Hiruko the Goblin / Yôkai hantâ: Hiruko (1991)
Comedy | Fantasy | Horror
A goblin is sent to Earth to behead students and turn their bodies into demons.
Starring: Kenji Sawada, Masaki Kudou, Hideo Murota, Naoto Takenaka, Megumi Ueno
Director: Shin'ya Tsukamoto
Zokki (2020)
Comedy | Drama
Three of Japan's most talented and prolific actor-directors have joined forces to adapt Hiroyuki Ohashi's cult manga series about characters in "an obscure corner" of the world. The film's five loosely connected storylines concern the secrets and lies, the fears and tears, and the puerile potty jokes that punctuate their daily encounters.
Starring: Riho YoshiokaShinnosuke Mitsushima, Fuku Suzuki, Yurina Yanagi, Sara Minami, Masanobu Andô
Director: Takumi Saitoh, Naoto Takenaka, Takayuki Yamada
Penguin Highway (2018)
Adventure | Animation | Family | Fantasy | Mystery
A fourth-grader, Aoyama-kun, investigates the mysterious reason behind the sudden appearance of penguins in his village, which is somehow related to a power from a young woman working at a dental clinic.
Starring: Kana Kita, Yû Aoi, Rie Kugimiya, Megumi Han, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Naoto Takenaka
Director: Hiroyasu Ishida
Samurai Marathon / Samurai marason (2019)
Action | Drama | History
The American imperialists are at the door and intruding on Japan. To assess and train his troops the lord of the land announces a marathon through the land crisscrossing shores, forests and the mountain. The shogunate in Edo was not approving and views word of the contest with contempt and suspicion. Spies and moles are dispatched. One mole realizes the misunderstanding and is determined to stop lives and alliances being lost. He runs.
Starring: Takeru Satoh, Nana Komatsu, Mirai Moriyama, Shôta Sometani, Munetaka Aoki, Naoto Takenaka, Etsushi Toyokawa, Hiroki Hasegawa
Director: Bernard Rose
Colors of Wind / Kaze no iro (2017)
Drama
Before Ryo's girlfriend dies, she tells him that a woman who looks identical to her is in Hokkaido. To find out, Ryo travels to Hokkaido.
Starring: Yûki Furukawa, Takemi Fujii, Tomoya Ishii, Yoshihiko Hakamada, Mantarô Koichi, Yoshiko Nakada, Naoto Takenaka
Director: Jae-young Kwak
Manhunt (2017)
Action | Drama | Mystery | Thriller
Accused of heinous crimes he didn't commit, a prosecutor sets out on a mission to clear his name.
Starring: Hanyu Zhang, Masaharu Fukuyama, Stephy Qi, Ji-won Ha, Jun Kunimura, Angeles Woo, Naoto Takenaka
Director: John Woo
Temple (2017)
History | Horror
Three American tourists follow a mysterious map deep into the jungles of Japan searching for an ancient temple. When spirits entrap them, their adventure quickly becomes a horrific nightmare.
Starring: Naoto Takenaka, Asahi Uchida, Logan Huffman, Brandon Sklenar, Natalia Warner
Director: Michael Barrett
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Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence / Innocence / Kôkaku kidôtai 2 (2004)
Animation | Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller
In the year 2032, Batô, a cyborg detective for the anti-terrorist unit Public Security Section 9, investigates the case of a female robot–one created solely for sexual pleasure–who slaughtered her owner.
Starring: Akio Ôtsuka, Atsuko Tanaka, Tamio Ôki, Kôichi Yamadera, Yutaka Nakano, Naoto Takenaka
Director: Mamoru Oshii
Ley Lines / Nihon kuroshakai (1999)
Crime | Drama | Thriller
A group of Chinese youths living in Japan struggle to make their way in life and eventually find trouble with the local crime syndicate.
Starring: Kazuki Kitamura, Tomorô Taguchi, Naoto Takenaka, Shô Aikawa, Michisuke Kashiwaya, Samuel Pop Aning
Director: Takashi Miike
Kamen Rider 1 GO (2016)
Action
45 years ago, a man was subjected to the experiments of the secret organization Shocker and became a cyborg. Since that day, the man's sole mission has been protecting humanity and justice from the threat of Shocker. His name is Takeshi Hongo, the first Kamen Rider. After a long battle overseas, Hongo hears a certain girl is in danger and immediately returns to Japan. He then meets Takeru Tenkuji, Kamen Rider Ghost, who had been investigating the girl's whereabouts.
