Known for Acting
Makoto Satō (18 March 1934 – 6 December 2012) was a Japanese film actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films from 1953 to 2008.
Born
March 18, 1934
Died
December 6, 2012 (age 78)
Birthplace
Kanzaki District, Saga, Saga Prefecture, Japan
Filmography
143 films, 3 shows
Fireflies: River of Light
2004 · 1h 41m
country: Japan
After finally passing his teacher's exam, Miwa (Yukiyoshi Ozawa) devoted himself to teaching in a rustic primary school. He struggles to get through to his students, until he creates a class project to raise fireflies to fly over it once again. All students, even the reserved girl Hikari (Risako Sugaya), become passionately involved in the project. However, it brings them into conflict with parents and the school, one problem after another stands in his way.
Vengeance for Sale
2002 · 1h 28m
country: Japan
In a world where vendettas are officially sanctioned, the people sometimes needed help in carrying out their vengeance. Sanada Hiroyuki stars as Sukeroku the Helper, a ‘cool and rambling yakuza’ that has made a business out of helping victims carry out their revenge. When he returns to his hometown to pay a visit to his mother’s grave he meets a deadly ronin who carries a secret which eventually leads him into a vendetta of his own.
The Stupid Teacher
2000 · 1h 29m
country: Japan
Film director Mario Baba meets a mysterious gentleman, and realizes he is a important man from his boyhood. The two chase each other around, causing a lot of commotion.
First Love
2000 · 1h 53m
country: Japan
This coming-of-age story from Japan opens just after 17-year-old Sataka has gotten dumped by her boyfriend. When her mother is hospitalized with a malignant stomach ulcer, Sataka is left alone with her emotionally repressed father; whiling away the hours one day, she comes across a love letter written to her mother 24 years earlier. Deciding to track down the letter's author, Sataka eventually finds Shinichiro (Hiroyuki Sanada), an overweight slob who was abandoned by his wife years earlier and now spends his time hanging around pachinko parlors. Determined to clean him up and reintroduce him to her mother, Sataka nags Shinchiro until he finally agrees to her demands, and a gradual friendship develops between the two as Sataka drags him to the gym and a clothing store. But once Shinchiro's makeover is complete, he turns the tables on his young friend, and when the time comes for him to meet Sataka's mother, all concerned parties find themselves embarking on a new phase in their lives.
The Nagaharu Yodogawa Story: A Cineaste's Life in Kobe
1999 · 1h 46m
country: Japan
Depicts the life of Nagaharu Yodogawa.
Shikoku
1999 · 1h 40m
country: Japan
Years after moving to Tokyo with her parents, Hinako returns to her hometown in rural Shikoku. She soon learns that her childhood friend, Sayori, died several years ago and that Sayori's mother, who used to perform seances and exorcisms, has gone almost insane with grief. After seeing Sayori's ghost several times during the night, Hinako consults with some local experts on the paranormal and discovers that Sayori's mother has something planned for her daughter...
Shomuni
1998 · 1h 33m
country: Japan
The day after being dumped by the boyfriend to whom she was going to give her virginity, Sawako Tsukahara (Kumiko Endo), an office lady in the accounting department of Manpan Trading Co., is dispatched as a helper to General Affairs Section 2. General Affairs Section 2, nicknamed "Shomuni," is the company's cesspool department where underachieving office ladies are gathered. The members of the General Affairs Department are Chinatsu Tsuboi (Reiko Takashima), who is in charge of the department; the femme fatale Kana Miyashita (Michiko Kawai); the self-disciplined Yumiko Maruhashi (Asako Kobayashi); the boastful Kayoko Tokunaga (Mari Hamada); the unremarkable Section Chief Inoue (Masao Komatsu); and the stray cat, Butcha.
Diary of Early Winter Shower
1998 · 1h 56m
country: Japan
Kounosuke Mibu and Tae Horikawa are unable to forget each other, even though they met and fell in love 20 years ago. They had promised each other that they would build a retreat in Shiguretei, but Ushio was hospitalized after a stroke a few days later, and when his wife, Takako, rushed to the hospital, she discovered their love affair, which in reality had not gone beyond kissing. Now, 20 years later, against the advice of her ikebana mentor, Tae rushes to meet Ushio at Shiguretei, only to see him clutching his chest in pain. Eventually, the design and plans for the dream retreat are seen by Tae, but she has to visit Kyoto alone... or maybe she's heading for somewhere else.
Princess Mononoke
1997 · 2h 14m
country: Japan
Ashitaka, a prince of the disappearing Emishi people, is cursed by a demonized boar god and must journey to the west to find a cure. Along the way, he encounters San, a young human woman fighting to protect the forest, and Lady Eboshi, who is trying to destroy it. Ashitaka must find a way to bring balance to this conflict.
The Eel
1997 · 1h 57m
country: Japan
A businessman kills his adulterous wife and is sent to prison. After his release, he opens a barbershop and meets new people, talking to almost no one except for an eel he befriended while in prison.
