Katsuo Nakamura

In 16th century Japan, a young man has to choose between becoming a master steel maker like his father and grandfather before him, or becoming a samurai so that he can help protect his village from attacks by the various clans which want the high-quality steel made there.

Two Jesuit priests travel to seventeenth century Japan which has, under the Tokugawa shogunate, banned Catholicism and almost all foreign contact.

Juzo Kimura is a wandering Ronin with a past. 15 years later, after winding up in Edo, he becomes a sword teacher to support his wife and daughter. But he has a dark side to him; at night, he becomes an assassin for hire. The fates of men living double lives cross in the shadows of Edo.

Ippei Akabane (Takaya Kamikawa) is an unpopular novelist. He barely makes ends meet writing serials novels under different pen names. Daigo Kurei (Shinji Takeda) is on death row. He killed four women twelve years ago. During his murdering spree, he sent pictures of his decapitated victims with flower decoration to the police. The murders and photos caused widespread panic in Japan. One day, Ippei is contacted by Daigo from prison. He asks Ippei if he wants to interview him and write his memoirs. Soon, more women are killed in the same grisly manner as the serial murders from twelve years ago. Now, Ippei becomes the prime suspect of the police and Ippei must quickly find the real murderer. Based on the novel "The Serialist" by David Gordon (published by Simon & Schuster; Original edition on March 9, 2010).

Tamiko (Ayumi Ito) lives happily with her husband Hideaki (Sho Aoyagi) and step-daughter Kotoyo (Hazuki Inoue). Tamiko married her deceased friend Mari's (Mami Nakamura) husband. Tamiko gets along well with her step-daughter Kotoyo, but Kotoyo still doesn't call her mother. There is a traditional sumo game held to celebrate the moving of Mizuwakasu's shrine. The traditional sumo game is important to Tamiko who grew up on the island, while her husband Hideaki's reputation is not so good on the island because he broke off his engagement to a woman his parents set him up with. In order to marry his first wife Mari, he ran away from the island. Since then, his parents disowned him. Nevertheless, Hideaki and his first wife Mari still liked the island and went back to live there. Hideaki began sum wrestling then.

An advertising agency receives a request from one of their clients, a beverage company. The advertising agency proposes a CM involving the queen of enka who has a difficult personality, an actor on the downside of his career and a hip hop star. who suffers from manic depression. While filming their CM, the shooting set is thrown into chaos.

A couple decide to relocate from Tokyo to the northern island of Hokkaido where they settle and establish a bakery and café called Mani. One cooks. The other bakes. Everyone walks out happy.

10-year-old Sota lives with his grandfather and a dog named Chibi in a small snowy village. They live in such a poverty that Sota cannot even afford to go to school, but however hard the situation is, Sota never holds a bad feeling against anyone around and keeps his dream alive to become a painter. He has been friends with Sayo, a girl brought up in a wealthy family, ever since they were little despite the difference of their family position, which Sayo’s father has uneasy feelings against. In spite of the difficulties he faces, Sota manages to complete a piece of painting which he wishes to give Sayo. He and Chibi goes down a snowy night path to Sayo’s house to find that her father’s storage is on fire... What waits for Sota and Chibi gently reminds that genuine happiness always exists in your heart.

Kae Horii moves into her new flat in an undisclosed area of Kyoto. While unpacking her belongings, she discovers a hidden compartment behind a inconspicuous mirror. In that compartment, Kae finds a notebook, that turns out to be a diary belonging to the previous tenant. Later that evening Kae starts to read the diary. The writer of the diary is Ibuki Mano, a young lady about to embark on her first year as an elementary school teacher. Ibuki is also in love with a man named Takashi, who may or may not hold similar feelings for Ibuki.

Kenji Shiraishi is involved in the trafficking of illegal immigrants from China to Japan. One such case leaves an immigrant child to be an orphan. Instead of selling him along with others that arrived, Kenji flees with the boy to look after him and make an attempt at everyday life. The people after the boy, unexpected encounters with long-lost family members, and his vengeful nature are standing in the way of his future.

