Shizue Natsukawa

Based off of the novel, "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" and the ballet, "The Nutcracker", Sanrio shows their take on the classic story in a stop-motion animated film.

1972 Japanese film directed by Tengo Yamada.

Taking place in Shinshu in the 1920s, Tsumakoi Okoma, while traveling to hone her gambling skills, teams up with the vagabond Tsukuba Tsuneji and comes into conflict with gamblers plotting to take over a rustic hot-spring town. Handling a gun and sword as skillfully as a man, Fuji Junko portrays an appealing personality that differs from Oryu in the Red Peony Gambler series. Tsuruta Koji stars as the vagabond Tsukuba Tsuneji that tops the list of an impressive all-star cast that includes Endo Tatsuo, Kogure Michiyo, Ashiya Gannosuke, Kitamura Eizo, and many others. This film is an authentic yakuza movie that conveys the true "Matatabi" (wandering gambler) feeling.

A girl is in love with two men.

「黒髪」：妻を捨て、京都から遠い任地へと赴いた武士。そこで彼は、良い家柄の娘と結婚するが、彼女は冷酷な女で、男は今さら、別れた妻のことを思い出すのだった。やがて任期を終え、京都に戻った彼は最初の妻と再会するが…。「雪女」：きこりの巳之吉は、森へ薪を採りに入ったところで吹雪に遭い、山小屋に閉じ込められるはめに。その晩彼は、雪女の姿を目の当たりにし…。ほかに「耳無し抱一の話」「茶碗の中」の計4編。

日本人の心をゆり動かし、幾多の名作を世におくり出した、長谷川伸の傑作股旅文学の映画化。顔に大きな刀傷、生き別れの妹を探して旅から旅の関の彌太ッぺ。旅の途中、ふとしたことで助けた、親を失くした一人ぼっちの少女に妹の面影を見い出した。...そして10年。再会した少女は美しい娘に成長していた。

The great Okawa Hashizo, in one of his most powerful roles risks his life and limb to help save the lovely Onaka from a terrible lifestyle. Starting out as a down on his luck gambler, Hantaro refuses to accept punishment for running up a 10 ryo debt in a crooked dice game. Forced from his village he must go on the run and learn how to fend for himself. After 3 years on the road, his past finally catches up to him, when he gets spotted by a pair of gang members. The action heats up after he saves Onaka from committing suicide and the two find themselves battling all odds for survival. This is a serious film with a strong story and exciting sword action!

Hibari Misora plays a singing guide, who is secretly in love, her fortunes turn for the worse when a gangster’s henchman hears her singing and takes a liking to her beautiful voice. The trouble starts when her family borrows money from the gangsters, setting off a series of incidents which lead to tragedy.

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.

Period piece about a young man who, because of his hard life alone in the world, has become a yakuza. When he hears that his mother may be living in Edo (Tokyo), he travels there, intent on finding her and leaving the swordsman's life behind. But a team of rival gangsters is hot on his heels.

The story of two young men whose ambition is to become the personal bodyguards to the Shogun's uncle, Lord Mito Komon. Portrayed by a pair of up and coming stars, Sasaki Sukesaburo (Matsukata), the son of a widower and Atsumi Kakunoshin (Kitaoji), whose mother is a widow find themselves constantly in trouble and are forced to become two of the most powerful fighters in all Japan. The stories about Mito Komon and his travels througout Japan are many, but this is one that had yet to be told. The struggles of Suke-san and Kaku-san faced in order to join the Elder in his quest to fight against injustice and corruption during the samurai era.

Story of young love in the hills.

A father curries favor with his bosses to further his career, but his wife has lost faith in him. She returns to her family home while they rent out their house during the summer to pay off their mortgage, and there she meets a lonely old man...

Shochiku's commemorative 3000th film production; a suspenseful period drama.

