Known for Acting
Born
January 1, 1907
Died
December 20, 1972 (age 65)
Birthplace
Tokyo, Japan
Filmography
160 films, 2 shows


The Trail of Blood
1972 · 1h 27m
country: Japan
Can a sinful man change and find peace? It's unlikely in gang-plagued Japan. Jokichi of Mikogami, a drifter (and hired sword), goes straight after protecting a woman in distress: they marry, have a son, and Jokichi pursues his father's craft. After three years, the gangs he embarrassed when he saved his wife find the family and leave Jokichi in grief, vowing revenge. To parry his terrible swift sword, rival gangs join forces, hiring a prostitute to pose as a woman needing help and breaking the code of honor to double cross the drifter. He finds unlikely allies: a thief who aids him for fun and a one-eyed swordsman who may be Jokichi's equal in skill and honor.


Godzilla vs. Gigan
1972 · 1h 29m
country: Japan
Manga artist Gengo Odaka lands a job with the World Children's Land amusement park only to become suspicious of the organization when a garbled message is discovered on tapes. As Gengo and his team investigate, Godzilla and Anguirus quickly decipher the message and begin their own plan of action.


The Armed Organization
1971 · 1h 39m
country: Japan
Violent Gang Re-Arms is a rousing tale of friction in yakuza and labor interactions with Koji Tsuruta as a yakuza supervising a dockworker's union. He finds himself between a rock and a hard place, at odds with both the dockworkers' leader (Tomisaburo Wakayama) and sadistic, unprincipled bosses (Fumio Watanabe and Tetsuro Tamba).


Contemporary Tales of Chivalry: Forbidden Love
1971 · 1h 37m
country: Japan
The story of a lone wolf struggling with human compassion and duty.


The Gambler's Counterattack
1971 · 1h 37m
country: Japan
Aiba is a gang boss who has just got out of jail, and finds everything has changed. His old gang has broken up, and only a few people still respect him. So he becomes a consultant to another gang who are about to be clobbered by a much larger gang moving in from out of town. Aiba proves a crafty tactician, and does very well at playing gangs off against each other in order to save the smaller gang. His advice is not always taken by those he tries to help, but he is generally proved right.


I Hear the Whistle
1971 · 1h 28m
country: Japan
Tells of the feelings and sufferings of a young girl with an incurable paralytic disease.
The Gambling Nun
The Gambling Nun
1971 · 1h 26m
country: Japan
A young woman, an experienced gambler, enters a nunnery to atone for some of her father's crimes. When the nunnery runs into debt, she resorts to gambling and challenges the racketeer threatening to sell the place to a game.


Comedy: The Face is Life
1971 · 1h 22m
country: Japan
A comedic tale that follows several quirky individuals who navigate the twists and turns of their daily lives.


The Militarists
1970 · 2h 14m
country: Japan
The second film in Toho's series on the military history of the Showa era, Hiromichi Horikawa's war drama offers a look at the career of controversial politician Hideki Tojo and the strained relationships between Japan's government, military, and the media.


Forbidden Affair
1970 · 1h 33m
country: Japan
Ryô is a young leopard, Maki a rhythmical wave. The barrier between a teacher and a student gives way to the passionate embrace of a man and a woman desperately in love.


Japan's No. 1 Yakuza Man
1970 · 1h 31m
country: Unknown
The eighth installment of ten in Nippon Ichi film series.


City of Beasts
1970 · 1h 28m
country: Japan
University student Arima Yasuhiro becomes acquainted with Ishihama, the president of a pharmaceutical company with a dark past, slowly but surely getting more embroiled in his dirty dealings.


Brave Red Flower of the North
1970 · 1h 34m
country: Japan
An exciting tale of action on the distant northern island of Hokkaido around the beginning of the 20th Century starring two of the biggest names in Yakuza film history, Fuji Junko and Takakura Ken. Since the death of death of her father, Yuki who has traveled from her home in the southernmost part of Japan must fight corrupt local officials seeking to fill her late father's post. As her life is in danger a mysterious rifleman, played by Takakura Ken watches from the shadows. Can she finish the work her dear departed father started in an untamed land?


Showdown at Nagasaki
1969 · 1h 34m
country: Japan
When Keiji Takama returns to Nagasaki, he finds many changes. The rights of the entertainment field that had been held by his family have been taken over by the Matsui Group, a new gangster setup. So he becomes head of the Takama Group to regain lost territory. With the cooperation of all the Bosses from Tokyo to Nagasaki, who had known his father, Keiji recovers the rights to put on shows at the City Hall. As he had feared, however, Matsui begins to interfere with his plans. Keiji's men are furious, but he knows better than to take up the cudgels with Matsui at this important time. Whatever Matsui does, Keiji goes one better. Frustrated and bitter, Matsui calls in the help of Koiwa, a killer. Now, having tried his best to oust Keiji but finding that he is made of sterner stuff than he had counted on, he decides to have Koiwa do away with him for good.