Ai・Mai・Me
1990 · 1h 50m
country: Japan
Kaoruko, the daughter of a doctor and attending a prestigious high school in Fukuoka, was vaguely anxious about the future. She's even more scared when her friend Natsumi invites her to membership-based prostitution club.
Urban Marine Resort Story
1989 · 1h 43m
country: Japan
A story of love and adventure between a woman who likes water sports and a man who likes boats. Mariko thinks she's just in for a fun vacation when she and her friend Tomoyo discover a missing Korean War plane while scuba diving. Who will find the buried treasure first? Number two in the Hoy Choy Productions trilogy.
Yun’s Town
1989 · 1h 40m
country: Japan
A Japanese boy in love with a girl of Korean origin must battle the prejudices of those around him in order to sustain the relationship.
Zatoichi: Darkness Is His Ally
1989 · 1h 56m
country: Japan
Older, wiser but still a wandering loner, the blind, peace-loving masseur Ichi seeks a peaceful life in a rural village. When he's caught in the middle of a power struggle between two rival Yakuza clans, his reputation as a deadly defender of the innocent is put to the ultimate test in a series of sword-slashing showdowns.
Bound for the Fields, the Mountains, and the Seacoast
1986 · 2h 15m
country: Japan
During the fervently nationalist months leading up to World War II, a rebellious teenager is transferred to a new primary school in a small Inland Sea town. He vies with the school’s reigning bully, who takes a romantic interest in his older stepsister. When they learn she’s going to be sold to a brothel to pay off her father’s debts, they form an uneasy alliance to free her.
Four Sisters
1985 · 1h 40m
country: Japan
Four sisters with no consanguinity are living together since childhood. When facing misfortune and grievances in lives, they give support and encouragement to each other, even sacrifice oneself to help others.
Typhoon Club
1985 · 1h 55m
country: Japan
Offering a caustic immersion into the lives of disaffected junior high students on the cusp of adulthood, the film takes place over the 5-day period before, during, and after a ferocious, seemingly liberating typhoon, which six of the students endure while marooned in their school.
Lonely Heart
1985 · 1h 52m
country: Japan
Lonely and love-stricken high-school student Hiroki pursues a girl, but another one mysteriously appears in his life. Is she a figment of his psyche, or is she real?
Zero
1984 · 2h 8m
country: Japan
Two young men are recruited into the Japanese air force just before outbreak of WW2 by the test pilot of Japans new super fighter - the Zero. The movie is told in reverse from the point of one of the young men who don't qualify for the pilot training and instead joins the ground crew. It chronicles the entire history of the famous fighter from the first prototype test flights all through the war.
Kazoku no sentaku
1983 · 1h 32m
country: Japan
A single mother is being investigated into the death of her ex-husband, which brings to the fore the obscure details of her past.
Legend of the Cat Monster
1983 · 1h 35m
country: Japan
A legendary actress thought to be dead is discovered living in an isolated mansion. A screenwriter is tasked with writing her comeback film, which leads the two to live under the same roof.
Amagi Pass
1983 · 1h 39m
country: Japan
Japan in the 1940s. A high school boy went into a magic encounter with Ozuka Hana, a geisha (pub-girl) when he traveled through Amagi Pass. A mysterious murder took place afterwards, an Ozuka was held responsible. 40 years later, the boy, who became a printing shop owner, was visited by a retired policeman who came from Amagi Pass. The truth then started to reveal itself.
Cute Devil
1982 · 1h 33m
country: Japan
Ryoko visits brother-in-law Koji to recover from her time at a mental hospital. But she becomes increasingly convinced that Koji's eight year old niece Alice was responsible for her sister Fuyuko's death. Several horrific deaths follow.
The Imperial Japanese Empire
1982 · 3h
country: Japan
Story of three people, a barber, a Christian and a graduate of the Tokyo Military Academy during the 2nd World War.
I Are You, You Am Me
1982 · 1h 53m
country: Japan
9th-graders Kazuo and Kazumi take a tumble at a temple in a small seacoast town in Japan. Through supernatural intervention, their minds and bodies are switched, and the result is a touching and hilarious coming-of-age comedy as they attempt to survive the pressures of junior high school life.
Ninja Hunt
1982 · 1h 32m
country: Japan
It's a rare occasion when a noted filmmaker like Yamauchi Tetsuya gets to re-visit a previous film, and in this re-make of NINJA GARI, he not only does that, but has created an even better piece. While the original from 1964 starred the great old-time actor Konoe Jushiro, this version is perfectly cast with his son Matsukata Hiroki in the lead as Wadakuro, one of four ronin hired to fight against the Shogunate's plot to abolish the Gamo Clan, who are struggling to reinstate their young heir Tanemaru as their Lord. Facing the threat of the Koga Ninja, Wadakuro shows his own cruelty while on a personal vendetta. This is a very brutal film, with lots of realistic ninja action, violent deaths, a dark story line and is completely without any light-hearted 'humor' elements that Toei used to incorperate back in the golden era. And with Matsukata Hiroki's outstanding martial skills, the swordplay is even better in this one. This is definitely one of the best ninja movies ever made!