Hyakkimaru, a warrior on a quest to reclaim 48 of his body parts which were each taken by a demon, is joined by Dororo, a thief on a quest to avenge the death of her parents.

In a poor district of Edo lives a young samurai named Soza. He has been sent by his clan to avenge the death of his father. He isn't an accomplished swordsman however, and he prefers sharing the life of the residents, teaching the kids how to write etc. When he finally finds the man he is looking for, he will have to decide whether he follows the way of the samurai or chooses peace and reconciliation.

Army Second Lieutenant Hiroo Onoda (Nakamura Shido) has been fighting guerrilla warfare in the jungles of Lubang Island in the Philippines with his subordinates Corporal Shimada (Yanagiba Toshiro) and Private First Class Kozuka (Nishijima Hidetoshi) since the end of the Pacific War, without knowing the war had ended. Eventually, the two men die, unable to fulfil their duty to their homeland, and Onoda is left alone, but when a rescue team is sent out from the home country, he does not obey the order to return, believing it to be a diversion by the enemy, as the form of the return order is different. However, an encounter with adventurer Norio Suzuki (Masato Sakai), who has come from Japan to look for Onoda, leads to Onoda's return to his homeland in March 1974, 30 years after the end of the war, after completing his intelligence work on Lubang Island.

One of the true classic's of anime's much-loved robot genre.

Wagura Yusaku unwillingly broke up with his first love in high school and became a policeman after years of struggle. Ten years later, the suspect of a murder case appeared to be his previous rival, Uryu Akihiko, who peculiarly had became the husband of his first love, Uryu Misako. The detective and the suspect, childhood rivals, carried out the confrontation of fate and are tossed about in destiny, accepting their "fate"...

When two souls find one another, nothing can tear them apart. Widower Takumi lives a quiet life with his six-year-old son Yuji after the loss of wife and mother Mio. Yuji unfailingly remembers her promise to him: "I'll be with you again in a year's time, when the rains come." On the first anniversary of her passing, Takumi and Yuji are taking a walk in the woods when they come across a woman sheltering from a monsoon downpour.

After receiving a package from his grandfather, Ray, a young inventor who lives in England during the mid-19th century, finds himself caught in the middle of a deadly conflict related to a revolutionary advance in steam power.

Biopic of ceramic artist Hazan Itaya (1872-1963).

Shizuka (Mami Nakamura) is a young school teacher. She moves to a small village by the sea, near her own home country. The elementary school she is assigned has only 20 students. But her last assignment was not very successful and she has lost the confidence. One day, a student finds a white ship sailing on the sea, far from the school. They begin an investigation and finally identifies the ship. It's a cruiser called Rainbow Love. 'Why don't we write a letter to the captain?' Shizuka proposes. And everyone gets excited...

A down-and-out businessman travels to a seaside town, where he meets a woman with unusual sexual powers.

Tells the life story of Teru Kaneko, who was born and raised in a small coastal town. While working as a clerk in a book shop, Teru starts writing her own verses to get away from the worries of a disgraceful marriage. Under the pseudonym Misuzu, her works arrive to an important editor in Tokyo.

A group of terrorists has taken hold of the largest dam in Japan. They also capture the workers as hostages, and demanded $5 billion yen from the government with a 24 hour deadline in exchange for the lives of the hostages. To make things more complicated, there was a snowstorm and no one can get in or out near the area. Fortunately, the terrorists did not capture Togashi, the dam controller, and he is the only person who can rescue those hostages from the terrorists...

Tetsuro Haga is a troubled gangster, living under the assumed identity Ise for ten years, to escape jail for gunning down his cruel adoptive father. His life begins to unravel when a journalist following him takes an interest in the wife of a boyhood chum, and the wife of another close friend takes an interest in Ise. A couple of murders later, Ise/Haga goes on the run and also sets out for revenge.

The tale of Taira Kiyomori who started as a young inexperienced warrior who led the Heike into the battle against the brutal pirates on Setouchi.