Monstrous! Who Am I?!
1969 · 1h 36m
country: Japan
Comedy starring the Crazy Cats' Kei Tani as a salaryman suffering from amnesia.


Team of Ruffians
1969 · 1h 34m
country: Japan
Prisoners with special skills from all over Japan are sent to the battlefront on a mission.


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.


Japan Organized Crime Boss
1969 · 1h 37m
country: Japan
Coming out of jail and hoping for a quiet life, Yokohama yakuza has to take the lead of his gang after the death of his boss. His small group is is taken in a crossfire between a big yakuza group from Osaka at war with the Tokyo alliance for the control of the city. He tries to keep to the old yakuza code but he is no match for the new thugs who live and fight without honor.


Our Wasteland
1969 · 1h 31m
country: Japan
Tetsuya, a worker at a US Air Base who moonlights as a bartender with his bar hostess roommate, dreams to move to the United States one day. Meanwhile, his best friend Jun wants to build a home on some local wasteland. Yet the introduction of Yuki, who they both fall in love with, begins to tear their friendship apart.


The Biggest Gamble
1969 · 1h 47m
country: Japan
When Honjo is selected as Kansai district's chairman, Iwasa of the rival gang asks Itsuki to do everything possible to have Honjo step down, which puts Itsuki between a rock and a hard place.


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.


Two in the Shadow
1967 · 1h 48m
country: Japan
A man is involved in a fatal car accident, and though he is blameless, his company transfers him to a remote branch in a small town. Before he leaves, he gives the man's widow a large sum of money that she uses to move back to her hometown.


Five Gents Prefer Geisha
1967 · 1h 28m
country: Japan
In this continuation of Discover Japan with the 5 Gents (Shacho sen ichiya, 1967), Shoji (Morishige) and his employees plan to build a hotel for Expo 70.


Industrial Spy Free-for-All
1967 · 1h 35m
country: Japan
Saburo Sarutobi, a former member of the Zengakuren, and Maruo Inumaruo, a former member of the police force, have joined two rival companies, Toyotomi Denki and Tokugawa Musen, respectively, and have been at each other's throats at every turn. They are engaged in a nightly industrial espionage war in an attempt to somehow get under each other's noses, but eventually they both find themselves targeted by an international industrial espionage ring...


3 Raccoon Dogs
1966 · 1h 30m
country: Japan
A conman team swindles through jewel scams, marriage fraud, and fake school admissions. Their schemes bring quick riches but collapse before escape, landing them in prison—while a former mark prospers by stealing their tricks.


Nerves for Victory
1966 · 1h 30m
country: Japan
A young yakuza who respects obligation and humanity must face cruel and heartless turf wars leading to a fight to the death with his own brother.


New News Reporter: The Trap of the Big City
1966 · 1h 30m
country: Japan


Moment of Terror
1966 · 1h 35m
country: Japan
When the only son of a working class woman is fatally struck by a car driven by the adulterous wife of a company president in a hit-and-run, the victim's mother changes her identity and infiltrates the couple's home to work as their maid, plotting to murder their similarly-aged son.


Thirst for Love
1966 · 1h 30m
country: Japan
Natsuko, a Tokyo bar proprietress, and Yuki, a Kyoto Ryokan owner, vie for the affections of an advertising professional.


Cat Girls Gamblers: Abandoned Fangs of Triumph
1966 · 1h 20m
country: Japan
Yukiko is on her way to meet Boss Gunji. Judging by her appearance, no one would suspect that this beautiful young woman, sitting quietly in a suburban train, is the only woman able to beat the best professional players in Japan; or that she is wearing the tattoo of the man that loved her and died for her...


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.


Invasion of Astro-Monster
1965 · 1h 36m
country: Japan
Astronauts Glenn and Fuji investigate Planet X and encounter mysterious aliens known as the Xiliens, who ask Earth's people to help save their world from "Monster Zero". In exchange for borrowing Godzilla and Rodan, the Xiliens offer a cure for cancer. As Glenn investigates, he develops a romance with Miss Namikawa and uncovers the Xilien's true intentions.


