7 Best Japanese Movies Not to Miss, Various Genres Including Anime

Kapanlagi.com - Not only its cartoons or anime, the Japanese film industry is also interesting to follow. There are several best Japanese films that have attracted attention during their screening. Not only that, some of the best films from Japan are still being discussed until now.

Best Japanese films have interesting and exciting stories to watch. Japanese films often incorporate elements of history, culture, and the daily lives of Japanese society. This is what makes Japanese films unique and interesting to watch. In addition, the actions and charms of the actors and actresses are also captivating, compared to Hollywood or Korean film actors.

Summarized from various sources, here are recommended Japanese films that should not be missed.

1. SHOPLIFTERS

(credit: idmb)

SHOPLIFTERS became one of the recommended Japanese films that you must watch. This film is the work of the famous director Hirokazu Koreeda who is known as a specialist in family-themed films. The same goes for SHOPLIFTERS, which tells the story of the lives of poor families in the outskirts of Tokyo.

The film SHOPLIFTERS tells the story of a family who, because of their extreme poverty, have to steal just to survive. It is a heartbreaking story that can make the audience feel both pain and sadness. The beautiful storytelling and cinematography have led SHOPLIFTERS to win the Palme d'Or award at the Cannes Film Festival 2018.

2. HONEY LEMON SODA

The next best Japanese film recommendation is relatively new as it was released in 2021. The film titled HONEY LEMON SODA tells the story of two lovers named Uka Ishimori and Kai Miura. HONEY LEMON SODA portrays teenage romance.

It is told that there is a shy female student named Uka at a school. In the past, Uka had a trauma that haunted her. In the same school, there is a male student with fresh yellow hair like a lemon. He is Kai Miura. In contrast to Uka, Kai is a popular student in his school.

Despite their different personalities, it turns out that these two students secretly have feelings for each other. Eventually, they form a special relationship. To find out more about the story, just watch HONEY LEMON SODA.

3. WHAT DID YOU EAT YESTERDAY?

(credit: idmb)

A Japanese film titled WHAT DID YOU EAT YESTERDAY? is also worth watching. WHAT DID YOU EAT YESTERDAY? tells the story of a gay couple named Kakei Shiro and Yabuki Kenji. Kakei Shiro is a lawyer, while Yabuki Kenji is a hairdresser. They have a tradition of eating together.

Kakei Shiro and Yabuki Kenji never reveal their relationship to anyone, including Kakei Shiro's parents who know that their son is gay. So, will their secret be revealed? And what is the future of their relationship? If you're curious, just watch WHAT DID YOU EAT YESTERDAY?

4. MY TOMMOROW, YOUR YESTERDAY

The fourth recommended Japanese film is titled My TOMMOROW, YOUR YESTERDAY. The film My TOMMOROW, YOUR YESTERDAY tells the story of two main characters who live in different times. These two characters will only meet every five years.

Unfortunately, the rare meeting becomes something heartbreaking. Because no matter what they do, they will never be able to be together. Sounds sad, right? Yes, if you decide to watch this Japanese film, make sure to prepare tissues. Because the sad story of My TOMMOROW, YOUR YESTERDAY will definitely make your heart sad and painful.

5. MY NEIGHBOR TORORO

(credit: idmb)

It has become a well-known secret that the Japanese film industry is famous for its anime. Therefore, it feels incomplete to discuss Japanese film recommendations without including anime. Well, one anime that must be watched is MY NEIGHBOR TORORO.

Produced by Studio Gibli in 1988, until now MY NEIGHBOR TORORO remains one of the best anime of all time. The cute fictional character Tororo is also still the most popular icon of Japanese anime.

MY NEIGHBOR TORORO tells the story of two girls, Satsuki and Mei, who have just moved to a village. Near the village, Mei encounters Tororo, a mysterious and magical creature. Satsuki also eventually meets Tororo. Eventually, Satsuki and Mei befriend Totoro and do many magical things together.

6. SPIRITED AWAY

Another popular animation film produced by Studio Ghibli is SPIRITED AWAY. This animated film is also one of the highest-grossing films of all time in the Japanese film industry. Not only that, SPIRITED AWAY also won the Best Animated Feature category at the Oscars.

SPIRITED AWAY has an equally interesting story compared to MY NEIGHBOR TORORO. This anime tells the adventure of a girl named Chihiro. However, Chihiro's adventure is different from others. Chihiro's mission is to change her parents back to normal after they were cursed and turned into pigs due to their greediness. Will Chihiro succeed?

7. KIMI NO NAWA

(credit: idmb)

A relatively new anime film that deserves to be included in the list of the best Japanese films is KIMI NO NAWA or YOUR NAME. This film, released in 2016, has a romantic and fantasy genre. KIMI NO NAWA tells the story of a girl named Mitsuha Miyamizu who miraculously and suddenly switches bodies with a boy named Taki Tachibana.

However, Mitsuha and Taki do not know each other. They also live far apart, with Taki living in Tokyo while Miyamizu lives in a village. They eventually search for each other. But in the midst of their search, they encounter a big mystery that slowly unravels the truth behind their body swapping.

Those are some of the best Japanese film recommendations that you must watch. So, which one are you interested in watching?

(kpl/psp)