Japanese films about obsession

List of the best Japanese films about obsession, selected by visitors to our site: The Face of Another, Happy Hour, The Great Passage, You & Me, The Bling Ring, Achilles and the Tortoise, Iron Girl, Ringu, Drowning Love, ABCs of Death 2.

In the top there are new films of 2021, a plot description and trailers for films that have already been released.

Country
Markimdb: 7.9
Genrehorror, fantastic, drama
CountryJapan
Duration02:04

A businessman with a disfigured face obtains a lifelike mask from his doctor, but the mask starts altering his personality.

Markimdb: 7.6
Genremelodrama, drama
CountryJapan

Jun, Akari, Sakurako, and Fumi truly believe that they can confide in each other. But one day, at a party, Jun confesses that she is seeking a divorce from her husband and this information seems to upset the other three. They follow her trial as she attempts to win her case against her husband's will.

Markimdb: 7.3
Genredrama
CountryJapan

Majime, an eccentric man in publishing company, who has unique ability of words, joins the team that will compile a new dictionary, ‘The Great Passage.’ In the eclectic team, he becomes immersed in the world of dictionaries. But the team is overwhelmed with problems. Will ‘The Great Passage’ ever be completed?

Markimdb: 6.9
Genredrama
CountryJapan
Duration00:45

Nakamura Aoi stars as a young aspiring manga artist who's able to deal with loneliness and separation from his family through the companionship of an American Shorthair cat named Gin-o-gou.

Markimdb: 5.6
Genredrama, crime, biography
CountryUSA, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan
Duration01:27

    Inspired by actual events, a group of fame-obsessed teenagers use the Internet to track celebrities' whereabouts in order to rob their homes.

    Markimdb: 7.3
    Genrecomedy, drama
    CountryJapan
    Duration01:59

    Machisu is a painter. He never had the success he thinks he is entitled to. Regardless of this, he always remains trying to be successful. His wife Sachiko keeps supporting him, despite all setbacks. Machisu, the only son of a rich collector, has a childs love for painting. Praise from a famous artist friend of his father inspires the young boy to dream of becoming a painter himself. s a young man, poor loner Machisu manages to attend art school with money earned from working. He is introduced to an unconventional world of bold creativity but he also gets his first bitter taste of harsh criticism from a dealer. Encouragement comes in the form of attractive clerk Sachiko who is convinced that she alone understands him. Marriage is soon followed by a daughter, as love and hope drive Machisu to commit even more deeply to his art ...

    Markimdb: 6.3
    Genredrama
    CountryJapan
    Duration02:04

    In a land far away, there is a legend that an Iron Clad Savior shall bestow upon the land and save its people from grief, abuse and evil. An armored suit-wearing woman with amnesia, only known as "Iron Girl", fights against a group of outlaws called "Crazy Dogs" to save a small village in the wasteland. Is she the legendary "Iron Savior" written in the old document of the village?

    Markimdb: 7.2
    Genrehorror, thriller, fantasy, drama, detective
    CountryJapan
    Duration01:36

    A mysterious video has been linked to a number of deaths, and when an inquisitive journalist finds the tape and views it herself, she sets in motion a chain of events that puts her own life in danger.

    Markimdb: 5.9
    Genremelodrama, drama
    CountryJapan

    Natsume Mochizuki works as a teen model in Tokyo, but she learns that she has to move to her father's hometown of Ukigumo. She is in a desperate situation because she can't do the things she wants to do in Ukigumo. One day, she meets Koichiro Hasegawa. He is the successor of the Hasegawa family. His family is wealthy and is respected in the area. Natsume Mochizuki and Koichiro Hasegawa become attracted to each other, but something changes their fate.

    Markimdb: 5.4
    Genrehorror, fantastic, thriller, fantasy, comedy
    CountryUSA, New Zealand, Canada, Israel, Japan, Nigeria
    Duration02:05

    Taking all that was great from the first installment, ABCs OF DEATH 2 aims to be a wilder, leaner, faster paced and even more entertaining anthology this time around, with a new crop of award-winning, visionary filmmakers from around the globe.

    Markimdb: 7.9
    Genredrama, biography
    CountryUSA, Japan
    Duration02:01

    A fictional account of the life of Japanese author Yukio Mishima told in four parts. The first three parts relate events in three of his novels: The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, Kyoko's House, and Runaway Horses. The last part depicts the events of 25th November 1970.