The Crazy Adventure
1965 · 1h 47m
country: Japan
After being mistaken for counterfeiters by the police, an inventor and reporter try to track down the real counterfeiters.


Stairs of Evil
1965 · 1h 43m
country: Unknown
Iwao, , Kumagai, and Konishi broke into the safe containing the wages of the employees of Ato Industries and obtained a fortune large enough to live a life of leisure. They celebrated with Iwao’s woman, Rumiko. However, it was too early to celebrate. They decided not to use the money for six months to avoid suspicion and stored it in a safe. But one day, Konishi asked for his share of the money in advance, even if it meant receiving a smaller portion, igniting the dark flame of desire among Iwao and the others.


Beast Alley
1965 · 2h 20m
country: Japan
Desperate to escape her grueling life caring for her paralyzed husband, Tamiko murders him and burns down their home to start anew. She is soon entangled in the dark web of an influential, elderly power broker, becoming his mistress and a pawn in his political schemes. As she descends further into a downward spiral of moral decay, Tamiko realizes that the freedom she sought is merely a new form of entrapment.


Miyamoto Musashi V: Musashi vs Kojiro
1965 · 2h
country: Japan
The fifth and final installment with the build up of the epic battle between Sasaki Kojiro and Miyamoto Musashi. With all the familiar characters making appearances: Otsu (Musashi's great love), Akemi, Matahachi (his former fellow soldier), old lady Osugi (still doggedly trying to defeat Musashi), and even the return of Priest Takuan (the man responsible for his journey towards enlightenment). But most of all, the boastful, long-haired and long-sworded Sasaki Kojiro.


You Can If You Try
1965 · 1h 47m
country: Japan
A Chair in the Sunshine
A Chair in the Sunshine
1965 · 1h 28m
country: Japan
Natsuki Shibusawa is forty-six years old and serves as the General Affairs Manager at Teito Construction. Although his integrity has allowed him to hold onto his position, his lack of social skills and estrangement from his superiors meant he ends up sitting in an unattractive spot in the shade. Then, he is offered the position of Accounting Manager, the most important role in the construction company.


Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu
1965 · 2h 23m
country: Japan
In turbulent 16th-century Japan, the leaders of a minor fief have their child taken from them as a political hostage. His mother and his clan endure years of tribulations until he can return.


The Sandal Keeper
1964
country: Japan
Toyotomi Hideyoshi (Hitoshi Ueki) starts out as Nobunaga's "Sandal Keeper" but climbs the ranks to eventually become a trusted general.


Assassination
1964 · 1h 44m
country: Japan
In 1863, when American warships approach Japan, an enigmatic ronin becomes an important figure in a complex game of power between the Shogunate and the empire.


Brand of Evil
1964 · 2h 13m
country: Japan
A Jonan Station detective, Kikuchi, is framed for smuggling drugs and sent to prison. When he is paroled, he joins a private detective agency, where he is asked to investigate Mitsue Takazawa, the wife of a local trading firm president. While secretly conducting his own research, he finds out that Takazawa's husband is the one, responsible for Kikuchi's imprisonment, who also have set sights on Setsuko, a woman Kikuchi becomes romantically involved with.


Yearning
1964 · 1h 38m
country: Japan
War widow Reiko rebuilds and runs the grocery shop in the house of her husband's family. Many years later, their business is threatened by a newly built supermarket and Reiko's in-laws plan to convert their small shop into a supermarket, to her detriment.


A Woman's Life
1963 · 2h 6m
country: Japan
A woman remembers her own marriage when dealing with the love life of her son.


Young Guy in Hawaii
1963
country: Japan
Fourth entry in Toho's Wakadaishō series directed by Jun Fukuda and released on a simultaneous screening with Matango. Filmed on location in Hawaii.


Police Precinct Part 21
1963 · 1h 23m
country: Japan
A burnt corpse of a man was found in Okutama. As a result of the investigation, it turns out that the criminal strangled the victim with a bandage, smashed his face with an oil canister and burned the body, trying to hide the identity of the victim. But the investigation establishes that the victim is a former criminal named Hisashi Sayama. According to Sayama's daughter-in-law, a man named Kitamura got him a job, so he left home with a copy of the family register. Trying to find the killer, the First Investigation Department is investigating all over the country, including Akita, Yokkaichi and Okinawa.


Women Called 'Wives'
1963 · 1h 31m
country: Japan


High and Low
1963 · 2h 22m
country: Japan
A Yokohama shoe executive faces a wrenching choice when kidnappers mistakenly seize his chauffeur’s son but demand the ransom anyway.


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.


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.