A hard working salaryman takes off five days from his busy job and sets off with his wife and two children to visit his parents in his hometown for the 1991 new year holidays. He decides that they will go by car to save on expenses. Unfortunately, the long drive from Tokyo to his hometown becomes a much longer journey than expected due to traffic, sickness and other misfortunes and by the time they arrive three days later, they only have time for a short but happy visit.

An anthology exploring the meaning of the Japanese greeting goaisatsu.

The meeting of the two greatest legends in Japan - Magistrate Toyama, the crime-fighting official with the cherry blossom tattoo on his shoulder, and Kunisada Chuji, the yakuza protector of the common man! When a local magistrate is murdered by a group of vagabonds, Toyama is ordered to arrest Kunisada Chuji. In his investigation, he meets Kunisada's wife, who is all too familiar to Toyama, and casts doubt on his guilt. Furthermore, there seems to be a larger conspiracy being carried out...

A former yakuza returns to gangster life after an old enemy threatens his son.

The reincarnation of a 10th century Japanese general haunts 1920's Tokyo.

In the 12th century, Buddhism was still a relatively new religion in Japan. At that time, one school (Shingon) offered extensive training in complex and very demanding practices which might eventually bring about spiritual purification and realization. Various Zen schools offered students a lengthy path, literally composed of a blank wall and unceasing meditation. Yet another school (Tendai) emphasized complex metaphysics and the study of philosophical systems. Basically, all of them were designed to cater to the few who were able to give up everything else in their lives and focus on liberation, such as scholars and noblemen. In this historical and biographical drama, this is the situation that the young Shinran (1173-1263) discovered when he began exploring Buddhism as an alternative to the violence and ceaseless civil wars that racked Japan at the time.

A woman named Fujiki Asuka arrives as an acquaintance of a sister in law for a day under the bar master Tamura who had guided Yakuza's escaping as a shoji. Tamura who lives on the second floor of the store for the time being the son who wants to work here. A few days later, Tamura finds a handgun from Yuko's baggage and holds a suspicion ....

Remake of classic samurai film of 1932

In the desert of Egypt, Kurata, the CEO of the Japanese corporation Tokokaihatsu, is killed by a sniper. After the news reaches Japan, the CEO's lawyer, Yamamoto, receives a visit from two men that attempt to steal the deceased CEO's will. This is witnessed by two detectives, Tsuzuki and Ōnuki, but they fail to catch the perps. Yamamoto hands the detectives a set of keys before he stops breathing. Tsuzuki and Ōnuki now have to investigate Kurata's murder...

Daisuke is supposed to be out looking for a respectable job and equally respectable wife. He is 30 years old and devotes his attention to music and literature; his family is wealthy and can support his interests. When his friend Hiraoka returns with his wife Michiyo, problems arise.

A young man working as a cameraman in Tokyo is visited for three days by his parents from the countryside.

The life and times of Kûkai, a Japanese monk who studies Esoteric Buddhism in the far reaches of India, China and Tibet, then uses their combined influence to establish the Shingon school during the Heian period in early 9th Century AD.

A 1920s playwright meets a beautiful woman who may be the ghost of his patron's deceased wife.

Yuko is in love with an old poet who happens to be also a married man. She waits patiently for him and only him, yet she is constantly being lust by others.

Set in Japan's Tenpyou era (729-749 CE), four young monks are sent to China to study Buddhism and bring a high priest back to Japan with them. The film tells the tale of the four monks' youth and the life and times of the high priest Ganjin.

Anime film based on the novel "813" by Maurice Leblanc.

An epic drama about Nichiren's life. Nichiren was a Buddhist monk who lived for 60 years during the Kamakura period (1185-1333) in Japan. Nichiren taught devotion to the Lotus Sutra as the exclusive means to attain enlightenment. Because of his devout belief, Nichiren is met with opposition throught his travels, with life on the line, can Nichiren accomplish his goal?

After accidentally causing the death of an old lady, Zatoichi tries to do right by buying the lady’s daughter’s freedom from a brothel - but this causes more problems than solves them.

