Japanese heritage films

List of the best Japanese heritage films selected by our site visitors: Sweet Bean, Kingdom, I Want to Eat Your Pancreas, Kaiji 2: The Ultimate Gambler, Ryuzo and the Seven Henchmen, Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, BECK, Fukushima 50, Ju-on: The Final Curse, Fullmetal Alchemist.

In the top there are new films of 2023, a plot description and trailers for films that have already been released.

Country
Markimdb: 7.4
Genredrama
CountryJapan, France, Germany
Duration01:41

Sentaro runs a small bakery that serves dorayaki pastries filled with sweet red bean paste (“an”). When an old lady, Tokue, offers to help in the kitchen he reluctantly accepts. She will soon prove to have magic in her hands…

Markimdb: 6.5
Genreaction, drama, military, history
CountryJapan
Duration01:15

Set in Qin Dynasty during the warring states period in ancient China. Shin was a war orphan. He has a dream of becoming a great general Shin has a fateful encounter with young King Eisei. King Eisei aims to unify all of China.

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: 6.3
Genredrama
CountryJapan
Duration02:13

3 years after the ultimate life-or-death game with Teiai Group, Kaiji was entrapped by Teiai and again back in the underground, forced to do hard labour. One day, Kaiji wins a bet to get out of the underground with 1 million yen, and promises the other workers that he will save them. But to do so, he only has 14 days and needs 200 million yen! Kaiji meets his former rival Tonegawa and learns that there is a chance to turn the tables in the game. It was a monster casino machine that will make 1 billion yen if you win...

Markimdb: 6.4
Genrecomedy, crime
CountryJapan
Duration01:11

Ryuzo and his 7 former henchmen are all retired yakuza, but they now live as regular old men. One day, Ryuzo becomes the victim of a phishing fraud. He calls his 7 men together to reform their society.

Markimdb: 5.5
Genrehorror, action, comedy
CountryJapan

Bullied by his boss, worked around the clock, he’s nothing more than a corporate drone. All it takes is a zombie outbreak for him to finally feel alive.

Markimdb: 6.9
Genredrama, music
CountryJapan
Duration02:25

Yukio is your average high school student who spends his days going to class and avoiding bullies. That is until he meets Ryusuke, a guitar prodigy. Together with Taira, Chiba, and Saku they form the rock band BECK. As their popularity increases so does the danger as Ryusuke's past catches up with him.

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: 4.4
Genrehorror
CountryJapan
Duration01:40

Following the events of Ju-on: The Beginning of the End, Mai, the older sister of elementary schoolteacher Yui Shono, goes to look for her sister, who disappeared after a year while working in an elementary school. Mai soon discovers the Teriyaki household who tells her about what happened to her sister. Mai will now uncover the dark secrets of Ju-on and will try to end the curse once and for all.

Markimdb: 5.3
Genreaction, fantasy, adventure
CountryJapan
Duration01:03

Two alchemist brothers go on a quest for the Philosopher's Stone after an attempt to revive their dead mother goes horribly wrong.

Markimdb: 7
Genrefantastic, thriller, drama, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan

The anime's setting is a fictional Japanese city named Sugomori City. One day, Noriko Sonosaki tells her classmate Katsuhira Agata, "You have been selected to be a Kiznaiver." The Kizuna System, which allows Katsuhira to share his wounds, connects him to the classmates whose lives and personalities completely differ from his. The Kizuna System is an incomplete system for the implementation of world peace that connects people through wounds. All those who are connected to this system are called Kiznaivers. When one Kiznaiver is wounded, the system divides and transmits the wound among the other Kiznaivers. Sugomori City is built on reclaimed land, but as the years go by, the city's population is decreasing. The story is set in this town where Katsuhira and the others live.

Markimdb: 6.7
Genrehorror, fantastic, action, thriller, fantasy, adventure, cartoon, crime, detective, anime
CountryJapan, Italy, United Kingdom, Mexico, Spain

The Governor of Tokyo, Yuichiro Asakura, receives a threatening letter the day before the opening of Touto Line, a new train line for the Tokyo Metro. During the opening ceremony of the line, Conan Edogawa and the Detective Boys are driven by Professor Agasa and pass under the Touto Line. Conan, having heard about the threatening letter, notices explosives connected to the Touto railway; Using his original voice to inform the police as Shinichi Kudo, he is able to stop the train and divert traffic away from the explosives preventing any deaths.

Markimdb: 6.9
Genredrama
CountryJapan

Chihiro works at a small beachside bento shop, Nokonoko Bento, and becomes a popular figure in the city.

