won't believe!

The story concerns a homeless boy named Ted. After seeing a movie about Gulliver he meets Professor Gulliver himself in a forest. Gulliver is now an elderly, space-traveling scientist. With Dr. Gulliver's assistant Crow, and Ted's companions, a talking dog and a toy soldier, they travel the Milky Way to the Planet of Blue Hope, which has been taken over by the Queen of Purple Planet and her evil group of robots. Armed with water-pistols and water balloons, which melt the villains, Ricky and Gulliver restore Blue Hope to its doll-like owners.

Following the death of her mother, 20-year-old Lili has been living with her grandmother and is about to inherit her legacy to become the latest in a long line of female warriors adept at the deadly martial art of Sayama Hashinryu. During an informal ceremony inducting her into the legendary ranks, Lili is mysteriously transported 300 years back in time to a small village in 18th-century Japan. In no time at all she is fulfilling her destiny as a warrior by rescuing a young girl who is being harassed by three ninja members of the Yamishika gang who work for the evil Lady Okinu. Soon, they will all meet, and Lili's fate will be decided!

One of a gang of karaoke loving middle aged women is murdered by a young man. Her friends track him down and kill him. His friends track them down and kill the killer and it escalates!

An elderly couple journey to Tokyo to visit their grown children, only to find them preoccupied and self-involved.

Ryoko throws a tea party for her friends. Flashbacks reveal the pasts of Ryoko's various guests.

After hitting a passing spaceship and causing it to crash, a troupe of aliens and robots rescue the only survivor. It is a human baby named Corona that they decide to raise on their own, using the data they retrieved from the computer to mimic the life she would have had on Earth.

An exciting tale of action on the distant northern island of Hokkaido around the beginning of the 20th Century starring two of the biggest names in Yakuza film history, Fuji Junko and Takakura Ken. Since the death of death of her father, Yuki who has traveled from her home in the southernmost part of Japan must fight corrupt local officials seeking to fill her late father's post. As her life is in danger a mysterious rifleman, played by Takakura Ken watches from the shadows. Can she finish the work her dear departed father started in an untamed land?

Natsuko Kotani was born to be a swindler. Meanwhile, Tetsuko Ishida is Natsuko’s distant relative. Unlike Natsuko, Tetsuko is an attorney with an upright disposition. Whenever Natsuko makes trouble, Tetsuko is called to solve her troubles. Believing that Natsuko is using her, Tetsuko, with her boring life, begins to change.

When Lupin heads to the kingdom of Zufu to pilfer its treasure, he incurs the wrath of its psychotic ruler General Headhunter, who places a dead-or-alive bounty on his head.

The life story of a treasure hunter who lives in the countryside of Gunma in Japan. He is pure and kind, but has no communication skills and has a mind of his own. His sole friend is his co-worker. This man has never had sex. The friends find a robot one day. The robot wants to stay with the men. A bond is formed. The men resolve to change their lives.

Taking place after the events of the Kamen Rider Gotchard TV series, the time is approaching for each of them to leave for their individual tomorrows. After graduating from high school, Houtaro Ichinose's dream remains the same: to become a big-time alchemist. Renge Icho and Sabimaru Tsuruhara are also moving on to the next stage. As for Rinne Kudo...

Biopic about jazz saxophonist Kaoru Abe and his wife, noted writer Izumi Suzuki.

Shiori is a typical high school student who dreams of online stardom, but struggles to capture attention. After an embarrassing video of her goes viral, she gets trapped in her smartphone and replaced by a charismatic alter ego. As the doppelganger charms the internet and devises a nefarious plot to replace mankind with brainrot, Shiori must partner with other online outcasts to stop her digital counterpart and reclaim her life in the real world.

Lady Snowblood is caught by the police and sentenced to death for her crimes. As she is sent to the gallows she is rescued by the secret police who offer her a deal to assassinate some revolutionaries.

Towards the end of WWII, the Navy gave the Kyoto University's physics lab the secret of a bomb that makes use of nuclear fission energy. While doing research to save Japan, the researchers there wonder if they should promote the development of weapons as scientists. Research enthusiast Ishimura Osamu tries to experiment purely but is at the mercy of the time period. His brother, Hiroyuki, also has to face the truth of the war. Asakura Setsu wants only to talk about the future. A story based on historical facts about youth during the tragedy of war.

Long is a Taiwanese killer known for his sword skills. After Long fails a Tokyo mission, he moves to a small town where no one knows about him.

A teenage girl gains supernatural power after an accident and comes to understand her place in the universe.

Based on the Best Selling Anime Series "SAIKANO" Shy coed Chise (played by Aki Maeda from Battle Royale) is madly in love with high school athlete Shuji. The two share a bond which only intensifies when war breaks out in futuristic Japan. But Chise has a secret that - if revealed - would not only destroy her relationship but would also put her life at risk. Chise is not an ordinary teenage girl, she is actually the ultimate weapon of mass destruction, a genetically engineered cyborg built specifically for extreme military use. When she goes into battle, Chise strikes fear in everyone around her, including her own troops. Her boyfriend must never know.

