Japanese films I’ve watched and recommend
I thought I’d compile a list of all the Japanese films I’ve watched of all genres, incase anyone would like recommendations of some sort. For the titles you’ll find the Kana, Romaji and English. If anyone is more interested in particular titles just ask.
Also view a list of my favourite films (Japanese and other countries of origin).
Jidaigeki/ Period:
藪の中の黒猫, Yabu no Naka no Kuroneko (Black Cat of the Grove) ★★★★★
怪談 (Kaidan, 2010) ★★★★
十三人の刺客, Jūsannin no Shikaku (13 Assassins) 2010 ★★★★★
Kozure Ōkami, 子連れ狼 (Shogun Assassin) ★★★★
座頭市 (Zatoichi) ★★★
修羅雪姫, Shurayukihime (Lady Snowblood) ★★★★★
雨あがる, Ame agaru (After the Rain) ★★★★★
一命, Ichimei (Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai) 2011 ★★★★
たそがれ清兵衛, Tasogare Seibei - literally “Twilight Seibei” (Twilight Samurai) ★★★★★
怪談昇り竜, Kaidan Nobori Ryū (Blind Woman’s Curse) ★★★
乱, (Ran) ★★★★★
羅生門, Rashōmon ★★★★
七人の侍, Shichi Nin no Samurai (Seven Samurai) ★★★★
蜘蛛巣城, Kumonosu-jō (Thrown of blood: Spiders Web Castle) ★★★★★
用心棒, Yojimbo ★★★★
赤ひげ, Akahige (Red Beard) ★★★★
隠し砦の三悪人, Kakushi toride no san akunin (The Hidden Fortress) ★★★★
椿三十郎, Tsubaki Sanjūrō (Sanjuro) ★★★★
心中天網島, Shinjū: Ten no amijima (Double Suicide) ★★★★★
東海道四谷怪談, Tōkaidō Yotsuya Kaidan (Ghost Story of Yotsuya) ★★★★
忠臣蔵花の巻雪の巻, Chushingura: Hana no Maki, Yuki no Maki (47 Samurai) ★★★
鬼婆, Onibaba (Demon Hag) ★★★★
あずみ, Azumi ★
切腹, Seppuku (Harakiri) ★★★★
怪談, Kaidan (1964) ★★★
十三人の刺客, Jūsannin no Shikaku (13 Assassins, 1963) ★★★★
十一人の侍, Jūichinin no Samurai (Eleven Samurai) ★★★★
どん底, Donzoko (The Lower Depths) ★★★
大菩薩峠 Dai-bosatsu Tōge, “Great Bodhisattva Pass” (The Sword of Doom) ★★★
上意討ち 拝領妻始末, Jōi-uchi: Hairyō tsuma shimatsu (Samurai Rebellion) ★★★★★
Horror/ Thriller:
バトル・ロワイアル, Batoru Rowaiaru (Battle Royale) ★★★★
オーディション, Ōdishon (Audition) ★★★★
ブラックキス, Brakku Kisu (Black Kiss) ★★★★
仄暗い水の底から, Honogurai Mizu no Soko Kara (Dark Water) ★★★
ゴス, Gosu (Goth) ★★★★★
呪怨 (Ju-on: The Curse 1) ★★★
呪怨 2 (Ju-on: The Curse 2) ★★
呪怨 (Ju-on: The Grudge 1) ★★
呪怨2 (Ju-on: The Grudge 2) ★★★
呪怨: 白い老女 Ju-on: Shiroi Rōjo (Ju-on: Old Lady in White) ★★
呪怨: 黒い少女 Ju-on: Kuroi Shōjo ( Ju-on: The Girl in Black) ★★
水霊 Mizu Chi (Death Water) ★★★
リング (Ringu) ★★★★★
リング：らせん (Ringu Rasen) ★★
リング２ (Ringu 2) ★★
リング０：バースデイ (Ringu 0: Birthday) ★★
サイレン, Sairen (Forbidden Siren) ★★
死びとの恋わずらい, Shibito no Koiwazurai (Love Ghost) ★★★★
サークル, Jisatsu Sākuru (Suicide Club) ★★★★
コワイ女, Kowai Onna (Unholy Women), Series of Three shorts:
• カタカタ, Katakata (Rattle Rattle ) ★★★
• 鋼 -はがね- (Hagane) ★★
• うけつぐもの, Uketsugu Mono (The Inheritance ) ★★★
うずまき, Spiral (Uzumaki) ★★
四国, Shikoku (Land of the Dead) ★★
冷たい熱帯魚, Tsumetai Nettaigyo (Cold Fish) ★★★★★
