Browsing by Genre

Action/Violence

Akakage (2001)
The tale of three ninja sent by a daimyo to spy upon a neighboring fiefdom now being run by the widow of a former rival, who supposedly has a powerful secret weapon. What they actually discover is a plot to ensure safety and peace in the area, and a betrayal that threatens to kill them all. Hip, modern tale of ninja and samurai. Love of chambara not a pre-requisite.
Another Heaven (2000)
Several horrific murders and the disappearance of a university student trigger the investigation by a hard-boiled cop and his young partner, who believes there may be a supernatural connection.
Ashura - Jo no hitmoi (2005)
Set in 19th century Edo is a city ruled by Lust, laughter and money where Demons lurk, disguised as humans, awaiting the return of Ashura. An elite government-appointed 'team' of swordsmen rule the city - Demon wardens who are feared by Demons and Humans alike. Izumo [Ichikawa Sumegoro] and Jaku [Watabe Atsuro] are Demon wardens whose lust for killing Demons remains unquenched until one day Izumo kills [on request] a young child and he retires in hiding as a Kabuki actor hiding from his own demons. One day Bizet, a beautiful demon nun who arrives with tales that Ashura will soon awaken - "When Ashura awakens her castle will rise upside down from the skies and the Demons will rule the world" ready with her army to spread darkness. Meanwhile Izumo, upon a chance meeting, meets a beautiful performer named Tsubaki unaware that Jaku is also after this mysterious girl, who only remembers the last five years of her life, but for reason Izumo has yet to understand. A visually splendidly gorgeous film which is a direct adaptation of 'Blood gets in your eyes' the 2000 stage play blending kabuki and J-pop culture which also starred Ichikawa Somegoro and art direction by Yuji Hayashida who brought to us the blindingly beautiful CASSHERN. If you are looking for a film which contains Martial Arts, fantasy, magic, drama, horror and stunning visuals this film has it all. Any fans of Ryuhei kitamura will also love this film.
Azumi (2003)
A samurai out for revenge takes in several small, orphaned children and turns them into killers. Among them is Azumi, a swordswoman of extraordinary skill. Sent on a mission of revenge she encounters opponents who will push her to the very limit. Based on a manga by the same name.
Battle Royale (2000)
Kinji Fukasaku never disappoints when taking on interesting projects. YAGYU CONSPIRACY (1978), MESSAGE FROM SPACE (1978), DAY OF RESURRECTION (aka VIRUS 1980), and SAMURAI REINCARNATION (1981) are just some of his eclectic and curious body of work. Enter Fukasaku's BATTLE ROYALE, a bloody and violent story about a future Japan that sacrifices its youth in the name of stability and peace. The outrageous premise of the story involves a government sponsored lottery that randomly selects a class of Junior High School/High School students to enter a contest called BATTLE ROYALE. BATTLE ROYALE is basically a gladiatorial style event where students must kill each other to win their freedom. The catch however is that only one student can be allowed to live and if any others survive, then all the contestants will be eliminated via explosive collars around their necks. This makes for continual conflict as friends, rivals and lovers kill each other in order to survive. BATTLE ROYALE has received much criticism and interest due to its no-holds-barred portrayal of teens killing indiscriminately and its vicious tone but in retrospect this may have been overblown as the violence level isn't as graphic as others have claimed it to be.
Brother
Ousted yakuza boss goes to L.A. where he meets his half-brother and sets up shop against everyone else in town. Bullet casings and corpses liter the streets as an ensuing war breaks out. A no-holds barred action flick directed and written by 'Beat' Takeshi himself.
Bullet Ballet (1998)
When a man watches his fiancee commit suicide by shooting herself in the head, he begins a relentless search to obtain a gun as well that leads him into a violent world of criminals and revenge. Shot in black and white. Stars Tsukamoto himself, and his brother Koji. Gritty.
