Japanese movies about the apocalypse

List of the best Japanese movies about the apocalypse and the end of the world according to visitors: Helldriver, Returner, Black Butler, 20th Century Boys 1: Beginning of the End, Parasyte: Part 2, The World's End, Godzilla, Tokyo Zombie, Power Rangers, Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris.

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

Country
Markimdb: 5.2
Genrehorror, fantastic
CountryJapan
Duration01:57

Stilling reeling from the events of a zombie apocalypse, a young woman, along with a group of allies, makes her way across a dystopian Japan in search of her mother, the Zombie Queen.

Markimdb: 6.4
Genrefantastic, action, adventure
CountryJapan
Duration01:56

After an alien invasion threatens to annihilate the human race, a young Japanese girl, named Milly, travels back in time from 2084 to October 2002, and enlists the reluctant aid of skilled Tokyo gunman, named Miyamoto, to discover and prevent the start of the war. However, trouble ensues when the two protagonists are forced to deal with a Japanese mafia boss, named Mizoguchi, who is somehow involved in the start of the war by keeping the first alien spaceship and its alien pilot captive, while our two heroes race against the clock to find a way to stop the oncoming destruction from the vengeance-seeking alien invasion fleet on its way to Earth.

Markimdb: 6.1
Genrehorror, action, thriller, fantasy, drama, adventure, family, crime, detective
CountryJapan
Duration01:59

In Victorian-era London, on the night of Ciel Phantomhive's tenth birthday a fire destroyed his manor and killed both of his parents. In a moment of death Ceil strikes a deal with a demon, his soul in exchange for revenge. This demon becomes his butler and calls himself by name of Sebastian Michaelis, to protect and serve Ciel until the deal has been completed. One month after the fire Ciel returns from being missing, with his new butler Sebastian. Ceil is now the head of the Phantomhive corporation, handling all business affairs as well as the work as the Queen of England’s guard dog and looking for his parents murders.

Markimdb: 6.6
Genrefantastic, fantasy, drama, adventure, detective
CountryJapan

In 1969, Kenji, an elementary school kid and his friends built a secret base during their summer holidays. They fantasized that they had to fight villains who were out to conquer the world and wrote them in the Book of Prophecies. Years later in 1997, Kenji becomes a convenience store manager and leads a regular life after giving up his dreams to become a rock star. His boring life is suddenly turned upside down when his old classmate dies mysteriously and an entire family in the neighbourhood disappears. At the same time, a religious cult and its mysterious leader, Friend emerges and a strange chain of events duplicating exactly the events described in the Book of Prophecies follow. Is this the beginning of the end of the world? Who is Friend?

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
Genrefantastic, action, comedy
CountryUnited Kingdom, USA, Japan
Duration01:49

Five friends who reunite in an attempt to top their epic pub crawl from 20 years earlier unwittingly become humankind's only hope for survival.

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: 5.9
Genrehorror, action, comedy
CountryJapan

Two Japanese friends accidentally kill their boss and dump his remains in Black Fuji, a mountain/landfill hybrid. This leads to poor results when the chemicals of the landfill mix with the corpse (and many other corpses) to give rise to a zombie infestation in Tokyo.

Markimdb: 5.9
Genrefantastic, action, fantasy, adventure
CountryUSA, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, Canada, New Zealand
Duration02:24

Saban's Power Rangers follows five ordinary teens who must become something extraordinary when they learn that their small town of Angel Grove — and the world — is on the verge of being obliterated by an alien threat. Chosen by destiny, our heroes quickly discover they are the only ones who can save the planet. But to do so, they will have to overcome their real-life issues and before it’s too late, band together as the Power Rangers.

Markimdb: 7.1
Genrehorror, fantastic, action
CountryJapan

As the Gyaos monsters re-emerge, an orphaned young girl named Ayana discovers a new creature. Naming it Iris, she seeks to use the monster to take her revenge on Gamera, who she blames for the death of her family.

