ShowBizClan ranks the best Japanese movies 2019 in categories such as romance, anime, science fiction, action, drama, and more. Despite a few other critical problems in the Japanese film industry, primarily the absence of a common way between independent and blockbuster films and the refusal of some major studios to allow their films to be screened outside of Japan, 2019 marked the start of a new era for Japan, thanks to an imperial change. It was a year full of great stories about love, loss, weather changes, corporate secrets, life crossroads, and life choices.
Still, it was also a year of stunning visuals, costumes, action, and cinematography that, we can proudly say, exceeded our expectations. Amidst these changes, Japan remains a cinematic stalwart. Though it may not get as much buzz as neighboring Korea’s, Japan’s movie industry commanded a respectable output this year.
A question naturally arises: which are the Best Japanese Movies of 2019?
Across genres like comedy, animation, action, romance, and more—we’ve compiled this list of the top 15 Japanese movies from 2019. These films represent Japan’s range in 2019 and include both independent movies and big blockbusters. Without any further fuss, here are the top Japanese movies 2019, listed in reverse order, with an emphasis on diversity, as always. Some films may have opened in 2018, but we opted to include them because they were widely distributed in 2019. Let’s have a look at what we’ve got.
15. Masquerade Hotel
Why: The beauty of Masquerade Hotel’s high-production setting is enough to entice you into this humorous investigative thriller that is half hilarious, part serious, as a squad of cops arrive at a posh, 5-star hotel to solve a case where a serial murderer is meant to carry out his final killing. Despite the fact that the second and third acts of the Japanese movie 2019 go awry and overlong, I enjoyed seeing the key actors play it out. Even more so because the film purposefully emphasises the innocence of the hotel management scene, which is a charming subject in and of itself. If you’ve ever stayed at a 5-star hotel, you’ll have a strong desire to return when things ultimately come to a head.
Plot: Aside from the corpse and the crime, the positioning of numbers near to the crime scene is a recurring theme in three murders in Tokyo. As a result, the main investigator assembles enough evidence to deduce the location of the future murder. He disguises himself as a hotel employee and goes undercover. The current hotel employee is in charge of the detective’s training, but it’s evident that their priorities are at odds. Meanwhile, a possible crime must be avoided, and a criminal must be apprehended.
14. Fly Me To The Saitama
Why: Despite the fact that some friends told me it was funny, I finally viewed this Japanese movie 2019 for the first time. I was pleasantly surprised by how good the film was! It’s amusing, especially for those who are familiar with Saitama’s location and Japanese residents of Saitama. Also, I’d want to point out that the casting is flawless! I’d never heard of this manga before, but the performers seemed to fit the characters—a hilarious and hyper-stylized superhero tale about the victory of the ordinary. Even though I didn’t catch all of the cultural connections, I loved watching it. The music in the end credits is very funny.
Plot: People in Tokyo are particularly critical of Saitama Prefecture in a society where people are discriminated against depending on their birthplace. Rei Asami, a mystery male student from America, transfers to Hakuhodo Academy, a famous Tokyo high school, one day. Rei, on the other hand, is revealed to be from Saitama Prefecture. He leaves Hakuhodo and comes to Saitama, where he organises a social movement to gain respect and rights for the people of Saitama. Momomi Hakuhodo, the male head of the school’s student council and grandson of the principal, follows him.
13. A Long Goodbye
Why: This film is one of my favorites from new Japanese movie 2019 since it is very emotional and full of thoughts and family bonds. The acting and direction are both excellent, and there isn’t a single flaw in the film. More backstory on the characters’ lives would have helped me connect with them and comprehend their motivations better. Korean, despite its flaws, was a lot of fun to watch. The acting was fantastic, and the action sequences were well-choreographed and entertaining. The CGI was also fantastic, and the tale moved at a fast pace that complemented the horror anime movies list’s tone.