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: 6.7
Genreaction, fantasy, adventure, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan
Duration01:47

Shirou Emiya finds himself an unwilling participant in a deadly competition where seven Mages summon heroic spirits as servants to duel each other to the death. They compete for the chance to make a wish from the Holy Grail, which has the power to grant any wish. Shirou is unskilled as a mage and knows nothing of the Holy Grail War, but he and his servant, Saber, enter into a temporary partnership with another Mage, Rin Tohsaka. However, problems arise between Shirou and Rin's servant, Archer, who seems to seriously despise him.

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: 5.6
Genrefantasy, adventure, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan
Duration01:34

A spectacular journey of an unwilling young hero thrust into a mysterious past full of monsters, dragons, and strange hidden powers. Through a series of out of this world battles and adventures, Jun, a shy middle school boy, is transformed into a hero destined to battle evil and ensure harmony and tranquility in the world.

Markimdb: 7.2
Genrefantastic, action, thriller, cartoon, detective, anime
CountryJapan
Duration01:00

Freed of her responsibilities with the 501 Organization, Motoko Kusanagi must now learn how to take orders from Aramaki. Someone hacks the Logicomas, and Batou enlists the help of former army intelligence officer Ishikawa and former air artillery expert Borma. Kusanagi also seeks to enlist ace sniper Saito and undercover cop Paz into the new Public Security Section 9.

Markimdb: 6.5
Genrefantastic, action, adventure, cartoon, crime, anime
CountryJapan, USA
Duration01:33

Based on the comic book by the creator of Ghost in the Shell, a young female soldier Deunan and her cyborg partner Briareos survive through the post World War 3 apocalyptic New York in search of human's future hope, the legendary city of Olympus.

Markimdb: 6.7
Genrefantastic, action, adventure
CountryUSA, United Kingdom, Japan
Duration02:06

Wolverine faces his ultimate nemesis - and tests of his physical, emotional, and mortal limits - in a life-changing voyage to modern-day Japan.

Markimdb: 7.4
Genrefantastic, action, thriller, fantasy, drama, adventure, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan
Duration01:38

It is the second year of the Kowa Period. The world has unified around the reorganize United Federation of Nations, and has enjoyed days of continuing peace, but now, that peace suddenly comes to an end. Suzaku, while travelling as the masked man "Zero" accompanying Nunnally on her visit to the refugee camp, is defeated by a mysterious Knightmare Frame, and the two of them are taken away. Following secret orders from Schneizel, Kallen, Lloyd and Sayoko infiltrate Zilkistan, the Land of Warriors, where they are attacked by a mysterious Geass user. There in Zilkhstan is a person named C.C., known to the assailants as the "former master". In the indomitable kingdom which once conquered even the great army of the Holy Britannian Empire, what do the people desire? Hope, or despair? The people of Zilkhstan Palace certainly know of Geass. What are they, and C.C., planning?

Markimdb: 7.6
Genrefantasy, adventure, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan
Duration01:36

Kyuta, a boy living in Shibuya, and Kumatetsu, a lonesome beast from Jutengai, an imaginary world. One day, Kyuta forays into the imaginary world and, as he's looking for his way back, meets Kumatetsu who becomes his spirit guide. That encounter leads them to many adventures.

Markimdb: 7.9
Genrefantasy, melodrama, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan
Duration00:45

One hot summer day a little girl gets lost in an enchanted forest of the mountain god where spirits reside. A young boy appears before her, but she cannot touch him for fear of making him disappear. And so a wondrous adventure awaits...

Markimdb: 6.2
Genrehorror, fantastic, action
CountryJapan
Duration02:21

Perfect Answer begins several months after the events of the first film. Kurono is still fighting aliens under the order of Gantz, a mysterious giant black orb, and he is close to reaching the score he needs to resurrect his friend Kato. Outside his night time missions, Kurono continues to live his normal life, spending time with his new girlfriend Tae. Meanwhile, young pop star Eriko is being secretly ordered by Gantz to carry out assassinations, and cop Shigeta inches closer towards finding out the truth about the Gantz missions. As the missions begin to get increasingly dangerous for both the alien fighters and the general public, Kurono discovers that the endgame for Gantz is quickly approaching.

Markimdb: 7.5
Genrecomedy, adventure
CountryJapan
Duration01:56

After failing his university entrance exam, Yuki Hirano sets his eyes on the role of a forestry trainee. Setting off for training he doubts his decision many times, but eventually after passing the training course, he is sent to Kamusari Village for a year of work experience - where he becomes assimilated with the beauty of nature and the warm-hearted people of the village.