Markimdb: 4.7
Genrehorror, comedy
CountryUSA, New Zealand, Canada, Israel, Japan
Duration02:09

An ambitious anthology film featuring segments directed by over two dozen of the world's leading talents in contemporary genre film. Inspired by children's educational ABC books, the motion picture is comprised of 26 individual chapters, each helmed by a different director assigned a letter of the alphabet. The directors were then given free reign in choosing a word to create a story involving death. Provocative, shocking, funny and ultimately confrontational; THE ABC's OF DEATH is the definitive snapshot of the diversity of modern horror.

Markimdb: 6.9
Genrefantastic, action, drama, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan
Duration01:46

Fourteen years after Third Impact, Shinji Ikari awakens to a world he does not remember. He hasn't aged. Much of Earth is laid in ruins, NERV has been dismantled, and people who he once protected have turned against him. Befriending the enigmatic Kaworu Nagisa, Shinji continues the fight against the angels and realizes the fighting is far from over, even when it could be against his former allies. The characters' struggles continue amidst the battles against the angels and each other, spiraling down to what could inevitably be the end of the world.

Markimdb: 6.2
Genrehorror, fantastic, action, adventure, cartoon, detective, anime
CountryJapan
Duration01:37

BSAA Chris Redfield enlists the help of government agent Leon S. Kennedy and Professor Rebecca Chambers from Alexander Institute of Biotechnology to stop a death merchant with a vengeance from spreading a deadly virus in New York.

Markimdb: 5.3
Genreaction, fantasy, adventure
CountryUSA, China, Germany, Japan

A portal transports Lt. Artemis and an elite unit of soldiers to a strange world where powerful monsters rule with deadly ferocity. Faced with relentless danger, the team encounters a mysterious hunter who may be their only hope to find a way home.

Markimdb: 7
Genrefantastic, action, cartoon, short, anime
CountryJapan
Duration01:04

A prequel set one day before the events of the Promare film.

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: 8.2
Genrefantastic, action, drama, adventure, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan

Compilation of episodes 1-2 of the Space Battleship Yamato 2199 TV anime.

Markimdb: 5.6
Genrecomedy, melodrama
CountryJapan

Setoka Tachibana is a female high school student who has confessed her feelings to other boys 12 times, but has been rebuffed each time. Her older brother Haruka Tachibana cares for his younger sister deeply, but he keeps secret from her that they are not blood related. One day, Setoka's first love Takane Serikawa appears after many years and approaches her.

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: 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: 6.8
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: 6.4
Genremelodrama, musical
CountryJapan
Duration02:13

Troubled high school student Makoto arrives in Tokyo to exact revenge from a past incident. He then falls in love at first sight with Ai, a daughter raised in a wholesome family. Around Makoto and Ai are Iwashimizu, who has feelings for Ai and Gamuko, a gang member who eyes Makoto.

Markimdb: 7.3
Genrehorror, action
CountryUSA, Canada, Japan, France
Duration01:49

A group of surviving people take refuge in a shopping center after the world has been over taken over by aggressive, flesh-eating zombies. A remake of the 1978 zombie film of the same name.

Markimdb: 6
Genredrama, biography
CountryFrance, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Belgium, USA, Japan, Netherlands

In the lush tradition of the glorious films of Merchant and Ivory, comes the true life story of Leonie Gilmour (Emily Mortimer), whose life crossed continents, wars and cultures, embodied with courage and passion in search of art and freedom. A tender and inspiring story of a remarkable woman who nurtures the amazing artistic talent of her son who has only one way to succeed and one person to guide him, as he grows into the world renown artist, Isamu Noguchi.

Markimdb: 6.1
Genrethriller
CountryUSA, Japan, Argentina, Costa Rica

A gritty, international tale of four separate stories woven together by a common theme: the Rapture.

Markimdb: 7.2
Genreaction, fantasy, comedy, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan
Duration01:48

After his capture for attempted assassination of the Raikage, leader of Kumogakure, as well as killing Jōnin from Kirigakure and Iwagakure, Naruto is imprisoned in Hōzukijou: A criminal containment facility known as the Blood Prison. Mui, the castle master, uses the ultimate imprisonment technique to steal power from the prisoners, which is when Naruto notices his life has been targeted. Thus begins the battle to uncover the truth behind the mysterious murders and prove Naruto's innocence.