Plot: A retired school headmaster of seventy years notifies his wife and daughters that he has Alzheimer’s disease. They are all concerned, but their reactions vary depending on their circumstances. The family watches as their husband and father reverts and loses his memory as a result of the disease. Surprisingly, there are some shining moments in his life that he refuses to let go of.
12. Siblings of the Cape
Why: If anything, this is a deeply misanthropic endeavour that harkens back to a time when Japanese films were significantly more subversive and brazen in their subject matter. Putting that aside, this is a depressing and harrowing picture, punctuated by brief moments of delight that only serve to add to the suffering. Aside from one scene in which the male lead is being beaten up by high school punks and, as a defense mechanism, spits in his palm and smacks it into their faces, this Japanese action movies 2019 generally wallows in its sorrow.
Is this bad? Not quite, the director Shinzo Kitayama does well to find beauty amongst all the hopelessness and despair in this Japanese movie 2019. The intimacy of his camera and some of the more shocking sequences on display are visually handled with solid control. The success of how politically correct Kitayama is is questionable at the very least. But despite that, there is merit in Siblings of the Cape, found in the boldness of Kitayama’s direction. This feels like the kind of Japanese film which would have been made 20 to 30 years ago, that at least, I found impressive.
Plot: In one port town, two brothers, Yoshio, who had a damaged limb, and Mariko, who had an intellectual impairment, lived. Mariko vanished from her house one day. She was eventually shielded by the angler. When they get home, 10,000 yen bills are discovered in Mariko’s pockets. He overheard her saying that she had sex with the angler, but she doesn’t know what’s wrong. Following that, Yoshio sacked the company. Because his life was in jeopardy, he tried to make a living by prostituting Mariko.
11. Hit Me Anyone One More Time
Why: One could not ask for much more from a comedy than to be intelligent, amusing, and occasionally hilarious. Everything is wonderful and well-settled in this Japanese movie 2019, both in terms of direction and performance.
Plot: Keisuke Kuroda awakens up in a hospital bed, unable to recall his identity. He slips out of the hospital and manages to catch a glimpse of the news on television. He is taken aback. Keisuke Kuroda is aware that he is Japan’s Prime Minister, but his approval rating is at an all-time low. He was struck by a rock thrown by a civilian during a recent speech. Keisuke Kuroda’s memory was affected as a result of this. A man who appears to be a subordinate of Keisuke Kuroda drives him to the prime minister’s official residence. Only his three secretaries, Isaka, are aware that Keisuke Kuroda has lost his memory. Everyone, including his wife Satoko, is aware of Keisuke Kuroda’s memory loss (Yuriko Ishida). He considers altering the country’s landscape.
10. To The Ends of the Earth
Why: To the Ends of the Earth is a superbly written, directed, and performed Japanese movie. It’s perhaps the best film on a sea voyage I’ve ever seen. I’ve also seen Mutiny on the Bounty in all three versions. The Japanese movie 2019 writers had the benefit of working with William Golding’s great trilogy as a starting point. As the naive, arrogant, and self-possessed Mr Talbot, Benedict Cumberbatch is fantastic. Captain Anderson, played by Jared Harris, is a formidable opponent.
The supporting cast is similarly outstanding, representing characters from the early nineteenth century in vivid detail. The ship’s actual principal “character,” on the other hand, is damaged and beaten. It will decide the fate of everyone on board. Reliable. This is the word that has most likely been associated with BBC. They can make excellent, fine, watchable movies, but they will never make a waste of time, a letdown, or a complete disaster.
Plot: This co-production among Japan and Uzbekistan commemorates the twenty-fifth birthday of the two nations’ diplomatic relations. Yoko is a travelling journalist for a Japanese TV variety show who travels to Uzbekistan in Central Asia. Her journey and encounters with the natives help her become more ego and worldly. She keeps a journal of her adventures.