Can a sinful man change and find peace? It's unlikely in gang-plagued Japan. Jokichi of Mikogami, a drifter (and hired sword), goes straight after protecting a woman in distress: they marry, have a son, and Jokichi pursues his father's craft. After three years, the gangs he embarrassed when he saved his wife find the family and leave Jokichi in grief, vowing revenge. To parry his terrible swift sword, rival gangs join forces, hiring a prostitute to pose as a woman needing help and breaking the code of honor to double cross the drifter. He finds unlikely allies: a thief who aids him for fun and a one-eyed swordsman who may be Jokichi's equal in skill and honor.

Gengobe Satsuma, an exiled samurai cast out as an Asano clan retainer is given a second chance to join his brothers in arms to become the 48th Ronin against the Shogunate. His faithful servant gathers the 100 ryo required for his acceptance. Gengobe is also in love with a greedy geisha named Koman. About to be sold to another man, Gengobe learns that for him to keep her, her debt is exactly 100 ryo.

The story of Ryoma Sakamoto, considered to be the architect behind the downfall of the Tokugawa shogunate. He was considered an outlaw by his own clan, hunted by his government, and was despised by supporters of the Shogun as well as the Loyalists for desiring the opening of Japan to the West in order to learn its technology, in the hopes of one day defeating the West with a modern army and navy.

Near the end of the nineteenth century, as the balance of power shifts from Shogunate towards the Emperor, Japan restlessly awaits the dawning of a new age. But not all are content...The Shinsengumi, a small army of samurai, farmers and peasants, band together to do battle against the tide of history. Their leader, Isami Kondo is a man who rises from farmer to fighter to head the fierce Shinsengumi brigade. Using a stern hand and a heart of gold, he rallies his men in defense of the tottering Shogunate. But bloodshed and treachery lurk around every corner.

Lord Oda Nobunaga gains control of nearly all of Japan and tries to enlist the aid of Magoichi and his 3.000 gunners.

Kansuke Yamamoto is a samurai who dreams of a country united, peaceful from sea to sea. He enters the service of Takeda, the lord of Kai domain. He convinces Takeda to kill the lord of neighboring Suwa and take his wife as a concubine. He then convinces the widow, Princess Yu, to accept this arrangement and to bear Takeda a son. He pledges them his life. He then spends years using treachery, poetic sensibility, military and political strategy to expand Takeda's realm, advance the claim of Yu's son as the heir, and prepare for an ultimate battle with the forces of Echigo. Has Kansuke overreached? Are his dreams, blinded by love, too big?

Shinkichi, a peasant employed as a cloth-dyer, has a dream: in the midst of the civil war which ravages Japan, he hopes to revive the long-banned custom of the Kyoto Gion Festival, and by doing so, bring together the warring clans and rampaging brigands in peaceful celebration.

The early years of the Showa period were turbulent times for Japan. The country suffered financial crisis and famine, women worked under intolerable employment conditions, and political corruption was a major issue. Out of fear that the great nation would soon fall, a group of young patriotic men gathered to lay out plans to assassinate the crooked politicians. One of these young terrorists was Shinsuke Kusaka. He receives orders to kill the Prime Minister.

A touching story following young shamisen string maker, Saku. Beautiful Saku moves to Lake Yogo, known for its production of quality shamisen strings, only to find her peaceful life turned upside down when a master musician takes personal interest in her.

A corrupt businessman blackmails the lovelorn reprobate Atsushi into watching over his suitcase full of embezzled cash while he serves a jail sentence. Rather than wait for the man to retrieve his money, however, Atsushi decides to spend it all in one libidinous rush—fully expecting to be tracked down and killed.

Ayako Wakao won the Blue Ribbon and the Kinema Jumpo for this film.

Taking its title from an archaic Japanese word meaning "ghost story," this anthology adapts four folk tales. A penniless samurai marries for money with tragic results. A man stranded in a blizzard is saved by Yuki the Snow Maiden, but his rescue comes at a cost. Blind musician Hoichi is forced to perform for an audience of ghosts. An author relates the story of a samurai who sees another warrior's reflection in his teacup.

