Cast: Kyû Sazanka

Direction Akira Kurosawa

Cast Toshirô Mifune · Kyôko Kagawa · Yutaka Sada · Takashi Shimura

Synopsis High and Low (1963) centers around Gondo, a prominent executive in the shoe industry, portrayed by Toshirô Mifune, who is orchestrating a corporate takeover to seize control of his company. Gondo has secured the necessary funds for his scheme when...

Direction Akira Kurosawa

Cast Toshirô Mifune · Tatsuya Nakadai · Yôko Tsukasa · Isuzu Yamada

Synopsis Yojimbo (1961) is set in the 19th century during the feudal era of Japan, where a skilled samurai wanders into a small, isolated village. The village is torn apart by a power struggle between two rival factions, neither of which...

Direction Kon Ichikawa

Cast Eiji Funakoshi · Osamu Takizawa · Mickey Curtis · Mantarô Ushio

Synopsis Nobi (Fires on the Plain) (1959) is set in the Philippines during the year 1945, amidst the chaos of World War II. The once-mighty Japanese Imperial Army has been decimated and is now a disorganized group of soldiers hiding in...

Direction Hiroshi Inagaki

Cast Yûzô Kayama · Tatsuya Mihashi · Akira Takarada · Koshiro Matsumoto

Synopsis 47 Ronin (1962) follows a young lord who finds himself entangled in a web of official corruption within the Shogunate. His refusal to bribe a Chancelor, who is tasked with teaching him the proper etiquette for receiving the Shogun's envoys,...

Direction Mikio Naruse

Cast Ken Yamauchi · Yoshiko Kôda · Masayuki Mori · Akira Takarada

Synopsis Whistle in My Heart (Whistling in Kotan) (1959) is a poignant film that brings to life the story penned by Ishimori Nobuo, which garnered acclaim, including the prestigious first Mimei Literature Award. The narrative centers around an Ainu girl and...

Direction Masahiro Shinoda

Cast Ryo Ikebe · Mariko Kaga · Takashi Fujiki · Chisako Hara

Synopsis Pale Flower (1964) follows the story of Muraki, a seasoned Yakuza gangster who has recently been freed from prison after a murder conviction. Upon his return to society, Muraki revisits his old gambling spots and crosses paths with Saeko, a...

Direction Nagisa Ôshima

Cast Rentarô Mikuni · Hugh Hurd · Jun Hamamura · Toshirô Ishidô

Synopsis The Catch (1961) is a compelling World War II drama directed by Nagisa Oshima that delves into the themes of prejudice and misunderstanding. The narrative revolves around an African American pilot who is shot down and subsequently held captive in...

Direction Yasuzô Masumura

Cast Ayako Wakao · Kyôko Kishida · Yusuke Kawazu · Eiji Funakoshi

Synopsis All Mixed Up (1964) follows the story of a woman who, feeling the void of not having children, finds herself captivated by the allure of a stunning model. This unexpected infatuation leads her down a path of self-discovery and emotional...

Direction Yûzô Kawashima

Cast Ayako Wakao · Eiji Funakoshi · Yuko Hamada · Yûnosuke Itô

Synopsis The Graceful Brute (Elegant Beast) (1962) delves into a tale of extraordinary avarice, deceit, and corruption, all unfolding within the confines of the Maeda family's modest apartment. The narrative revolves around the son, who is siphoning funds from the talent...

Direction Yasuzô Masumura

Cast Hiroshi Kawaguchi · Hitomi Nozoe · Yûnosuke Itô · Michiko Ono

Synopsis Giants and Toys (1958) follows the story of Nishi, a dedicated advertising executive for a caramel company on the brink of introducing a new product. The market is intensely competitive, with two other major companies vying for dominance. Nishi's supervisor...

Direction Yasuzô Masumura

Cast Shintarô Katsu · Takahiro Tamura · Keiko Awaji · Mikio Narita

Direction Yûzô Kawashima

Cast Hisaya Morishige · Chikage Awashima · Daisuke Kato · Michiyo Kogure

Direction Shirô Toyoda

Cast Machiko Kyô · Keiji Sada · Miyuki Kuwano · Junko Ikeuchi

Direction Tadashi Imai

Cast Kojiro Kusanagi · Sachiko Hidari · Taketoshi Naitô · Choko Iida

Direction Yasuzô Masumura

Cast Kenji Sugawara · Fujiko Yamamoto · Hitomi Nozoe · Keizo Kawasaki

Synopsis The Precipice (1958) follows a tragic event where Kosaka meets his demise during an ice climbing expedition with his companion, Uozu, as they aim to witness the sunrise on New Year's Day. The authorities launch an investigation to determine the...

Direction Yasuzô Masumura

Cast Jun Fujimaki · Kyôko Enami · Kenji Oyama · Mitsuko Mito

Direction Yûzô Kawashima

Cast Ayako Wakao · Sô Yamamura · Jun Fujimaki · Frankie Sakai

Synopsis Onna wa nido umareru (1961) centers around Koen, a geisha navigating a complex web of relationships with multiple men simultaneously. Among her suitors is Tsutsui, a more mature individual who suggests a shift towards exclusivity, aiming to alter the dynamics...

Direction Hiroshi Inagaki

Cast Nobuko Otowa · Keiko Awaji · Kinuyo Tanaka · Hisaya Ito

Direction Masanori Kakei

Cast Reiko Dan · Noriko Shigeyama · Sonomi Nakajima · Bokuzen Hidari

Direction Shirô Toyoda

Cast Hisaya Morishige · Reiko Dan · Nobuko Otowa · Keiko Awaji

Synopsis The Maid Story (1963) follows the lives of nine maids who work in the household of a writer and his wife. The couple forms a unique bond with their maids, treating them as daughters and even arranging marriages for them...