Youth Season
1962 · 1h 27m
country: Japan
1962 Japanese movie


Local Reporter
1962 · 1h 30m
country: Japan


Irresponsible Age of Japan
1962 · 1h 26m
country: Japan
An irresponsible salaryman works his way to the top of the corporate ladder.


Jūyaku kōho-sei nanbā 1
1962 · 1h 22m
country: Japan
1962 Japanese movie


Ame no Kudan-zaka
1962 · 1h 12m
country: Japan
1962 Japanese movie


Third Generation's Loyalty Offering
1962 · 1h 27m
country: Japan
1962 Japanese movie. Remake of Mori's 1942 original movie


Teppo Yasu no Shogai
1962 · 1h 34m
country: Japan
1962 Japanese movie


Sanjuro
1962 · 1h 36m
country: Japan
In this companion piece and sequel to "Yojimbo," jaded samurai Sanjuro helps an idealistic group of young warriors weed out their clan's evil influences, and in the process turns their image of a proper samurai on its ear.


The Bride of Headless Island
1961 · 55m
country: Japan
Directed by Hideaki Onishi of "Vampire Monster House" fame. A thriller and unique period drama directed by Hideaki Onishi of "Vampire Monster House" from a script by Akiyoshi Kataoka. Suzuki Shuhei, the duo behind "Vampire Monster House," was in charge of cinematography. Cast: Ryuji Shinagawa Ryutaro Wasaki Keiko Ogimachi SHIMIZU Hajime


Buddha
1961 · 2h 37m
country: Japan
An Indian prince leaves his world of comfort and riches behind to wander and meditate for six years in search of spiritual enlightenment. Siddartha (Cojoin Hong) turns his back on the old religion when people are starving needlessly and holy rituals include human sacrifices. During his meditations, he is tempted by erotic dancing women, demons, and the evil machinations of his criminal cousin. Devastate to attain the spiritual perfection and become the Buddha. He travels to convert followers by his kindness and wisdom, gaining a multitude of believers when he stops an elephant from crushing a local priest. Buddha of course goes on to become one of the great religious leaders of the world.


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.


The Gambler's Code
1961 · 1h 27m
country: Japan
One of Japan's most popular stories is the tale of Kutsukake Tokijiro, a traveling gambler who finds that he must take care of the wife and child of a yakuza he had been forced by the code of the gamblers to fight man to man. In a brilliant performance from super-star Ichikawa Raizo, with strong support from two of the greats from Toho, Shimura Takashi (7 Samurai) and Aratama Michiyo (Sword of Doom) the heartfelt story reaches new heights. Tokijiro, having learned the true nature of the boss to whom he was obligated for having spent a night and eaten at the gang's headquarters takes up arms against them in a running battle fought across the back roads of the entire nation. Another powerful rendition of this superb story, it is not to be missed!


Otemoyan
1961 · 1h 10m
country: Japan


Yojimbo
1961 · 1h 50m
country: Japan
A nameless ronin, or samurai with no master, enters a small village in feudal Japan where two rival businessmen are struggling for control of the local gambling trade. Taking the name Sanjuro Kuwabatake, the ronin convinces both silk merchant Tazaemon and sake merchant Tokuemon to hire him as a personal bodyguard, then artfully sets in motion a full-scale gang war between the two ambitious and unscrupulous men.


Straw hat of Itako
1961 · 1h 15m
country: Japan
A film about young wandering Yakuza. Yukio Hashi's first film role.


Vagabonds from Badgerville
1961 · 1h 19m
country: Japan
A musical about the escapades of some tanuki passing themselves off as humans in human society.


Satan's Sword II: The Dragon God
1960 · 1h 30m
country: Japan
The sequel to Daibosatsu tôge (1960) and the second of the trilogy follows the adventures of Ryunosuke Tsukue after he is blinded.


Samurai Save The Virgin
1960 · 1h 10m
country: Japan
A gripping historical drama full of suspense and a mysterious bewitching mood. A puzzle of a turbulent era in which various characters fall into a maelstrom of events - a pretty girl, a strange beggar woman, a charming thief, a clever detective, the famous magistrate Toyama Saemon no jo, they all struggle to unravel this mystery of the white bell, which provoked the sudden disappearance of two beautiful women caught in one place at the same time at midnight.


Lord Tadanao
1960 · 1h 34m
country: Japan


Tsukinode no ketto
1960 · 1h 17m
country: Japan
Young Salesman: Sanshiro Sebiro
Young Salesman: Sanshiro Sebiro
1960 · 1h 23m
country: Japan


The War Without Weapons
1960 · 2h 21m
country: Japan
It's a story of the life of a man who advocated the necessity of sex education to children, which was unusual at the time, solely opposed to the amendment of the Peace Preservation Law, and was assassinated by a rightist prior to his opposition speech.