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: 5.1
Genrefantastic, action, fantasy, drama
CountryJapan
Duration01:53

By the year 2050 AD, a mysterious organization called Galactor has occupied half of the Earth and threatens to exterminate the human race. Around the same time, the International Science Organization had uncovered mysterious stones that bear unusual powers. It is said that one person out of approximately eight million is able to harness the power of the stones; they are known as a "Receptor". Dr. Kozaburo Nambu gathers a team of these five lucky Receptors together. Known as the "Gatchaman" team, it is their mission to defeat Galactor.

Markimdb: 6.4
Genrefantastic, action, fantasy
CountryJapan
Duration01:39

High school student Ichigo Kurosaki lives an ordinary life, besides being able to see ghosts and the blurry memories of his mother death under strange circumstances when he was a kid. His peaceful world suddenly breaks as he meets Rukia Kuchiki, a God of Death.

Markimdb: 7.5
Genredrama, cartoon, history, anime
CountryJapan
Duration00:30

The historical novel series depicts Heizou Hasegawa, who metes justice on wrongdoers and supervises the crackdown on arsonists and robbers in Japan's Edo period (1603-1868).

Markimdb: 6.7
Genrefantastic, melodrama, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan

Year 2027, The city of Kyoto has undergone tremendous advancement. Within the city lives Naomi Katagaki, an introvert and Ruri Ichigyō, a girl with a cold personality. Both share a love for reading books. Despite having similar interests, Naomi is afraid to approach Ruri due to her unfriendly nature. One day, as Naomi goes out for a walk, a crimson aurora pierces through the sky for a brief moment. Shortly after, he sees a three-legged crow and a mysterious man who reveals himself to be Naomi from 10 years in the future, explaining that he has come to change a tragic event that happens to Ruri shortly after they start dating. Naomi follows his future self's instructions and starts getting closer to Ruri, determined to save her. With the help of his future self, Naomi begins his preparations to save Ruri. Will he be able to change the future?

Markimdb: 7.3
Genremelodrama
CountryJapan

Based on the manga series "Mars" by Fuyumi Soryo (published from February, 1996 to December, 2000 in Japanese shojo manga magazine Bessatsu Friend).

Markimdb: 5.8
Genreaction, fantasy
CountryJapan
Duration01:30

Morioh, 1999—a normally quiet and peaceful town has recently become a hotbed of strange activity. Joutarou Kuujou, now a marine biologist, heads to the mysterious town to meet Jousuke Higashikata. While the two may seem like strangers at first, Jousuke is actually the illegitimate child of Joutarou's grandfather, Joseph Joestar. When they meet, Joutarou realizes that he may have more in common with Jousuke than just a blood relation. Along with the mild-mannered Kouichi Hirose and the boisterous Okuyasu Nijimura, the group dedicates themselves to investigating recent disappearances and other suspicious occurrences within Morioh. Aided by the power of Stands, the four men will encounter danger at every street corner, as it is up to them to unravel the town's secrets, before another occurs.

Markimdb: 6.2
Genremelodrama, drama
CountryJapan
Duration01:36

Hibiki Shimada, a normal 17-year-old high school student, still does not know how to fall in love—although surrounded by love "experts"—until one day she realizes that she's fallen in love with her hot and nice 26-year-old teacher, Itou. She then takes a path to make her teacher understand how she feels for him.

Markimdb: 6.9
Genrefantasy, drama
CountryJapan
Duration00:35

A postman learns that he doesn't have much time left to live due to a terminal illness. A devil then appears in front of him and offers to extend his life if he picks something in the world that will disappear. The man thinks about his relationships with ex-friends, ex-lovers, relatives and colleagues who will be sincerely sad when he dies.

Markimdb: 6.8
Genredrama, crime, detective
CountryJapan

The movie begins in the year 1995 where there were 5 peculiar murder cases. The murderer would always get someone close to the victim to witness how he would strangle the victim from behind with a rope but he would let the witnesses go and speak to the media on how the murders happened. Ito plays the role of Makimura, the police detective who was in charge of investigating the serial murders but failed to catch the cunning murderer and his respected superior ended up being killed as well. 22 years later in 2017 when the case is nearing its statute of limitations, a man named Sonezaki claims to be the culprit for the 1995 murders and even publishes a book titled "Watashi ga satsujinhan desu" to talk about the cases. Despite the disgust towards Sonezaki's actions, the intensive attention showered on him via the media and SNS makes him become the talk of town.