Markimdb: 6.4
Genrecomedy, melodrama, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan

Our naïve protagonist proposes to a female character in an online game, only to find out that the player is actually a guy. Traumatized by that, he decides to never trust a girl online, but now, two years later, a female player is proposing to him. What will happen?

Markimdb: 5.1
Genreaction, drama
CountryJapan, France

A blind master swordsman attempts to lead a quiet life with his wife but he is provoked back into battle.

Markimdb: 6.4
Genrehorror, fantastic, action
CountryJapan
Duration02:11

If you are chosen by the bizarre black sphere known as the Gantz, you are already dead—yet you might be able to reclaim your mortality. First, the Gantz demands that you undertake brutal missions of madness, killing aliens hidden among the population. It is your only chance and you have no choice. You must play this disturbing game. And if you die again—and you likely will—it’s permanent.

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: 6.5
Genrefantastic, adventure, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan
Duration01:05

Third film of the Mardock Scramble series. Rune Balot goes to a casino connected to the October corporation to try to wrap up her case once and for all.

Markimdb: 5.5
Genrehorror, action, comedy, crime
CountryJapan, France

Akira (Hayato Ichihara) admires Genyo Kamiura, the most powerful yakuza. Genyo Kamiura has been targeted numerous times, but he has never been killed. He is called the invincible person. Because of Genyo Kamiura, Akira enters the world of the yakuza. His yakuza colleagues treat him like an idiot, and Akira can't even get tattoos because of his sensitive skin. An assassin is sent to take out Genyo Kamiura. The killers know that Genyo Kamiura is a vampire. Thus begins the apocalypse.

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: 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: 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
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: 3.6
Genrehorror, thriller
CountryJapan, USA
Duration01:30

Three American tourists follow a mysterious map deep into the jungles of Japan searching for an ancient temple. When spirits entrap them, their adventure quickly becomes a horrific nightmare.

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: 6.4
Genrecomedy, melodrama
CountryJapan
Duration01:55

Hyasaka Yukari only wants one thing: to enter the college that her mom wants. One day, she meets an extravagant group that loves fashion. They were searching for a model and Yukari fits their ideal model. From now Yukari will know the world of fashion and modeling, and what she really wants.

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: 8.1
Genrefantasy, melodrama, drama, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan
Duration01:57

After her werewolf lover unexpectedly dies in an accident, a woman must find a way to raise the son and daughter that she had with him. However, their inheritance of their father's traits prove to be a challenge for her.

Markimdb: 6.8
Genremelodrama
CountryJapan
Duration01:38

Fifteen-year-old country girl Suzume Yosano has to move to Tokyo to live with her uncle due to her father's transfer. She bumps into a mysterious man who ends up taking her to her uncle's place after she gets lost. Turns out, Suzume will be seeing him a lot more often once she starts school because... he's her homeroom teacher?!

Markimdb: 4
Genrefantastic, thriller
CountryJapan, USA
Duration01:52

A huge solar flare is predicted to fry the Earth. Astronauts aboard the spaceship Helios must go to the Sun to drop a bomb equipped with an Artificial Intelligence (Freddy) and a Japanese pilot (as a back up if the Artificial Intelligence fail) at the right time so the flare will point somewhere else.

Markimdb: 7.6
Genredrama, adventure, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan

The Kusaribe family is a family of sorcerers under the protection of the ‘Tree of Origins.’ Their princess, Hakaze Kusaribe, was the greatest sorceress of their family. But Samon Kusaribe, a member of their family seeking to resurrect the ‘Tree of World's End,’ a tree that opposes the ‘Tree of Origins’ and controls the power of destruction, stuffs her into a barrel, and banishes her to a deserted island.

Markimdb: 7.4
Genremelodrama, drama, cartoon, anime
CountryJapan
Duration01:31

A group of Yokohama students fight to save their school's clubhouse from the wrecking ball during preparations for the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games. While working there, Umi and Shun gradually become attracted to each other but have to face a sudden trial. Even so, they keep going without fleeing the difficulties of reality.

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: 7.9
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: 7.7
Genrethriller, drama
CountryJapan
Duration01:46

A psychological thriller of a grieving mother turned cold-blooded avenger with a twisty master plan to pay back those who were responsible for her daughter's death.

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: 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...?




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