Mitsuko Baisho
Birthday: Born in 1946-11-22 in Ibaraki, Japan
Deathday: Alive
Mitsuko Baisho (born 22 November 1946 in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan) is a noted Japanese actress, whose most internationally known work has been for director Shohei Imamura, from 1979 up to the director's final film in 2002. Baisho has also been in films of Akira Kurosawa. She also won the awards for best actress at the 10th Hochi Film Award for Love Letter and Ikiteru uchi ga hana nano yo shindara sore made yo to sengen.She also won the award for best supporting actress at the 8th Hochi Film Award for The Geisha and at the 22nd Hochi Film Award for Tokyo Lullaby. Her sister is actress-singer Chieko Baisho.
TV Credits
川のほとりで
Character:
Toshi-chan and BB live in a hut with a blue sheet on the banks of the Tama River. Having lived there for several years, they are familiar with the area. The two of them gather cans across town from 4 am in the morning and sleep at 7 pm in order to save money on electricity at night. While they do not have substantial income, they are not particularly concerned about money. They are carefree each day and take pride in being homeless men who can support themselves. Nao, a young female actress from...
瑠璃の島
Character: Nakama Megumi
Ruri, having been abandoned by her mother to a foster care facility, lives a life of reckless abandonment. When Nakama Yuzo, a kind man but for a trigger-happy temper, runs into Ruri he realizes that perhaps she's the child he's been looking for. Yuzo lives in Hatomijima, a small insland in Okinawa where the population is 49 and the average age group is 61. There are no children. The island has only one school - a primary school. If a child is not enrolled in the school, it will be closed. As a...
ギフト
Character: Reiko Sakuhara（朔原 令子）
Gift is a drama that aired on Fuji TV. It first aired in Japan from April 16, 1997 to June 25, 1997 every Wednesday. It features music by Bryan Ferry and Howard Jones. It raised several issues in Japanese society, due to its casual use of a butterfly knife and its resulting violence....
犬神家の一族
Character: Setsuko
A series of mysterious murders over a vast inheritance at a lakeside mansion! The gold standard of mystery novels! Kosuke Kindaichi takes on the mystery!...
半沢直樹
Character: Natsuko Hane
Hanzawa Naoki works as a loan manager at the Osaka Nishi branch of Tokyo Central Bank. One day, Hanzawa makes a loan contract for 500 million yen with Nishi Osaka Steel Company. Hanzawa didn't want to approve the loan, but he had to due to the branch manager's order. Nishi Osaka Steel Company seems financially stable, but the company actually hides massive amounts of debt through fraudulent accounts. The company is caught. Three months later, Nishi Osaka Steel Company goes bankrupt. The bank's b...
探偵物語
Character: Masako Aiki
After five years of service as a cop in San Francisco, Shunsaku Kudo becomes a private detective....
龍馬伝
Character:
Ryōmaden is the 49th NHK Taiga drama. It was shown on NHK from January 3 to November 28, 2010 spanning 48 episodes. The story centers on the life of 19th-century Japanese historical figures Iwasaki Yatarō and Sakamoto Ryōma. It has been announced that the series will be aired in several other countries, for example Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand....
遅咲きのヒマワリ～ボクの人生、リニューアル～
Character: Ikuko Omura
"Late blooming Sunflower -My life renewed-" is a story of 7 young adults living their ordinary days near the Shimanto river of Kochi prefecture, renowned as the last of the crystal clear streams. Somewhat nostalgic, somewhat new, they hold on to their dreams and insecurities. It's a true-to-life portrayal of the days in young adulthood....
ブラックボード〜時代を戦った教師たち〜
Character: Ryoko Yokote
"Blackboard ~ Jidai to Tatakatta Kyoushitachi~," revolves around teachers in different time periods having to deal with the problems of that era. The first episode stars Sakurai as Shirahama, a junior high school teacher who taught his students about "dying for your country" during wartime. After later losing his right arm in the war, he returns to teaching but is burdened and conflicted by what he taught his students in the past. The second episode of "Blackboard ~Jidai to Tatakatta Kyoushitac...
