We are used to imagining Japanese warriors as brave and courageous freedom fighters for whom honor and justice are paramount. In part, this image has been created by cinema, featuring noble samurai, dodgy ninja, ruthless yakuza and colorful martial artists. We have compiled a selection of the best Japanese action movies, where you can get closer to these characters and enjoy the beauty of the East.
Rurouni Kenshin: Saishusho 2
- Rating IMDB – 7.4
- Genre: Action film, drama
- Japan production / 2020
- Worldwide gross: $21 318 560
- Directed by Keishi Otomo
- Cast: Takeru Sato, Kasumi Arimura, Issei Takahashi, Yosuke Eguchi, Nijiro Murakami, Kazuki Kitamura, Masanobu Ando, Tova Araki, Shima Onishi, Takahiro Fujimoto
In 1864, young samurai Kenshin Himura, better known as Battosai, is known throughout the neighborhood for his ruthlessness. The boy can kill more than a hundred people in a year, but he is not proud of his skill.
When he accidentally saves Tomoe Yukishiro’s girlfriend from bandits – his temper goes soft. Feelings flare up between Kenshin and Tomoe, which develops into a marriage. Eventually, the guy gives up killing for love. However, his enemies cannot leave him alone. They recruit Tomoe, hoping to weaken the powerful Battosai in order to take him out.
According to the plot, Himura Keshin is 15 years old, but the main character Takeru Sato was more than 30 years old at the time of filming.
Rurôni Kenshin: Meiji kenkaku roman tan (Film series)
- Rating IMDB – 7.4
- Genre: Action, Drama, Melodrama
- Japan production / 2012
- Worldwide gross: $37 687 024
- Directed by Keishi Otomo
- Cast: Takeru Sato, Yu Aoi, Emi Takei, Go Ayano, Masataka Kubota, Teruyuki Kagawa, Yosuke Eguchi, Munetaka Aoki, Eiji Okuda, Taketo Tanaka
Trying to atone for the sins of the past, former assassin Kenshin Himura becomes a samurai scimitarist, offering his help and protection to all in need. During his next wanderings, he meets Kaoru Kamiya. The girl helps her father and works as an instructor at a kendo school.
Himura joins the classes, and gradually romantic feelings arise between him and Kaora. However, his past comes back to haunt him, and he has to make a difficult choice.
The lead actor, Tucker Satou, performs all the stunts himself. Before he started filming, he studied martial arts, practiced with a sword and choreographed for several months.
Jûsan-nin no shikaku
- Rating IMDB – 7.5
- Genre: Action, Drama
- Japan production / 2010
- Budget: $6 000 000
- Worldwide gross: $18 689 058
- Directed by Takashi Miike
- Cast: Koji Yakusho, Takayuki Yamada, Yusuke Isei, Goro Inagaki, Masachika Ichimura, Mikijiro Hira, Hiroki Matsukata, Tsuyoshi Ihara, Arata Furuta, Ikki Sawamura
The action is set in feudal Japan in 1844. The brutal Naritsugu, the Shogun’s brother, who has a reputation as a murderer and rapist, concentrates far more power in his hands than he should. This threatens the country with economic ruin, chaos, and the overthrow of the shogunate system itself.
The wise counselor realizes that only the tyrant’s death can save the country from destruction. He instructs the experienced samurai Shinzaemon Shimada to remove the dangerous lord. Knowing that Naritsuga is guarded by an army of bodyguards, Shimada enlists the support of 13 of the best samurai warriors, willing to sacrifice their lives for the greater good.
The opening scenes are stylized for the 1960s, a reference to the 1963 Eiichi Kudo film of the same name.
The story is based on real historical events that took place in 1844.
Goemon
- Rating IMDB – 6.6
- Genre: Action, Drama, History
- Japan production / 2009
- Budget: $9 000 000
- Worldwide gross: $14 456 963
- Directed by Kazuaki Kiriya
- Cast: Yosuke Eguchi, Takao Osawa, Ryoko Hirosue, Jun Kaname, Gori, Mikijiro Hira, Masato Ibu, Tetsuji Tamayama, Hashinosuke Nakamura, Eiji Okuda
Goemon’s parents were killed for political reasons when he was very young. He was saved by Oda Nabunaga, who entrusted the child to the upbringing of the best ninja of those years, Hattori Hanzo. There Goemon, along with another young apprentice, Saizo, studied the ancient arts until their mentor was killed. After that, Saizo remained in the service of the government, and Goemon decided to become free.