    Markimdb: 7.5
    Genremelodrama, drama
    CountryJapan

    When deaf garbage man Shigeru (Kurôdo Maki) finds a broken surfboard on one of his runs, it piques his curiosity, even though he has no experience with surfing. So he repairs the board and, with loyal girlfriend Takako (Hiroko Oshima), who also is deaf, he sets out to learn how to ride the waves. He goes through mishaps and the locals mock him. But, with the help of a shop owner who once was a surfing legend, Shigeru may finally have a chance to become one with the sea and the surfing community.

    Markimdb: 6.1
    Genrecomedy
    CountryJapan

    A slapstick comedy, about a goofy middle-aged man who is obsessed with the idea of having car sex. While pursuing his 'dream', he makes all the wrong moves possible, and ends up enrolling in a number of crazy escapades.

    Markimdb: 6.3
    Genrehorror, comedy
    CountryJapan

    An aspiring hair dresser (Kuriyama) becomes the infatuation of a tricophilic man who sells hair extensions to nearby hair salons. The source of the hair is the corpse of a girl whose dead body continues to grow beautiful, voluminous, black hair that comes alive, driving those who use the extensions insane or killing them.

    Markimdb: 7.8
    Genrethriller, drama, crime, detective, film noir
    CountryJapan

    A bad day gets worse for young detective Murakami when a pickpocket steals his gun on a hot, crowded bus. Desperate to right the wrong, he goes undercover, scavenging Tokyo’s sweltering streets for the stray dog whose desperation has led him to a life of crime. With each step, cop and criminal’s lives become more intertwined and the investigation becomes an examination of Murakami’s own dark side.

    Markimdb: 6.1
    Genrehorror, thriller, crime, detective
    CountryJapan
    Duration00:40

    A series of grotesque murder cases takes place on rainy days. Detective Hisashi Sawamura (Shun Oguri) works to catch the murderer like he has done with past cases, but he soon realizes the murderer's next target is his wife and son. A man in a frog mask is a suspect.

    Markimdb: 6.3
    Genreaction, drama, military, history
    CountryJapan

    The background to and depiction of a watershed battle in Japanese history, at Sekigahara in 1600, when Tokugawa Ieyasu's Army of the East defeated the Army of the West of Ishida Mitsunari. The story includes the intrigues and shifting loyalties of the various retainers, family members, and samurai.

    Markimdb: 8.2
    Genrefantasy, adventure, cartoon, anime
    CountryJapan
    Duration02:59

    Natsuki Subaru, an ordinary high school student, is on his way home from the convenience store when he finds himself transported to another world. As he's lost and confused in a new world where he doesn't even know left from right, the only person to reach out to him was a beautiful girl with silver hair. Determined to repay her somehow for saving him from his own despair, Subaru agrees to help the girl find something she's looking for.

    Markimdb: 6.4
    Genrethriller, drama
    CountrySouth Korea, Japan
    Duration02:00

    Ishigami comes home from work and discovers his wife dead. Just then, he receives a phone call from his wife and falls in utter confusion. Unexplainable things keep happening as Ishigami struggles to find his wife. Gradually, Ishigami realizes all his memories are gone and finds himself acting like someone else. What is his true identity?

    Markimdb: 8.3
    Genremelodrama
    CountryJapan

    Novel writer Rio Kijima and university student Haruhiko Kuzumi are in a romantic relationship. Even after Rio Kijima returned to his hometown, they maintained their relationship by corresponding with each other. Haruhiko Kuzumi recently got a job and their relationship has not been the same. One day, Rio Kijima injures his arm. He meets Shizuo Akemi. Rio Kijima asks Shizuo Akemi to transcribe a story he is writing. This causes Rio Kijima to remember when he and Haruhiko Kuzumi first became interested in each other. Around this time, Haruhiko Kuzumi comes to Rio Kijima.

    Markimdb: 7.1
    Genrehorror, fantastic, action, cartoon, anime
    CountryJapan
    Duration00:56

    Somewhere in Tokyo, there is a room. In that room is a black sphere. Periodically, people who should otherwise have died are transferred to the room. There, the sphere gives them special suits and weapons, and sends them out on a mission to kill aliens here on Earth. While these missions take place, the rest of the world is largely oblivious to them. These missions are lethal - few participants survive them. The sphere calls the shots, and it's not the slightest bit nice. Its name... Gantz.

    Markimdb: 6.4
    Genrethriller, drama, crime
    CountryJapan
    Duration01:14

    Ôtomo gets involved with new Yakuza battles after he comes back the Yakuza society.

    Markimdb: 7.8
    Genredrama, cartoon, biography, history, anime
    CountryJapan
    Duration02:06

    A lifelong love of flight inspires Japanese aviation engineer Jiro Horikoshi, whose storied career includes the creation of the A-6M World War II fighter plane.

