Early Spring Story

Akio's sister, Neri has separated from her boyfriend. They lived in Kamakura. She moves in with her brother. Her ex-boyfriend's sister, Eiko comes to see Neri. She wonders if the separation occurred due to her because the three of them used to live together. Eiko's brother has disappeared in the meantime.

In this companion piece and sequel to "Yojimbo," jaded samurai Sanjuro helps an idealistic group of young warriors weed out their clan's evil influences, and in the process turns their image of a proper samurai on its ear.

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.

A tragic love story between a prostitute and a young trainee monk.

A Japanese bullet train is threatened with a bomb that will explode automatically if the train slows below 80 km/h, unless a ransom is paid. Police race to find the bombers so the train crew can learn how to defuse the bomb.

One day, after the ceasefire in the Vietnam War, Maroku Ohno rushed into an American military position. He had been wandering inland, unaware that the war had ended. He finally returned to Japan, only to find his hometown, Awaji Island, completely changed, and his former lover now married. So he began making a fortune in Tokyo with the intention of buying Awaji Island.

Ryunosuke, a gifted swordsman plying his trade during the turbulent final days of Shogunate rule, has no moral code and kills without remorse. It’s a way of life that leads to madness.

In the teeming black markets of postwar Japan, Shozo Hirono and his buddies find themselves in a new war between factious and ambitious yakuza.

In Osaka's slum, capricious folks without futures engage in pilfering, assault and robbery, prostitution, and the trading of ID cards and blood.

There is a man who divorced his wife. He moved to rural Hokkaido from Tokyo where he lived with his family without running water or electricity. He has his son and daughter in tow and works hard for them. The folk in the area try to help. A couple of years pass and the older son moves back to Tokyo, attends school and works part-time. The daughter commutes to the city to attend school. She wants to become a nurse. To become a registered nurse she needs to study a further three years. This takes money.

Uta married a priest who saved her when she tried to commit suicide at a waterfall. The love triangle between a lustful priest, his second wife and his son Masao.

On August 9, 1945, the Americans dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki. This film, based on a story by Mitsukaru Inoue, describes the daily life of people in Nagasaki the day before that fateful event. It presents the human drama of people's lives, and their feelings of joy and sadness. These include a newlywed couple, an expectant mother, and lovers who must say farewell because the boy is called to serve in the army. Each of these people, like others in the city, hoped to live with their dreams for ‘tomorrow’. But tomorrow never comes for them, as their lives are brought to an abrupt and unexpected end. Knowing how the story ends, in this case, doesn't detract from it at all; rather, it enhances the emotional impact, which is further heightened by the poignant musical score from Teizo Matsumura. 'Ashita' is the first film in Kazuo Kuroki's 'War Requiem Trilogy,' which also includes 'Utsukushii Natsu Kirishima' (2002) and 'Chichi to Kuraseba' (2004).

A sendup of the stereotypical Japanese family: dad is a salaryman jerk, unable to relate to anyone; mom is a hopeless housewife; the older son is a moderate academic success; but the younger son is a rebellious goof-off for whom a tutor must be hired. The tutor proceeds to blow the entire family apart.

A Japanese teenager travels to New Caledonia in search of the fabled "island closest to heaven" that her late father had told her about.

Mio has long hidden her feelings for her childhood friend Arata. After an argument leaves their relationship uncertain, she sets out to reconcile with him but awakens in a mysterious version of Ikebukuro following an accident. Guided by unusual new companions, Mio searches for a way home while confronting the feelings and memories she has avoided.

Keiko surprises everyone when she overcomes adversity to win her first two boxing fights. But when an unexpected incident threatens the closure of her gym, she is pushed further than she thought possible.

Shohei works as a doctor in a seaside hospital. One day, a new patient is admitted to the hospital with ovarian cancer. Shohei is surprised to recognize Michiko, his first love from high school. Shohei has been leading a dissolute bachelor life, paying for the company of high school girls and dating an older woman who works in a local bar, but in reality, for the last twenty years, he has not forgotten Michiko. Unfortunately though, Michiko doesn't remember him at all. Shohei becomes more and more persistent in his attempts to get her to recall their past. At first she is annoyed by his overtures, but gradually warms to the doctor. Under Shohei's kind and patient care, Michiko's condition improves and her cancer becomes operable. The operation is a success, but now Shohei himself learns that he has terminal cancer.