For more than 15 years he wandered through various cities, defending the weak, taking money from the rich, and helping the poor, until he learned that Toetomi Hideeshi, the new ruler, was responsible for the teacher’s murder. The hero vowed to take revenge on the offender, but to do so he would have to fight with those whom he previously considered loyal friends.
The prototype of the main character was the Japanese ninja and popular favorite Ishikawa Goemon. He also stole money from the rich and gave it to the poor, but unlike in the movie, he was captured and executed in an attempt on Toetomi Hideyoshi’s life.
Jigoku de naze warui
- Rating IMDB – 7.1
- Genre: Militant, comedy
- Japan production / 2013
- Worldwide gross: $1 265 872
- Directed by Shion Sono
- Cast: Jun Kunimura, Fumi Nikaido, Shinichi Tsutsumi, Hiroki Hasegawa, Gen Hoshino, Tomochika, Itsuji Itao, Hiroyuki Onoue, Tak Sakaguchi, Tetsu Watanabe
The house of the head of the Muto clan is attacked by enemies. The Mafia boss’s wife fights back and gets ten years in prison. She asks her husband for one thing – to take care of their daughter Matsuko, who dreams of becoming an actress.
The years go by and the girl grows up to be a beauty, but she never gets acting fame because of the high-profile family affair. Then Muto hires a team of amateur filmmakers who agree to star Matsuko in their movie. But the life of the yakuza family cannot be called calm, so right during the filming of fight scenes, bandits of the rival clan burst onto the set and start a real fight.
The screenplay on which the film is based was written by Sion Sono 15 years before production began.
Doroppu
- Rating IMDB – 6.5
- Genre: Action, comedy
- Japan production / 2009
- Directed by Hiroshi Shinagawa
- Cast: Hiroki Narimiya, Hiro Mizushima, Yuika Motokariya, Yusuke Kamiji, Noriko Nakagoshi, Sho Aikawa, Yuji Ayabe, Ken’ichi Endo, Satoshi Fujimoto, Toshifumi Fujimoto
A cocky kid named Hirosha transfers from a private school to a public school in order to become a real bully and feel like a “badass. After changing his hairstyle and learning a few catchphrases, on his first day he meets the local school gang, led by the scumbag Tatsuya. After a short acquaintance and a good fight, Hirosha becomes one of the gang members. But will the diligent boy enjoy such a life?
Most of the scenes were shot without understudies, and the actors had to practice their punches for hours to make the fights look believable and dynamic.
Kingdom
- Rating IMDB – 6.6
- Genre: Action, War, History, Drama
- Japan production / 2019
- Worldwide gross: $50 574 061
- Directed by Shinsuke Sato
- Cast: Kento Yamazaki, Ryo Yoshizawa, Masami Nagasawa, Kanna Hashimoto, Kanata Hongo, Shinnosuke Mitsushima, Jun Kaname, Takao Osawa, Masaya Kato, Tak Sakaguchi
Orphaned after a bloody war, Xin finds himself in a small village where he meets his peer Piao. There the boys train hard, hoping to rid themselves of the shameful stigma of slavery and become great commanders.
But when one of the king’s men comes to the village and sees how much Piao resembles the sovereign, he takes the young man to the palace as a double of the ruler. After a while, the wounded Piao comes to Xing with bad news. The king’s brother has started a power struggle and now all his cronies are in mortal danger.
The film is a film adaptation of the Yasuhisa Hara manga series of the same name.