恋の罪, Koi no Tsumi (Guilty of Romance ) ★★★★★
紀子の食卓, Noriko no Shokutaku (Noriko’s Dinner Table) ★★★★★
告白, Kokuhaku (Confessions) ★★★★★
東京残酷警察, Tōkyō Zankoku Keisatsu (Tokyo Gore Police) ★★
Strange Circus ★★★★
悪夢探偵, Akumu Tantei (Nightmare Detective) ★★★
トイレの花子さん、Toire no Hanako-san (Hanako of the toilet) ★★
Box segment of Three Extremes ★★★
Kotoko ★★★
Drama:
おくりびと, Okuribito (Departures) ★★★★★
天使の恋, Tenshi no Koi (My Rainy Days) ★★★★
ノルウェイの森, Noruwei no mori (Norwegian Wood) ★★★★★
ヴィタル, Vitaru (Vital) ★★★★
青い春, Aoi haru (Blue Spring) ★★★★★
Picnic ★★★★
陽炎座, Kagerō-za (Heat-Haze Theatre) ★★★
東京物語, Tōkyō Monogatari (Tokyo Story) ★★★★
空気人形, Kūki Ningyō (Air Doll) ★★★★★
浮草, Ukigusa (Floating Weeds) ★★★★
野良犬, Nora inu (Stray Dog) ★★★★
花火, Hanabi (Fireworks) ★★★★
ソナチネ, Sonachine (Sonatine) ★★★★
ヒミズ、Himizu ★★★★
彼岸花, Higanbana (Equinox Flower) ★★★★
アヒルと鴨のコインロッカー, Ahiru to kamo no koinrokkā (The Foreign Duck, Native Duck and God in a Coin-locker) ★★★★
ちゃんと伝える, Chanto Tsutaeru (Be Sure to Share) ★★★★
悪い奴ほどよく眠る, Warui yatsu hodo yoku nemuru (The Bad Sleep Well) ★★★★
ライク・サムワン・イン・ラブ, (Like Someone in Love) ★★★
Go! ★★★★★
キッズ・リターン, Kizzu Ritān (Kids Return) ★★
ラブド・ガン, Rabudo Gan (Loved Gun) ★★★★★
Pinku:
恐怖女子高校暴行リンチ教室, Kyōfu joshikōkō: bōkō rinchi kyōshitsu (Terrifying Girls’ High School: Lynch Law Classroom) ★★★★
女囚701号/さそり, Joshū Nana-zero-ichi Gō / Sasori (Female Convict 701: Scorpion) ★★★★
女囚さそり第４１雑居房, Joshū Sasori – Dai 41 Zakkyobo (Female Convict Scorpion: Jailhouse 41) ★★★
女囚さそりけもの部屋, Joshū Sasori - Kemono Beya (Female Convict Scorpion: Beast Stable) ★★
女囚さそり７０１号怨み節, Joshū Sasori - 701 Gō Urami Bushi (Female Convict Scorpion: Grudge Song) ★★
花と蛇, Hana to Hebi (Flower and Snake - 1974) ★★★ The 2010 remake was awful!
不良姐御伝 猪の鹿お蝶, Furyō anego den: Inoshika o-Chō ( Story of Delinquent Female Boss: o-Chō Inoshika) ★★
前科おんな 殺し節, Zenka onna: koroshi-bushi (Criminal Woman:Killing Melody) ★★★
女番長ゲリラ Sukeban gerira (Girl Boss Guerilla) ★★
ずべ公番長 ざんげの値打もない, Zubekô banchô: zange no neuchi mo nai (Delinquent Girl Boss: Worthless to Confess) ★★
大奥十八景, Ôoku jûhakkei (The Shogunate’s Harem) ★★
肉体の門, Nikutai no Mon (Gate of Flesh) ★★
やさぐれ姐御伝 総括リンチ, Yasagure anego den: sōkatsu rinchi (Female Yakuza Tale: Inquisition and Torture) ★★
Other:
六月の蛇, Rokugatsu No Hebi (A Snake of June) ★★★★★
クローズZERO (Crows Zero) ★★★★★
クローズZERO (Crowz Zero II) ★★★★★
愛のむきだし, Ai no mukidashi (Love Exposure) ★★★★★
Shaking Tokyo ★★★★★
砂の女, Suna no onna (Woman in the Dunes) ★★★★★
ユメノ銀河, Yume no Ginga (Labyrinth of Dreams) ★★★★
20世紀少年, Nijusseiki Shōnen (20th Century Boys ) ★★★★
バレット・バレエ, Baretto barē (Bullet Ballet) ★★★
Undo ★★★
アラキメンタリ (Arakimentari) ★★★★★
追悼のざわめき, Tsuito no Zawameki (Noisy Requiem) ★★★
アウトレイジ ビヨンド, Autoreiji Biyondo (Outrage Beyond)★★★★