    Markimdb: 7
    Genrefantasy, comedy, drama
    CountryFrance, Japan, South Korea, Germany
    Duration01:47

    Tokyo! is an anthology of three short films by Gondry (France), Carax (France) and Bong (Korea), each of whom offers an imaginative and trans-/super- natural glimpse into the Tokyo Megapolis.

    Markimdb: 7.3
    Genredrama, history
    CountryJapan, Turkey

    Two historical incidents that deepened the friendship between Japan and Turkey are connected in this story of friendship and compassion: The sinking of the Turkish frigate Ertuğrul off the Japanese coast in 1890, and the evacuation of Japanese nationals from Iran in 1985. Virtuous director Mitsutoshi Tanaka's call for world peace received the VFX-JAPAN Award 2017 for Excellent Motion Picture and the 39th Japan Academy Film Prize in ten categories, including Best Art Direction, Best Sound Recording, Excellent Film and Excellent Director.

    Markimdb: 6.3
    Genremelodrama, drama
    CountryJapan
    Duration02:13

    Set in the 1960s, high school student Toru Watanabe loses his only friend Kizuki after he commits suicide. Toru, now looking for a new life, enters a university in Tokyo. By chance, Toru meets Kizuki's ex-girlfriend Naoko in the university. They grow close because they both share the same loss. As Toru and Naoko grow even closer, Naoko's sense of loss also grows. After Naoko's 20th birthday, she leaves for a sanitarium in Kyoto. Watanabe, devastated by the situation, meets pure-hearted Midori during the spring semester. Midori looks like a small animal that just came into the world ...

    Markimdb: 5.7
    Genrehorror, fantastic, action, thriller, fantasy, drama
    CountryJapan
    Duration03:00

    Ken Kaneki (Masataka Kubota) is a university student. He becomes injured by Rize, a human eating ghoul. Ken is saved from the ghoul when a steel frame falls on Rize. They are both sent to the hospital. Ken receives an organ transplant from Rize and becomes a half ghoul.

    Markimdb: 6.8
    Genremelodrama
    CountryJapan
    Duration01:57

    Set within music field, this film depicts a love story between a 25-year-old sound engineer and 16-year-old high school student Riko, who posessess a gifted voice. 25-year-old sound engineer Aki is a member of popular band "Crude Play," but right after the band decides to make their major record debut Aki quits the band. But, Aki provides his music to Crude Play under the name of producer Soichiro. Aki begins to date Riko, whose father runs a fruit and vegetable shop. Riko doesn't know about Aki's background, but she likes to listen to him hum. Riko is in a band herself, with childhood friend Yuichi and Sota. One day she is scouted by producer Soichiro.

    Markimdb: 8.2
    Genremelodrama, drama, cartoon, anime
    CountryJapan
    Duration02:32

    Shouya Ishida starts bullying the new girl in class, Shouko Nishimiya, because she is deaf. But as the teasing continues, the rest of the class starts to turn on Shouya for his lack of compassion. When they leave elementary school, Shouko and Shouya do not speak to each other again... until an older, wiser Shouya, tormented by his past behaviour, decides he must see Shouko once more. He wants to atone for his sins, but is it already too late...?

    Markimdb: 7.5
    Genreaction, melodrama, drama
    CountryJapan
    Duration02:19

    Kenshin has settled into his new life with Kaoru and his other friends when he is approached with a request from the Meiji government. Makoto Shishio, a former assassin like Kenshin, was betrayed, set on fire and left for dead. He survived, and is now in Kyoto, plotting with his gathered warriors to overthrow the new government. Against Kaoru's wishes, Kenshin reluctantly agrees to go to Kyoto and help keep his country from falling back into civil war.

    Markimdb: 6.2
    Genrethriller, drama
    CountryJapan, France, USA, South Korea, Turkey
    Duration02:13

    Shuji is an uncompromising young filmmaker at odds with Japanese society. One day he learns that his loan shark brother, who had helped to finance his films, has been executed by his own yakuza gang for failing to repay his debts. Described as a love poem to Japanese films of the past, as well as a protest at the present, CUT is an exploration of one man’s obsessive relationship with cinema.