Kurôzu (Trilogy)
- Rating IMDB – 7.0
- Genre: Action, crime
- Japan production / 2007
- Worldwide gross: $22 036 607
- Directed by Takashi Miike
- Cast: Shun Oguri, Kyosuke Yabe, Takayuki Yamada, Goro Kishitani, Kenta Kiritani, Tsutomu Takahashi, Sosuke Takaoka, Kaname Endo, Meisa Kuroki, Ken’ichi Endo
To gain his father’s respect, teenage Genji must become a leader at the new Suzuran School. The students are nicknamed “crows” by the locals because of their endless fights and bloody brawls.
Genji will have to change the rules of the game to make others obey him. But first he has to deal with Serizawa, who has been keeping the students in fear for the past few years.
The soundtrack of the film is a song by Street Beats. Hiroshi Takahashi, the author of the manga on which the trilogy is based, is a devoted fan of the band.
Hatsukoi
- Rating IMDB – 6.7
- Genre: Crime, action
- Japan production / 2019
- Worldwide gross: $5 594 839
- Directed by Takashi Miike
- Cast: Masataka Kubota, Sakurako Konishi, Nao Omori, Shota Sometani, Seiyo Uchino, Becky, Jun Murakami, Sansei Shiomi, Takahiro Miura, Yan Jinko
The following Japanese action movie will appeal to fans of beautiful romantic stories. A young talented boxer Leo Katsuragi learns that he is terminally ill and has only a few years to live. Upset, he walks down the street and accidentally sees a girl being chased. With one blow the boy knocks out the bandits and saves Yuri, a prostitute who has to pay for her father’s debts.
Kase, a well-known yakuza, and the corrupt policeman Otomo wanted to steal a large batch of drugs and accuse Yuri for everything. But after Leo’s intervention their plans fell apart. Now mafia bosses and cops pursue the couple, between which there appeared a real hurricane of passion.
The film premiered in May 2019 at the Cannes and Toronto film festivals, and the first screening in Japan did not take place until late February 2020.
Zatôichi
- Rating IMDB – 7.5
- Genre: Action, thriller, drama, comedy, crime
- Japan production / 2003
- Worldwide gross: $31 650 015
- Directed by Takeshi Kitano
- Cast: Takeshi Kitano, Tadanobu Asano, Michiyo Ookusu, Taka Guadalcanal, Daigoro Tachibana, Yuuko Daike, Yuya Natsukawa, Ittoku Kishibe, Saburo Ishikura, Akira Emoto
A blind wanderer named Zatoichi makes his living through gambling and massage sessions. But behind his humble image lurks a great swordsman who is excellent with a katana.
One day he wanders into a small town, where he meets the geisha sisters, who avenge the death of his father. The hero decides to help the girls restore justice and gets into a showdown with the bandits and their leader Ginzo.
This samurai action film is based on a series of novels by Kana Shimozawa.
The film won four awards at the 2003 Venice Film Festival, including the Audience Award.
Inuyashiki
- Rating IMDB – 6.6
- Genre: Action, sci-fi, thriller, drama
- Japan production / 2018
- Worldwide gross: $5 638 796
- Directed by Shinsuke Sato
- Cast: Noritake Kinashi, Takeru Sato, Kanata Hongo, Ayaka Miyoshi, Nayuta Fukuzaki, Mari Hamada, Fumi Nikaido, Yuki Saito, Yusuke Isei, Sarii Ikegami
Ichiro is only 58 years old, but because of his old man appearance, he constantly faces neglect. On top of that, a doctor gives him a fatal diagnosis, after which the man wanders into a park. There he is accidentally killed by a UFO coming in for a landing. In the park, a UFO accidentally kills him and brings him back to life, giving him a special gift that allows him to become the man he’s always dreamed of.
The film is based on the manga series of the same name by Hiroya Oku.
Mugen no jûnin
- Rating IMDB – 6.7
- Genre: Action, Fantasy, Drama
- Japan, UK, Korea South production / 2017
- Worldwide gross: $7 162 617
- Directed by Takashi Miike
- Cast: Takuya Kimura, Hana Sugisaki, Sota Fukushi, Hayato Ichihara, Erika Toda, Chiaki Kuriyama, Shinnosuke Mitsushima, Ken Kaneko, Yoko Yamamoto, Kazuki Kitamura
After a legendary battle, the skilled samurai Manji finds himself cursed with the gift of immortality. He knows he cannot heal his soul wounds and become normal until he atones for the death of his sister. Only fighting evil will help him regain his soul, so Manji agrees to help young Rin punish her parents’ killers and destroy the dangerous samurai Anoza.
