It seems like more and more people are opening up to watching movies and television in other languages. With extreme hits likeParasiteandRomaas just a couple of examples, there are plenty of places to find something new and fantastic to watch. Japanese movies are especially underappreciated. While many of the country’s films are based on pre-existingmangaandanime, as you’ll quickly notice on this list, there’s clearly a reason for that. When you already have an amazing story in your hands, why not adapt it for the screen? Because of the fantastic anime coming out of Japan, where the medium originated, there are many beautiful animated films to watch, while it appears that there is also an abundance of great thrillers and dramas. With Netflix becoming more and more known for its international offerings — just look atSquid GameandMoney Heist— it should be no surprise to learn that the streamer has many amazing Japanese movies on offer. Here are the best Japanese movies on Netflix.
For more recommendations, check out our lists of thebest movies on Netflix,best Korean movieson Netflix, andbest Hindi movies on Netflix.
Disclaimer: These titles are available on US Netflix.
Editor’s note: This article was updated October 2023 to include Once Upon a Crime.
Once Upon a Crime (2023)
Runtime: 1 hr 47 min |Genre: Adventure, Comedy |Director: Yûichi Fukuda
Cast: Kanna Hashimoto, Yûko Araki, Takanori Iwata
ComedyOnce Upon a Crime’s Japanese title literally translates to ‘Little Red Riding Hood, on her journey, encounters a corpse,’with the famous fairytale character eventually having to solve the mystery behind said corpse before the clock at Cinderella’s (Yûko Araki) royal ball hits midnight. A fun play on classic fairytale stories akin toShrek,Once Upon a Crimeis an unconventional spin on well-worn genre trends, using its wit and whimsy to deceive. Wonderfully acted, the film is funny and touching, with the child-like wonder of its character’s inspiration seeping through into a clever murder mystery narrative. -Jake Hodges
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Bleach (2018)
Runtime: 1 hr 48 min |Genre: Action Fantasy |Director: Shinsuke Sato
Cast: Sota Fukushi, Hana Sugisaki, Ryo Yoshizawa, Erina Mano
Like with many other films on this list,Bleachis based on a popular pre-existing manga of the same name. A live-action adaptation, the 2018 film does justice to the original story for the fans, while also doing a fantastic job with worldbuilding and introducing the characters so that those who know nothing aboutBleachcan also enjoy it. The fantasy story follows Ichigo Kurosaki, played bySota Fukushi, a teenage boy who sees ghosts. He lives a (relatively) normal life, until one day, when he accidentally becomes a Soul Reaper, or someone who fights off evil spirits and transfers those who pass over to the Soul Society. Basically, he’s a new Grim Reaper, given the powers by a woman with a katana named Rukio (Hana Sugisaki) during an attack. The movie is an example of a great live-action anime adaptation, and a truly enjoyable action film on its own.
Call Me Chihiro (2023)
Runtime: 2 hr 11 min |Genre: Drama |Director: Rikiya Imaizumi
Cast: Kasumi Arimura, Hana Toyoshima, Tetta Shimada
Based on the manga seriesChihirosanbyHiroyuki Yasuda,Call Me Chihirois a beautiful story about how embracing your true self gives others the freedom to do the same. The film follows Chihiro (Kasumi Arimura), a cheerful, foul-mouthed, often too-direct young woman who decides to quit being a sex worker and settle down in a quiet seaside town making bento meals for a small shop. The pacing is as relaxed and meditative as the small town it takes place in, giving the story and characters room to enjoy wholesome moments of true growth and introspection. It’s a truly wonderful tale that warms your heart throughout.
Love Like the Falling Petals (2022)
Runtime: 2 hrs 8 min |Genre: Romance |Director: Yoshihiro Fukagawa
Cast: Kento Nakajima, Honoka Matsumoto
A beautifully haunting love story,Love Like the Falling Petals, is based on a novel byKeisuke Uyama.Love Like the Falling Petalsis the story of a young couple who meets and falls in love before unexpected circumstances threaten to tear them apart. Through harsh realities, directorYoshihiro Fukagawacaptures the grace and beauty of the main characters, as well as the vibrant world in which they live. StarringKento NakajimaandHonoka Matsumoto,Love Like the Falling Petalsexplores the challenges that test the strength of love, like sickness and secrets. With a title so gracefully poetic,Love Like the Falling Petalsis a splendid romance worth savoring. –Yael Tygiel
Asakusa Kid (2021)
Runtime: 2 hr 2 min |Genre: Biographical Drama |Director: Gekidan Hitori
Cast: Yo Oizumi, Yuya Yagira, Mugi Kadowaki
From writer/directorGekidan Hitoriand based on the memoir of Takeshi Kitano comes a touching drama about a hilarious comedian. Taking place in Japan during the late 1960s, Senzaburo Fukami (Yo Oizumi) was a comedian and entertainer who ran a theater troupe out of the strip club he also owned. Inspired, young Takeshi Kitano (Yuya Yagira) drops out of school and begins apprenticing at the legend’s club, learning from the best how to capture the attention of an audience. As Takeshi’s star begins to rise, his mentor deteriorates. In a poignant story about mentorship, perseverance, and passion, Hitori provides a loving tribute to Takeshi’s mentor, allowing Oizumi and Yagira to truly shine.– Yael Tygiel
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Eternal The Movie (2021)
Runtime: 2 hr 40 min |Genre: Action Fantasy |Director: Chiaki Kon
Cast: Kotono Mitsuishi, Hisako Kanemoto, Rina Satō, Ami Koshimizu
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Eternal The Movieis the latest installment in the never-endingSailor Moonanime series. The two-part film came out in 2021 as a sequel and sort of fourth season of theSailor Moon Crystalanime series, which aired three seasons between 2014 and 2016. Both the series and the film are well-loved by the fans, with many appreciating how closely it follows the original manga. Whether you are already aSailor Moonfan or not,Sailor Moon Eternalis a great anime movie, and perfect for anyone looking for an adventure-filled, emotional story of teenage girls who moonlight as superheroes guarding the solar system from evil. No biggie, right?