Scars of Honor
1960 · 1h 30m
country: Japan
Japan, 1643, as the Kato clan of Aizu falls from power two brave samurai will settle a dispute in the time-honored tradition of their clan, by drawing their blades in a duel to the death.


The Bad Sleep Well
1960 · 2h 30m
country: Japan
In this loose adaptation of "Hamlet," illegitimate son Kôichi Nishi climbs to a high position within a Japanese corporation and marries the crippled daughter of company vice president Iwabuchi. At the reception, the wedding cake is a replica of their corporate headquarters, but an aspect of the design reminds the party of the hushed-up death of Nishi's father. It is then that Nishi unleashes his plan to avenge his father's death.


Life of a Country Doctor
1960 · 1h 56m
country: Japan
A skilled country doctor's talents are such that he can even perform operations as difficult and novel as removing a patient's kidney for the first time in Japan. Unfortunately for him, however, his wife's addiction to gambling is of such a magnitude that he is down to selling his underwear to make money. The image sticks and he becomes known as the 'underwear doctor.' On the other hand, his successful surgery's patient is so grateful he himself wants to become a physician.


The Sun's Burial
1960 · 1h 28m
country: Japan
In Osaka's slum, capricious folks without futures engage in pilfering, assault and robbery, prostitution, and the trading of ID cards and blood.
Jirocho Fuji 2: The Chivalrous
Jirocho Fuji 2: The Chivalrous
1960 · 1h 48m
country: Japan
The exciting story of Jirocho and his yakuza gang that controlled the area of the Tokaido during the latter days of the samurai era. Awesome fighting from Katsu Shintaro as One-Eyed Ishimatsu highlights this great tale taken from Japanese history!


お嬢さん三度笠
1960 · 1h 13m
country: Japan


The Demon of Mount Oe
1960 · 1h 54m
country: Japan
A band of warriors journeys to Mount Oe to rescue abducted women from a demon, overcoming supernatural threats like a giant spider and a diabolical witch along the way.


Yûrei koban
1960 · 1h 16m
country: Japan


Echigo jishi-sai
1960 · 1h 28m
country: Japan
1960 version of Lion Festival of Echigo


Mission Accomplished
1960 · 1h 39m
country: Japan


The Two Musashis
1960 · 2h 2m
country: Japan
During the reign of Shogun Hidetada, both Hirate Musashi and Okamoto Musashi strive to become the finest swordsman in the land by defeating the Yagyu clan's top instructors and then taking on Sasaki Kojiro!


The Princess Says No
1959 · 1h 39m
country: Japan


Samurai Vendetta
1959 · 1h 49m
country: Japan
Two amiable samurai wind up on opposite sides of the vendetta between Lord Asano's retainers and the family of Lord Kira that led to the famous revenge of the 47 Ronin.


The Enchanting Devil
1959 · 1h 27m
country: Japan
Thriller directed by Seiji Maruyama


The Lord Pretends
1959 · 1h 30m
country: Japan


Sudden Attack of the Christian Lord
1959 · 1h 54m
country: Japan


Jirocho Fuji
1959 · 1h 45m
country: Japan
Legendary yakuza Shimizu Jirocho and his 28 henchmen travel the unruly path from a 'Fire Festival' in Akiba to a decisive battle by the Fujigawa.


Ojo-kichiza
1959 · 1h 20m
country: Japan


Lord Nobunaga's Early Days
1959 · 1h 37m
country: Japan


Gambler and the Princess
1959 · 1h 27m
country: Japan
Film directed by Kenji Misumi.


Yutaro's Secret Story
1959 · 1h 25m
country: Japan
Yutaro Kodan, born under a cloud because his aristocrat father died opposing the shogunate, stumbles onto a treasure map. Lusting after the treasure, Lord Sumi Tadamasa convinces trusting Princess Tsu that the gold will help to avenge her lost clan.


Peony on the Skin
1959 · 1h 21m
country: Japan


Bakeneko Goyōda
1958 · 1h 22m
country: Japan
A comic thriller directed by Tokuzo Tanaka, a first-time newcomer, based on a screenplay by Toshio Tamikado, who co-wrote "Nukiashisashi Ashi Shinobiashi." Photographed by Chikichiro Takeda of "Nurekami Kenpo." The music is by Han Takahashi of "Nukiashisashiashishininashi". Shoji Umewaka, Mieko Kondo, Daimaru Luckett and others


The Gay Masquerade
1958 · 1h 25m
country: Japan
The film won 1959 Blue Ribbon Awards for best actor Raizo Ichikawa and for best cinematography Kazuo Miyagawa. The film also won 1959 Kinema Junpo Award for best actor Raizo Ichikawa.