At one time it was advertised as the 100th film by director Takashi Miike, but that’s not quite true. In addition to feature films, the 100 included TV series and television projects.
Ajin
- Rating IMDB – 6.4
- Genre: Action, sci-fi
- Japan production / 2017
- Worldwide gross: $10 750 712
- Directed by Katsuyuki Motohiro
- Cast: Takeru Sato, Mamoru Miyano, Minami Hamabe, Go Ayano, Ken’ichi Suzumura, Yuki Yamada, Tetsuji Tamayama, Yudai Chiba, Yu Shirota, Rina Kawaei
After a freak accident with a truck, high school student Kai Nagai should have died, but, to everyone’s surprise, the guy comes back to life without a single scratch on his body. He turns out to be one of the Adzins, immortal humans with an incredible ability to regenerate. Naturally, this “gift” could not go unnoticed, and the boy is placed in a government laboratory, where he is subjected to terrible experiments.
One day this torture chamber is stormed by Sato, another immortal who has already rescued inzines from the hands of scientists. He invites Kai to join his group to take revenge on the people who caused them so much pain, but the boy refuses. Sato then makes another argument…
The film is a remake of the 2016 film “Ajin”.
Mamoru Miyano, who voiced the spirit of IBM in the film, played the lead role in the remake of the film.
Re:Born
- Rating IMDB – 6.0
- Genre: Action, Drama, Crime
- Japan production / 2016
- Directed by Yuji Shimomura
- Cast: Tak Sakaguchi, Yura Kondo, Takumi Saito, Akio Otsuka, Orson Mochizuki, Kanta, Makoto Sakaguchi, Hitomi Hasebe, Mariko Shinoda, Masanori Mimoto
A legendary secret agent of a secret government organization leaves a dangerous life behind and retires. He starts from scratch in a provincial Japanese village.
But the quiet life does not last long. After a while his ex-workmates pay him a visit and he has to expose the darkest corners of his soul again. This time he will have to defend everything that has become dear in this peaceful place.
Director Yuji Shimomura and lead actor Tak Sakaguchi developed the author’s style of knife fighting specifically for the film.
Ai amu a hîrô
- Rating IMDB – 6.8
- Genre: Horror, action
- Japan production / 2015
- Worldwide gross: $13 640 067
- Directed by Shinsuke Sato
- Cast: Yo Oizumi, Kasumi Arimura, Masami Nagasawa, Hisashi Yoshizawa, Yoshinori Okada, Nana Katase, Jin Katagiri, Makita Supotsu, Muga Tsukaji, Yu Tokui
Hideo, once a promising artist and now a simple unemployed man, breaks up with his girlfriend, who is tired of supporting the guy. The hero lacks the inspiration to draw an interesting comic book and sign a lucrative contract with a publisher.
That day, however, strange things begin to happen. First some guy gets hit by a car and gets up without a scratch, and then all the people start going crazy, having caught an unknown virus. The boring life suddenly takes a new turn, and now Hideo rushes to the aid of his beloved with a shotgun to protect her from the zombies and prove his love.
Because of Japan’s strict gun laws, the government did not give permission to shoot a real gun, so the hero wears a fake gun in all the scenes.
The mall footage was filmed at an outlet mall in South Korea.
Yurusarezaru mono
- Rating IMDB – 7.0
- Genre: Action, thriller, drama, crime, history
- Japan production / 2013
- Worldwide gross: $6 763 059
- Directed by Lee Sang-il
- Cast: Shiori Kutsuna, Ken Watanabe, Jun Kunimura, Yuya Yagira, Yukiyoshi Ozawa, Koichi Sato, Akira Emoto, Ken’ichi Takito, Eiko Koike, Seiji Hino
The action takes place in 1880 in Hokkaido. The samurai Jubei Kamata sides with the Edo shogunate despite the many executions he has to carry out. His name has become a household name in Kyoto, so no one wants to be in a fight with him.