26 years old Hanako is on the verge of directing her first-ever feature film, achieving her childhood dream. Although she’s being hindered by an older male assistant director, she has a fateful encounter with a man named Masao, and her life at last begins to take on a whole new luster. However, the underhanded actions of an unscrupulous producer cause Hanako to have her personal project stolen. After being dumped into despair, she quietly stokes her rage, and makes a pledge to keep fighting, and never back down! Entangling Masao, her hopeless father and two older brothers (who she’s been out of touch with for over 10 years) in her obsessive quest, Hanako audaciously attempts to make her dream come true, her way!

Mining engineer Shigeru investigates the disappearance and death of his fellow coworkers when prehistoric nymphs are discovered emerging from the mines. After an attack on the local village, Shigeru heads deeper into the mines only to make a more horrifying discovery in the form a prehistoric flying creature. Soon a second monster appears as the two converge in Fukuoka.

Moon Child follows a group of childhood friends as they advance in a futuristic criminal underworld. Sho feels he is doomed to walk in his idol Kei's footsteps as a vampire with the gift of eternal life and the curse of blood thirst. Over time, their tight friendship becomes corrupted because of their rivalry and love for the same woman.

The director's cut version of the final three episodes of the Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger TV series, recut into one movie with 10 minutes of unreleased scenes added in.

Bem, Bela and Belo arrive at a new town plagued by a series of mysterious, unsolved cases which, as they discover, are caused by another youkai, one more powerful than they have ever encountered. The story will also focus on Belo's first love, and his increasing desire to become human. In the meantime, Bem and Bela have found a way to become human, but are conflicted about whether to let just Belo turn human, or along with Belo, become humans themselves.

An old couple, their only son, the son's wife, a young man and his lover live peacefully in a village. Then, a terrifying earthquake strikes that causes a nearby nuclear station to explode. The residents must evacuate, but the family lives on a farm, with only half of the area designated as an evacuation area.

A talk show hostess takes a camera crew out to an abandoned factory to investigate a purported snuff film that was made there. As she gets closer to the truth, she and her friends are subjected to a brutal nightmare.

Minako (TANAKA Yuko), begins her day running up and down the hills of her hometown delivering milk door to door. When that's done, she heads to her day job as a supermarket cashier. Minako is 50 and single. In one of the houses to which she delivers milk is a man with whom she has secretly been in love since high school. The man, Keita (KISHIBE Ittoku), lives with his wife Yoko, who is terminally ill. Caring for her at home, he works in the children's affairs section of the local municipal office. Though he insists that he wants nothing more than an "ordinary" existence, his life is in turmoil below the surface. The director uses a variety of narrative devises to portray the loneliness, isolation, and hope of these people who have seemingly allowed their goals and dreams to slip away, whilst keeping them agonizingly close to hand.

A car going at 25 mph plunges into the sea at Shinko Harbour, Toyama prefecture. Inside is the local business magnate Fukutaro Shirakawa, who perishes. Riding alongside him and surviving unhurt is his second wife, Kumako. It soon comes to light that Kumako’s husband was insured for 300 million yen and she is arrested on suspicion of murdering her husband for the insurance money. The newspapers denounce her as an evil woman, while the public is in no doubt about Kumako’s crime. Ritsuko Sahara is chosen as her defence attorney but the pair clash over almost everything...

The manger of cabaret club "Hanibani" named Shū, a worker at the club named Koji, and one of the patrons named Ken succeed in robbing a bank. They agree to divide the stolen money equally into three, but they become consumed by greed and try to get more than their share. In addition, a renowned figure is after their money.

According to an ancient Japanese legend, mermaid flesh may grant immortality if eaten. However, there is a much greater chance that consumption will lead to death or transformation into a damned creature known as a Lost Soul (or Deformed Ones in the English dub). Mermaid Saga tells the tale of Yuta, an immortal who has been alive for five hundred years, who is wandering across Japan searching for a cure and meeting others whose lives have also been ruined by mermaid flesh in the process.

During World War II, Japan sends gold to the Phillipines. After the war, the gold is lost in the bay of Manille. Former soldier Takeichi Matsuo is now working as a business executive. He meets Mintsura Gunji, the boss of a large company, who offers him to go to the Philippines and bring back the gold.

Seven years have passed since family man Tetsuo Tosu survived a fierce battle with a criminal organization. However, Tetsuo's peaceful family life begins to crumble once again when a sudden landslide uncovers an old sin.

The story focuses on the 16-year-old Protagonist after he is transferred to Shujin High School in Tokyo. Staying with friends of his parents, he meets up with two fellow students, problem child Ryuuji Sakamoto and withdrawn Anne Takamaki, and a talking, shape-shifting cat-like creature known as Morgana. During his time there, feeling suppressed by their environment, the four form a group known as the "Phantom Thieves," working together to carry out heists and encountering mysterious phenomena along the way.

The war between the Heike clan and the Genji clan continues. This time, Nozomi has to fight a powerful supernatural enemy and make a choice: protect her friends and stay by Kurou's side, or choose her first love, Masaomi, which is the leader of the Heike, and her enemy.

Episode-length Osomatsu-kun film, released as a feature of the Toei Manga Movie Festival. Loosely based on a manga chapter, the film revolves around an alien plot to take over the world.

A message dial that exposes everything to a complete stranger. Not only the body, but also the mind... A melancholy and sensual erotic film by Takahisa Zeze, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of Pink Films.

Tied to a mountain between her brutalizing spouse and her secret lover, disaster strikes; the authorities accuse her of murder and prompt a confession.