Hana no yukyo-den
1958 · 1h 38m
country: Japan
1958 Japanese movie


Tomboy Samurai
1958 · 1h 33m
country: Japan
The beautiful daughter of a merchant with a penchant for danger proves to be too much to handle for her worried father. Disguising herself as a man and changing her name, she heads for the capital...


Inochi wo Kakeru Otoko
1958 · 1h 42m
country: Japan


Hanatarō Jumon
1958 · 1h 26m
country: Japan


The Mysterians
1957 · 1h 29m
country: Japan
In Japan, scientifically advanced invaders from the war-destroyed planet Mysteroid cause an entire village to vanish, then send a giant robot out to storm the city by night, after which they request a small patch of land on Earth and the right to marry earthling women, claiming to be pacifists. Mankind must decide whether to capitulate or to resist.


Freelance Samurai
1957 · 1h 27m
country: Japan
One of Japanese folklore's most popular characters is brought to life on the silver screen in this terrific version of legendary Demon slaying Peach Boy.


Inazuma Kaidō
1957 · 1h 18m
country: Japan


Akado Suzunosuke and the Vacuum Slash of the Asuka School
1957 · 50m
country: Japan
Suzunosuke visits a martial arts master and tries to learn the 'Vacuum Slash,' a secret technique of producing tornadoes.


Mangorō Tengu
1957 · 1h 26m
country: Japan


Yataro’s Travel Hat
1957 · 1h 34m
country: Japan


Kodokan Under a Morning Moon
1957 · 1h 30m
country: Japan
The picture tells of a tremendous conflict between ju-jitsu, an aggressive art practiced by vicious hoodlums led by Takamatsu, and judo, which is used only for self-defense and championed by Sugawara. All of which, comes to a mighty match between Sugawara and Takamatsu. It's loaded with dynamite, so to speak, and lasts five minutes on the screen, Sugawara, wins. Takamatsu, a poor loser, and his four ju-jitsu hoodlum companions later ambush Sugawara in the woods. This turns out to be a mortal combat. You'd like to learn the outcome, wouldn't you?


Yagyu Secret Scrolls
1957 · 1h 49m
country: Japan
In the Tokugawa Era, the clan of Lord Yagyu has hidden away three scrolls containing clan secrets which, if revealed, would cause revolution and disaster for the clan. The information is divided among the three scrolls, all of which must be possessed for the secrets to be understood. When Princess Yuhime steals the scrolls, Tasaburo, a samurai with magical powers, and his brother Senshiro are sent to retrieve them.


Street of Ronin
1957 · 1h 50m
country: Japan
Based on the famous novel by Yamagami Itaro, this is the story of a group of ronin living in abject poverty in the latter days of the Edo period. Starring the great Konoe Jushiro, Ronin Gai is populated by an ensemble of colorful characters, social outcasts who patronize a restaurant and bar on the outskirts of Edo. Among them are masterless samurai reduced to drunkenness and debauchery. One disgraced and disillusioned former warrior gets a chance at redemption when he is hired to retrieve a famous knife from a corrupt lord. This is the third version directed by Makino Masahiro and is considered a true classic.


Ôban
1957 · 1h 58m
country: Japan
A young country boy leaves his village for Tokyo, where he begins to work as a stock trader. First part (of four) of the film adaptation of Bunroku Shishi's novel, Oban.


Throne of Blood
1957 · 1h 48m
country: Japan
Returning to their lord's castle, samurai warriors Washizu and Miki are waylaid by a spirit who predicts their futures. When the first part of the spirit's prophecy comes true, Washizu's scheming wife, Asaji, presses him to speed up the rest of the spirit's prophecy by murdering his lord and usurping his place. Director Akira Kurosawa's resetting of William Shakespeare's "Macbeth" in feudal Japan is one of his most acclaimed films.


The Life of a Uniquely Interesting Man: Katsura Harudanji
1956 · 1h 48m
country: Japan


Funny Fellows
1956 · 1h 32m
country: Japan


The Storm
1956 · 1h 48m
country: Japan
A widowed high-school teacher tries to raise his four children alone.