Starring: Hiroshi Fujioka, Shun Nishime, Hikaru Ohsawa, Ryôsuke Yamamoto, Takayuki Yanagi, Naoto Takenaka
Director: Osamu Kaneda
Tokyo Fist / Tokyo Fuisuto (1995)
Action | Drama | Thriller
Tsuda is a young insurance salesman whose life, and the life of his fiancée Hizuru, is turned upside down when he meets an old schoolfriend, Takuji. Soon after Takuji's visit to Tsuda's apartment, Hizuru has her nipples pierced and starts making moves on Takuji while Tsuda begins a fitness and boxing campaign. The bizarre love triangle is linked to a half-forgotten incident from Tsuda and Takujis' youth.
Starring: Kaori Fujii, Naomasa Musaka, Kôji Tsukamoto, Naoto Takenaka, Shin'ya Tsukamoto, Tomorowo Taguchi
Director: Shin'ya Tsukamoto
Sumo Do, Sumo Don't / Shiko funjatta (1992)
Comedy | Sport
Yet another tradition in the tradition of "ragtag misfits" in Japanese comedy…Sumo Do, Sumo Don't tells the story of a university sumo club in Japan. In today's Japan, the younger generation is more interested in "Western" sports like baseball and basketball. Professor Anayama, a former university sumo champion, blackmails graduating (and slim) student Shuhei into joining the decimated university team, or he doesn't graduate. Along with a pro wrestler, an unpopular, chubby guy, and a gaijin (white guy), the team begins training for competition, even though none of them cares about sumo at all. Gradually, they develop a love and respect for the traditional sport.
Starring: Masahiro Motoki, Misa Shimizu, Naoto Takenaka, Akira Emoto, Kaori Mizushima, Hiromasa Taguchi, Robert Hoffman
Director: Masayuki Suo
Bittare!!! (2015)
Comedy
Tsutomu (Kei Tanaka) belonged to an organized crime group. He left the gang and now raises his niece Karin (Miku Iwasaki) alone. His older sister, who worked as a judicial scrivener, passed away. He spends his days peacefully. Then, Tsutomu's friend goes through an unfair dismissal and the family of Tsutomu's helper, Eiko (Kanna Mori), are forced to move out from their house due to an unfair deal. Karin becomes hostage.
Starring: Kei Tanaka, Kanna Mori, Miku Iwasaki, Kôji Yamamoto, Naoto Takenaka
Director: Satoshi Kaneda
The Perfect Education / Kanzen-naru shiiku (1999)
Drama
Schoolgirl Kuniko is kidnapped by a middle-aged man Iwazono when she is jogging. He tells her that he had a failed marriage which leaves him a deep and everlasting scar in his mind. He kidnaps her in search of a perfect marriage and intends to lock her in the room and 'educate' her to perform perfect sex where body and soul are united. With the strong sense of fear and humiliation at the beginning, Kuniko gradually accepts Iwazono who treats her with total respect (except that she is still his prisoner). The distance between the two shortens and their relationship becomes more like that of lovers in spite of the large age difference between them…
Starring: Naoto Takenaka, Hijiri Kojima, Kazuki Kitamura, Asami Sawaki, Shin'ya Tsukamoto
Director: Ben Wada
Gonin Saga / Gonin sâga (2015)
Action
Seiji (Masanobu Ando) is a third generation "Gosei kai" gang member. He works to build up the group's strength. Meanwhile, a journalist (Tasuku Emoto) investigates a case that occurred 19 years ago. He meets Hayato (Masahiro Higashide), Daisuke (Kenta Kiritani) and Asami (Anna Tsuchiya).