9. Just Only Love
Why: I was satisfied enough with Japanese movie 2019, as the main character change; she just continued being who she was at the beginning of the movie. That is not to say that I wanted them to end up together, as it was evident that he wasn’t good for her, and she was better off without him. The presentation of how her life went to ruin as she focused all her energy on him was not well.
There were some scenes that you can get that she was too eager to follow him and take care of him while taking advantage of that. But, other than that, we didn’t get to see how she lost her job or how she was estranged from her friends, as there was only one argument with her friend, and that was not even about her being cold towards her. Best from Japanese movies 2019.
Plot: Teruko, the Office Lady, is 28 years old. She fell in love with Mamoru at first sight five months ago. She hasn’t given a damn about her work or her pals since then As She loses her work as a result, and her friends begin to ignore her. Teruko, on the other hand, is content as long as she is with Mamoru. However, Mamoru believes Teruko is a simple woman to dislike. Teruko’s unrequited love becomes more intense.
8. First Love
Why: I was skeptical going into this Japanese movie. With a relatively new cast, a main character from the low budget but interesting director Sion Sono in the movie Himizu, I did not anticipate. I was pleasantly surprised to watch this from Japanese movies 2019. The new Japanese movie 2019 boasts a powerful plot that appears to replicate much of the visual aesthetic seen in his film Shinjuku Triad Society, but with a comic theme—all of which are put together extremely nicely in a wonderfully convoluted plot that sets itself apart from other modern Yakuza films. Shota Sometani was great and had me in fits of laughter throughout the film, which is to be expected. This film is hilarious, and I hope you like it as much as I did.
Similar to 13 Assassins, which was also a treat, I’ve never seen Miike have lengthy drawn out action sequences with so much vitality in a modern context. I was also reminded of the “Happiness of the Katakuris” by the brief animated animation. Simply go into this Japanese movie with no preconceived notions, and it will far exceed your expectations.
Plot: Never mind a New York minute: in First Love, you could lose your mind in a Shinjuku second, and then when Night Crazy institution Takashi Miike is winding the clock, you know we mean it. The latest from the renowned provocateur kicks off with everything north of a Yakuza’s neck crashing into the neon-drenched streets of Tokyo. Although the Japanese movie 2019 starry-eyed title, as this iconic image informs us, this is romance in Miike’s key. Doomed boxer Leo and haunted drug addict find themselves accidentally trapped in the middle of two warring gangs as dishonest punk Kase’s plots go spectacularly bad.
7. Promare
Why: This Japanese action movie 2019 is packed, bright, and thrilling film is anything from dull. It was entertaining to watch. The artwork was stunning, and it was most likely inspired by Into the Spiderverse. The voice acting is incredible, especially considering this is one of Taichi Saotome’s first roles. The animation style is one-of-a-kind, vibrant, and energising – perhaps too much so! There are a lot of characters, and not all of them are necessary. It would have worked better as a series. The location and plot, on the other hand, were wonderful. My only gripe is that there is so much going on that if you aren’t paying attention at all times, you might miss something. It comes highly recommended from me.
Plot: Fires from mass likely shift combustions destroyed half of the world’s inhabitants during the Great World Blaze. The Burnish were a group of people that obtained pyrokinetic talents during and after the incident. Galo Thymos now resides in Promepolis, where he works as a member of the firefighting company Burning Rescue. They are called in to investigate instances involving Mad Burnish, a gang of extremist Burnish who are accused of being terrorists. As Galo completes the assignment, Freeze Force, a police force controlled by city governor Kray Foresight, imprisons Mad Burnish leader Lio Fotia.
Lio and the other inmates, on the other hand, manage to break out and flee to a cave near a frozen lake. When Galo arrives, he witnesses Lio performing a mouth-to-mouth flame transfer technique to resurrect a gravely injured Burnish. Kray is catching Burnish for use in human studies, according to Lio. Galo encounters Kray, who warns him that an unchecked flow of magma from the Earth’s core is about to destroy the planet. He learns that the Burnish’s powers can be used to build a warp drive, which he plans to use to depart Earth with a small group of mankind. Meanwhile, Freeze Force pursues the Burnish survivors and recaptures everyone except Lio. Galo intervenes and escapes with Lio to the frozen lake, but Lio returns to the city to confront Kray.