Tsuki no kōdōkan
1956 · 1h 14m
country: Japan


While the Demon Steps Out
1956 · 1h 57m
country: Japan


Eyes of the Jaguar: Blue Dragon's Cave
1956 · 42m
country: Japan
Judo and Shaolin team up to defeat the magician Jaguar and restore a Princess to her rightful riches, gold stashed under a mountain in Hokkaido.


The Eyes of the Jaguar
1956 · 41m
country: Japan
A young princess is kidnapped and put on a pirate ship bound for Hokkaido and the villainous Jaguar. Her only hope is the cook and a young man who knows Judo.


Bara no kōdōkan
1956 · 1h 26m
country: Japan


Where Might is Right
1955 · 1h 19m
country: Japan


I Live in Fear
1955 · 1h 43m
country: Japan
An aging foundry patriarch, gripped by terror of nuclear annihilation, tries to uproot his family to Brazil. When they petition to have him declared incompetent, a family-court counselor witnesses his obsession slide into ruin—and asks whether ignoring the atomic threat is any saner.


Nagasaki no yoru
1955 · 1h 28m
country: Japan
A mysterious magician with a Japanese mother who came to Nagasaki’s Nankin-machi from the mainland in search of his father’s killer.


The Rust Cleaner Sings
1955 · 1h 16m
country: Japan
A passionate young man takes on a corrupt boss, determined to save innocent teachers and numerous orphans.


No Time for Tears
1955 · 1h 49m
country: Japan
Coach Shimamura of the hapless Sparrows baseball team is pleased to obtain a hot new pitcher named Onishi. But when Onishi begins a romantic relationship with the coach's daughter Michiko, Shimamura becomes angry with the young man, lashing out at him when he disobeys instructions during a game. In turn, Michiko becomes angry with her father, who becomes increasingly depressed. When a tragedy strikes the family, Coach Shimamura begins losing control of his life, just when his family and his team need him most.


The Birth of Judo
1955 · 1h 36m
country: Japan
Centered on a young college student who puts his youthful passion into developing true judo and the fiery mentor he admires and studies under.


Hanazakari otoko ichidai
1955 · 1h 27m
country: Japan


Ginji of the Seven Faces
1955 · 1h 28m
country: Japan
Yesterday a gentleman, today a student, tomorrow a stylish man in a casual kimono—Ginji, the pickpocket with seven faces, has his sights set on the gold watch of destiny. A tale of passion, love, human emotion, pistols, and thrills.


A Man Among Men
1955 · 1h 35m
country: Japan
Gangsters Ken and Maki are rivals in the ticket-scalping game. They make an uneasy truce, but Ken wrecks the truce by agreeing to fix a boxing match in which Maki has an interest in one of the fighters. After a terrible brawl, the two gangsters discover that they have both been played for suckers by their bosses. They join forces to turn the tables on the bosses.


Wakai hito-tachi
1954 · 1h 58m
country: Japan


Ghost Man
1954 · 1h 13m
country: Japan
A ghost man with his face hidden entirely by bandages is killing beautiful nude models. Detective Kindaichi investigates.


Turbid Youth
1954 · 1h 33m
country: Japan
Shigeki Kachi, Tosuke Satomura, and Nanako, who belong to the theater company Vuanbert around Dosa, withdrew at the indignation of the chairman Hayashi and seeked their own careers in the film industry.


Akōgishi
1954 · 1h 38m
country: Japan


The Black Current
1954 · 1h 53m
country: Japan
A reporter Takuo, who is sleeping in the newspaper room of the Maichō newspaper company, receives a sudden report from a reporter that the missing Akiyama JNR president was found dead.


Yakuza bayashi
1954 · 1h 28m
country: Japan
Makino Masahiro film starring Okada Mariko


The Street Without Sun
1954 · 2h 20m
country: Japan
Based on the novel by proletarian writer Sunao Tokunaga. The story is about a long strike by workers at a large printing house and the strikers' steadfastness, which neither hunger nor violence could break. The heroine of this story actively participates in her colleagues' struggle against layoffs, oppression, and police brutality.


Seven Samurai
1954 · 3h 27m
country: Japan
A samurai answers a village's request for protection after he falls on hard times. The town needs protection from bandits, so the samurai gathers six others to help him teach the people how to defend themselves, and the villagers provide the soldiers with food.


My Six Favorite Men — Speedy Men
1954 · 1h 45m
country: Japan


Utsukushiki taka
1954 · 1h 28m
country: Japan


One Night of Love
1954 · 1h 29m
country: Japan
The story of the hardships facing women working as maids and waitresses at a resort hotel restaurant.