宮本武蔵
Character: Otsu
Musashi Miyamoto left his village and ended up fighting in the battle of Sekigahara with his friend Matahachi, but Musashi Miyamoto lost Matahachi. He goes back to the village to inform Matahachi's family about what happened. At the village, he is persecuted by people there. Musashi Miyamoto becomes worn down physically and mentally. At this time, Soho Takuan appears in front of Musashi Miyamoto. He then rebuilds his life with his sword. Musashi begins to travel for warrior training. He meets ma...
3年B組金八先生
Character:
A legendary television series and cultural asset, Mr. Kinpachi in Class 3B is famous for putting many social issues on the front burner of the public conscious over its long run, as filtered through the emotionally volatile lives of third year middle school students. The heartfelt relations between a devoted schoolteacher, Kinpachi Sakamoto, and his unique students have won the show high praise for several decades. Whether due to the pressures of exams, family relations, teachers and friends, gr...
下町ロケット
Character:
Tsukuda Kohei was once a researcher with the Aerospace and Science Exploration Agency and now runs Tsukuda Industries, a small factory which was left by his father. Although his relationship with his teenage daughter Rina is somewhat strained, business at Tsukuda Industries has gradually started to improve. But Tsukuda puts too much effort into his dream of developing a rocket engine and business declines little by little. One day, a major client suddenly declares that it is dropping Tsukuda Ind...
TAKE FIVE～俺たちは愛を盗めるか～
Character: Mysterious Woman
Up till 20 years ago, together with his father and 3 other people, Homura Masayoshi was part of the legendary group of thieves that called themselves 「TAKE FIVE」. This group stole from the rich who had acquired their wealth through immoral means. Due to an incident, Masayoshi decided to retire from the group, and settled into his life as a professor of Psychology at a reputable university. One day, he runs into a mysterious homeless woman, who passes him a picture of a Leonardo Da Vinci's painti...
ドクターX ～外科医・大門未知子～
Character:
Daimon Michiko is a 37-year-old freelance surgeon who is part of a questionable “doctor placement service” that has her wander from hospital to hospital. The harsh environment at the hospitals led many doctors to retire from their positions, forcing hospitals to make use of said program to fill the empty spots at least temporary. However, Michiko doesn’t look like a doctor at all with her flashy clothes and eccentric attitude. In the first episode she raises objections to a certain operation whi...
ブラックボード〜時代を戦った教師たち〜
Character: Yokote Ryoko
"Blackboard ~ Jidai to Tatakatta Kyoushitachi~," revolves around teachers in different time periods having to deal with the problems of that era. The first episode stars Sakurai as Shirahama, a junior high school teacher who taught his students about "dying for your country" during wartime. After later losing his right arm in the war, he returns to teaching but is burdened and conflicted by what he taught his students in the past. The second episode of "Blackboard ~Jidai to Tatakatta Kyoushitac...
今朝の秋
Character:
A former couple, separated for over 20 years, were reunited after being told their son had only 3 months to live. What should they do as parents? As they worried, they soon began to feel the weight of their family ties......
顔で笑って
Character: Hideko Hanada
Set in a surgical hospital in Kamakura that has been in the female lineage for over 100 years, this drama depicts the daily life of a talented surgeon who is appointed director, his family, the hospital staff, and the patients....
すずらん
Character: Fuki Kawamoto
In 1924, a time when both steam engine trains and early Showa Era's first train stations are just beginning. In the waiting room of Asumoe Station, a small country station, a passenger finds an abandoned baby and rushes to tell the station master, Tokiwa Jiro. The news quickly spreads and soon friends of Tokiwa's along with other townsfolk are saying that this baby must be a gift, it is Tokiwa's recently departed beloved wife reborn as a baby....
春よ、来い
Character: 高倉リュウ
A successful screenwriter looks back on her life when she learns her husband has cancer. A year-long series, starring Narumi Yasuda....