This sensuously beautiful film chronicles the activities of four sisters who gather in Kyoto every year to view the cherry blossoms. It paints a vivid portrait of the pre-war lifestyle of the wealthy Makioka family from Osaka, and draws a parallel between their activities and the seasonal variations in Japan.

A city boy, Shinji, is sent to live in the countryside to escape the Tokyo bombings, where he experiences the complexities of rural school life, including a power struggle with the local class leader, Takeshi.

Kazuko Yoshiyama is a third-year junior-high-school student. One day, while cleaning the lab, she smells lavender and faints. From then on, she has the power to travel through time.

The tale of Ogami Itto and his son Daigoro has come full circle with the greatest sword actor of all time, Wakayama Tomisaburo now playing Lone Wolf's mortal enemy, the evil Lord Yagyu Retsudo, who masterminded Ogami's fall from grace. Brilliant sword actor Takahashi Hideki takes over as the former shogunate decapitator, and his stunning swordsmanship is second to none! The story of Lone Wolf and Child has been told many times, but never before like this. With the magnificent sword skills of Takahashi Hideki as Ogami Itto, the Shogun's Decapitator and Wakayama Tomisaburo as the power hungry Lord Yagyu Retsudo the story has come full circle.

Hatsuko, a nurse who was put in charge of Room Zero in the pediatric ward, couldn't believe her eyes when she entered the room. There she found a boy named Tarou, 1 year and 4 months old, a lump of flesh with no human shape whatsoever. Hatsuko was so shocked that she even wanted to quit the hospital, but as she worked hard to nurse Tarou, who had never even been held by his own mother, she began to feel affection for him. Original work: "Pediatric Ward" by Egawa Haru

Wataru, a freelance cameraman who works for a travel magazine in Tokyo. He had aimed to be a teacher but failed to achieve his goal and left home to go to Tokyo. However, he does not do well in Tokyo and has to return to his hometown. Wataru reunites with his former girlfriend who is a primary school teacher now and through his interaction with his family, friends and a group of primary school students who want to take part in a choir contest, he begins to take steps to resurrect his dream of being a teacher.

Onimasa is the egocentric boss of a small yakuza clan on Shikoku Island, whose criminal duties conflict with his self-image as a chivalrous samurai. His struggles with his boss, the Shikoku Godfather, and the tumultuous life of his adopted daughter, Matsue, form the backdrop of this epic tale of justice, obedience, and bloody vengeance.

When he was young, Hasegawa Hirakawa was taken care of by the daughter of an izakaya, who wanted to become a secret agent. Although Hirakawa gave up this wish, Asami began to explore independently for the thief, Kogawara, the murderer, and the net cutter, who Hirakawa was looking for. Although he successfully entered the group of the uncle of the murderer, he fell into a desperate crisis.

One day, Ezawa Jun, who has trouble with work and in love, gets a ryukin from a goldfish scooping game at a festival. However, she is actually a beautiful girl and she suddenly turns into a human form and appears in front of Jun. Called Ryu, she is looking for the legendary black ranchu and asks Jun for his help. The two strangers begin living together and growing closer. Their fate goes in an unexpected direction.

Story of love, jealousy and hatred among waitresses of a deluxe bar.

Kounosuke Mibu and Tae Horikawa are unable to forget each other, even though they met and fell in love 20 years ago. They had promised each other that they would build a retreat in Shiguretei, but Ushio was hospitalized after a stroke a few days later, and when his wife, Takako, rushed to the hospital, she discovered their love affair, which in reality had not gone beyond kissing. Now, 20 years later, against the advice of her ikebana mentor, Tae rushes to meet Ushio at Shiguretei, only to see him clutching his chest in pain. Eventually, the design and plans for the dream retreat are seen by Tae, but she has to visit Kyoto alone... or maybe she's heading for somewhere else.

The fairy tale follows a young man named Gusukō in the Tōhoku forests of northeastern Japan in the 1920s. After an onslaught of droughts and natural disasters, Gusukō is forced to leave his home and search for a better life elsewhere. Gusukō joins a group of scientists at the Ihatov Volcano Department, which deals with the same natural disasters that drove Gusukō from his home.

Directed by Junya Sato and based on a book by Jun Henmi, "Yamato" has a framing story set in the present day and uses flashbacks to tell the story of the crew of the World War II Japanese battleship Yamato. The film was never released in the United States, where reviewers who have seen it have compared the military epic to "Titanic" and "Saving Private Ryan."

Two convicts just released from prison find a green bauble filled with diamonds — and try to prove they didn't steal it.