Birth of a Jazz Star
1954 · 57m
country: Japan
Keiko Togawa, a chorus girl at the Toyo Theater, is told by director Miyauchi that she has been chosen to play the lead role in the next production.


Gate of Hell
1953 · 1h 26m
country: Japan
Japan, 1159. Moritō, a brave samurai, performs a heroic act by rescuing the lovely Kesa during a violent uprising. Moritō falls in love with her, but becomes distraught when he finds out that she is married.


Hana no kenkajō
1953 · 1h 21m
country: Japan


City of Violence
1953 · 1h 20m
country: Japan
Set against the backdrop of Hiroshima, a city plagued by gun violence, a passionate newspaper reporter and the citizens band together to courageously confront the tyranny of two major organized crime syndicates.


Jirocho's Home-Coming
1953 · 1h 20m
country: Japan
Jirocho's Tale of Three Provinces IV: All Gathered at Shimizu Harbor is the forth installment in the Jirocho's Tale of Three Provinces series.


Her Captive Gamblers
1953 · 1h 27m
country: Japan
Coming Up of Kodokan
Coming Up of Kodokan
1953 · 1h 42m
country: Japan


Tower of Lilies
1953 · 2h 8m
country: Japan
A group of Okinawan high school girls are drafted as nurses during the American invasion of the island. As the enemy army advances further, the situation for the girls becomes increasingly desperate as food and shelter run out and the number of injured climbs, leading to the film's tragic finale.


Sado Island Elegy
1952 · 1h 26m
country: Japan
Medical student Makoto Tachibana took advantage of his summer break to visit Sado Island, the hometown of his best friend Tago. Tago was the son of the owner of a ryokan in Ryotsu Port on Sado, and his younger sister, the aspiring singer Chieko, had also come to the island. The day Makoto arrived on the island was the opening ceremony for the Ryōtsu River, and the entire town was buzzing with the Okesa dance. That night, Chieko introduced Makoto to Fumiyo, whom she had noticed on the ferry and had been curious about. Although Makoto and Fumiyo were attracted to each other, her grandfather and older brother vehemently opposed their relationship.


Daigaku no kotengu
1952 · 1h 28m
country: Japan
With his mother’s wishes and a young woman’s prayers in his heart, a spirited young man fights to uphold the honor of college judo.


The Stand in Hakone
1952 · 2h 27m
country: Japan
A period film about a peasant revolt in the region near Mount Fuji, occasioned by high officials' depriving the farmers of their water rights.


Riverside Fish Market Empire
1952 · 1h 1m
country: Japan
Obscure Japanese movie by director Kyotaro Namiki


Miki, the Swordman
1951 · 1h 4m
country: Japan
After mastering swordsmanship at the dojo of Chiba Shusaku, and unable to serve a clan due to his illness, Hirate Miki becomes a ronin who winds up as bodyguard to Shigezo of Sasagawa leading up to an epic battle.


The Man Without a Nationality
1951 · 1h 25m
country: Japan
Thriller drama by Kon Ichikawa


The White Orchid
1951 · 1h 43m
country: Japan
A Japanese adaptation of Guy de Maupassant's short story Boule de Suif, directed by Kimura Keigo


Tokyo File 212
1951 · 1h 24m
country: Japan
A Communist spy ring in Japan is hard at work trying to sabotage the American war effort during the Korean War, using kidnapping, murder and a disturbed former kamikaze pilot. A U.S. secret agent, posing as a reporter, is dispatched to Tokyo to put a stop to these nefarious activities.


Beyond Love and Hate
1951 · 1h 47m
country: Japan
A young man, convicted of a crime and imprisoned in the penitentiary, comes to believe that his wife is being unfaithful to him. He contrives his escape from the prison in order to seek her out and learn the truth, but the police give chase and he must flee into the mountains.
Crossing the Flames of War
Crossing the Flames of War
1950 · 1h 31m
country: Japan


Sanshiro of Ginza
1950 · 1h 22m
country: Japan
An early film by Kon Ichikawa


Town of Violence
1950 · 1h 51m
country: Japan
An attempt is made to suppress a journalist's investigation of collusion between a rural police chief and the local gangster bosses.


Stray Dog
1949 · 2h 2m
country: Japan
A bad day gets worse for young detective Murakami when a pickpocket steals his gun on a hot, crowded bus. Desperate to right the wrong, he goes undercover, scavenging Tokyo’s sweltering streets for the stray dog whose desperation has led him to a life of crime. With each step, cop and criminal’s lives become more intertwined and the investigation becomes an examination of Murakami’s own dark side.