Sailor Suit and Machine Gun
1981 · 1h 52m
country: Japan
A high-school girl inherits a declining yakuza organization, which seeks to repair its fortunes under her leadership.
The Imperial Navy
1981 · 2h 25m
country: Japan
A lavish retelling of the true story of the final voyage and ultimate destruction and sinking of the battleship Yamato, Japan's greatest flagship during the Second World War.
Flames of Blood
1981 · 2h 27m
country: Japan
The story follows the chance meeting between Senkichi, a wandering gambler on the run, and Orin, a blind musician who offers him kindness and shelter. As their lives become intertwined, they attempt to find a sense of peace and domesticity while caught in the crossfire of the violent Bakumatsu revolution.
The S.S. Happiness Sets Sail
The S.S. Happiness Sets Sail
1980 · 1h 52m
country: Japan
Adaptation of a 1956 novel by Yukio Mishima.
Shogun's Ninja
1980 · 1h 57m
country: Japan
In the middle of the 16th century, Hideyoshi, a power hungry warlord sets out to destroy the Momochi clan. He sends his war commander in search of the clan's hidden gold only to find that two daggers are the key to the hiding place of the treasured gold. Spanning decades, the quest for the missing daggers takes Shiranui through war and ancient tradition.
Port Arthur
1980 · 3h 5m
country: Japan
Depicts the bloody siege of the fortress of Port Arthur, one of the most strongly fortified positions in the world, during the Russo-Japanese War of (1904 - 1905). In the story dominated the character Lt Takeshi Kogyo (Teruhiko Aoi), teachers, and a reserve officer who became commander of the platoon and later company. At the same time monitors the conduct of the army commander general Nogi (Tatsuya Nakadai), which was commissioned of the emperor Matsuhito (Toshirô Mifune) to the conquest of the fort.
The Okinawa War of Ten Years
1978 · 1h 42m
country: Japan
After World War II, when Okinawa was under control of the United States, the local yakuza prospered. But when Okinawa is returned to Japan, the mainland yakuza tries to take over; the local yakuza tries to compete. Now sides are drawn among the local yakuza guys who used to be best friends since their childhood, and brother fights brother. It results in the biggest yakuza war in Okinawa.
Message from Space
1978 · 1h 45m
country: Japan
The peaceful planet of Jillucia has been nearly wiped out by the Gavanas, whose leader takes orders from his mother rather than the Emperor. King Kaiba sends out eight Liabe holy seeds, each to be received by a chosen one to defend the Gavanas. Each recipient, ranging from hardened General Garuda to Gavana Prince Hans to young Terrans Meia, Kido, and Aaron all have different reactions to being chosen.
Shinjuku's Number One Drunk-Killer Tetsu
1977 · 1h 27m
country: Japan
After serving 10 years in prison for murdering a rival boss, Tetsu is appalled to see his yakuza family overgrown and dysfunctional upon his release.
The Youth Killer
1976 · 2h 1m
country: Japan
Though his parents help him run the family business, Jun still feels persecuted by their love; when they bar him from meeting with his girlfriend, tensions increase.
Truck Rascals: No One Can Stop Me
1975 · 1h 38m
country: Japan
The first of many movies featuring the lighthearted adventures of two truck drivers. Momojiro and his best friend Kinzo take to the road on their cargo trucks impressing each other with their skills in driving fast and evading the police while transporting commodities throughout the country. Chance encounters with people along the way help them to come to terms with events clouding their past and offer them a shot at redemption.
Green Lovers
1975 · 1h 21m
country: Japan
Two innocent high school girls, Aki Shindo, nicknamed Ako, and Mineko Mayama, nicknamed Neko, run away from home and, along with Kaori Yashiro, whom they meet while hitchhiking, arrive at a certain beach. There, at a yacht harbor, they find Daisuke Sakuma, whom they met in town. Daisuke had come there to head to the Galapagos Islands at the request of his seniors, Yamamuro and Akira Kanno.
The Killing Machine
1975 · 1h 27m
country: Japan
Mr. Soh, a righteous man with a cold stare and fists of steel, returns to a lawless post-war Japan in 1946. He protects the weak, defends the poor and knocks some good sense into friends and enemies alike. Rapists and gangsters get the worst of it, as Mr. Soh builds up his school on the island of Shikoku.
The Executioner II: Karate Inferno
1974 · 1h 26m
country: Japan
When both a priceless jewel and the daughter of a rich heiress are stolen by a master criminal, Koga and his gang are hired to retrieve both. But a double-cross leads to a risky high-security bank heist and loads of martial arts mayhem.
Moscow, My Love
1974 · 1h 30m
country: Japan
A young talented dancer from Japan is invited to study ballet art at a school at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. She achieves professional success, for the first time real love comes to her. However, the girl’s happiness was short-lived — a sudden illness of blood interferes in the fate of the dancer, like an echo of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima, where her parents lived.
The Executioner
1974 · 1h 27m
country: Japan
Three men, the skilled ninja Ryuichi Koga, the deadly assassin and former drug detective Takeshi Hayato, and the criminal mastermind Ichiro Sakura work together to take out an infamous drug dealer.