6. Kingdom
Why: This Japanese movie 2019 is fantastic in many ways. It is esthetically gorgeous, has got a great plot, good acting, and so on. But most of all, it speaks about our society more than one could believe: it is about migration, about the happy few exploiting a large mass of people in misery and starvation, leaving them out of their lands again and again as if they were just garbage. I think this is one of the best zombie things of the last few years because it talks about now truly following Romero’s path.
Plot: The story from Japanese movies 2019 is set during the Joseon dynasty. When the king contracts smallpox, rumours begin to circulate that he has died. However, the Haewon Cho Clan, which includes the current pregnant Queen and her father, Cheif State Councilor Cho Hak Joo, has labelled Crown Prince Lee Chang a traitor. In an attempt to solve the mystery of what happened to his father, the Crown Prince travels to Dongnae with his bodyguard, Moo-Young, in search of Physician Lee Seung Hui, who handled his father, only to be stuck in a town plagued by a mysterious disease with Assistant Physician Seo Bi and the strange man, Young Shin.
The second season follows the spread of the plague across multiple provinces. A catastrophic revelation occurs at Sangju in the lead-up to putting an end to the outbreak. Due to the change in ambient temperature brought on by the beginning of the winter season, the undead hordes now roam freely.
5. Day and Night (Michihito Fujii)
Why: This is certainly the kind of Japanese movies 2019 to watch when in a depressed mood. It’s a subtle gut punch and a deconstruction of what doing the right thing really means. It’s also a tranquil film and therefore feels long, but it is more intense. The plot structure could have been tighter, though. Marvellously put together. One sequence epitomizes the title through the use of theme + editing, & it’s beautiful, albeit tragic, too—a dark, honest, & even uplifting Japanese movie.
Plot: Koji Akashi’s father took his own life. His father worked for a huge firm as a whistleblower. Koji’s family is now in jeopardy. Kenichi Kitamura is an orphanage worker. He moves closer to Koji. Kenichi is willing to commit crimes in order to protect the children. Koji considers retaliating against Kenichi.
4. We Are Little Zombies
Why: A Japanese movie 2019 is stylish, intriguing, and darkly hilarious. While the tale takes some unexpected turns, the aesthetic, music, and imagery are all fantastic! I feel this is a film that will be remembered for being ahead of its time, and I can see many of the direction decisions serving as inspiration for future films. The director’s usage of video game culture in profound and unexpected ways was refreshing and entertaining. Many of the Japanese movies 2019 brief but surprisingly meaningful lines, delivered masterfully by these young actors, will linger in the mind long after the viewing. In many ways, this picture swung for the fences and was a huge success!
Plot: When four orphans join at a crematorium where their families are being reduced to ash and their burials are being held, they create a relationship. Soon after, they decide to create a band to express their rage, grief, or loss. The band quickly gains fans, reviews, critiques, and a social media presence. However, because they are alone and in life, they are driven to build their own way rather than follow others.
3. 37 Seconds
Why: Due to its adequate and nice handled narrative, a picture with thrilling and innovative topics, outstanding acting, and stunning and imaginative videography is tragically flawed. What a fantastic film. The story was so well-told and successful that viewers like myself were drawn into Yuma’s quest. This entire Japanese movie was a huge success in conveying the narrative of a young woman with Cerebral Palsy, who was played by a real-life girl who suffered from the same illness. It was both terrible and heartwarming at the same time. I strongly advise you to I haven’t seen many films with a crippled protagonist that can portray sexuality and oppression from that perspective in order to create awareness on this problem while still being mature and passionate.