Starring: Masahiro Higashide, Kenta Kiritani, Anna Tsuchiya, Masanobu Andô, Tasuku Emoto, Naoto Takenaka
Director: Takashi Ishii
Heartbroken Chocolatier / Shitsuren Chocolatier (TV Series 2014- )
Romance
Koyurugi Sota looks up to and adores his senior in school, Takahashi Saeko. With his one-sided love for her, he decides to leave for Paris to learn the art of making chocolates, as she loves chocolates. After returning from Paris, Sota dreams of creating the perfect chocolate to present to Saeko, and that it will make Saeko fall madly in love with him. Saeko, who is already married, is actually quite the airhead, but her actions seem to lead Sota on. Does Saeko not know that Sota is madly in love with her? Or is she just playing with his feelings?
Starring: Osamu Naitô, Jun Matsumoto, Satomi Ishihara, Asami Mizukawa, Kiko Mizuhara, Junpei Mizobata, Kasumi Arimura, Shigeaki Katô, Ryûta Satô, Naoto Takenaka, Hidekazu Mashima
Creator: Naoko Adachi, Miyako Koshikawa
The Blue Light / Ao no hono-o (2003)
Crime | Drama | Romance
Shuichi Kushimori is a 17-year-old student who lives a happy life with his mother and his sister. Without warning, one day his missing stepfather, Sone, is back after a long absence. Sone is soon in a vicious circle of drinking and starts to harass his ex-wife and stepdaughter. When he makes sexual advances towards Shuichis sister, Shuichi decides to take matters into their own hands. After careful and precise preparation Shuichi puts his plan into action. It seems that he has committed the perfect crime, autopsy reveals a natural death and Shichi cleared of all suspicion. But the murder weapon disappears from the hiding place and soon the young killer is filled with doubt, fear and anxiety.
Starring: Kazunari Ninomiya, Aya Matsuura, Kumiko Akiyoshi, Kansai Yamamoto, Baijaku Nakamura, Anne Suzuki, Naomasa Musaka, Toshiaki Karasawa, Naoto Takenaka
Director: Yukio Ninagawa
Hibi Rock: Puke Afro and the Pop Star / Hibi rokku (2014)
Comedy
Takuro Hibinuma had no talent for sports or aptitude for studying throughout high school and never had a girlfriend. However, he found his true calling when he began playing rock music. While in high school, he formed a rock band named Rock 'n' Roll with his friends. After graduation, they move to Tokyo and begin playing live shows. One day, at a live house, Takuro meets a world-renowned idol singer named Saki Utagawa and his fate is irrevocably altered when she asks him to write her a song.
Starring: Shûhei Nomura, Fumi Nikaidô, Tomoya Maeno, Keisuke Okamoto, Motoki Ochiai, Tomoko Mariya, Naoto Takenaka
Director: Yû Irie
A Night in Nude / Nûdo no yoru (1993)
Crime | Thriller
A private investigator takes on an odd job to retrieve a lost Rolex, only to find himself lured into a case filled with violence and sex by his mysterious employer.
Starring: Naoto Takenaka, Kimiko Yo, Jinpachi Nezu, Kippei Shîna
Director: Takashi Ishii
A Night in Nude: Salvation / Nûdo no yoru: Ai wa oshiminaku ubau (2010)
Crime | Drama | Thriller
Jiro (Naoto Takenaka) is a man who can do anything for you for a price. Part odd jobs man and part private eye he takes on tasks as simple as clearing out storage lockers to tracking down lost items. That's what he's asked to do by a beautiful young woman (Hiroko Sato) who shows up at his warehouse living space one afternoon. This young woman asks Jiro to help her track down a lost Rolex watch that she says was accidentally thrown out of a helicopter while she was scattering the ashes of her late father. Jiro knows the story isn't true, but he needs the money so he and the young woman begin poking around miles of woodland in the proverbial search for a needle in a haystack. Miraculously Jiro finds the wrist watch, but it looks to be caked in rotting meat. Needy but not stupid Jiro hands the watch over to a sympathetic police woman he knows for analysis. Little does Jiro know that the discovery of this Rolex will lead to another case, one filled with violence, sex and danger, one that will lead him directly into the heart of darkness.
Starring: Naoto Takenaka, Hiroko Satô, Machiko Kochi, Harumi Inoue, Jô Shishido, Shinobu Ôtake
Director: Takashi Ishii
