order and goes around town fancifully dressed. Unbeknownst to those around her, Omitsu is merely acting, using her perceived madness to roam around town as she secretly conducts her own investigation into her father’s death. Will her cunning ploy help her to uncover the truth?
“Hibari Torimonocho Orizuru Kago (Paper Crane Palanquin),” 1960 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 28 minutes.
Directed by Eiichi Endo. Starring Hibari Misora and Kotaro Satomi.
The death of a samurai in a palanquin leads girl detective Oshichi to take action to crush a plot to overthrow the Shogunate.
“Hitokiri Kannon Uta (Swordsong),” 1970 drama, 1 hour and 28
minutes.
Directed by Takashi Harada. Starring Bunta Sugawara, and Tomisaburo Wakayama.
A story about a priest who is on a mission to reunite a young boy with his missing mother.
“Hot Road,” 2014 drama, 1 hour and 59 minutes.
Directed by Takahiro Miki. Starring Rena Nonen and Hiroomi Tosaka.
Fourteen-year-old Kazuki lives with her mother. She feels unloved by her mother due the circumstances surrounding her birth. Because she harbors anxiety and perceives herself as being worthless to others, she gets into trouble.
One day, a transfer student named Eri introduces her to 16-year-old Hiroshi, a reckless youth who’s a member of the “Nights” motorcycle gang. He works part-time for a living instead of going to school. Kazuki finds herself increasingly drawn to Hiroshi over time, but he soon becomes leader of the “Nights” and gets caught up in a conflict with a rival gang.
“Iroha Wakashuu Furisodezakura (A Young Rabble),” 1959 samurai film, 1 hour and 11 minutes.
Directed by Yasushi Sasaki. Starring Hibari Misora and Kotaro Satomi.
When an altercation with a gangster forces Kikutaro to leave Edo, he is sent by his father to Hamamatsu to find a better direction in life. However, trouble seems to follow Kikutaro on the raod leading him eventually to come face to face with his rival, Gonkuro.
“Kono Kubi Ichimangoku (Tragedy of the Coolie Samurai),”
1963 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 33 minutes.
Directed by Daisuke Ito. Starring Hashizo Okawa.
Gonzo, who longs to become a full-fledged samurai, is caught up in a warlord conflict.
“Kyokuto Kuroshakai (Dark Society in the East),” 1993 action film,
1 hour and 50 minutes.
Directed by Shokaku Baba. Starring Koji Yakusho and Masahiko Kondo.
A story about the activities of Southeast Asian Mafia gangs in Shinjuku. Ryosuke Kano is an ex French Foreign Legion soldier and is now a cocaine smuggler and dealer. He is acquainted with Larry, a Japanese American, but he turned out to be an undercover cop from New York.
“Manji (Swastika),” 1983 drama, 1 hour and 38 minutes.
Directed by Hiroto Yokoyama. Starring Kanako Kaguchi and Haruna Takase.
Kleptomaniac Sonoko and young, beautiful Mitsuko begin an unusual love affair which develops fast into a kinky sexual love triangle when Sonoko’s husband gets involved.
“Nihon Jokyoden Gekito Himeyuri Misaki (Trials of an Okinawa Village),” 1971 action film, 1 hour and 35 minutes.
Directed by Shigehiro Ozawa. Starring Junko Fuji and Bunta Sugawara.
A female of a trucking company has run-ins with evil yakuza during the American occupation of Okinawa. Her hometown is threatened by usurers, gangsters and indirectly by American GI influences. She must battle a yakuza organization with her employees to help settle things.
“Saigo no Tokkoutai (Last Glory),” 1970 drama, 2 hours and 2 minutes.
Directed by Junya Sato. Starring Koji Tsuruta, Ken Takakura and Sonny Chiba.
A story depicting the last days of young Kamikaze pilots in the end of the war against the United States.
“Sanada Yukimura no Boryarku (The Shogun Assassins),”
1979 jidaigeki, 2 hours and 28 minutes.
Directed by Sadao Nakajima. Starring Hiroki Matsukata and Miori Terada.
Ten warriors of the Toyotomi Shogunate come together to battle against those who plot to assassinate the shogun.
“Satomi Hakkenden 1 (Eight Brave Brothers, Part 1),” 1959 jidaigeki,
1 hour.
