The 50 Greatest Japanese Films of All Time

Despite being from halfway across the globe, Japanese cinema is remarkably similar to American cinema in many aspects. Because of this, Japanese cinema has always maintained a fairly high level of popularity overseas, with the notable genres being samurai films and anime. The directors of both countries have likewise been very influenced by each other, particularly in the Samurai and Western films.

Japanese film started out very early, with a very productive silent film industry, but it wasn’t until the 1950s that it really became acclaimed internationally. From this wave, cinematic giants like Akira Kurosawa and Yasujiro emerged, shaping the medium as much as any other filmmakers of their time. After their time, many other auteurs stepped up to the plate, never leaving a significant shortage of great directors for the country. While the list below is skewed more towards the earlier period it shows some of the great films across the 20th century. Enjoy!

50. Kill! (Kihachi Okamoto, 1968)

49. Tokyo Drifter (Seijun Suzuki, 1966)

48. The Hidden Fortress (Akira Kurosawa, 1958)

47. Kuroneko (Kaneto Shindo, 1968)

46. House (Nobuhiko Obayashi, 1977)

45. The Tale of Princess Kaguya (Isao Takahata, 2014)

44. Sonatine (Takeshi Kitano, 1993)

43. An Actor’s Revenge (Kon Ichikawa, 1963)

42. Audition (Takashi Miike, 1999)

41. Porco Rosso (Hayao Miyazaki, 1992)

40. Pitfall (Hiroshi Teshigahara, 1962)

39. Branded to Kill (Seijun Suzuki, 1967)

38. The Makioka Sisters (Kon Ichikawa, 1983)

37. The Wind Rises (Hayao Miyazaki, 2013)

36. High and Low (Akira Kurosawa, 1963)

35. Perfect Blue (Satoshi Kon, 1997)

34. Ugetsu (Kenji Mizoguchi, 1953)

33. Grave of the Fireflies (Isao Takahata, 1988)

32. 13 Assassins (Takashi Miike, 2010)

31. Akira (Katsuhiro Otomo, 1988)

30. Throne of Blood (Akira Kurosawa, 1957)

29. Kwaidan (Masaki Kobayshi, 1964)

28. An Autumn Afternoon (Yasujiro Ozu, 1962)

27. Samurai Trilogy (Hiroshi Inagaki, 1954-1956)

26. The Life of Oharu (Kenji Mizoguchi, 1952)

25. The Face of Another (Hiroshi Teshigahara, 1966)

24. Kagemusha (Akira Kurosawa, 1980)

23. Princess Mononoke (Hayao Miyazaki, 1997)

22. Battle Royale (Kinji Fukusaku, 2000)

21. Vengeance in Mine (Shoehei Imamura, 1979)

20. Sanjuro (Akira Kurosawa, 1962)

19. Paprika (Satoshi Kon, 2006)

18. The Bad Sleep Well (Akira Kurosawa, 1960)

17. Still Walking (Hirokazu Koreeda, 2008)

16. Late Spring (Yasujiro Ozu, 1949)

15. Onibaba (Kaneto Shindo, 1964)

14. Spirited Away (Hayao Miyazaki, 2002)

13. Rashomon (Akira Kurosawa, 1950)

12. Sansho the Bailiff (Kenji Mizoguchi, 1954)

11. Floating Weeds (Yasujiro Ozu, 1959)

10. Double Suicide (Masahiro Shinoda, 1969)

Simultaneously old-fashioned and post-modern, Masahiro Shinoda’s is an oft overlooked masterpiece. The film is based on an 18th century bunraku play, or puppet play. Instead of puppets, Shinoda opted to use live actors as puppets, with background crew dressed in all black to move the characters around. Looking past the quirk of the concept, it also adds thematic significance in the futility of the doomed lovers actions.