Set in the pleasure district of Kyoto, Tamiko (Yoshiko Mita, in her first lead role) is a young girl attending high school by day and training as a geisha at night She sees her future as an entertainer, not a prostitute, & she expects a happy marriage with a medical student, Yasuke (Katsuo Nakamura), a sweet fellow she deeply loves. but things started to getting worse for Tamiko and she's forced to become the mistress of the disgusting Tsukada (Seiji Miyaguchi).

The Wayside Pebble is an effective drama about the hardships of a childhood spent with a brusque, cold-hearted father and a submissive mother. The year is 1910 and the place is a small Japanese village. Goichi is suffering because he wants to go to school, but his family is too poor to afford that luxury. Even when a kind friend agrees to help out, Goichi's father refuses to give in to his son's request for an education. Instead, he sends Goichi off to work as an indentured servant for a cold-hearted merchant and his family. As tragedy strikes and the suffering of the young boy increases, he begins to look for some way out of his bleak situation.

Director Jun'ya Satô's debut film focuses on the inhuman training of recruits, the brutal drill system that reigned in the Japanese army during World War II, where in the first two years of training, ordinary people were turned into inhuman killers. For his first film, the director was awarded the Blue Ribbon Awards in the Debutant of the Year nomination.

A carpenter, Shigetsugu, learns a lesson of love and humanity from five orphaned children and an affectionate woman named Oritsu. It's a winning combination of drama and humor. The warm friendship that grows between the carpenter, the woman and the children making this into a true masterpiece.

As descendent of famed fishmonger Isshin Tasuke, young feisty Ishii Tasuke uses his talent to flourish his employer’s food business.

1962 Japanese movie

A story about the nature of office workers today.

Japanese comedy film.

A story of an orphan boy who wanted the love of parents so badly, another orphan sincerely pitied him to the point he gives his secret birthright as an illegitimate son to a Shogun as a "gift of hope" to the sad boy. As the orphan boy grew up, his loving heart became bitter and he saw the opportunity to take advantage of this birthright with the help of a man who wanted to use this orphan's desire to be loved, for seizing power in the shogunate by using the imposter. Many obstacles to hurdle along the way of deception, however, will they succeed or will he be exposed?

Japanese comedy film.

Toei’s 10th anniversary film, featuring an all-star cast from the golden movie era of the 1960s. A famous story of the 47 loyal samurai. When Lord Asano is unjustly executed, his loyal retainers strike back for revenge.

Fishmonger Tasuke and Shogun Iemitsu swap their identities in pretence for the protection of Iemitsu.

A human drama of crew and passengers on a special express train named “Sakura” from Tokyo to Nagasaki...

In 1691 a terrible fire broke out in Denmacho, Yotsuya, burning down the towns around it, up to the shores of Shibaura. A month and a half later, another fire broke out, this time in Komagome, burning down the two gates of Asakusa and Sujikai, and continuing on into the night. As the government Elders consider evidence that these fires were arson, a fire breaks out in Hirakawa-cho, outside of Hanzo Gate. Nishonmaru catches on fire and burns down completely. When this rash of fires even strikes Kyoto, the task of finding who’s behind the arson, and stopping them falls to the Shogun’s uncle, the Elder Lord of Mito. Together with his trusted bodyguards, Kaku and Suke, the trio set of to save Japan from this scourge of evil. Featuring virtually all of their most famous stars, this is the best film in the Toei series about Mito Komon, one of Japan’s most popular historical figures who traveled through the country incognito to check on the people and fight injustice.

Taisuke is kind-hearted but overall lacks ambition. Taizo is smarter, but given to fits of emotion and impulsive violence. The samurai brothers fight against corruption in a castle.

When Kaneko Ichinosuke aims to avenge his father who was wrongly accused of embezzlement, the samurai Kochiyama Soshun agrees to assist.