The Human Revolution
1973 · 2h 40m
country: Japan
The Incident at Takanodai
1973 · 1h 23m
country: Japan
Miyamoto Musashi
1973 · 2h 28m
country: Japan
In Part I we see the young would-be swordsman setting out to achieve greatness in war, achieving nothing because fighting on the losing side, & then beginning his long period of wandering & training, with the goal always in mind of his duel with Kojiro. Part II builds toward that great duel on Ganryu Island, with considerable focus on Musashi's planning & forethought as to how to gain an advantage.
Kigeki yūwaku ryokō
1972 · 1h 33m
country: Japan
1972 Japanese movie
Yakuza Wolf: I Perform Murder
1972 · 1h 27m
country: Japan
A fearless man confronts a yakuza organization pushing the envelope of extravagant & all sorts of violence.
Blood for Blood
1971 · 1h 26m
country: Japan
The Akiba and Shimura crime families run the streets of “K City”. With the construction of new buildings and new factories underway, the city has sprouted into a boomtown and business is good. Two of the most infamous mobs of Tokyo want a piece of the pie. As out-of-town yakuza flood the city overnight, the crime boss of the Akiba family, Tezuka (Joe Shishido), is released from prison after a five year sentence. He does not like the "change" he sees.
Thugs of Shinjuku
1970 · 1h 27m
country: Japan
Fresh out of jail, a smart-mouth wise guy Goro takes the name “Big Brother Katsumata.” Not fitting in well with established gangs, he forms a rag-tag gang called “the Shinjuku Brothers.” The members of their gang are thugs who only wish they were traditional yakuza. When they turn up at the funeral for a gangster, they are not welcomed, but a senior boss intervenes to keep things calm. The boss of bosses invites them to join a respected local council of warlords. Katsumata is suspicious of why such powerful men would extend an invitation to lowlife like himself.
Blind Woman's Curse
1970 · 1h 25m
country: Japan
Akemi is a dragon tattooed leader of the Tachibana Yakuza clan. In a duel with a rival gang Akemi slashes the eyes of an opponent and a black cat appears, to lap the blood from the gushing wound. The cat along with the eye-victim go on to pursue Akemi’s gang in revenge, leaving a trail of dead Yakuza girls, their dragon tattoos skinned from their bodies.
Prison Tales
1970 · 1h 36m
country: Japan
The Summit of Mt. Fuji
1970 · 2h 5m
country: Japan
The Japanese government decides to install a radar on the top of Mt. Fuji, in order to detect typhoons as far as 800 km south of the Japanese archipelago, but the task will not be easy.
Rise and Fall of Chivalry
1970 · 1h 36m
country: Japan
A reformed gangster agrees to help a former yakuza member.
Woman Boss
1970 · 1h 22m
country: Japan
The Falcon Fighters
1969 · 1h 40m
country: Japan
In the prewar days leading up to the Second Sino-Japanese War of 1937, head flight instructor Lt. Katō Tateo of the Imperial Japanese Army-Air Corps trains new volunteers from the Army's Infantry to become Japan's next generation of fighter pilots at the Tokorozawa Flying School. Flying Kawasaki Ko-4 biplanes, Lt. Katō will train both friend and future foe alike. But as war in China breaks out, Katō now in command of the 5th Rentai will take his untested men flying antiquated planes into aerial combat against the Chinese Air Force who is now headed by Lt. Cho who Katō both earlier befriended and personally trained himself. While Katō's squadron ultimately achieves air superiority over the skies of Manchuria, it comes at a high price in men to which each loss carries a heavy burden that he alone must carry. As the war widens into the Second World War, Captain Katō must battle an ever advancing array of deadlier new enemies flying ever more modern fighter planes.
Woman Gambling Expert: Odd/Even Gambling Trip
1969 · 1h 24m
country: Japan
14th in the 17 film Daiei "Woman Gambler" series
Battle of the Japan Sea
1969 · 2h 8m
country: Japan
Japan and Russia clash in what comes to be known as the Russo-Japanese War. An attempt by the Japanese fleet and army to take Port Arthur fails, and a Russian fleet bears down on the Sea of Japan. Admiral Heihachiro Togo sends his fleet to confront the Russians, with results which stun both nations. Meanwhile, Major Genjiro Akashi makes secret negotiations with the Bolshevik revolutionaries in Russia, negotiations that have repercussions far beyond the conflict at hand.
Ex Convict: Sword Storm
1969 · 1h 29m
country: Japan
1969 yakuza movie.
The Cross of Vengeance
1969 · 1h 31m
country: Japan
Film with Junko Miyazono.
25 O'Clock in Shinjuku
1969 · 1h 30m
country: Japan
Police detective Amachi fights against those who banished him from his job-both cops and criminals.
Bonds of Love
1969 · 1h 38m
country: Japan
Adapted from the Seicho Matsumoto story "Tazutazushi". Ryohei Suzuki, a manager at a travel company, is married to his superior's daughter, but tires of their authority over his life. A chance encounter with Yukiko Hirai one rainy night brings a new romance into Ryohei's life, and he and Yukiko fall deeply in love. Yukiko, however, reveals that she has a violent husband in prison - with only a week left until his release. Ryohei, desperate to maintain his social standing, brings Yukiko to the mountains in Nagano and sets in motion an unthinkable, tragic chain of events.
