The 40 most popular 2000s japanese movies, ranked. Click any film for ratings, reviews, trailers, and where to watch.


Spirited Away
2001 · 2h 5m
country: Japan
A young girl, Chihiro, becomes trapped in a strange new world of spirits. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, she must call upon the courage she never knew she had to free her family.


Howl's Moving Castle
2004 · 1h 59m
country: Japan
Sophie, a young milliner, is turned into an elderly woman by a witch who enters her shop and curses her. She encounters a wizard named Howl and gets caught up in his resistance to fighting for the king.


Resident Evil: Degeneration
2008 · 1h 37m
country: Japan
Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield must battle a rogue warrior seeking revenge after unleashing the deadly G-Virus, whilst a mutated monster goes on a rampage.


Ponyo
2008 · 1h 40m
country: Japan
When Sosuke, a young boy who lives on a clifftop overlooking the sea, rescues a stranded goldfish named Ponyo, he discovers more than he bargained for. Ponyo is a curious, energetic young creature who yearns to be human, but even as she causes chaos around the house, her father, a powerful sorcerer, schemes to return Ponyo to the sea.


Memoirs of a Geisha
2005 · 2h 26m
country: United States
In the years before World War II, a penniless Japanese child is torn from her family to work as a maid in a geisha house.


The Cat Returns
2002 · 1h 15m
country: Japan
Young Haru rescues a cat from being run over, but soon learns it's no ordinary feline; it happens to be the Prince of the Cats.


Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow
2004 · 1h 22m
country: Japan
Naruto is thrilled when he is sent on a mission to protect his favorite actress, Yukie Fujikaze, on the set of her new movie, The Adventures of Princess Gale. But when the crew ventures out to film in the icy, foreboding Land of Snow, Yukie mysteriously flees! Naruto and his squad set off to find her... unaware that three Snow Ninja lie in wait, with a sinister purpose that will force Yukie to face her hidden past!


Detective Conan: Magician of the Silver Sky
2004 · 1h 50m
country: Japan
Once again, Kaitou Kid crosses swords with Conan Edogawa in this annual installment of the Detective Conan movie franchise. After receiving a letter from the thief, famous actress Juri Maki seeks the help of private detective Kogorou Mouri to protect the Star Sapphire—the "Jewel of Destiny," said to represent faith, fate, and hope.


Paprika
2006 · 1h 30m
country: Japan
Dr. Atsuko Chiba is a research psychologist who uses a device called the DC Mini to enter her patients' dreams, wherein she adopts the alter-ego "Paprika". When the device is stolen, she must stop rogue elements from merging the dream and waking worlds.


Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust
2001 · 1h 43m
country: Japan
Legendary dhampir D competes with a motley family of bounty hunters to track down Charlotte Elbourne, a young woman seemingly abducted by undead nobleman Meier Link.


Battle Royale
2000 · 1h 53m
country: Japan
In the future, the Japanese government captures a class of ninth-grade students and forces them to kill each other under the revolutionary "Battle Royale" act.


The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
2006 · 1h 38m
country: Japan
When 17-year-old Makoto Konno gains the ability to 'leap' backwards through time, she immediately sets about improving her grades and preventing personal mishaps. However, she soon realises that changing the past isn't as simple as it seems, and eventually, will have to rely on her new powers to shape the future of herself and her friends.


Doraemon: Nobita's New Great Adventure Into the Underworld - The Seven Magic Users
2007 · 1h 52m
country: Japan
Nobita wishes the world into a magic-reliant one with Doraemon's Moshimo-Box, and, along with his friends, must stop an asteroid from hitting the planet with help from a sorcerer-in-training.


Detective Conan: The Phantom of Baker Street
2002 · 1h 47m
country: Japan
Noah's Ark, the latest innovation in VR technology, is set for a showcase to Japan's privileged children. However, their carefree fun is cut short when a company employee is found murdered, with his dying message pointing to a clue hidden within the Ark. Along with the Detective Boys and Ran Mouri, Conan Edogawa enters Noah's Ark to solve this mystery and ensure the perpetrator is caught.


Pokémon 3: The Movie
2000 · 1h 13m
country: Japan
When the sadness of her father's disappearance gets to Molly Hale, she unknowingly uses the Unown to create her own dream world along with Entei, who she believes to be her father. When Entei kidnaps Ash's mother, Ash — alongside Misty and Brock — invade the mansion looking for his mom and trying to stop the mysteries of Molly's Dream World and Entei!


