Cast: Takeshi Katô

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 Tatsuya Nakadai · Akira Terao · Jinpachi Nezu · Pîtâ

Synopsis Ran (1985) is a cinematic masterpiece that offers a fresh take on William Shakespeare's classic tragedy, "King Lear." The story revolves around an aging 16th-century warlord, masterfully portrayed by Tatsuya Nakadai, who decides to divide his vast kingdom equally among...

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 Mikio Naruse

Cast Hideko Takamine · Akira Takarada · Daisuke Kato · Keiju Kobayashi

Synopsis A Wanderer's Notebook (1962) is a compelling biopic that delves into the life of the renowned Japanese writer Fumiko Hayashi. The film chronicles her journey as she builds her career from the ground up, showcasing her determination and resilience in...

Direction Akira Kurosawa

Cast Toshirô Mifune · Takeshi Katô · Masayuki Mori · Takashi Shimura

Synopsis The Bad Sleep Well (1960) follows a young corporate executive who embarks on a relentless quest to avenge his father's murder. Directed by the renowned Akira Kurosawa, this film is a biting critique of the corrupt corporate culture in post-war...

Direction Kaneto Shindô

Cast Nobuko Otowa · Haruko Sugimura · Takeshi Katô · Taiji Tonoyama

Synopsis Mother (1963) follows the story of Tamiko, a dedicated single parent whose life takes a dramatic turn when her son, Toshio, is diagnosed with a brain tumor that threatens to rob him of his sight. Desperate to save her child,...

Direction Mikio Naruse

Cast Hideko Takamine · Yôko Tsukasa · Eitarô Ozawa · Daisuke Kato

Direction Kinji Fukasaku

Cast Bunta Sugawara · Akira Kobayashi · Tsunehiko Watase · Shingo Yamashiro

Synopsis The Yakuza Papers, Vol. 3: Proxy War (1973) is a pivotal installment in Kinji Fukasaku's celebrated gangster saga, which stands as a defining work of 1970s Japanese cinema. Set in the aftermath of World War II and inspired by the...

Direction Kinji Fukasaku

Cast Bunta Sugawara · Akira Kobayashi · Tatsuo Umemiya · Toshio Kurosawa

Synopsis The Yakuza Papers, Vol. 4: Police Tactics (1974) marks the intended conclusion of a gripping crime film series, as community organizations and law enforcement unite to confront the Yakuza syndicates. The escalating violence between rival clans reaches a critical point,...

Direction Akira Inoue

Cast Shintarô Katsu · Norihei Miki · Mikiko Tsubouchi · Takeshi Katô

Direction Masaki Kobayashi

Cast Ko Mishima · Torahiko Hamada · Keiko Kishi · Tatsuya Nakadai

Direction Keisuke Kinoshita

Cast Go Kato · Yukiyo Toake · Chikage Awashima · Masatomo Nakabayashi

Synopsis Children of Nagasaki (1983) is a poignant film inspired by the life and work of surgeon Takashi Nagai, who succumbed to radiation sickness in 1951 after enduring the atomic bomb explosion in Nagasaki. The narrative unfolds through the recollections of...

Direction Shôhei Imamura

Cast Shizuko Kasagi · Tomiko Hattori · Kayo Matsuo · Hiroyuki Nagato

Direction Shôhei Imamura

Cast Emiko Aizawa · Masumi Harukawa · Sachiko Hidari · Daizaburo Hirata

Synopsis The Insect Woman (1963) follows the life of Tome, a woman born into a humble family in rural Japan in 1918. Throughout her childhood, she endures repeated abuse from her stepfather. As she grows into adulthood, Tome leaves her village...

Direction Steven Okazaki

Cast Steven Spielberg · Martin Scorsese · Haruo Nakajima · Takeshi Katô

Synopsis Mifune: The Last Samurai (2015) follows renowned filmmaker Steven Okazaki as he embarks on an ambitious project to create a compelling documentary about Toshiro Mifune, the iconic figure of Japan's cinematic golden era. The film delves into the life and...

Direction Seijun Suzuki

Cast Hideki Takahashi · Yusuke Kawazu · Junko Asano · Takeshi Katô

Synopsis Fighting Elegy (1966) follows the tumultuous journey of Nanbu Kiroku, a high school student consumed by his infatuation with the virtuous and devout Catholic, Michiko. Michiko, however, is solely focused on guiding Kiroku away from his perceived moral transgressions. Overwhelmed...

Direction Shôhei Imamura

Cast Jitsuko Yoshimura · Yôko Minamida · Masao Mishima · Hiroyuki Nagato

Synopsis Hogs and Warships (1961) follows the tale of Kinta, a young delinquent who is thrilled to be assigned the task of overseeing the pigsty at a nearby US military base. His role involves siphoning off food waste to the black...

Direction Satsuo Yamamoto

Cast Raizô Ichikawa · Shiho Fujimura · Saburo Date · Katsuhiko Kobayashi

Synopsis Shinobi no mono (Band of Assassins) (1962) follows the journey of a formidable young ninja who finds himself entangled in a dangerous conspiracy to eliminate the ruthless warlord Oda Nobunaga, who is relentlessly pursuing the conquest of Japan. Ishikawa Goemon,...

Direction Yoshinari Okamoto

Cast Akira Kurosawa · Hisashi Inoue · Masayuki Yui · Toshirô Mifune

Synopsis Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create (2002) delves into the extensive and influential filmography of one of cinema's most revered directors. This documentary series offers an in-depth exploration of Akira Kurosawa's career, highlighting his innovative storytelling techniques, thematic depth,...

Direction Frank Sinatra

Cast Frank Sinatra · Tatsuya Mihashi · Takeshi Katô · Homare Suguro

Synopsis None But the Brave (1965) follows the story of American and Japanese soldiers who find themselves marooned on a remote Pacific island during the tumultuous years of World War II. Forced to set aside their differences, these adversaries must form...