山国の小都市にある北山高校では、近くある対抗野球大会で持ちきりである。だが三年の花巻竜司だけは、憂うつそうだった。竜司の家は伝統あるお寺で、父の玄城が病気で寝ているため、竜司が父の代理をしていた。家族は母と、婚期のおくれた姉の五人。竜司の悩みは、来年卒業して東京の大学に進学出来そうもないことだった。ある日の放課後、竜司は応援部のボス桐村たちに、竜司が学校新聞に書いた記事のことで殴られた。それを知った親友の小淵沢達也がかけつけ、竜司を助けた。竜司の気持を聞いた達也は、自分は芸者の子で父もなく、大学を出て就職するよりも自分の家の調理場を手伝い、将来は町一番の料理屋にしてみせるといった。達也の妹莉恵子も女中代りによく働いた。莉恵子は竜司が好きだが、竜司が同級生の醍醐優子と仲良しなのが気になった。恵まれた家庭に育った優子は竜司をいろいろと慰めた。ある夜、竜司は姉の友達令子がやっている酒場で、飲めない酒を飲み、そこに泊った。翌朝隣に令子が寝ているのをみて愕然とした。悩む竜司をたずねた莉恵子は、竜司に自分の気持を打明けた。一方達也は、自分は優子が好きだと竜司に告白した。それがもとで二人は喧嘩し絶交してしまった。数日後、川原で達也が桐村達に脅かされているのを聞き、喧嘩のことも忘れてかけつけた。これが縁で達也たちと桐村は仲直りした。達也と竜司も。二人の表情はいつしか晴れた空のように明るくなっていった。

Alongside Tokyo's Sumida River is a ragpickers' settlement known as Ant Village. One night, a young Catholic girl, Satoko Kitahara, who has been baptized under the name of Maria, comes to offer her services. However, Ant Village is not just an ordinary vagrants' community but a fine autonomous organization, and as the municipal authorities have long been demanding that the people of Ant Village leave the site, Satoko is utilized to publicize the Village and win public sympathy. While being utilized in this manner, Satoko is nevertheless glad to be able to help the people of Ant Village, especially the children, and when the summer vacation comes she decides to take the children on an excursion to Hakone. To raise funds for this purpose she becomes a rag-picker herself.

When Boss Juzo's Shinmachi Yakuza family struck fear into the hearts of his adversaries, Boss Shohei's Okabe Yakuza family with a merciless gang of raiders, Itaro of Asama was missing. With the courage of a lion he had gone off to face the enemy and settle the score all by himself. As a result he had to take the blame in place of Boss Shohei, and went off to adventures on his own.

Nobuo is a hot-headed hoodlum fresh out of reform school who struggles to make a clean break with his tearaway past.

Anzukko (Little Peach) is the daughter of a successful writer. She turns down each one of her suitors, until she marries a beginning writer named Ryokichi. Their life quickly sinks into despair.

Following a yearlong attendance upon his shogun in Edo, samurai Hikokuro makes a long-awaited return to his home and doting wife, Dane. Initially greeted by the effusive welcome of his family, spiteful whispers also reach his ear about an adulterous affair carried on, in his long absence, between his wife and a famous drummer. With Hikokuro’s honor imperiled by rumor, his family insists on a formal investigation into the veracity of the gossip. Through the combined testimony of many witnesses, a tale unwinds around the visits of a traveling musician hired to tutor the family heir, the spurned attentions of the man who started the rumor, and the ultimate truth behind the accusations. The conclusion of events prove as much an indictment of bushidō as it is of the reluctant parties involved. Adapted from a 1706 play by Chikamatsu Monzaemon and based on a true case.

A masterpiece depicting the true feelings, grief and joy of a woman. An adaptation of the novel of the same name by Yasushi Inoue.

Aiko, a bar hostess, falls for the son of a company president who also keeps a mistress, and whose family disapproves of his relationship with the bar hostess.

松竹が誇る天才監督・木下惠介監督が、日本縦断ロケを敢行。高峰秀子と佐田啓二の主演により、同名の主題歌と共に大ヒットを記録した名作。灯台守一家の25年にわたる波乱に満ちた生活と愛情を、繊細かつ力強いタッチで描いた壮大なる年代記。 灯台守の夫と連れ添う妻の半生を描いた作品。なくてはならない大切なものを教えてくれる、心温まる作品。

A young man and woman are determined to marry despite opposition from her parents.

A young woman marries someone else, but cannot forget her first lover.

A botanist woos the secretary of an industrialist whose company threatens the local water supply.

A young widow, made world weary by her abusive, neglectful husband, finds herself in a minor scandal when she's seen with her intense, no-nonsense childhood sweetheart.