Casshern (2004)
The world is divided into two warring states, which have polluted and destroyed the delicate balance of the world. Dr. Azuma wishes to help rebuild the world via his bio-experiments, only to have them go wrong creating a race of superhuman monsters who wish to wreak havoc on their once former cruel masters. To make matters worse, Dr. Azuma's wife and son, Takuya are killed. Can his experiments bring them back to life?
Dead Leaves
Two people wake up in an open field with no memory of how they got there. One has a tv for a head, the other is a sexy woman with a black patch around her eye. They immediately go on a crime spree and end up in maximum security prison on what's left of the moon. Insanity ensues.
DOWN TO HELL
A 45-minute precursor to VERSUS. A zombie, the deep woods and friends trying to escape.
Dragon Head
A terrible natural disaster (a volcano erupts -- Mt. Fuji?) befalls the greater metropolitan area of Tokyo, leaving the survivors to fend for themselves in a very unfriendly environment of their peers as well as nature. Based on a comic of the same name.
Gohatto (1999)
The story of a young samurai warrior of extraordinary skill and "beauty" is the mark of several samurai who wish to posess him, as well as destroy him. A look at homosexuality in Japan, set in Kyoto during the Bakumatsu Period, which turns into a murder mystery.
Gonin (1995)
A once successful nightclub owner ends up owing more to the Yakuza then he can afford to pay. After re-cruiting four misfits a plan to steal back from the Yakuza is hatched and in the aftermath of the heist they each find themselves being hunted down by contract killers.
GTO
Based on the popular TV show (which in turn is based on a popular manga) of a young biker gang member and ex high school tough turned high school teacher in a pinch to find a job.
Gunki Hatameku Moto Ni (1972)
A war widow spends nearly three decades to find out the truth behind her husband's death. Finally she looks the survivors who served with him; their tale is a bitter, human one.
Hana-bi (1998)
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Hanai Sachiko No Kareina Shougai (2005)
When Sachiko Hanai, a bar hostess, inadvertantly gets herself involved in a plot to sell George Bush's cloned finger, she gets shot. But that is only the beginning of her adventure as she must now figure out just what is happening. Part black-comedy, part erotica, part action.
Jam Films (2002)
Showcasing the talents of several major directors, this is a collection of seven short films, ranging in genre from dark action to light-hearted comedy and sci-fi.
Jam Films 2 (2004)
Four short films directed by four different directors ranging in genre from drama to surrealist and more.
Jigoku Koshien
Insanity ensues at a lower-end high school when the principal and vice-principal dream of Koushien (the Japanese high school equivalent of the World Series). They recruit every ruffian and sucker who will play for them, for their very first game is a team sent straight from Hell. This movie was not allowed at the Tokyo International Movie Festival, to which the writer, director and producer of the movie (all the same gentleman) cries foul throughout the movie. Sight gags and slapstick humor abound.
Kakushi Ken Oni no Tsume (2004)
The continuing struggle of samurai Munezo Katagiri in his journey to change 19th century Japan.
Koroshiya Ichi
A young killer named Ichi is sought out by other killers. Based on a manga by the same title.
Koukaku Kidoutai (1995)
The year is 2029. Much of the world has cybernetic implants. Japan's Section 9 (a cybercrimes division), takes on whom they assume is a hacker named The Puppet Master, who is hacking the 'ghosts' of ordinary citizens as well as political leaders in an attempt to control them. What they discover instead has heavy ramifications for the entire world, and especially Major Kusanagi of Section 9. Heavy cyberpunk, police, and girls & guns action by famed mangaka Shirow Masamune.
Mibu Gishi Den
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Onmyouji 2
Return to the old capital of Heian with a new adventure of magic and friendship. A curse set upon the country of Yamato (the name of old Japan) by a wizard of Izumo sets Abe No Seimei and his companions in motion. It is a race against time as they realize that gods are involved.