9. Samurai Rebellion (Masaki Kobayashi, 1967)

Samurai Rebellion is the most intense and thrilling samurai film I have ever seen, and it makes you wonder why Kobayashi never achieved the international success of Kurosawa. One reason stands out is that the film sets up the protagonists motives very well making us very involved in their story. The most incredible aspect of the film is the way Kobayashi builds the atmosphere before a conflict to an effect that is well ahead of it’s time.

8. Seven Samurai (Akira Kurosawa, 1954)

The most famous non-animated Japanese film, Kurosawa’s greatest epic never drags despite it’s length. It’s universal acclaim has led it to become one of the most influential films of all time and it has been remade many times. The plot follows seven masterless  Samurai who defend a village from bandits, and connect to the villagers during their stay. While it is obviously a must watch for any student of film, even casual moviegoers will be impressed by its scope and storytelling.

7. Tokyo Story (Yasujiro Ozu, 1953)

Yasujiro Ozu is probably the second most iconic Japanese director behind Kurosawa, and is known for a completely different breed of films than his peer. On paper, his films all sound remarkably alike, featuring some sort of family conflict and societal pressure. That makes it all the more impressive when he has dozen of unique masterpieces, thanks to his fully realized vision and terrific troupe of actors. Tokyo Story is a cut above the rest, about two senior citizens who feel they have become a burden on their children. Even if that doesn’t sound intriguing, do yourself a favor and watch this film.

6. Ran (Akira Kurosawa, 1985)

It is rare for a director to be so consistent throughout his career, which is yet another reason why Kurosawa is so transcendent of a director. Ran, made late in his career, is one of his greatest achievements. While based on King Lear, it becomes a story of its own, with its scope and grandeur still impressive today. For those new to Kurosawa, this is a good place to start.

5. Woman in the Dunes (Hiroshi Teshigahara, 1964)

The pinnacle of Japanese avant-garde film, is a complete work of art on all fronts. The script written by modernist writer Kobo Abe builds off of the myth of Sisyphus and morphs into a twisted, surreal nightmare. This is aided by the arresting, monotonous imagery and an inventive score by composer Toru Takemitsu.

4. The Human Condition (Masaki Kobayashi, 1959-1961)

The Japanese epic to rule them all, this monumental film in three parts boasts a nearly ten hour run time. The film stars Tatsuya Nakadai as a young pacifist who transforms into a hardened, disillusioned veteran. We follow him through a labor camp, to training camp to the battlefield, as his will and principles are tested at every juncture in a corrupt world. While it takes some commitment to watch the whole thing, there are few films that leave as large an impact.

3. Ikiru (Akira Kurosawa, 1952)

Many people think that Kurosawa was limited to action-packed Samurai films, but all they need to do is watch this intimate masterpiece. Kurosawa regular Takashi Shimura finally gets his big leading role as an old bureaucrat who doesn’t have long to live, and delivers one of the greatest performances of all time. The film covers his twilight transformation from a joyless curmudgeon as he goes on a quest for meaning before he dies.

2. Harakiri (Masaki Kobayashi, 1962)

This is not your average samurai film. It’s full of twists, features a lot of drama and is incredibly brutal. Like Kobayashi’s other films, it too was well ahead of it’s time, perhaps too intense for the audiences at the time. In fact, it was recently remade by Takashi Miike of all people, who’s new treatment only slightly increased the violence. While it is may not have the huge scale of Kobayashi’s The Human Condition (#4 on this list) it is a pitch perfect creation with a masterful conclusion.

1. Yojimbo (Akira Kurosawa, 1961)

Yojimbo is the greatest samurai film, the greatest Mifune performance, the greatest Kurosawa and, I think, the greatest Japanese film ever.  The story is classic, featuring a skilled ronin, who plays two feuding families in a small town into increasing amounts of money before they both turn on him. It has been copied many times, including into Sergio Leone’s A Fistful of Dollars, but never equaled. It has everything: terrific script, thrilling action, double crosses and Kurosawa at the peak of his powers all bottled down into a modest scope and run time. It is one of only a few films that I consider ‘perfect.’

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