Samaritan Zatoichi
1968 · 1h 24m
country: Japan
Zatoichi is forced to kill a young man who owes a debt to a yakuza boss. Moments later, his sister Osode arrives with the money she earned (prostituting herself) to pay his debts. The bosses true motives are revealed and he attempts to steal Osode even though the debt is paid. Zatoichi realizes his grievous error and protects the girl from the gang. Osode and Zatoichi are caught in a dilemma as she must rely on her brother's killer for protection and Zatoichi wrestles with the injustice he has caused.
Where Love Springs
1968 · 1h 28m
country: Japan
A romantic triangle comprised of two brothers in love with the same woman.
Trigger-Happy
1968 · 1h 22m
country: Japan
A 72-hour story about a group of rookie police officers and detectives who are candidates for the Mexican Olympic team and are in training camp for shooting competition, as they hunt down a violent criminal.
Admiral Yamamoto
1968 · 2h 10m
country: Japan
As Japan joins in a political pact with Nazi Germany and fascist Italy, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto is appointed supreme commander of the Japanese fleet. With Japan headed inexorably toward war, Yamamoto, despite his misgivings, believes the only possible victory lies in destroying the American fleet by surprise at Pearl Harbor. The attack succeeds, but fails to sink the American carrier fleet. Thus Yamamoto must lead the Japanese navy into war with ever-diminishing likelihood of success.
風来忍法帖 八方破れ
1968 · 1h 29m
country: Japan
The second of two films based on the novel by Futaro Yamada.
I, the Executioner
1968 · 1h 31m
country: Japan
Police detectives investigate the link between a serial killer's machinations and a teenage boy who committed suicide.
Golden Eyes
1968 · 1h 19m
country: Japan
A killer-for-hire gets mixed up with a cast of wacky characters involved in a gold smuggling route from Beirut to Tokyo.
Japan's Longest Day
1967 · 2h 37m
country: Japan
Following the detonation of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Japanese military and the government clash over the demand from the Allies for unconditional surrender. Minister of the Army Anami leads the military officers who propose to fight on, even to the death of every Japanese citizen. Emperor Hirohito, however, joins with his ministers in asking the unthinkable, the peaceful surrender of Japan. When the military plots a coup to overthrow the Emperor's civilian government, Anami must face the choice between his desires and loyalty to his Emperor.
Zoku izuko e
1967 · 1h 24m
country: Japan
Sequel to "何処へ" (1966). A coming-of-age drama adapted from the novel by Yojiro Ishizaka.
The Killing Bottle
1967 · 1h 33m
country: Japan
In Hong Kong an International Secret Police (ISP) Agent is murdered while investigating ZZZ, a group bent on assassinating the Prime Minister of Buddhabal. ISP Agents Carter and Kitami are assigned to the case. When the Prime Minister arrives in Tokyo for a friendship visit, Carter and Kitami are on hand to protect him. On hand, too, are assorted ZZZ blackguards. Several attempts on the Prime Minister's life fail, until finally the ZZZ introduces a new device designed to eliminate not only the Prime Minister but the ISP Agents as well: THE KILLING BOTTLE, then, is a pocket-sized container filled with a substance that can expand to thousands of times its size and throttle its victim, then disappear leaving only the corpse.
This Is Youth!
1966 · 1h 32m
country: Japan
What's Up, Tiger Lily?
1966 · 1h 20m
country: United States
In comic Woody Allen's film debut, he took the Japanese action film "International Secret Police: Key of Keys" and re-dubbed it, changing the plot to make it revolve around a secret egg salad recipe.
The Daphne
1966 · 1h 46m
country: Japan
Four sisters are all named after flowers. While the two youngest are married, the eldest two remain single, much to the annoyance of their long-suffering mother. The mother and her brother try various schemes to find husbands for them.
The Mad Atlantic
1966 · 1h 43m
country: Japan
Captain Murakami takes over as skipper of the Azuma Maru, replacing the well-liked former captain. Murakami forces the crew to work harder than they ever have, creating enmity and exhaustion. Just when the ship has taken a huge catch of tuna in its nets, Murakami learns that his ship is the only one in position to rescue the crew of another ship, sinking in a storm. He must choose between saving the catch or saving lives. Either choice may mean his ruin.
Zero Fighter
1966 · 1h 32m
country: Japan
Adventure in Kigan Castle
1966 · 1h 45m
country: Japan
Osami, a soldier-of-fortune from Japan, joins with priest Ensai in a quest for the ashes of the great Buddha. Their journey takes them to a kingdom in the Middle East, where they find intrigue and romance in the court of an evil king.
Rise Against the Sword
1966 · 1h 41m
country: Japan
Farmer Abare Goemon is confronted by brigand-like samurai. He raises an army of farmers to fight them and does so brilliantly. When Lord Asakura sees the success Goemon has achieved, he attempts to recruit him to fight in a conflict between Asakura and another clan. Goemon refuses, and Lord Asakura sets out to destroy him.