Plot: Yuma is now an adult, with all the responsibilities and responsibilities that entails. Never mind that she went 37 seconds without breathing at birth, resulting in cerebral palsy, which she still has. She is handicapped. She’s attempting to perform under duress while pursuing her dream of becoming a manga artist. She starts on a sexual journey to learn the subject matter asked of her by an employer, with the world utilizing her and the reality of her incapacity.
2. Chiwawa
Why: Japanese movie “Chiwawa” is a friendship story that might portray the same thoughts for the death of a friend utilising a sensual blend of music and sight.” Chiwawa’s entrance is really spectacular, and while the tale and concepts are similar of “Spring Breakers,” it ultimately takes a distinct path. Each one tells the tale of one of her friends’ characters, and it gets more interesting as we go further into the psyche of someone who is only known as an Instagram sensation to someone who doesn’t know her. Not only about her, but also about her pals, there’s still plenty to say. Best Japanese movie 2019 so far.
Plot: Chiwawa is a popular girl in Tokyo. Her body is discovered in Tokyo Bay one day. Her body is shattered. Chiwawa’s friends assemble to remember her, but they quickly discover they have no idea who she is or what her real identity or history is.
1. Weathering With You
Why: Weathering With You was exactly what I needed from Japanese movies 2019. Not surprisingly, this was absolutely stunning; it had detailed graphics of the characters, landscapes, and natural occurrences, and the plot was engaging, unique, and unusual. It transports you to another universe, which is quite enjoyable. In terms of myself, I was not disappointed after watching Kimi no Na Wa and Garden of Words. I like how the story is a little more linear. It’s amazing how beautifully the visuals and colours for movies can be done.
The environment is unique, and the characters elicit true sympathy from the reader. If you, like me, want Hollywood to keep away from this fantastic animation, click on you found this review useful. The voice acting was outstanding. The actors are all unknowns, yet they did a terrific job in their roles. This was a unique film. I’d rather see this a hundred times more than the many terrible Disney CGI remakes out there. It introduces us to a new story with compelling characters. Everything is perfect in this film and made it top in Japanese movies 2019.
Plot: Hodaka Morishima, a first-year high school student, flees Kzu-shima in June 2021 to flee his terrible home life in Tokyo. When a thunderstorm hits his ship to the city, Keisuke Suga saves him and gives him his business card. As Hodaka grows destitute and unable to find job, he meets Hina Amano, a McDonald’s employee. She feels sorry for him and feeds him. Hodaka later discovers an abandoned Makarov PM pistol in a rubbish bin where he had fallen. He meets Suga and his niece, Natsumi, as he arrives at Suga’s business location.
Suga recruits him as an associate at a local occult magazine publishing company, where they investigate urban tales about Tokyo’s harsh weather. In this Japanese movie 2019 ,A psychic tells them about a “sunshine girl” who can manipulate the weather. Hina is being bullied into working at a back-alley club, according to Hodaka. He scares off the club owners after a brief chase by discharging his rifle into the air, mistaking it for a toy. He and Hina manage to flee, and she takes him to Yoyogi Kaikan, an abandoned structure with a shrine on the roof, where he surrenders the pistol.
Hina astounds Hodaka by exhibiting her ability to pray and clean the skies. Hina and her brother Nagi live alone, with no adult supervision, according to Hodaka. Given their financial difficulties, Hodaka advises that Hina create a company using her abilities as a sunshine girl, clearing the weather for occasions such as weddings and celebrations. They set up a website to take orders, and their business takes off immediately. However, Hina is filmed clearing the sky for the Jingu Fireworks Fiesta on tv, and their site is flooded with demands, so they decide to shut down their business. Best ever from Japanese movies 2019.
Conclusion
Japanese movies are very popular on new generation and are now seen everywhere in the world. This article by Zain Mumtaz Summaries the 15 Japanese Movies 2019. I hope you are amazed and got the Best Japanese Movies 2019 you are looking for, also check my blog on Best Sad Korean Movies.