Coach Shimamura of the hapless Sparrows baseball team is pleased to obtain a hot new pitcher named Onishi. But when Onishi begins a romantic relationship with the coach's daughter Michiko, Shimamura becomes angry with the young man, lashing out at him when he disobeys instructions during a game. In turn, Michiko becomes angry with her father, who becomes increasingly depressed. When a tragedy strikes the family, Coach Shimamura begins losing control of his life, just when his family and his team need him most.

大石久子は昭和3年、新任教師として瀬戸内海にある小豆島の分校に赴任した。久子が受け持つことになった一年生は十二人で、みな澄んだ瞳をしていた。やがて久子は本校へ転任することになった。しかし貧しい村の教え子たちは、一人として望み通り進学することができなかった。戦争をはさんで島の分校に戻った久子は、そこでかつての教え子たちと再会する。

A reporter Takuo, who is sleeping in the newspaper room of the Maichō newspaper company, receives a sudden report from a reporter that the missing Akiyama JNR president was found dead.

Tokyo, 1890. Through avarice, a series of misunderstandings, and failures of courage, the engagement of Kan-ichi (a student) and Miya (the daughter of Kan-ichi's debtor) is canceled to enable Miya to marry Tomiyama, a wealthy banker's son. In bitter despair, Kan-ichi breaks with his friends, drops his studies, and declares he has ceased to be human. He apprentices to a money-lender, and he's soon ruthless and wealthy. Several years later, Miya's in misery, her husband mistreats her. She goes to Kan-ichi to beg forgiveness; he pushes her away. He's now pursued by Akagashi, herself a cold-hearted loan shark. Can anything free Kan-ichi's hard heart from the golden demon

A sad and troubled man finds a new job five years after the end of WWII, where he writes love letters for other people.

Japanese drama film.

Directed by Senkichi Taniguchi

Hamako has just started working for her personal hero, Madame Yuki. Her romanticized view of the Madame is broken immediately, though, as she is introduced with a ever-growing list of the Madame’s personal problems.

In Nihonbashi, a fire broke out in the Kodenma-cho prison, and the prisoners were released. With the proviso that if the prisoner does not return within three days, or if he leaves Edo Prefecture, he will be sentenced to death. Prisoner Yakichi went to Matsumoto to see his mother, who was in critical condition. However, Yoriki Matsukura tries to catch Yakichi and bring him to execution.

A female doctor's story of her life in an isolated leper colony.

Based on an original story by Yojiro Ishizaka, this well-made drama is set in a Christian school in a beautiful northern harbor town. Teacher Masaki (Obinata) speaks up for Keiko, one of the girls at the school, every time she causes problems because he feels sorry for her, a child born out of wedlock. Sumi (Natsukawa), one of Masaki’s colleagues and who is secretly in love with him, strongly disagrees with him about Keiko. Then Sumi hears a rumor that Keiko is pregnant with Masaki's child . . . .

Adaptation of Fumiko Hayashi's novel.

Chorus of a Million People

While returning by boat to Japan, Yoshie Fujiwara meets a rich woman who suggests him to become a singer thanks to an impresario friend of hers.

Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi.

A classic melodramatic love tragedy addressing social inequality in feudal Japan, depicted in Kenji Mizoguchi's typical style. The nostalgic scenes of 1920s Tokyo provides a valuable visual experience set against the background of the title song, "Tokyo March." (Sadly, only 24 minutes of the film now survive.)

Tomotaka Tasaka's earliest surviving surviving film is a powerful adaptation of Hector Malot's "Nobody's Girl".

A pre-war sports movie by director Tomu Uchida. This story is set at the Waseda-Keio regatta. This was shot at the banks of the Sumida River, where the regatta is still held today. The main stroke role of Mochizuki was played by young star Tsunemi Hirose. Mochizuki, who enrolled in A University that lost the previous year gains the trust of the President's niece Mitsuko (Shizue Natsukawa) but a spy from the other side uses this relationship to create a scandal. The regatta approaches, with Mochizuki not able to participate... The supporters and atmosphere of student sports at the time are well presented.

Directed by Yutaka Abe.

Directed by Eizo Tanaka.