Fort Graveyard
1965 · 2h 12m
country: Japan
Charged with insubordination for punching a superior, Sergeant Kosugi is shipped to China in the last desperate days of the Second World War. His commander, Captain Sakuma, is vicious and dictatorial. Sakuma places Kosugi in charge of training for combat what once was the military band. Kosugi must somehow prepare his inept soldiers for the rigors of combat.
We Will Remember
1965 · 2h 11m
country: Japan
Near the end of the war, a number of young Japanese join an army band hoping to avoid the front lines, but instead are sent to the Chinese Front.
The Retreat from Kiska
1965 · 1h 45m
country: Japan
In 1943, the Aleutian island of Kiska was fortified by a small contingent of Japanese soldiers. When word arrived of an impending attack by an overwhelming force of Americans, the Japanese Navy attempted one of the most daring and unlikely evacuations in military history. This is that story.
風来忍法帖
1965 · 1h 25m
country: Japan
The first of two films based on the novel by Futaro Yamada.
Start Here
1965 · 1h 41m
country: Japan
Teacher Miyako Hanai, disillusioned by her sisters’ unhappy marriages, rejects love until family conflicts and her mother’s unexpected remarriage lead her to rethink happiness and relationships.
Mission to Annihilate the Underworld
Mission to Annihilate the Underworld
1965 · 1h 28m
country: Japan
The 1965 Japanese yakuza film is the last episode of the Ankokugai series.
A Keg of Powder
1964 · 1h 36m
country: Japan
In the third installment in the "Kokusai himitsu keisatsu" series, agent Jiro Kitami investigates the mysterious disappearance of a prominent scientist. Edited into Woody Allen's "What's Up, Tiger Lily?" along with the 4th film in the series, "Key of Keys".
Blood and Diamonds
1964 · 1h 37m
country: Japan
A group of criminals whose diamond heist goes wrong retreat to a WWII era bunker where tensions begin to rise.
Ant Hell War
1964 · 1h 27m
country: Japan
The sixth film of the desperado outpost series directed by Takashi Tsuboshima
Tiger Flight
1964 · 1h 44m
country: Japan
A 1964 war film directed by Kengo Furusawa
Whirlwind
1964 · 1h 46m
country: Japan
Set at the end of the Siege of Osaka this film follows the exploits of several members of the defeated Toyotomi clan as they cope with the post battle chaos and the persecution of the Shogun's army. Five samurai decide on different fates when it becomes clear that their side is being destroyed. One wants to attack the enemy head on in a final honorable death. Another decides to commit hari-kiri but wants to find a glorious view to do it. His close friend, the "coward", just wants to run and give up the life of a samurai. The final two set their own castle on fire to garner favors from the enemy and therefore avert their own death during the massacre of all defeated soldiers as
Samurai Pirate
1963 · 1h 36m
country: Japan
An adventurous and daring sailor sets sail to the castle of an ailing king to stop an evil premier, hungry for power and wealth, from succeeding the throne and marrying the king's beautiful daughter. Along the way, with the help of some courageous rebels and a lustful wizard, he must overcome the powers of a bewitching witch, a band of ruthless pirates, and the castle's Imperial guards. He must also free those kidnapped into slavery and restore the king's reputation.
Operation Mad Dog
1963 · 1h 38m
country: Japan
Film number six in the Desperado Outpost serie directed by Jun Fukuda
Interpol Code 8
1963 · 1h 34m
country: Japan
Agent Jiro Kitami attempts to stop a smuggling ring from shipping arms to Vietcong guerrillas.
Outpost of Hell
1963 · 1h 38m
country: Japan
The fifth film of the desperado outpost series directed by Senkichi Taniguchi
Siege of Fort Bismarck
1963 · 1h 38m
country: Japan
A Photo journalist's Story: Risk Your Life for the Moment
1963 · 1h 32m
country: Japan
A young man from a family photo studio becomes a newspaper photojournalist, learning the risks and demands of the job through repeated setbacks. His growing dedication strains his relationship with Keiko, and on the eve of their wedding he puts everything on the line to cover a devastating typhoon.
Warring Clans
1963 · 1h 38m
country: Japan
A brave, highly principled warrior resigns his post as a body guard to the head of a powerful clan after he learns that his employers have been smuggling arms to the enemy. The remaining samurai try in vain to coerce him back, but their efforts are thwarted by crooked warriors who launch an attack...
Attack Squadron
1963 · 1h 41m
country: Japan
Lt. Col. Senda resists the idea of sending Japanese fighter pilots on suicide missions. He believes that what is really necessary for Japan to regain momentum in the war is for the air force to gather its most brilliant pilots into an elite squadron and use the unit to pinpoint attacks on the Americans. Disrespected by the kamikaze pilots who think the "non-suicidal" pilots are afraid, the unit redeems itself by stunning victories. But success leads the military leaders to expect too much of the unit, and new orders portend disaster.