However, during the great battle of Gorekaku, when the outcome was decided, Jubei suddenly disappears. Ten years later, he is forced to raise his child alone in poverty after the death of his wife. The man has vowed never to fight, but poverty forces him to take up his sword again.
The film is a remake of the 1992 Clint Eastwood drama of the same name.
Gantz: Perfect Answer
- Rating IMDB – 6.4
- Genre: Sci-fi, action, horror
- Japan production / 2011
- Budget: $22 000 000
- Worldwide gross: $40 568 961
- Directed by Shinsuke Sato
- Cast: Kazunari Ninomiya, Kanata Hongo, Ken’ichi Matsuyama, Natsuna Watanabe, Ainosuke Shibata, Yuriko Yoshitaka, Ayumi Ito, Chieko Ichikawa, Donpei Tsuchihara, Hidekazu Nagae
Students Kei Kurono and Katu Masuno die under the wheels of a train while trying to save a stranger who fell on the tracks. After their deaths, they find themselves in a strange room with a black ball in the middle, called Ganz.
The ball informs the gathering that they must now do his bidding, and then hands them all weapons and protective suits. So the friends become guards, who have to kill the alien creatures and earn points.
The plot is based on the popular manga by Hiroi Oku, which was published from 2000 to 2013.
Wairudo 7
- Rating IMDB – 5.6
- Genre: Militant
- Japan production / 2011
- Directed by Eiichiro Hasumi
- Cast: Kyoko Fukada, Kipei Shina, Jun Kaname, Kiichi Nakai, Yuika Motokariya, Eita, Takashi Ukaji, Tsuyoshi Abe, Minoru Matsumoto, Ryuhei Maruyama
With crime on the rise, the police create a special group of ex-convict motorcyclists. The group of hooligans with a long history takes the shouting name “The Wild Seven. Together they patrol the streets and keep order in the city, and administer justice where the police cannot cope.
The film follows the plot of the manga of the same name by Mikiya Mochizuki.
K-20: Kaijin nijû mensô den
- Rating IMDB – 6.6
- Genre: Fantasy, action, crime, adventure
- Japan production / 2008
- Worldwide gross: $21 443 265
- Directed by Shimako Sato
- Cast: Takeshi Kaneshiro, Takako Matsu, Toru Nakamura, Ryohei Abe, Kanata Hongo, Yuki Imai, Takeshi Kaga, Eiji Kakutani, Jun Kaname, Hana Kino
The next Japanese action film takes place in 1949 in the fictional town of Teito, where the boundaries of different class societies are clearly visible. While the rich get everything, the poor are forced to survive, hoping for a miracle.
Here comes the brave defender of the oppressed, the K-20, a mysterious man who can change his appearance. It is he who convinces the police of the innocence of acrobat Heikichi, suspected of stealing weapons that could destroy the city.
The film is based on the novel of the same name by So Kitamura.
The soundtrack is the song “The Shock of the Lightning” by British band Oasis.
Killers
- Rating IMDB – 6.4
- Genre: Horror, action, thriller, crime
- Indonesia, Japan production / 2014
- Worldwide gross: $5 248
- Directed by Kimo Stambol, Timo Tiajanto
- Cast: Kazuki Kitamura, Oka Antara, Rin Takanashi, Luna Maya, Ray Sahetapi, Ersia Aurelia, Epi Kusnandar, Mei Kurokawa, Tara Basro
The young Japanese executive Nomura Shuhei is a great leader and everyone’s favorite employee. Few people around him realize that he is a psychopath and a serial killer, filming his criminal acts on camera.
One day Nomura posts his atrocities on the Internet, where they are spotted by Jakarta-based journalist Bayu Aditya. Inspired by what he sees, the writer commits several murders in the name of justice, after which he too posts the “process” and “results” online. Surprisingly, the video resonates with the public and is also noticed by Nomura. So the two killers begin to compete in their gruesome hobbies, realizing that the moment to meet face to face is only a matter of time.
The film was the first joint project between Indonesia and Japan.
