The Best Films From Japan Released in 2015

Films from Japan Released In 2015

One of the hottest selling tickets in town is to see the hugely popular “rakugoka”, or comic storyteller, Danshun. Danshun himself was inspired as a little boy to become a rakugoka after seeing the legendary Danshi. He had found his calling. After his resistant parents relented to their son’s pleas, Danshun at age 17 became an apprentice of Danshi, the man dubbed a “wunderkind” and “genius” of the rakugo world. He soon realized however how hard the training was, and embarked upon a rigorous existence in which he had to deliver newspapers to earn a living. Living with hardship and joys, Danshun and his fellow apprentices would eventually rise in the rakugo world. A resplendent cast comes together to depict the rough and tumble world of a man who loved rakugo above all else and was destined to fulfill a dream.

Aka Medaka (2015)

Set 18 months after movie "Library Wars." After the government's enactment of the Media Betterment Act, battles wage between the Betterment Squads and the Library Defense. The Library Defense resists censorship and advocates freedom of expression. The biggest battle awaits for the Library Defense.

Library Wars: The Last Mission (2015)

A recording of the 2003 production of the 1987 play. An evil nun known as Bizan wishes to bring back to life the demon monarch Ashura, so that the oni may rule the world. But that’s not an easy task with the Demon Wardens scouring the land and taking care of demons who have taken on human form. Five years ago, Wakuraba Izumo served as a Demon Warden lieutenant alongside his chief, Kuninari and the slightly mental Abe Jaku. Since then he’s retired and has been enjoying success as a lead actor for the Nakamura Kabuki troupe, led by playwright Nanboku Tsuruya IV, while his former colleagues continue to fight the good fight. Meanwhile the police authorities have been struggling to capture the thief known as “The Night Camellia.

Asura (2015)

A man, who once dreamed of becoming a punk rocker, is working as a low salaryman at a musical instrument parts company. He’s secretly in love with his colleague. One day, he finds a little turtle on the rooftop, naming it Pikadon.

Love & Peace (2015)

Sara, a young actress, is able to land the leading role in big theater play, but soon learns that somebody or something is trying to end the production at all cost, which puts Sara in deadly danger.

Ghost Theater (2015)

Hiroshi (Yojiro Noda) has given up on his dreams of becoming a painter and works part-time cleaning office windows. He learns that he has only 3 months left to live. During his last summer, high school student Mai (Hana Sugisaki) appears. Hiroshi becomes attracted to her.

Pieta in the Toilet (2015)

Prosecutor Kohei Kuryu (Takuya Kimura) takes charge of a case with a foreign embassy possessing the key to solve the case. Due to the extraterritoriality involving the case, the investigation has not gone anywhere. A crisis then ensues. Kohei Kuryu and his office attempt to extract the truth behind the wall of the embassy.

HERO (2015)

Kiri was trained as a professional assassin. She carries out missions given by her boss. She has Rui whom she adores like a real younger sister. Rui was also trained as a professional assassin with Kiri. A horrific incident leads to the death of Kiri's mother and Rui losing her voice and right hand. Kiri swears to exact revenge.

KIRI – Profession: Assassin (2015)

100 years ago, titans suddenly appeared on Earth. Soon, human civilization veered on collapse due to the titans. Humans then built a giant wall to defend themselves. Within the giant walls, humans lived in peace, but, 100 years later, the giant wall is broken.

Attack on Titan (2015)

A common horoscope brings a timid middle-aged salaryman and high school delinquent to the center of a political scandal, in which a corrupt incumbent mayor seeks to crush the candidacy of his reformer opponent. This anti-establishment tale blends a punk ethos with absurdist comedy as the unlikely pair finds their existence given new meaning when they work to return a kidnapped baby. Along the way they must fight not only the assault of the mayor’s neoliberal redevelopment of the town, but his bribed police force and yakuza. Under director Sho Tsukikawa’s taut direction, "I Alone"’s mad roller coaster ride plot and outraged self-determination all ring emotionally true, making this one of the year’s biggest discoveries.

I Alone (2015)