The Best Films From Japan Released in 2016

Films from Japan Released In 2016

Following a rampage of extreme prejudice, a savage killer targets women as he tries to find a compatible one to engage his fantasies of torture and murder in. With the body count mounting and no one being able to stop him, he grows bolder and goes to more extreme measures to carry out his rampage, eventually catching the eye of a female serial killer who's just as sadistic as he is, forcing them into a deadly and dangerous showdown.

Brutal (2017)

In a time when the main source of energy was still coal, there was a man who saw the future in oil. Young Tetsuzo Kunioka who hails from Moji, Kitakyushu, rides out into the oil business, but is faced with numerous challenges and competitors who stand in his way, including domestic suppliers and major western oil companies, or the "oil majors". But Tetsuzo never gave up, however despairing the situation was. He always found a way and paved a new road with his unconventional ideas, eccentric actions, and most of all, his caring heart toward his own men. That style of Tetsuzo's was not something that would ever change, even when the tides were against him in a war-lost Japan.

Fueled: The Man They Called "Pirate" (2016)

While a gang of high school girls randomly beats lone men at night, the photo of a young woman who has been declared missing is used to design a template which is painted on each wall of a small suburban town.

Japanese Girls Never Die (2016)

Based on a popular manga series of the same name, this Japanese romantic comedy follows the lives of two high school students, Kotoko, a bubbly girl who’s hopeless in school, and Naoki, her smart and handsome senior. Although Kotoko gathers up the courage to confess her love to him, he bluntly rejects her in public. But fate works in mysterious ways - when her house collapses, a childhood friend of her father’s, Mr. Irie, invites them to live with his family, and she learns that the son of Mr. Irie is none other than Naoki himself…

Mischievous Kiss The Movie: High School (2016)

A series of grotesque murder cases takes place on rainy days. Detective Hisashi Sawamura (Shun Oguri) works to catch the murderer like he has done with past cases, but he soon realizes the murderer's next target is his wife and son. A man in a frog mask is a suspect.

Museum (2016)

When people finish their day and hurry home, his day starts. His diner is open from midnight to seven in the morning. Pork, miso soup combo, beer, sake and shochu is all that he has on his menu. Nevertheless, he makes whatever his customers request as long as he has the ingredients for it.

Midnight Diner 2 (2016)

The movie depicts the confrontation between younger brother Akira Miyamoto (Shunya Shiraishi) and older brother Atsushi Miyamoto (Ryohei Suzuki) on Higanjima.

Nirvana Island: The Last 47 Days (2016)

When a mysterious loner and Karate master Kenji's little sister goes missing in Los Angeles, whoever stands in his way of finding her will face the wrath of a lethal KARATE KILL! |

Karate Kill (2016)

Nikkatsu has rebooted the Roman Porno label and recommenced production of new works, reviving its function as a sandbox for playful experimentation with the aim of attaining new forms of cinematic expression. Hideo Nakata entered Nikkatsu as an assistant director and experienced several on-location shoots for Roman Porno soft-core series, but this film is the first Roman Porno title directed by Nakata himself. He challenges a lesbian world taking over from the old title spirits, with his respect for his master, director Masaru Konuma. Two women, Tokiko, a ceramic artist, and her apprentice, Haruka, are in a relationship. The couple is not an intrinsic lesbian, but they fell for each other by chance.

White Lily (2016)

Ai Kishimoto, Yukari Miyazawa and Akane Kishimoto are sisters. The sisters live apart in Kanazawa, Toyama and Tokyo, but they gather together to attend their grandmother's funeral. There, they learn about their mother whom they know as deceased. While seeking out the the truth about their mother, the sisters face their own problems, but take a courageous step forward.

Kanon (2016)

A legend covert soldier with a mysterious past decides to unleash once again his beast within to stand up for what he cares about.

Re: Born (2016)

A man brutally murders a married couple and leaves the word “ikari” (“rage”) written with their blood. The killer undergoes plastic surgery and flees. At three different locations in Japan, a male stranger appears. People suspect that the stranger might be the murderer.

Rage (2016)

Arima Kousei won numerous piano competitions while under the strict watch of his mother. He was known as the human metronome during that time. Since the death of his mother, Kousei has been unable to hear the sound of his piano. He then meets Miyazono Kaori through childhood friend Sawabe Tsubaki. Kaori plays the violin and has a free sprit. Since meeting her, Kousei is able to face the piano again. Meanwhile, Kaori holds a secret.

Your Lie in April (2016)

Set in the late 21st century, an MRI scanner is introduced at the National Research Institute of Police Science's 9th Forensics Laboratory. The machine is able to scan the memories from even the deceased. As ethical questions arise over the machine's use, the 9th Forensics Laboratory members, including rookie Ikko Aoki and Chief Tsuyoshi Maki, struggle to solve cases.

The Top Secret: Murder in Mind (2016)

Giko Nokomura is a delinquent girl and a senior in middle school. She struggles to kill zombies who were her classmates.

Bloody Chainsaw Girl (2016)

Childhood best friends. Cousins. Housemates. Coworkers. Eight stories of unrequited love, eight sets of people who weren't meant to be together. Several short films put together under the common theme of One Sided Love: ***My Nickname is Butatchi ***Something Blue ***Asahan no Yuge ***Kataomoi Supairaru ***Usotsuki no Koi ***Ibu no Okurimono ***Radio Personality ***Boku no Sabotin

Unrequited Love (2016)

After having narrowly escaped an attempt on his life at the hands of a psychopath, detective inspector Takakura quits active service in the police force and takes up a position as a university lecturer in criminal psychology. But his desire to get to the bottom of criminals’ motives remains, and he does not hesitate long when former colleague Nogami asks him to reopen an old case.

Creepy (2016)

A girl, Yūri Kurahashi, after watching a cursed videotape together with her friend in a haunted house, becomes trapped in a conflict between the two murderous ghosts: Sadako Yamamura and Kayako Saeki

Sadako vs. Kayako (2016)

A female career banker shatters the glass ceiling of a mega bank by disclosing its shady business to light. Tamaki, the Gold Woman, has worked her way up to be appointed General Manager of the office regarded as the General Staff Headquar- ters of the Bank with an assignment to liquidate its subsidiary by laying off 200 employees in total. Such mentally challenging appointment was made via recommendation by her senior colleague Mai, a smart and foxy woman running ahead of Tamaki in her career. With the help of her male colleague, Tamaki, a lone female wolf dares to challenge the all-male executives to prove what a true business person is all about.

Gold Woman (2016)

14-year-old Midori is the constantly abused chore girl for a freakshow. Things begin to change for her after a dwarf magician joins the freak show, but not always for the better.

Midori: The Camellia Girl (2016)