Markimdb: 8
Genrecomedy, melodrama, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan

The year is 1991 and 6th grader Yaguchi Haruo only has video games to live for. He's not popular in school and he's neither handsome, funny, nice nor even friendly. The only thing he has going for him is that he is good at video games. One day at the local arcade, he plays Oono Akira, a fellow classmate but who's popular, smart, pretty and a rich girl that absolutely destroys him at Street Fighter II. Not only does he lose to her 30 times in a row, he can’t beat her at any game. Haruo can’t seem to shake Akira off as she follows him from arcade to arcade everyday after school and beats him every time. As weird as it sounds, the odd couple begins a strange bond and friendship.

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: 5
Genrefantastic, action, drama
CountryJapan
Duration01:15

100 years ago, titans suddenly appeared on Earth. Soon, human civilization veered on collapse due to the titans. Humans then built a giant wall to defend themselves. Within the giant walls, humans lived in peace, but, 100 years later, the giant wall is broken.

Markimdb: 7
Genrefantasy, comedy, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan
Duration01:40

Ashiya has spent the first seven days of high school stuck in the infirmary because of a youkai attaching itself to him. He ends up asking the owner of a small tea room called the "Mononokean" for help. This is a tale involving the very morose owner of Mononokean guiding the youkai that happened to wander into this world go to the next world.

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: 7.7
Genremelodrama, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan
Duration01:37

Rihito Sajo, an honor student with a perfect score on the entrance exam and Hikaru Kusakabe, in a band and popular among girls, would have never crossed paths. Until one day they started talking at the practice for their school’s upcoming chorus festival. After school, the two meet regularly, as Hikaru helps Rihito to improve his singing skills. While they listen to each other’s voice and harmonize, their hearts start to beat together.

Markimdb: 6.7
Genreaction, fantasy, drama, adventure, cartoon
CountryJapan

Legends speak of the Shepherd, a savior who will bring peace to the seraphim and human worlds. Sorey has spent his life studying ancient books and exploring ruins to learn more about this legendary savior. When he and his seraphim companion Mikleo encounter a mysterious girl in the ruins, the stories of the Shepherd become Sorey's reality.

Markimdb: 5.6
Genreaction
CountryJapan
Duration02:19

Tatsuhiko Shiratori works as a scout, recruiting girls to work in the adult entertainment business. He movies to Yokohama from Shinjuku, Tokyo. He comes into conflict with Masaki Taki who is the CEO of a scout company.

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: 6.8
Genredrama, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan

A traveler is confronted by spirits in an abandoned shrine; a story of honor and firefighting in ancient Japan; a white bear defends the royal family from a monstrous red demon; ragtag soldiers battle a robotic force in futuristic Japan.

Markimdb: 6.8
Genrethriller, drama, crime
CountryJapan
Duration01:50

The story begins with Sekiuchi, boss of the Sannokai, a huge organized crime syndicate controlling the entire Kanto region, issuing a stern warning to his lieutenant Kato and right-hand man Ikemoto, head of the Ikemoto-gumi. Kato orders Ikemoto to bring the unassociated Murase-gumi gang in line, and he immediately passes the task on to his subordinate Otomo, who runs his own crew. The tricky jobs that no-one wants to do always end up in Otomo’s lap.

Markimdb: 6.2
Genremelodrama
CountryJapan
Duration01:58

A smart high school student falls in love with her English teacher after she receives one-on-one tutoring from him.

Markimdb: 7.4
Genrefantasy, drama, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan
Duration01:53

A young girl had her voice magically taken away so that she would never hurt people with it, but her outlook changes when she encounters music and friendship. Will Naruse be able to convey the anthem of her heart?

Markimdb: 7.1
Genrefantastic, fantasy, comedy, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan
Duration01:31

Western Restaurant Nekoya is a popular eatery located on a street corner in a Tokyo shopping district. Serving both traditional Japanese fare as well as Western dishes, this eating establishment is popular among Tokyo's residents. But this seemingly ordinary restaurant is also popular with another type of clientele...While the restaurant is thought to be closed on Saturdays, the truth is that on this special day each week, its doors are instead opened to the inhabitants of other worlds. From dragons and elves to fairies and mages, this restaurant has no shortage of strange customers. Nevertheless, the enigmatic chef known only as "Master" will be waiting to serve up their favorite dishes with a kind smile and keep them coming back for many more Saturdays to come.

Markimdb: 7.8
Genreaction, fantasy, adventure, family, cartoon
CountryUSA, Japan
Duration02:23

Kubo mesmerizes the people in his village with his magical gift for spinning wild tales with origami. When he accidentally summons an evil spirit seeking vengeance, Kubo is forced to go on a quest to solve the mystery of his fallen samurai father and his mystical weaponry, as well as discover his own magical powers.




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