Parasite Dolls (movie version) (2004)
The year is 2034, and AI androids called Boomers are commonplace in the city of MegaTokyo. A movie version of a side story to the OVA series, AD Police (which itself is a side story to the BubbleGum Crisis series), which focuses on a secret branch of the AD Police. Expands upon the series universe as a whole, giving it a much more fleshed out feel in a Blade Runner-esque world. Several short stories combined into one. Helmed by famous names in anime. Cyberpunk themes.
Returner (2002)
In the year 2082, the Dagra have all but destroyed the human population on Earth in a war that was started 80 years ago. Now humanity's last chance is a 15 year old bundle of energy named Milly who time travels to the past.
Samehada Otoko To Momojiri Onna (1998)
Toshiko on the run from her creepy uncle (and the even creepier, yet extrememly likeable, little assassin he sends after her) runs into Samehada, who is also on the run from the gang of yakuza he used to work with. Together they work to outsmart everyone in a bid for big money.
Samurai Fiction (1998)
The tale of a sword stolen by a rogue samurai who is supposed to deliver it to the Shogun. Hip, modern samurai tale. Love of chambara action movies not a pre-requisite.
Soseji (1999)
Director Shinya Tsukamoto brings to life a variation of an Edogawa Rampo tale of a rich doctor whose life is ripped from him by a violent and unknown visitor. Set during the Meiji Era.
Tange Sazen - Hyakumanryou No Tsubo (2004)
A master swordsman with only one arm and one eye travels the land righting wrongs. In the same vein as Zatoichi. A popular pop samurai icon since the 30s.
Tetsuo (1998)
After accidentally running over a metal fetishist with his car, a man find that his body is slowly being taken over by metal. Unable to stop the bizarre transformation he is undergoing, he begins to seek out what is driving it. Considered a cyberpunk cult film by director Shinya Tsukamoto. Black and white.
Tetsuo II (1992)
Tetsuo, who is transforming his body into a weapon, seeks out the men who have kidnapped his son (in order to experiment on him). Black and white. Note: There is also a super remix version that has been released.
Tokyo Fist (1995)
A man takes up boxing for revenge after he discovers his fiancee has taken up with a childhood friend of his (who is semipro boxer). A black and white film by Shinya Tsukamoto.
Totsunyuuse Yo! Asama Sansou Jiken
Based on the events of an actual hostage situation at a small Mt. Asama (Karuizawa) resort in the early 70s. The story of a police official who must make the decision whether to risk the lives of his men and the hostage in the resort by storming armed, radical indivisuals of the Japanese Red Army on the run. Police action/drama.
Umizaru (2005)
The story of men training to become members of the Coast Guard's elite team of salvage and rescue divers. 50 days of intense and gruelling training under a veteran diver with his own past.
Versus
A criminal escapes incarceration, only to wind up in the woods around Mt. Fuji with a pack of angry mafia types on his heels, a girl in tow, and an overwhelming feeling that something odd is going on. To top it off, the dead are coming back to life. Directed by cult-horror-violence film director Ryuhei Kitamura.
Wild Zero (1999)
A meteor lands in the countryside turning the entire population into zombies (definite homage to George Romero). A rock-star wannabe and extreme fan of the legendary band Guitar Wolf, happens upon a beautiful girl and falls in love. However, can his love save her from the zombies and an enraged (and flaming) club manager who is out to gun down Guitar Wolf?
You Ni Mo Myouna Monogatari (movie version)
Caught in a sudden downpour at a train station, a group of unrelated people are treated to stories by an enigmatic man. Hosted by Tamori, this Twilight Zone-like movie features four short stories in one. Horror, fantasy, love, and other themes all mesh to create a suspenseful thriller. Based on the popular TV show from the 90s of the same title.
Zatoichi (2003)
Based on a famous historic character (a blind masseuse) who traveled the countryside of Edo Era Japan righting wrongs with his ungodly swordsman skills. An updated version featuring Kitano as the masseuse who wanders into a town run by yakuza gangs who have the local populace in a stranglehold. Violent, bloody; definitely for the samurai flick crowd, but no love for the chambara genre required to enjoy.