    Markimdb: 5.7
    Genrehorror
    CountryJapan

    Mirai and Haruna are shooting a show streamed on smartphones which introduces different viewer submitted videos. That day the videos were all of paranormal phenomena, carefully selected alleged accurate accounts of haunted occurrences. In the middle of one video, the image gets interrupted, immediately turning back on to show a footage that was not in the script. The video capture an urban legend rumoured at Haruna’s school. A psychic on the show assesses that a certain demonological ritual must be performed in order to rid the school of this phenomena. The director, agents and the two girls go to the school accordingly to find there is more to the video than meets the eye…

    Markimdb: 7.3
    Genrecomedy, cartoon, anime
    CountryJapan

    High schooler Masahiro Setagawa is a fairly helpless delinquent, so much so that the neighborhood bullies use him to run their errands. His life changes when he meets high school teacher Kosuke Oshiba, a man whose fighting abilities have earned him a powerful reputation on the streets. Oshiba finds himself with a desire to protect Setagawa, and despite swearing that he's not interested in men, Setagawa finds himself getting more involved in Oshiba's affairs.

    Markimdb: 7.3
    Genredrama
    CountryJapan

    Kiichi Nakajima, an elderly foundry owner convinced that Japan will be affected by an imminent nuclear war, resolves to move his family to safety in Brazil. His family decides to have him ruled incompetent and Dr. Harada, a Domestic Court counselor, attempts to arbitrate.

    Markimdb: 4.8
    Genrehorror
    CountryJapan
    Duration01:22

    Eri (Matsubara) is a high school student who is anonymous unlike her friend Mitsuko (Yokoyama) who is the target of amorous advances from their teacher, Ichida (Tsubouchi). Eri comes across a novel way to protect Mitsuko: find a cursed funerary urn that contains ashes reputed to cause death and give said ashes to teacher.

    Markimdb: 7
    Genreaction, drama, crime
    CountryJapan, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Germany
    Duration01:33

    Long is a Taiwanese killer known for his sword skills. After Long fails a Tokyo mission, he moves to a small town where no one knows about him.

    Markimdb: 8
    Genrefantastic, comedy, adventure, cartoon, detective, anime
    CountryJapan
    Duration02:36

    It is mid-december, and SOS Brigade chief Haruhi Suzumiya announces that the Brigade is going to hold a Christmas party in their clubroom, with Japanese hotpot for dinner. The brigade members Kyon, Yuki Nagato, Mikuru Asahina and Itsuki Koizumi start preparing everything for the party, such as costumes and decorations. But a couple of days later, Kyon arrives at school only to find that Haruhi is missing. Not only that, but Mikuru claims she has never known Kyon before, Koizumi is also missing, and Yuki has become the sole member of the literature club. The SOS Brigade seems to have never existed, nor has Haruhi Suzumiya. No one in the school has ever heard about her… except for Kyon.

    Markimdb: 6.8
    Genrecartoon, anime
    CountryJapan

    Just Because! is a Japanese original anime television series by Hajime Kamoshida, the author of The Pet Girl of Sakurasou, and Kiseki Himura, the author of Getsuyōbi no Tawawa. Pine Jam produced the animation.

    Markimdb: 8.5
    Genredocumentary, music
    CountryUSA, South Korea, Ethiopia, Japan, China, Egypt, Ghana, Italy, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Brazil, Denmark, Kenya, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Namibia
    Duration01:42

    Samsara is a word that describes the ever turning wheel of life. It is a concept both intimate and vast - the perfect subject for filmmakers Ron Fricke and Mark Magidson, whose previous collaborations include Chronos and Baraka, and who, in the last 20 years, have travelled to over 58 countries together in the pursuit of unique imagery. Samsara takes the form of a nonverbal, guided meditation that will transform viewers in countries around the world as they are swept along a journey of the soul. Through powerful images pristinely photographed in 70mm and a dynamic music score, the film illuminates the links between humanity and the rest of the nature, showing how our life cycle mirrors the rhythm of the planet.

    Markimdb: 6.5
    Genrecartoon, sport, anime
    CountryJapan
    Duration02:07

    "Stride," is an extreme sport that involves six people on one team who run relay races through towns. Hōnan Academy and other schools compete to win eastern Japan's top Stride competition, "End of Summer." However, Hōnan's team has shut down. First-year high school students Takeru Fujiwara and Nana Sakurai attempt to restart the club, but they must recruit six members for the team. They ask Riku Yagami to join, but he turns them down by saying that Stride is the one thing he doesn't want to do.

    Markimdb: 6.4
    Genrefantastic, action, thriller, fantasy, adventure
    CountryUSA, China, Japan
    Duration02:03

    Ford Brody, a Navy bomb expert, has just reunited with his family in San Francisco when he is forced to go to Japan to help his estranged father, Joe. Soon, both men are swept up in an escalating crisis when Godzilla, King of the Monsters, arises from the sea to combat malevolent adversaries that threaten the survival of humanity. The creatures leave colossal destruction in their wake, as they make their way toward their final battleground: San Francisco.