A Family (2021)
Runtime: 1 hr 32 min |Genre: Drama |Director: Takashi Miike
Cast: Kenichi Endō, Kojiro Hongo, Koichi Iwaki, Taishu Kase, Ryuji Katagiri
Family, also known by the original titleYakuza and The Family, is a character drama like no other. The movie focuses on a man named Kenji Yamamoto (Gô Ayano) through three periods of his life. Beginning in 1999, Kenji’s father’s death inevitably drives him to join the yakuza and become embroiled in violence, before moving to 2006, when Kenji is at the center of the gang. After an incident sends him to jail for more than a decade, the last section of the film brings the story to 2019. During this time, an older, weary Kenji attempts to reconnect with his fellow yakuza members and the woman he used to like, only to find the world a much different, anti-yakuza place.A Familytakes a very unique approach to the presence of yakuza in Japan, portraying the shifting landscape of gangs in a country slowly transitioning away from them.
Homunculus (2021)
Runtime: 1 hr 55 min |Genre: Psychological Thriller |Director: Takashi Shimizu
Cast: Gô Ayano, Edward Bosco, Amber Lee Connors
Another movie based on a manga,Homunculusis a live-action thriller about a 34-year-old man down on his luck and with memory loss who volunteers to participate in a trepanation procedure to open his “third eye.” Directed byTakashi Shimizu, who also directed the original JapaneseThe Grudgemovie, the movie stars Gô Ayano as Susumu Nakoshi, the male protagonist. After the procedure, Nakoshi begins to see visions of everyone’s “homunculus,” which is thought to be the manifestations of their personal stressors or desires, and he tries to help them overcome these issues. But all the while, Nakoshi is facing his own mysterious past, and once he regains his memories, he is forced to face the truth of what caused his amnesia. While fans of the originalHomunculusdidn’t really like the adaptation, it’s still a great Japanese thriller for those looking for a psychological mystery.
A Whisker Away (2020)
Runtime: 1 hr 44 min |Genre: Fantasy Romance |Director: Junichi Sato, Tomotaka Shibayama
Cast: Mirai Shida, Natsuki Hanae, Hiroaki Ogi
Directed byJunichi SatoandTomotaka Shibayama,A Whisker Awayis a 2020 animated film about a young girl named Miyo Sasaki, voiced byMirai Shida, who finds a reprieve from her troubles of a new stepmother and a crush who doesn’t like her back by becoming a cat named Tarō through a magical Noh mask she is sold by a stranger. With her cat identity, Miyo gets closer to the boy she likes, finding out more about his anxieties and cares while also escaping her own. Eventually, she is convinced to give up her human life and become a cat completely, but will she regret it?A Whisker Awayis a sweet, honest movie about friendship, family, and appreciating what you have, not what you don’t. Definitely one of the best anime films Netflix has to offer.
Ride or Die (2021)
Runtime: 2 hr 22 min |Genre: Romance Drama |Director: Ryuichi Hiroki
Cast: Kiko Mizuhara, Honami Sato, Yoko Maki, Shunsuke Tanaka, Anne Suzuki, Shinya Niiro, Tetsushi Tanaka, Setsuko Karasuma
If you are looking for an emotional drama withqueercharacters,Ride or Dieis for you. Written byNami Sakkawaand directed byRyuichi Hiroki, the movie focuses on the relationship between a gay 20-something woman named Rei Nagasawa (Kiko Mizuhara) and her former classmate, Nanae Shinoda (Honami Sato), who is in an abusive marriage looking to escape. to show how much she cares for Nanae, Rei murders her husband, and the two run off together. As the women try to navigate this new stage of their life, Rei and Nanae are forced to face the complicated, intertwined emotions of their shared trauma and love for one another. The movie is based on the manga seriesGunjōbyChing Nakamuraand came out on Netflix in 2021.