The Weed of Crime
1962 · 1h 30m
country: Japan
Toho-produced crime drama involving the drug trade.
Chûshingura
1962 · 3h 27m
country: Japan
After their lord is tricked into committing ritual suicide, forty-seven samurai warriors await the chance to avenge their master and reclaim their honor.
Operation Enemy Fort
1962 · 1h 35m
country: Japan
Soldiers on the front lines in China during World War II are besieged by guerrilla attacks and attempt to destroy an enemy fort.
Operation Sewer Rats
1962 · 1h 42m
country: Japan
Towards the end of World War II, five men are tasked with freeing the son of a general from Chinese captivity.
Counterstroke
1962 · 1h 15m
country: Japan
Ryusuke and Joe Oki escape from prison. Ryusuke was incarcerated for killing his younger brother Yasuhiko, who was a bouncer at the cabaret "Three Cats" and Junko's lover who worked at the same restaurant. Of course, Ryusuke did not commit this crime...
The Crimson Sky
1962 · 1h 31m
country: Japan
1962 Japanese movie
The Witness Killed
1961 · 1h 27m
country: Japan
Japanese neo-noir crime drama movie directed by Jun Fukuda
Bandits on the Wind
1961 · 1h 51m
country: Japan
1961 Japanese movie
A Man in Red
1961 · 1h 27m
country: Japan
Takashi, who took the blame when his father shot a gangster, returns home after serving a four-year sentence, only to find it infested with yakuza running a dope ring. Battling gangsters all the way, Takashi searches for his former girlfriend, now a drug addict.
Blood on the Sea
1961 · 1h 29m
country: Japan
Four fishermen friends are caught up in a piracy plot.
Hiroshi Moriya Sadogasa: Thank You, Sandogasa
1961 · 1h 11m
country: Japan
When noble wanderer Moritaro saves a disowned merchant’s son from gangsters, he becomes entangled in a town’s struggle against corruption. Teaming up with a rogue monk, bold tea-picking girls, and even a reformed thug, he battles a violent crime boss exploiting local families. Amid betrayals and brawls, justice and solidarity triumph.
Hiroshi Moriya Sandogasa: I Want to Weep
1961 · 1h 13m
country: Japan
A wandering swordsman helps a doll maker and his fiancée fight against a ruthless gang in a small town. As tensions escalate, epic duels and betrayals lead to a final showdown that shifts the balance of power. The swordsman departs, leaving a lasting impact on those he helped.
The Man from the East
1961 · 1h 41m
country: Japan
Kenta (Kayama), a boxer-turned-wandering minstrel becomes involved in a yakuza plot to rid slum dwellers from a piece of land the gangsters wish to develop. Kenta befriends a wandering poet and the younger sister (Hoshi) of a boxer Keota killed in the ring.
The Last Challenge
1961 · 1h 22m
country: Japan
1961 Japanese movie
The Merciless Trap
1961 · 1h 22m
country: Japan
Taut thriller about a too-perfect criminal case against an ex-convict that makes a nosy detective suspicious.
Blueprint of Murder
1961 · 1h 13m
country: Japan
Yuzo Kayama plays the protagonist, a whale-hunting cannon manufactuing supervisor, whose brother is an automobile tester for Komatsu Motors which has a fatal accident. As his brother investigates the "Accident" with his old college friend (makoto Sato), now a reporter... They stumble across murder, espionage and cover-ups. High-class night club, femme fatale, and a "Blueprint of Murder" all adds up to a bigger plot then first expected.
Westward Desperado
1960 · 1h 47m
country: Japan
In this patriotic WW II drama, the Japanese army demonstrates its courage and willingness to do anything to win as they endeavor to sneak into Communist China to bring back the flag of a defeated enemy regiment.
Reporters from the Sky
1960 · 1h 31m
country: Japan
Action melodrama.
University Bandits
1960 · 1h 34m
country: Japan
A youth drama set in the Japanese alps. Two robbers, chased by the police, escape from the youths of a university mountain club who are trapped in a lodge during a blizzard. This ski action romp has the tempo of a musical, and Okamoto Kihachi's style is on full display. Tsuruta Koji makes a special appearance as a senior member of the mountain club.
Tell It to the Dolls
1960 · 1h 30m
country: Japan
Punch, Pinch, and Sench participate in a Tokyo-to-Osaka auto race but their car is stolen, and so get jobs in a cabaret where they pose in bathing suits.
The Storm of the Pacific
1960 · 1h 58m
country: Japan
Lt. Koji Kitami is a navigator-bombardier in Japan's Naval Air Force. He participates in the Japanese raid on the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor in 1941 and is welcomed with pride in his hometown on his return. As Japan racks up victory after victory in the Pacific War, Kitami is caught up in the emotion of the time and fights courageously for the standard of Japanese honor. But his assuredness of his government's righteousness is shaken after the Japanese navy is defeated in the debacle of Midway.
Modern Salaryman: Bushido Romance
1960 · 1h 26m
country: Japan
Three young employees navigate love, ambition, and meddling bosses as workplace crushes evolve into defiant relationships that challenge social expectations.