Ju-on: The Grudge
2002 · 1h 32m
country: Japan
When a social worker is sent to check on a traumatized elderly woman whose family have moved in at the site of a notorious murder case, she unwittingly unleashes a cycle of terror that transmits via its victims.


Ninja Vixens: Demonic Sacrifices
2003 · 1h 29m
country: Japan
Exiled Lord Yukinaga is betrayed by a ninja clan he and his family mercilessly killed in cold blood. But when the Lord’s subordinate, a beautiful ninja Firefly, discovers the slain bodies, she uses the Sword of Deus to review Yukinaga – only to find the former Lord has become a demonic emissary of evil to avenge his death and betrayal! his evil minions pillage Firefly’s gorgeous ninja friends and kill her allies. Can Firefly’s sensual power and stunning body stop the madness?


Naruto the Movie: Legend of the Stone of Gelel
2005 · 1h 37m
country: Japan
Naruto, Shikamaru, and Sakura are executing their mission of delivering a lost pet to a certain village. However, right in the midst of things, troops led by the mysterious knight, Temujin, attack them. In the violent battle, the three become separated. Temujin challenges Naruto to a fight and at the end of the fierce battle, both fall together from a high cliff...


One Piece: Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island
2005 · 1h 31m
country: Japan
The Straw Hats visit a recreational island, run by Baron Omatsuri, who asks them to complete a series of ordeals if they wish to stay on the island. Luffy accepts and the Straw Hats work together to complete them, but as the island's mysteries unfold, their lives and friendships are put to the test. It's up to Luffy to stop the Baron's plot and keep his crew together.


Naruto Shippuden the Movie: Bonds
2008 · 1h 30m
country: Japan
A mysterious group of ninjas makes a surprise attack on the Konohagakure, which takes great damage. The nightmare of another Shinobi World War could become a reality. Sasuke, who was still a missing nin from Konoha trying to kill his brother, Itachi, appears for the second time in front of Naruto at an unknown location to prevent it from happening.


Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone
2007 · 1h 41m
country: Japan
After the Second Impact, Tokyo-3 is being attacked by giant monsters called Angels that seek to eradicate humankind. The child Shinji’s objective is to fight the Angels by piloting one of the mysterious Evangelion mecha units. A remake of the first six episodes of GAINAX’s famous 1996 anime series. The film was retitled “Evangelion: 1.01” for its DVD release and “Evangelion: 1.11” for a release with additional scenes.


Naruto Shippuden the Movie: The Will of Fire
2009 · 1h 35m
country: Japan
Ninjas with bloodline limits begin disappearing in all the countries and blame points toward the fire nation. By Tsunade's order, Kakashi is sacrificed to prevent an all out war. After inheriting charms left by Kakashi, Naruto fights through friends and foes to prevent his death while changing the minds of those who've inherited the will of fire.


Pokémon: Mewtwo Returns
2001 · 1h 3m
country: Japan
The Team Rocket leader, Giovanni, has found Mewtwo in a remote area of the Johto region. As Giovanni tries to re-capture Mewtwo, Ash and his friends are kidnapped by Domino, a new Team Rocket member, while trying to rescue Pikachu from Jessie and James. The Clone Pokemon are also captured and are then used as bait for Mewtwo. The situation then becomes a battle between the wills of Mewtwo and Giovanni; and Mewtwo also tries to discover if it and the clones have a purpose in life, even though they are products of science.


Naruto Shippuden the Movie
2007 · 1h 34m
country: Japan
Demons that once almost destroyed the world, are revived by someone. To prevent the world from being destroyed, the demon has to be sealed and the only one who can do it is the shrine maiden Shion from the country of demons, who has two powers; one is sealing demons and the other is predicting the deaths of humans. This time Naruto's mission is to guard Shion, but she predicts Naruto's death. The only way to escape it, is to get away from Shion, which would leave her unguarded, then the demon, whose only goal is to kill Shion will do so, thus meaning the end of the world. Naruto decides to challenge this "prediction of death."


Naruto the Movie: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom
2006 · 1h 35m
country: Japan
Naruto Uzumaki, Kakashi Hatake, Sakura Haruno, and Rock Lee are assigned to protect the prince of the Land of the Moon, Michiru, during his world trip; other escorts had been hired, but quit due to being treated poorly. The Land of the Moon is a very wealthy nation, so Michiru tends to buy whatever he wants, and has a very materialistic worldview. His Hikaru, also acts in much the same manner.


