Japanese movies about skeletons

List of the best Japanese films about skeletons according to the audience: Miss Hokusai, Aura: Koga Maryuin's Last War, Killers, Paranormal Activity: Tokyo Night, After the Storm, Kubo and the Two Strings, Wolf Girl and Black Prince, Love Catharsis, Sekigahara, Closest Love To Heaven.

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

Country
Markimdb: 6.7
Genredrama, cartoon, biography, history, anime
CountryJapan

The time: 1814. The place: Edo, now known as Tokyo. A much accomplished artist of his time and now in his mid-fifties, Tetsuzo can boast clients from all over Japan, and tirelessly works in the garbage-loaded chaos of his house-atelier. He spends his days creating astounding pieces of art, from a giant-size Bodhidharma portrayed on a 180 square meter-wide sheet of paper, to a pair of sparrows painted on a tiny rice grain. Third of Tetsuzo's four daughters and born out of his second marriage, outspoken 23-year-old O-Ei has inherited her father's talent and stubbornness, and very often she would paint instead of him, though uncredited. Her art is so powerful that sometimes leads to trouble. "We're father and daughter; with two brushes and four chopsticks, I guess we can always manage, in a way or another."

Markimdb: 6.3
Genrecomedy, melodrama, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan
Duration01:25

Satou Ichirou once called himself 'Maryuuin Kouga' and behaved as if he were a hero in a fantasy world. His strange behavior caused his classmates to bully him and he left the school. At his new school, he tries to behave like a normal boy, but one day he meets a girl who cosplays with a blue cape. She calls herself "a researcher traveling from the outer world to search for the 'Dragon Terminal'". At first, Ichirou rejects the girl, Satou Ryouko, because her behavior reminds him of his embarrassing past, but he changes his mind after seeing her getting bullied. In order to bring Ryouko back to real life, Ichirou accepts her and his past and begins the final battle as Maryuuin Kouga.

Markimdb: 6.4
Genrehorror, action, thriller, crime
CountryIndonesia, Japan

Mr. Nomura is an eerily handsome, sharply dressed, sociopathic serial killer who preys on the women of Tokyo. In Jakarta, a world-weary journalist named Bayu finds himself unexpectedly falling into vigilantism after brutally killing two sadistic robbers. When each posts videos of their violent sprees online, the pair find one another on the Internet and begin a toxic and competitive duel. While Bayu clings to the hope that he can resume a normal life, Nomura continues to spill blood without remorse. Killing, advises Nomura, is something everyone ought to consider.

Markimdb: 5.1
Genrehorror, thriller, detective
CountryJapan
Duration01:30

This Japan production spins-off the story of the first Paranormal Activity film by having the ghost from the first film follow a student back to her homeland after a visit to San Diego where she is tragically injured during a car accident. Back home in Japan, she is cared for by her brother, Koichi, who begins to suspect that something is amiss when his sister's wheelchair begins to move on its own. From there, the picture takes on the usual candid cam shocks of the series. Tokyo Night is notable for being an official part of the franchise (it was released in Japan two days before Paranormal Activity 2's release in the States), even though the U.S. has yet to see an official release.

Markimdb: 7.3
Genrecomedy, drama
CountryJapan
Duration01:49

Ryota is an unpopular writer although he won a literary award 15 years ago. Now, Ryota works as a private detective. He is divorced from his ex-wife Kyoko and he has an 11-year-old son Shingo. His mother Yoshiko lives alone at her apartment. One day, Ryota, his ex-wife Kyoko, and son Shingo gather at Yoshiko's apartment. A typhoon passes and the family must stay there all night long.

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.

Markimdb: 5.9
Genrecomedy, melodrama, drama
CountryJapan
Duration00:30

Erika Shinohara (Fumi Nikaido) is a first year of high school student. While talking to friends, she makes up a story about her "boyfriend." In reality, Erika Shinohara doesn't have a boyfriend. Erika's friends soon begin to doubt her story and Erika is also running out of lies. Erika then sees a pretty boy on the street and takes his picture discreetly. She later shows his picture to her friends as her boyfriend. The boy in the picture is Kyouya Sata (Kento Yamazaki) and happens to attend the same school as Erika. She tells Kyouya about her situation and asks him to be her pretend boyfriend. Even though Kyouya has a pretty appearance, he has a dark side.

