5 Japanese Films About Life Struggles, Inspirational Stories Full of Emotion

Kapanlagi.com - Life struggles often serve as a central theme in films. Well, there are several Japanese films about life struggles that present emotionally charged and dramatic stories. Various characters in these films struggle with trauma, social pressure, and life's uncertainties.

With various themes, ranging from personal hardships to family conflicts, these films depict life's challenges in an emotionally draining way. As a result, they not only entertain but also provide a deeper insight into how humans fight to survive.

Curious about these meaningful life struggle stories? Here are 5 recommendations for Japanese films about life struggles that are inspirational and interesting to watch.

1. PARADISE (2019)

PARADISE (credit: mydramalist)

A Japanese film about the struggle of life PARADISE tells the story of a little girl who is kidnapped at a Y-shaped intersection, and the incident leaves a deep wound on Tsumugi, the girl who was with the victim at the time of the event.

Twelve years later, another kidnapping case occurs at the same location. This time, Takeshi, a young man who works selling recycled goods with his mother, becomes the main suspect in the kidnapping.

His fear and anxiety cause Takeshi to flee to another city to avoid accusations. Meanwhile, Zenjiro, a man living near the intersection, tries to revive the village that is starting to decline. However, the constant pressure from society makes Zenjiro increasingly stressed and eventually involved in a horrific incident.

2. INTOLERANCE (2021)

INTOLERANCE (credit: mydramalist)

INTOLERANCE is a Japanese drama that tells the story of Aoyagi Naoto, a supermarket manager who is forced to confront tragedy when he catches a high school girl stealing cosmetics in his store. Unfortunately, the girl is killed by a car after trying to escape. Her father, Soeda Mitsuru, who does not believe that his daughter stole, begins to seek the truth by pressuring Aoyagi and the driver of the car.

As time goes on, the pressure felt by Aoyagi and the driver of the car increases. With relentless media scrutiny, all parties involved begin to face the bitter reality of the incident. This film depicts the tension created by disbelief and how every action has consequences greater than imagined.

3. COMPLICITY (2018)

COMPLICITY (credit: mydramalist)

COMPLICITY is also a Japanese film about the struggle of life that is a must-watch. This film tells the story of a man from China who comes to Japan with a fake identity to improve his life. He gets a job at a soba restaurant after purchasing someone else's identity at a high cost.

At first, he feels happy with his new job, but he soon realizes that his job is not as he imagined. He now has to learn how to make traditional Japanese soba noodles, a skill that is very foreign to him.

4. IT'S ALL MY FAULT (2022)

IT'S ALL MY FAULT (credit: mydramalist)

Meanwhile, the Japanese film about the struggle for life, IT'S ALL MY FAULT tells the story of Yuta, a boy living in an orphanage while waiting for his mother to pick him up. However, after discovering his mother's whereabouts, Yuta finds the bitter reality that his mother lives dependent on the man she is with.

In desperation, Yuta meets Sakamoto, a homeless man who accepts Yuta without asking anything. They share a life full of struggles to survive. One day, Yuta meets Shiori, a girl who also lives in loneliness despite coming from a wealthy family. Their relationship develops, but an incident changes everything.

5. OUR LITTLE SISTER (2015)

OUR LITTLE SISTER (credit: mydramalist)

Lastly, as a recommendation for Japanese films about the struggles of life, there is OUR LITTLE SISTER, which tells the story of three sisters, Sachi, Yoshino, and Chika, who live with their grandmother after their parents divorced and left them. After 15 years of not meeting, they learn that their father has passed away.

At their father's funeral, they meet Asano Suzu, their 13-year-old half-sister. Worried about Suzu's well-being, Sachi invites her to live with them. Despite their painful past, they learn to accept and support Suzu, and rebuild their lives together.

Those are some recommendations for Japanese films about the struggles of life. Go ahead and add the films above to your watchlist right now, because if not now, when?

(kpl/psp)