Sukiyaki uesutan Jango
- Rating IMDB – 6.1
- Genre: Militant, Western
- Japan production / 2007
- Budget: $3 800 000
- Worldwide gross: $2 725 258
- Directed by Takashi Miike
- Cast: Hideaki Ito, Masanobu Ando, Koichi Sato, Kaori Momoi, Yusuke Isei, Renji Ishibashi, Yoshino Kimura, Quentin Tarantino, Takaaki Ishibashi, Teruyuki Kagawa
Years after the bloody battle at Dannoura Bay, tensions rise in a remote mountain village. Members of the Taïra and Minamoto clans, dressed in white and red, clash after rumors of gold hidden in the mountains.
But when an unknown wanderer, superbly pistol-wielding and burdened by a dark past, appears in their wilderness, the heroes wonder who the stranger will support in this equal struggle.
The characters in the film got their names after the real historical characters of The Haika Tale.
Quentin Tarantino is an avid fan of Japanese culture, especially anime.
JoJo no kimyô na bôken: Daiyamondo wa kudakenai – dai-isshô
- Rating IMDB – 5.8
- Genre: Fantasy, action
- Japan production / 2017
- Worldwide gross: $2 077 113
- Directed by Takashi Miike
- Cast: Kento Yamazaki, Ryunosuke Kamiki, Nana Komatsu, Masaki Okada, Makanyu, Kenji Mizuhashi, Arisa Mizuki, Jun Kunimura, Takayuki Yamada, Yusuke Isei
A teenager named Josuke Higashikata has possessed incredible abilities, passed down from previous generations, since childhood. He is used to being different and using his gift for good.
But years later, people in his town began to discover his unique abilities one by one, which seemed strange to Josuke. Josuke embarks on a fascinating journey to find someone who gives other people unseen powers and explain to him that it is very dangerous.
When director Takashi Miike received approval to shoot the film, he was so excited that he couldn’t sleep for days.
The filming took place in the tiny Spanish town of Sitges, famous for hosting a horror film festival.
Sekigahara
- Rating IMDB – 6.3
- Genre: War, History, Action, Drama
- Japan production / 2017
- Worldwide gross: $19 356 047
- Directed by Masato Harada
- Cast: Junichi Okada, Kasumi Arimura, Koji Yakusho, Takehiro Hira, Masahiro Higashide, Yasumasa Oba, Ken’ichi Matsuyama, Shiho Harumi, Shu Nakajima, Noriko Nakagoshi
The events unfolded on October 21, 1600 on the plain of Sekigaraha, where one of the most significant battles in Japanese history took place. The battle between the Eastern Alliance of Tokugawa Ieyasu and the Western Army of the successors of the Toyotomi clan determined the fate of the united country. The plot centers on palace intrigue, family doubts and the valor of warriors defending great ideas.
The plot is based on a real six-hour battle that brought an end to Japan’s warlike clans. The script is based on the 1966 novel Sekigahara by Retaro Shiba.
Hagane no renkinjutsushi
- Rating IMDB – 5.3
- Genre: Action, Fantasy, Adventure
- Japan production / 2017
- Worldwide gross: $8 053 641
- Directed by Fumihiko Sori
- Cast: Ryosuke Yamada, Tsubasa Honda, Dean Fujioka, Ryuta Sato, Misako Renbutsu, Yo Oizumi, Kenjiro Ishimaru, Yasuko Matsuyuki, Shinji Uchiyama, Kanata Hongo
The action takes place in the magical land of Amestris, where alchemy is considered an exact science. The brothers Edward and Alphonse tried to use alchemy to bring their dead mother back to life when they were children, but their attempt was unsuccessful. Edward lost his leg, and Al was sucked into the Gates of Truth.
To retrieve his brother’s soul, Ed had to sacrifice his arm. He used a ritual to bind his soul to a suit of steel armor and replace his missing limbs with prosthetics. After a while, the brothers decided to correct the inaccuracies – together with a car mechanic friend, they went in search of the Philosopher’s Stone to use it to bring back their living bodies.
Filming took place in Japan and Italy.
The soundtrack for “Kimi no Soba ni Iru yo” was written and sung by Japanese singer Misiya.