Markimdb: 5.9
Genremelodrama
CountryJapan

Mia Kurihara works in the public relations department of a company. She falls in love with Kairi Miyoshi. He is the vice president of the company, but he is also married.

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: 6.3
Genrecomedy, melodrama
CountryJapan

Nino is a quiet outcast with only a bird for a friend. Kira is a popular boy with a big secret. Even though they live next to each other, they have never spoken. But when Nino learns Kira's secret, everything begins to change, and what starts as a hesitant friendship grows into something more... but how long can it last?

Markimdb: 6.7
Genrehorror, fantastic, action, thriller, drama, adventure
CountryJapan
Duration01:32

From the mind behind Evangelion comes a hit larger than life. When a massive, gilled monster emerges from the deep and tears through the city, the government scrambles to save its citizens. A rag-tag team of volunteers cuts through a web of red tape to uncover the monster's weakness and its mysterious ties to a foreign superpower. But time is not on their side - the greatest catastrophe to ever befall the world is about to evolve right before their very eyes.

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: 7.4
Genreaction, fantasy, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan

Shirō Emiya is a young magus who attends Homurahara Academy in Fuyuki City. One day after cleaning the Archery Dojo in his school, he catches a glimpse of a fight between superhuman beings, and he gets involved in the Holy Grail War, a ritual where magi called Masters fight each other with their Servants to win the Holy Grail. Shirō joins the battle to stop an evildoer from winning the Grail and to save innocent people, but everything goes wrong when a mysterious "Shadow" begins to indiscriminately kill people in Fuyuki...

Markimdb: 6.5
Genredrama, history
CountryJapan

In July 1945, during the end of World War II, Japan is forced to accept the Potsdam Declaration. A cabinet meeting has continued through days and nights, but a decision cannot be made. The U.S. drops atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. General Korechika Anami is torn over making the proper decision and the Emperor of Japan worries about his people. Prime Minister Kantaro Suzuki leads the cabinet meeting, while Chief Secretary Hisatsune Sakomizu can't do anything, but watch the meeting. At this time, Major Kenji Hatanaka and other young commissioned officers, who are against Japan surrendering, move to occupy the palace and a radio broadcasting station. The radio station is set to broadcast Emperor Hirohito reading out the Imperial Rescript on the Termination of the War.

Markimdb: 6.1
Genredrama
CountryJapan
Duration02:08

Dr. Ichito Kuriharai (Sho Sakurai) works at a clinic in Nagano Prefecture. He rarely has any free time due to the clinic's shortage of doctors and the constant influx of patients. Ichito even sometimes diagnoses patients out of his area of speciality and sometimes goes days without sleeping. He hopes to work at a major hospital where he can get more free time to spend with his wife Haruna (Aoi Miyazaki) and also specialize in his field of study. However, Ichito is also reluctant to add to shortage of doctors at the clinic and break his relationships with the patients. One day, Dr. Ichito Kuriharai clears out the belongings of a terminal cancer patient who passed away. During this time, he discovers a letter made out to him thanking him for the care he provided to her, even though he could not cure her sickness. Dr. Ichito Kuriharai then has a revelation about the medical chart he keeps in his hand - filled with personal observations and concerns ...

Markimdb: 7.1
Genrecomedy, melodrama, drama
CountryJapan

Sakurai Misaki has not dated in a long time. She has focused on her work as a pâtissier to eventually run her own business. One day, she gets fired from work. She then meets her first love from high school Shibasaki Chiaki. Misaki works part-time at Chiaki's restaurant and also stays there. While she lives with Chiaki at his restaurant, she realizes that Chiaki's two younger brothers Touma and Kanata also live there.

