{"id":27031,"date":"2021-11-17T15:00:55","date_gmt":"2021-11-17T15:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/?p=27031"},"modified":"2025-07-24T14:18:58","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T05:18:58","slug":"movies-in-japanese","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/blog\/movies-in-japanese\/","title":{"rendered":"Our favorite non-Anime movies and series in Japanese"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There\u2019s nothing wrong with a <\/span>Attack on Titan<\/span><\/i> binge, or rewatching <\/span>Mononoke Hime<\/span><\/i> for the umpteenth time. They\u2019re great! But, there are so many other movies in Japanese aside from your favorite anime.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides language learning opportunities, movies can teach you about Japan\u2019s culture. A story can show you values or highlight an aspect of Japanese society you hadn\u2019t considered. But where to begin?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With such a long history of cinema combined with the ton of options out there, it can be tough to know where to start. So, we did the work for you. Broaden your horizons with this curated list of our picks for best Japanese movies and series!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"watching<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Best movies and series in Japanese<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our list of the best movies in Japanese has a little something for everybody. Dark crime dramas, wild sci-fi action, quiet dramas, and a few choice picks somewhere in the middle. Read on to find your next favorite Japanese movie or series!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yakuza and the Family (\u30e4\u30af\u30b6\u3068\u5bb6\u65cf)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yakuza and the Family<\/span><\/i> starts like a typical Japanese gangster film. Distraught teen Kenji Yamamoto finds a father figure in Yakuza boss, Hiroshi Shibasaki. Hiroshi recruits Kenji into the gang and becomes a mentor of sorts. Action, violence, and threats of vengeance ensue as Hiroshi takes Kenji under his wing.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s entertaining but nothing terribly original. But by the second and third acts, the movie slowly transcends the genre. You\u2019ll witness a realistic take on the Yakuza\u2019s dwindling power. Besides being one of our picks for best Japanese movie, the film is a fascinating look at a real cultural phenomenon in Japan nearing its bitter end.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okuribito (\u304a\u304f\u308a\u3073\u3068)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Okuribito<\/span><\/i> (also titled <\/span>Departures<\/span><\/i>) follows Daigo Kobayashi, a cellist in a small local orchestra. After the orchestra disbands, Daigo is forced back to his hometown and finds a new way to make a living \u2014 working at a mortuary.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okuribito<\/em> is a quiet, funny movie in Japanese that covers a taboo topic in Japanese society. There are some prejudices against people who deal with the dead in Japan. So much so that the movie almost never saw commercial release. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The heavy themes go down easy thanks to a sentimental script focused on family. Give Okuribito<\/em> a go if you enjoy slow-burn, character driven movies. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alice in Borderland (\u4eca\u969b\u306e\u56fd\u306e\u30a2\u30ea\u30b9)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Alice in Borderland<\/span><\/i> is a thrilling sci-fi series based on a manga of the same name. Ryohei Arisu is a depressed, directionless 20-something without much going on in his life. One day his dad decides to kick him out of the house for playing video games all day long. After a day out with his like-minded friends, the three of them are mysteriously transported to a world that functions like a post-apocalyptic video game.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The action and tension of this series are the main draws here. But you\u2019ll also enjoy some eye-candy courtesy of abandoned Tokyo streets, including an impossibly empty Shibuya Station. That\u2019s one instance of the show\u2019s many unique sights you\u2019ll never spot in real Japan.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Giri\/Haji (\u7fa9\u7406\/\u6065)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Giri\/Haji<\/span><\/i> is a blend of genres packed into a classic crime drama aesthetic. It starts with detective Kenzo Mori traveling to London to find his brother, Yuto. He becomes embroiled in London\u2019s criminal underworld which drives the drama of the show.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best part of Giri\/Haji<\/em> is the wide range of stories told in a familiar setting. Looking for criminal action scenes? It\u2019s here. Investigation and intrugue? Yes and yes. Character-driven love story? Check. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And if the fresh take on the crime genre doesn\u2019t hook you, the solid writing and acting throughout the series <\/span>will<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories (\u6df1\u591c\u98df\u5802)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories<\/span><\/i> is a limited series based on a manga called <\/span>Shin’ya Shokud\u014d <\/span><\/i>(Midnight Diner)<\/span>.<\/span><\/i> Both the manga and show are amazing resources for Japanese language learning. The slice-of-life feel of the stories shows you plenty of everyday situations and the natural dialogue that goes with them. You\u2019ll find a treasure trove of useful phrases in any given episode.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The show itself is also wildly entertaining if you enjoy tight, character-focused stories. Each episode revolves around a regular customer at a late-night diner in Tokyo. Some problem is revealed to the enigmatic “<\/span>Master”<\/span> (the shop\u2019s owner), and gets resolved by the end in a poignant, understated fashion.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Erased (\u50d5\u3060\u3051\u304c\u3044\u306a\u3044\u8857)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Erased <\/span><\/i>is another series based on a manga called <\/span>Boku Dake ga Inai Machi<\/span><\/i>. It follows a struggling manga artist with an extraordinary gift to turn back time. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The plot jumps between different periods in time which usually makes a complex narrative. But the slow introduction to the show\u2019s rules of time travel make it easy to follow. The characters and fast pace will make you want to binge watch the whole thing.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep in mind that you have three options to watch. There\u2019s the original anime series, a 2016 anime movie, and a 2017 live action adaptation. As of this writing in September 2021, the live action version on Netflix is the only one with English subtitles.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Queer Eye: We\u2019re in Japan! (\u30af\u30a3\u30a2\u30fb\u30a2\u30a4 in Japan!)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Fab Five did a whole season in Japan in <\/span>Queer Eye: We\u2019re in Japan!<\/span><\/i> It follows the tried and true format of the other seasons (examining someone\u2019s life and making it fabulous). But, <\/span>it adds an off-screen Japanese interpreter, a Japanese tour guide, and comedian <\/span>Naomi Watanabe.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This season is an amazing look at everyday aspects of Japanese culture that are often overlooked in your standard guidebook or blog article. You\u2019ll get to ride along with the Fab Five and learn a lot through their insightful questions about Japan.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And if you\u2019ve never seen the original show before, each episode usually ends in a genuinely touching, tearjerker moment. You\u2019ll walk away with a deeper understanding of Japan and an empathic connection with each episode\u2019s subject.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more about Japan <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Want to learn more about Japanese life, culture and society? Follow Go! Go! Nihon for more on Instagram<\/a>, Facebook<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, and TikTok<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s nothing wrong with a Attack on Titan binge, or rewatching Mononoke Hime for the umpteenth time. They\u2019re great! But, there are so many other movies in Japanese aside from your favorite anime. Besides language learning opportunities, movies can teach you about Japan\u2019s culture. A story can show you values or highlight an aspect of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":117,"featured_media":26375,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[400],"tags":[661],"class_list":["post-27031","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-japanese-culture","tag-pop-culture"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27031","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/117"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27031"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27031\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":185638,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27031\/revisions\/185638"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26375"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27031"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27031"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27031"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}