The story of a certain engineer from his youth until he retired from the Japanese National Railways after the war .

While on the road, famed Yakuza Boss Jirocho is falsely accused of starting a peasant's uprising and chased by the law. Meanwhile, one of his henchmen in an attempt to raise money for the Boss gambles away not only all their funds, but their clothing as well. Jirocho, famed for his honesty and integrity must take on the challenge of rival gangs while trying to elude the government's officials at the same time. Things really heat up when the most famous of all Yakuza Bosses, Chuji of Kunisada gets involved. Will he team up with his old friend or is gang warfare about to erupt?

On New Year's Day 1716, Munenaga of Owari and Yoshinao of Kii were both named as candidates for the title of 8th Shogun. The wise and just Munenaga is plunged into a dispute with Tokugawa Yoshinao that will lead to one of them ascending the throne. This is an exciting and informative film that brings the brilliant history of Japan to the surface in a new light.

Magically gifted boy Sasuke lives in peace, deep in the forest with his animal pals and Oyu, his elder sister. After their forest sanctuary is violated by a demon witch who devours one of Sasuke's animal companions, he vows vengeance. Leaving the forest, he sets out to master his magical gifts, making a pilgrimage to the home of the wizard Hakuunsai. While Sasuke learns the ways of magic, the demon witch terrorizes the countryside, and Sasuke works to complete his training in time.

Oda Nobunaga (1534–1582) was a major daimyo during the Warring State period of Japanese history. He was the second son of Oda Nobuhide, a deputy military governor with land holdings in Owari province. Nobunaga lived a life of continuous military conquest, eventually conquering a third of Japanese daimyo before his death in 1582. Telling the story of his rise to prominence as he leads an army of 4,000 men against the 40,000 troops of Lord Imagawa Yoshimoto to prevent the arrogant daimyo from crushing the Oda clan and taking control of the entire nation. From a newly restored anamorpic widescreen print, this is the ultimate warlord movie.

Princess Kazu, the daughter of Shogun Ienari, is sent to marry Matsudaira Nobunao, master of Peacock castle in Kozuke province, a domain of 17,000 koku. When the procession carrying her sizable dowry was so large that it was expected to take 30 days to reach the castle the members of the clan were surprised to learn that it contained only her barest essentials! Would her presence create a problem too large for the clan to deal with? And having been trained by Lord Yagyu himself, will her martial skills ruin the marital plans set forth for the couple, or can she be tamed in time for the wedding?

Two thrill seeking young lords sneak out of their castles and travel under the disguise of townsmen.

Adventures of Mori no Ishimatsu, a famous member of Jirocho gang. Ishimatsu is strong in righteousness weak to mercy, who falls in love at first sight to a woman just as fiery as he is. Great all-star cast brings to life the story of a ture yakuza.

Young Lord Genjiro, who abandoned his castle to live as a commoner in Edo, returns home to restore peace amidst disruption over an inheritance dispute. Warned by a fortune-teller that he would die by the sword, the young lord must courageously battle 30 or 40 men who attack without warning. Meanwhile, his love affair with Kocho (Hibari Misora), a singer who is also a skilled archer. This film features brilliant performances from some of Toei Studios most popular actors and actresses. The combination of mega-stars like Kinnosuke Nakamura and Hibari Misora, coupled with outstanding support from Kinnosuke's talented brother Katsuo Nakamura and stalwart elder statesman Ryunosuke Tsukigata makes for a winning formula. Can his swordsmanship save the day?

The story of the trials and tribulations of a lighthouse keeper and his wife.

In a military family, an illegitimate son is brutalized by his brothers. A patriarchal, feudalistic household where dissent is forbidden is used to reveal the whole imperialist system that afflicted Japan between 1921 and 1946. Winner of the Crystal Globe at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival.

Ignoring the protests of his working-class mother, a young man becomes wrapped up in the world of delinquents and yakuza.

A film about the struggle of an officer from Edo, Toyama Saemon, with a lightning-fast gang of thieves.