Markimdb: 7.6
Genreaction, fantasy, comedy, melodrama, drama, adventure, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan

20 years after his escape from Impel Down, the legendary pirate Shiki, the Golden Lion, reappears causing massive upheaval to the Marines. During his long seclusion, he was able to come up with a scheme to bring the World Government to his knees. On his way to execute the plan, Shiki crosses paths with the Straw Hat Pirates and becomes so impressed with Nami's knowledge of meteorology that he abducts her to forcedly enlist her into his crew. Luffy and the gang end up on a strange land populated with monstrous beasts as they desperately search for Shiki and Nami.

Markimdb: 5.7
Genrethriller, detective
CountryJapan
Duration01:00

Akiko, a young woman, comes to Vladivostok to meet Matsunaga, a young businessman she has met in Tokyo only once. Akiko finally finds Matsunaga. However, he leaves her again, warning her not to trust strangers in a foreign country. She tries to follow him, but she is attacked by thugs and dumped on the outskirts of town.

Markimdb: 6.9
Genredrama
CountryJapan, USA

After failing her university entrance exam, Sakuko is invited by her aunt Mikie to spend summer vacation in a beautiful seaside town. Sakuko gets to know the people of the town, including Takashi, a shy relative of her childhood friend.

Markimdb: 7.5
Genredrama, family
CountryJapan
Duration01:30

A story that revolves around three sisters who live in their grandmother's home and the arrival of their 13-year-old half sister.

Markimdb: 5.3
Genredrama
CountryJapan, France

Centres on Jeanne, a journalist tracking a mysterious rare herb that appears only once every 997 years.

Markimdb: 6.9
Genredrama
CountryJapan
Duration01:50

A prison officer hands in his resignation after his wife's death, to drive to the port where she wants her ashes scattered at sea. Eiji (Ken Takakura) works as a prison officer in Hokuriku. At the age of 53 Eiji loses his wife who he loved the most. Eiji then receives a letter from his dead wife which requests that her ashes be spread by in the sea next to her hometown. Her wife never mentioned such a thing while she was alive. In order to find out her real intentions, Eiji heads to his wife's hometown of Nagasaki with his homemade camper van.

Markimdb: 6.5
Genredrama, military, history
CountryJapan, USA
Duration01:45

As the Japanese surrender at the end of WWII, Gen. Fellers is tasked with deciding if Emperor Hirohito will be hanged as a war criminal. Influencing his ruling is his quest to find Aya, an exchange student he met years earlier in the U.S.

Markimdb: 6.6
Genredrama, military, biography, history
CountryJapan
Duration02:20

Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (1884-1943) was the Japanese Naval commander who was given the order to attack Pearl Harbour, an order he was duty bound to obey which went against his own personal beliefs. While this infamous attack is a low point in Japanese and US history it wouldn’t have happened if the Japanese government had listened to Yamamoto in 1939 and searched for a more peaceful way to end their war campaign, proving his many ominous presages of the outcomes of the attack to come true.

Markimdb: 6.4
Genrethriller, fantasy, drama, detective
CountryJapan
Duration01:37

Satoru Fujinuma is a struggling manga artist who has the ability to turn back time and prevent deaths. When his mother is killed he turns back time to solve the mystery, but ends up back in elementary school, just before the disappearance of his classmate Kayo.

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: 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: 7
Genredrama, crime
CountryJapan
Duration02:09

Set after the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, all 14-year-old Sumida Yuichi wants to become is a regular boy and live a decent life. His environment though repeatedly drags him into the mud. He runs his parent's rental boat business, which is located next to a nondescript lake. His mother frequently comes home with different men and soon she leaves him entirely. His father only comes around looking for money. Chazawa Keiko is a classmate of Sumida Yuichi. She harbors a severe crush on Yuichi. Keiko's home life isn't much better than Yuichi's. Her mother builds a gallows with a noose in place for Keiko to take her own life. Her mother believes her life would be better off without Keiko. Under these circumstances, Keiko pays a visit to Yuichi's home. A group of people are lingering nearby who live in makeshift tents on the property. Keiko tries to befriend Yuichi, but she is berated and even physically assaulted. She doesn't get deterred though and sticks around.