    Markimdb: 6.8
    Genreaction, thriller, comedy, melodrama, drama
    CountryJapan

    A detective probes the brutal murder of a woman in a red light district while a housewife hides her double life as a prostitute from her husband.

    Markimdb: 4.9
    Genrehorror, thriller, fantasy, cartoon, detective, anime
    CountryJapan
    Duration01:42

    Kanazawa Nobuaki has transferred to a high school far from where he used to live. Due to an incident at his old school, Nobuaki is afraid of getting close to his new classmates and keeps himself at a distance, but he starts opening up because of a sports day inter-class relay. Then a single text message from someone calling themselves the "King" is sent to everyone in class. Nobuaki's classmates think it's a simple prank and don't take it seriously - but Nobuaki knows that a death game is about to begin, and struggles to oppose it...

    Markimdb: 7.2
    Genredrama, adventure, cartoon, anime
    CountryJapan
    Duration01:56

    The film centers on Asuna, a young girl who spends her solitary days listening to the mysterious music emanating from the crystal radio she received from her late father as a memento. One day while walking home she is attacked by a fearsome monster and saved mysterious boy named Shun. However, Shun disappears and Asuna embarks on a journey of adventure to the land of Agartha with her teacher Mr. Morisaki to meet a Shun again. Through her journey she comes to know the cruelty and beauty of the world, as well as loss.

    Markimdb: 6.7
    Genremelodrama, drama
    CountryJapan, South Korea
    Duration02:13

    Higashigaito Yutaka is transferred to the Bangkok branch of Eastern Airlines. In three months, he will marry Michiko, a relative of the airline's founder, and though he doesn't love her, he knows he could be CEO one day if they wed. In Thailand, Yutaka meets Touko at a bar and is instantly drawn to her. His relationship with her only intensifies as the wedding date approaches. Eventually, he decides to break up with her and calls Michiko in front of her. Touko is disappointed, and the next day she leaves for New York. Yutaka and Michiko reunite in Thailand and proceed with their wedding. Twenty-five years later, Yutaka and Michiko are married with two sons. But Yutaka still harbors memories of Touko in his heart. Yutaka visits Bangkok on business and goes to the Oriental Hotel where he had stayed with Touko-and finds she is now in charge of VIP guests there. They realize their love for each other remains, but reality pulls them apart once again.

    Markimdb: 8
    Genremelodrama, drama, cartoon, anime
    CountryJapan
    Duration01:00

    Spring time in April and the last of the cherry blossoms are still in bloom. The usually aloof bookworm with no interest in others comes across a book in a hospital waiting room. Handwritten on the cover are the words: "Living with Dying." He soon discovers that it is a diary kept by his very popular and genuinely cheerful classmate, Sakura Yamauchi, who reveals to him that she is secretly suffering from a pancreatic illness and only has a limited time left. It is at this moment that she gains just one more person to share her secret. Trying to maintain a normal life as much as possible, Sakura is determined to live her life to the fullest until the very last day. As her free spirit and unpredictable actions throw him for a loop, his heart begins to gradually change.

    Markimdb: 7.3
    Genreaction, comedy, adventure, cartoon, crime, detective, anime
    CountryJapan
    Duration00:38

    A yakuza boss hires Goemon Ishikawa, a modern day samurai, to protect him aboard his cruise ship casino. Everything goes sideways when the famous thief, Lupin the Third, tries to rob the vessel. Lupin's being hunted by a powerful and mysterious man: the so called “Ghost of Bermuda.” With Goemon's employer dead in the ensuing chaos, his honor is at stake, and the only way to preserve it is with blood. But this opponent is like no other, and to make things right, Goemon may need to sharpen not only his sword, but himself as well!

    Markimdb: 6
    Genredrama, biography, history
    CountryJapan, Hong Kong

    Workers at the Fukushima Daiichi facility in Japan risk their lives and stay at the nuclear power plant to prevent total destruction after the region is devastated by an earthquake an tsunami in 2011.

    Markimdb: 7.5
    Genreaction, drama, adventure
    CountryJapan, United Kingdom
    Duration02:21

    A bravado period action film set at the end of Japan's feudal era in which a group of unemployed samurai are enlisted to bring down a sadistic lord and prevent him from ascending to the throne and plunging the country into a war-torn future.

    Markimdb: 8.6
    Genremelodrama, drama, cartoon, music, anime
    CountryJapan

    Kousei Arima was a genius pianist until his mother's sudden death took away his ability to play. Each day was dull for Kousei. But, then he meets a violinist named Kaori Miyazono who has an eccentric playing style. Can the heartfelt sounds of the girl's violin lead the boy to play the piano again?




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