The mystery of a corpse that suddenly kisses? A female doctor's son is suspected of murder ... Nail patterns and unsolidified blood reveal a perfect crime. When Aisuke, the son of forensic scientist Saki Ninomiya and a newspaper reporter, was interviewing the president of a building management company and his eldest son at a glass-walled cafe, a young woman who approached the store suddenly collapses and died...

A musical comedy.

From the depths of space he is coming... Ancient beyond understanding, his power is immeasurable. He has destroyed half the universe and is on his way here. He is… Genma. Only two people are aware of the imminent catastrophe: Princess Luna, a modern day prophetess and Vega, a cybernetic crusader from a world long since ravaged by Genma. Determined to spare the Earth from a similar fate, Luna and Vega must try to mobilize the most potent psychics in the world. Together, this army of fledging psychic warriors must succeed where billions have tried... and failed. But will they be able to gather their champions in time? Genma’s agents are already on Earth to ensure that their master meets with no opposition!

With the help of a six-inch-tall ancient samurai warrior, a lonely young environmentalist finds self-confidence and new companionship in protecting Japan's beautiful naturality from human mismanagement.

The story follows detective Heizo, played by Koshiro Matsumoto, who investigates Tanbei Chigashira, a notorious thief. Kumehachi, a former member of Tanbei's gang, claims that their former leader is an impostor. The real Tanbei Chigashira followed three strict rules: do not kill, do not rape women, and do not steal from the poor.

An 11-year-old boy who goes to Africa with his father in 1941. Because he is Japanese, the father is detained by the British. The boy joins up with a beautiful native girl, and the adventure begins.

Gifted thief Lupin the Third scores a "magic lamp" and finds it contains a genie. However, after the clock strikes 7 p.m., he can't seem to remember anything… Finding himself in Singapore, Lupin must battle his way past the forces of Colonel Garlic and discover the secret behind the lamp – but every night at 7 p.m., his memory is wiped clean! How can Lupin piece together this puzzle when he can't even remember what he's doing?

Hell manifests itself through the sins, shame and desires of an upper class rural family and a mother's grief from beyond the grave.

Heart is a tyrannosaurus who is found and raised bv a herbivore mother. After learning his true nature as a meat eater, he runs away from home and finds a baby ankylosaurus egg that hatches and thinks Heart is his father. After accidentally naming the baby Yummie - thinking he looked tasty - their love for one another tests the bounds of nature vs. nurture.

Students who do not trust teachers, teachers who give up faith in education, parents who blame schools for their children's misbehavior... Naoko was at a loss when she was assigned as a new high school teacher. Times have changed and students are no longer easy to control, but she chose not to look away. Instead, Naoko reaches out to try and discover the various issues hidden in the modern education system.

High school seniors Mikayo, Chuko and Kei are forced to join a historical research club to fulfill a graduation requirement. Their teacher, Mr. Kachi, plans a mandatory club trip to a small village called Oshakabe in Yamagata prefecture to study remnants of an ancient clan of warriors called the ochimusha who displayed legendary cowardice in battle. When they arrive, the local villagers hold a special ceremony and construct a "super shrine". As a result, an 800-year seal is broken, unleashing a curse that causes the ochimusha to rise from the grave.

This extraordinarily complex film is not only a send-up of every samurai film ever made, it is also an extrapolation of the value of life. The Yamatai, represented by Prince Susano-O and elderly advisor Sumuke, hire Yumihiko of Matsuro to hunt the phoenix so that Queen Himiko, sister of Susano-O can have eteranal life.

Kyogokudo is a used book seller who doubles as an onmyouji, or Heian style occultist. His friend Sekiguchi brings him the story of a woman who has been pregnant for twenty months. Sekiguchi investigates further with the help of his friend Enokizu, a detective with the unusual ability to see people's memories. They are hired by the impossibly pregnant woman's sister to find the woman's missing husband and lay this whole matter to rest. In the end, they need the help of Kyogokudo to exorcise the family curse.

Tomisaburo Wakayama is back with a new take on the classic Yamamoto Shugoro masterpiece “Ame Agaru” as a samurai on the run with his bride who makes a living by challenging dojo masters to a match, then taking money from them to keep quiet about it. Staying at an inn filled with many colorful characters and trying to make enough money to bribe the border officials to let them pass to the next domain this exciting, yet heartfelt story is a true testament to the power of the sword. When he meets an equally skilled swordsman the sparks will fly with a surprise ending that captures the soul of Japan!