Markimdb: 6.4
Genredrama
CountryJapan
Duration01:50

45-year-old nurse and mother Yoko lives with her only daughter Tsukiko. The duo has a tight relationship that resembles more best friends rather than mother & daughter. Tsukiko's father passed away before she was born & since that time Yoko has always stated Tsukiko's father would be the first and last man she will marry. One evening, Yoko brings home 30 year old Kenji Hattori and they both sleep outside on the porch. The next morning, Tsukiko becomes confused by the situation and becomes even confused when her mother announces that she will marry the much younger Kenji. Kenji, who has dyed blond hair, used to be a chef, but doesn't currently hold a job. Tsukiko is shocked by the situation and runs over to her neighbor/landlord Saku's Tsukiko then shuts herself off from her mother and her new boyfriend. Meanwhile, people around them try to repair Yoko and Tsukiko's relationship, but there's also a secret between Yoko & Tsukiko ...

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: 7.1
Genrecomedy, melodrama, drama, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan
Duration01:05

While sorting through a mess of books in the staff room, Ohana happens upon one of Denroku's log books from long ago. Within it, it recounts a story of Ohana's mom when she was the same age as her.

Markimdb: 6.2
Genreaction, comedy, crime
CountryJapan

Fable is a legendary yakuza hitman equal to none—but his boss orders him and his sultry associate to lay low and learn how to live a "normal life" in Osaka.

Markimdb: 5.3
Genrehorror
CountryJapan, Hong Kong
Duration01:24

Three female idols appear on a television show to investigate an exorcism. An exorcist with psychic powers named Unsui claims that the show’s subjects, the Kaneda family, are cursed by a demon that’s too powerful for him to banish on his own, so he calls in a fellow exorcist to help. Soon, a reckless ghost hunter enters the fray as the three idols witness a series of terrifying events.

Markimdb: 6.1
Genrecomedy, melodrama
CountryJapan
Duration01:33

Yu Akahane (Nana Komatsu) moves to a dormitory room after her father's transfer from work. She is excited that she will live in the same dorm as Takumi Shirakawa (Yudai Chiba) aka "White Prince." Yet, Haruto Kurosaki (Kento Nakajima) aka "Black Devil" kisses her as punishment for going against him. It is Yu Akahane’s first kiss. Since then, she becomes obedient to Haruto Kurosaki.

Markimdb: 6.5
Genrehorror, fantastic, action, drama
CountryJapan
Duration01:35

Alien pods come to Earth and, naturally, start taking over Human Hosts. One such pod only manages to take over one human's, Shin Izumi, right arm. Together they grow and co-exist, all the while the other aliens are making meals of other humans; Shin feels he must put a stop to it all, but his alien, Migi, doesn't see why.

Markimdb: 7.4
Genremelodrama, drama, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan

Adaptation of the Violet Evergarden Gaiden spin-off novel.

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
Genrefantastic, action
CountryJapan
Duration01:54

An evil criminal organisation called Sigma kidnap prominment business leaders to harvest their DNA and only Karate-Robo Zaborgar can save them.

Markimdb: 6.7
Genreaction, fantasy, drama
CountryJapan, United Kingdom, South Korea
Duration01:33

Manji, a highly skilled samurai, becomes cursed with immortality after a legendary battle. Haunted by the brutal murder of his sister, Manji knows that only fighting evil will regain his soul. He promises to help a young girl named Rin avenge her parents, who were killed by a group of master swordsmen led by ruthless warrior Anotsu. The mission will change Manji in ways he could never imagine.

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: 8
Genrefantasy, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan
Duration02:05

Found inside a shining stalk of bamboo by an old bamboo cutter and his wife, a tiny girl grows rapidly into an exquisite young lady. The mysterious young princess enthralls all who encounter her - but ultimately she must confront her fate, the punishment for her crime.