Directed by Kokichi Uchide. Starring Kotaro Satomi and Sentaro Fushimi.
Twenty years after the revelation of the Satomi Clan’s prophesy, eight sacred warriors, each of whom carries a crystal orb, are called upon to fulfill their destiny of saving the Clan from an evil enemy.
“Satomi Hakkenden 2 Yokai no Ranbu (Eight Brave Brothers, Part 2),” 1959 jidaigeki, 55 minutes.
Directed by Kokichi Uchide. Starring Kotaro Satomi and Sentaro Fushimi.
The sacred warriors’ mission continues as the missing members of the prophetic warriors join them in their journey.
“Shin Gokudo no Onnatachi (Yakuza Ladies Revisited),” 1991 action film, 1 hour and 53 minutes.
Directed by Sadao Nakajima. Starring Shima Iwashita and Masahiro Takeshima.
The third episode of the “Yakuza Ladies” new series. Kanae, wife of the Fujinami family boss of Amagasaki, must represent the family after the sudden death of her husband.
“Shingo Bangai Shobu (Fifth Street Duel),” 1964 samurai film, 1 hour and 36 minutes.
Directed by Sadatsugu Matsuda. Starring Hashizo Okawa, Ryohei Uchida, Junko Fuji, Hiroki Matsukata and Kunie Tanaka.
Shingo’s long-awaited peaceful life comes to a halt when his rival Hikojiro suddenly appears and demands a final duel.
“Shinobi no Manji (Ninja’s Mark),” 1968 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 29 minutes.
Directed by Norihumi Suzuki. Starring Isao Natsuyagi and Hiroko Sakuramachi.
An erotic jidaigeki about struggles broken out among ninjas in Edo castle
“Shirayukihime Satsujin Jiken (The Snow White Murder Case),” 2014 drama, 2 hours and 6 minutes.
Directed by Yoshihiro Nakamura. Starring Mao Inoue and Go Ayano.
A beautiful cosmetics company worker Noriko was brutally murdered and found burnt to a crisp in the woods of a national park. Soon, a tabloid television program is broadcast featuring interviews with various people including co-workers, family members and former classmates.
Rumors pointing to Miki — her meek, unassuming and “plain” co-worker — as the prime suspect begin to multiply and spread at a staggering rate thanks to the intense media attention and the rapid sharing of information and gossip on the internet.
“Sorekara (And Then),” 1985 drama, 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Directed by Yoshimitsu Morita. Starring Yusaku Matsuda, Miwako Fujitani, Morio Kazama, Jun Miho and Kenji Haga.
An old flame reappears in the life of Daisuke, a man struggling to find happiness amidst familial pressures to marry and find a stable job, sparking a forbidden love affair. Based on the popular novel “And Then” by the critically acclaimed Natsume Soseki.
“Tange Sazen Youtou Nure Tsubame (Return of the One-Armed Swordsman),” 1960 samurai film, 1 hour and 29 minutes.
Directed by Sadatsugu Matsuda. Starring Ryutaro Otomo, Satomi Oka, Kyoko Aoyama and Hiroko Sakuramachi.
The legendary one-eyed one-armed swordsman Tange Sazen is back to aid a Magistrate in his efforts to steal bribe money on its way to Edo for the benefit to poor farmers.
“Toyama no Kinsan Saikoro Bugyo (Magistrate of Dice),” 1961 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Directed by Kokichi Uchidate. Starring Chiezo Kataoka and Chiyonosuke Azuma.
Magistrate Kinshiro fights with a group of villains plotting the assassination of the Shogun in Edo.
“Umon Torimonocho Benitokage (Case of Umon: Red Lizard),” 1962 jidaigeki, 1 hour and 31 minutes.
Directed by Sadatsugu Matsuda. Starring Ryutaro Otomo and Shunji Sakai.
Umon goes on an investigation to unveil the murderer known as Red Lizard.
“Wakasama Zamurai Torimonocho Shinya no Shibijin (Case of a Young Lord 5),” 1957 jidaigeki, 58 minutes.
Directed by Kinnosuke Fukada. Starring Hashizo Okawa and Michiko Hoshi.
Young Lord solves the mystery of multiple murders involving a young couple and a woman.