All About Lily Chou-Chou
2001 · 2h 26m
country: Japan
Charts the troubled teenage years of students Yūichi Hasumi and Shūsuke Hoshino, exploring the shifting and complex power dynamics of their relationship against the backdrop of Yūichi's love for the dreamy and abstract music of pop star Lily Chou-Chou.


Infection
2004 · 1h 38m
country: Japan
Infection takes place in a dark, isolated hospital, where one doctors mistake has led to dire consequences for a patient. In a hospital death is just a breath away.


Blindness
2008 · 2h 1m
country: Brazil
When a sudden plague of blindness devastates a city, a small group of the afflicted band together to triumphantly overcome the horrific conditions of their imposed quarantine.


Owl
2003 · 1h 59m
country: Japan
A mother and daughter are stranded in small, isolated cabin, and are starving to death. In order to survive, they plan to entice men that happen to stray to their cabin with sex, and kill them. All goes well until a local cop shows up and, then, an old relation.


Doraemon: Nobita's Dinosaur
2006 · 1h 47m
country: Japan
After bringing a fossilized egg back to life with the Time Cloth, Nobita finds himself the owner of a baby dinosaur. Everything is fine until it grows up. Nobita and friends use Doraemon's time machine to return it back to its own time.


Summer Wars
2009 · 1h 54m
country: Japan
Teenage math whiz Kenji Koiso agrees to take a summer job at the Nagano hometown of his crush, Natsuki. When he arrives, he finds that her family have reunited to celebrate the 90th birthday of their matriarch. His job: pretend to be Natsuki's fiancé. Meanwhile, his attempt to solve a mathematical equation causes a parallel world's collision with Earth.


Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
2005 · 1h 41m
country: Japan
Two years have passed since the final battle with Sephiroth. Though Midgar, city of mako, city of prosperity, has been reduced to ruins, its people slowly but steadily walk the road to reconstruction. However, a mysterious illness called Geostigma torments them. With no cure in sight, it brings death to the afflicted, one after another, robbing the people of their fledgling hope.


Zatoichi
2003 · 1h 56m
country: Japan
Blind traveler Zatoichi is a master swordsman and a masseur with a fondness for gambling on dice games. When he arrives in a village torn apart by warring gangs, he sets out to protect the townspeople.


Tales from Earthsea
2006 · 1h 56m
country: Japan
As crops dwindle and dragons reappear, mankind stands on the verge of total chaos. Lord Archmage Sparrowhawk, a powerful wizard, and Arren, a troubled young prince, search for the force behind this mysterious imbalance that threatens to destroy the land of Earthsea.


Brother
2000 · 1h 53m
country: Japan
A Japanese Yakuza gangster's deadly existence in his homeland gets him exiled to Los Angeles, where he is taken in by his little brother and his brother's gang.


5 Centimeters per Second
2007 · 1h 3m
country: Japan
Three moments in Takaki's life: his relationship with Akari and their forced separation; his friendship with Kanae, who is secretly in love with him; the demands and disappointments of adulthood, an unhappy life in a cold city.


Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence
2004 · 1h 40m
country: Japan
Cyborg detective Batou is assigned to investigate a series of murders committed by gynoids—doll-like cyborgs, which all malfunctioned, killed, then self-destructed afterwards. The brains of the gynoids initialize in order to protect their manufacturer's software, but in one gynoid, which Batou himself neutralized, one file remains: a voice speaking the phrase "Help me."


Ichi the Killer
2001 · 2h 9m
country: Japan
As sadomasochistic yakuza enforcer Kakihara searches for his missing boss he comes across Ichi, a repressed and psychotic killer who may be able to inflict levels of pain that Kakihara has only dreamed of.


Case Closed: Countdown to Heaven
2001 · 1h 40m
country: Japan
As a pair of towers in Tokyo are being prepared for their grand opening, there is a series of murders of people connected to the towers. Conan suspects that the mysterious Syndicate may also be involved.


Doraemon: Nobita and the Winged Braves
2001 · 1h 31m
country: Japan
Doraemon and his friends have to rescue the people of Birdopia from the wrongdoing of vengeful former bird troopers before they unleash a wicked ancient dragon.
The 2000s ran on digital transition: DV cameras democratized production while CGI reached the point of photorealism. It's also when the fantasy epic and the modern superhero film established their commercial dominance.
Japanese cinema gave the world Kurosawa's samurai epics, Ozu's domestic dramas, Godzilla and the kaiju film, and the J-horror wave that Hollywood spent the 2000s remaking. It also sustains the most developed animation industry on earth.