Markimdb: 6.8
Genredrama
CountryJapan

Told from the viewpoint of the father Morio, "A Boy Called H" follows a young boy named Hajime Senoh, nicknamed "H". His father, Morio runs a tailor shop. With the onset of World War II, their family must endure difficult times. Nevertheless, H is filled with curiosity and a sense of justice. Based on the autobiographical novel "Shonen H" by Kappa Senoh (published by Kodansha, July 9, 1999).

Markimdb: 6.6
Genrehorror, cartoon, history, anime
CountryJapan
Duration01:16

Abandoned in the barren wasteland of Kyoto, a savage, enraged orphan does whatever it takes to survive in the wild. When he crosses paths with civilization, he must learn to tame the beast within.

Markimdb: 7.6
Genreaction, fantasy, comedy, adventure, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan
Duration01:49

Sixteen years ago, a mysterious masked ninja unleashes a powerful creature known as the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox on the Hidden Leaf Village Konoha, killing many people. In response, the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze and his wife Kushina Uzumaki, the Demon Fox's living prison or Jinchūriki, manage to seal the creature inside their newborn son Naruto Uzumaki. With the Tailed Beast sealed, things continued as normal. However, in the present day, peace ended when a group of ninja called the Akatsuki attack Konoha under the guidance of Tobi, the mysterious masked man behind Fox's rampage years ago who intends on executing his plan to rule the world by shrouding it in illusions.

Markimdb: 6.3
Genrefantastic, action, thriller, fantasy, comedy, adventure, family, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan, USA
Duration01:26

This is the story of how Satoshi and Pikachu first met. At first, Pikachu was disobedient towards Satoshi, but Satoshi only wanted to be friends with Pikachu. On the day they set out from Masara Town, both of them saw a Ho-Oh flying and they made a vow to meet it.

Markimdb: 5.5
Genrefantastic, drama
CountryJapan

A homeless man meets a medical school student who pays him to volunteer for a surgical procedure known as trepanation, drilling a hole in his skull, which ends up giving him the ability to communicate with the dark side of people’s subconscious minds.

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: 7.2
Genrecomedy, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan

First year high school student Sakamoto isn't just cool, he's the coolest! Almost immediately after starting school, he began attracting everyone's attention. The girls love him, and most of the boys resent him. There's even a boy in the class who works as a model, but who is constantly upstaged by Sakamoto! No matter what tricks the other boys try to play on him, Sakamoto always manages to foil them with ease and grace. Though Sakamoto may seem cool and aloof, he helps others when asked, such as in the case of the boy in his class who was being constantly bullied. No matter what difficulties Sakamoto encounters, he moves through his high school life with confidence and class.

Markimdb: 6.9
Genreaction, adventure, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan

Since the discovery of “Samon Syndrome,” thousands of young people have traveled to fantasy worlds, the few returnees managing to keep the special abilities they acquired there.Akatsuki Ousawa, known as the “Rogue Hero,” discards his peaceful life in the fantasy world Alayzard to face new challenges upon returning to Earth. He comes back with Miu, the daughter of the Demon King he defeated, and is now forced to hide her true identity by having her pose as his little sister. The two soon join Babel, a special school designed for those who have acquired special abilities and magical powers through their journey to a fantasy world.Babel was seemingly founded to train young interdimensional travelers and “guide them to the right path for the sake of humanity and themselves,” but its true purpose remains unclear to the pseudo-siblings. Will Akatsuki and Miu be able to overcome the hostile, powerful student council and uncover the forces at play behind the scenes?

Markimdb: 6.4
Genrefantastic, action
CountryJapan
Duration01:32

Ajin is a live-action adaptation of a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Gamon Sakurai. Kei Nagai dies in a car accident, but realises he is a type of immortal known as Ajin (demi-human). Hunted by humans, Ajin is eventually found by the government and used as a subject in cruel experiments. He finds fellow demi-humans along the way as he escapes and goes on the run.




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