Three Dolls and Three Guys
1960 · 1h 29m
country: Japan
Punch, Pinch, and Sench become involved in a murder mystery centering on a Chinese billionaire (Mihashi), actually a Japanese yakuza, who claims to be developing a tourist's paradise on the island of Oshima.
The Last Gunfight
1960 · 1h 35m
country: Japan
Japanese police detective Saburo Fujioka is suspected of corruption, demoted, and sent to the city of Kojin. Kojin is the scene of fierce fighting between rival gangs. Fujioka is assigned to investigate the death of the wife of gangster Tetsuo Maruyama of the Kozuka gang, probably at the hands of one of the Oka gang. During a gang gunfight, Maruyama is rescued by Detective Fujioka and the two become friends. But Maruyama insists on avenging his wife's murder, even if it means conflict with his new friend.
The Imitation Lords
1959 · 1h 31m
country: Japan
Costume comedy
Desperado Outpost
1959 · 1h 49m
country: Japan
When Sergeant Okubo's brother is murdered at a Japanese outpost in Northern China during the Second World War, Okubo poses as a war correspondent and seeks out his brother's killer.
The College Ruggers
1959 · 1h 39m
country: Japan
Story of love, friendship, and college sports.
The Beast Shall Die
1959 · 1h 36m
country: Japan
A promising post-graduate literature student is transformed into a psychotic killer following the suicide of his father and a sleazy affair by his mother with a younger man.
The Entrapped Gangster
1959 · 1h 33m
country: Japan
Crime melodrama about two detectives (Ikebe and Arashima) and one detective's trumpet-playing son (Sato) who become involved in a complex murder investigation.
The Big Boss
1959 · 1h 41m
country: Japan
Ryuta and Mineo Komatsu are brothers, both yakuza (gangsters). Mineo, although complicit in crime, even murder, wants out of the gangster life, hoping to become a successful singer instead. Ryuta loves his brother, but Mineo's possible defection presents problems for the gang, and Ryuta realizes he must kill his brother if he wants to survive.
The Hidden Fortress
1958 · 2h 19m
country: Japan
In feudal Japan, during a bloody war between clans, two cowardly and greedy peasants, soldiers of a defeated army, stumble upon a mysterious man who guides them to a fortress hidden in the mountains.
The Young Boss is Third Generation
1958 · 1h 2m
country: Japan
A carefree student from a traditional sake shop family balances love, rebellion, and a bike race while clashing with gangsters and his old-fashioned grandfather.
Who Is the Informer?
1958 · 1h 20m
country: Japan
After killing a detective in a botched robbery, Keiichi (Natsuki) is on the run as police stake out the homes of his sisters, mother, and girlfriend.
Adults Cannot Understand - Record of Youth
1958 · 1h 25m
country: Japan
The first work of 27-year-old director Eizo Sugawa, contrasting a politician father and his son, a drummer in a student band. It depicts the conflict between old and new morals, and the lives of young people.
He's the Killer
1958 · 1h 34m
country: Japan
Thriller about a narcotics investigator uncovering a dope ring.
The Young Beast
1958 · 1h 41m
country: Japan
Story of a textile designer-turned featherweight boxer (Kubo) who, a la Champion ( 1949), loses everything as he battles his way to the top.
The H-Man
1958 · 1h 27m
country: Japan
When a narcotics deal goes sour and a suspect disappears, leaving only his clothes, Tokyo police question his wife and stake out the nightclub where she works.
In Self-Defense
1958 · 1h 4m
country: Japan
A young detective tries to determine whether a mysterious death was the result of murder or self-defense.
All About Marriage
1958 · 1h 24m
country: Japan
Ultra-perky model likes single freedom but feels ryosai kenbo ("good wife, wise mother") pressure, exemplified by her bored-to-tears sister.
The Decoy
1957 · 1h 26m
country: Japan
Thriller about three escaped convicts, one of whom (Sato), plans to murder the wife of a detective (Ikebe) whom he blames for the suicide of his pregnant mistress.
The Men of Toho-ku
1957 · 59m
country: Japan
Tragi-comedy about the inhabitants of a remote, mountain-locked village where only the first-born sons are allowed to marry and have children.
The 36 Passengers
1957 · 1h 36m
country: Japan
A suspense drama about a thief who sneaks onto a late-night ski bus heading from Tokyo to Joshinetsu and the detective who rides with him to arrest him. Each of the passengers acts independently, and the incident takes an unexpected turn that goes beyond the detective's intentions.
A Man in the Storm
1957 · 1h 35m
country: Japan
Judo expert Saburô Watari fights his judo master, Tsujido, while simultaneously in conflict with a karate expert.
Summer in Eclipse
1956 · 1h 27m
country: Japan
Drama of a disillusioned youth, with writer-actor Ishihara starring as the young man at odds with his bickering parents and scheming brother, while finding little happiness when he begins a liaison with an older woman.
The Wicked Boy
1956 · 1h 39m
country: Japan
Bot-chan
1953 · 1h 51m
country: Japan
1953 Toho adaptation of Natsume's novel.