ラスト・フレンズ
Character: Chinatsu Aida
The series follow the life of Michiru Aida, a beauty parlor assistant who returns to Tokyo after 4 years. Bullied by her seniors at work and abused by her boyfriend, she is reunited with her best friend during high school, Ruka Kishimoto, a skilled motocross racer. Takeru, a make-up artist, is introduced to Ruka by her housemate, Eri and thus begin a journey of friendship....
TWO WEEKS
Character:
Daichi has served time for murder, and is now living a life without hope. One day he is suddenly told by his former love that he has an 8 year old daughter called Hana, who is suffering from leukemia. Although he is shocked, when it becomes clear he can save Hana by being her donor, fatherly love overwhelms him and he finds meaning in life again. However, a conspiracy leads to his arrest for murder. Unless he takes the transplant surgery scheduled in two weeks, he can’t save his daughter’s life....
六本木クラス
Character:
Miyabe Arata, owner of the Roppongi Nidaime Miyabe bar, fights against those who have absolute power. His goal is to take revenge on Nagaya Holdings, a giant in the Japanese food industry. The owner of the holding companies, as well as his son, had a destructive influence on Miyabe Arata's life in the past....
東京タワー
Character: Eiko Nakagawa
A story about a young man named Masaya, whose lifelong dream is to go build a life in Tokyo. Masaya thinks his life in his hometown is uncool. A few years later, he manages to move to Tokyo but not without any consequences. In Tokyo, he learns the hard way about the meaning of life, survival, love, insecurities, desperation and hope. He also learns the struggles of living in a big city and trying to fix his relationship with his parents, especially his mom....
名探偵・明智小五郎
Character: Koumoto Keiko
Dangerous hacker group “Phantom 20” is known internationally. They begin an attack on Hikari Bank in Japan. Kenjiro Namikoshi (Teruyuki Kagawa) is the chief of the criminal investigation section at the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. He leads the investigation into the group. Kenjiro Namikoshi thinks of Kogoro Akechi (Hidetoshi Nishijima) who holds vast knowledge on hacking and leads BD team hacker group. To ask him for advisor help on the investigation, Kenjiro Namikoshi sends Yoshio Koba...
やんごとなき一族
Character: Yasuko Miyama
Sato, a young woman from a modest family, marries Kenta, a young man from a well-to-do and respected family. She settles in the family's home, where she meets the father, Keiichi, a strict man, Mihoko, the unfriendly sister-in-law and Akito, the elder brother. Although not everyone sees the union of Kenta and Sato in a very good light, the father seems to have great plans for our heroine....
ガンニバル
Character: Gin Gotô
After causing a major incident, police officer Daigo Agawa takes his wife and daughter to live in the remote mountain village of Kuge. It seems the perfect place to recover from the ordeal, despite the mysterious disappearance of a previous officer posted there. One day, the body of an old woman is found on the mountain. The Goto family says she was attacked by a bear, but Daigo notices a human bite mark. It soon becomes clear that not all is as it seems in the village....
ブラックペアン
Character: Harue Tokai
Seishiro Tokai (Kazunari Ninomiya) works as a surgeon at a university hospital. He possesses excellent technique with suture and carries a surgery success rate of 100%. Due to his arrogant attitude and personality, he comes into conflict with those around him. A new doctor tries to introduce the latest medical device for surgery, which doesn't need a surgeon's hand. Seishiro Tokai is skeptical of the device. He faces the university hospital administration and reveals corruption and hidden past ...
天使にリクエストを～人生最後の願い～
Character: Kazuko Sato
One day, unmotivated private detective Shimada receives a request from an old woman. She asks him to make the last wish of her acquaintance come true, promising that she spends any amount of money on it. Shimada questions why the client chose him for this task but working on it gradually enables him to deal with his tough memory. Later it turns out that the old woman's last wish is also hidden behind the request....
Movie Credits
The Eel
Character: Misako Nakajima
A businessman kills his adulterous wife and is sent to prison. After his release, he opens a barbershop and meets new people, talking to almost no one except for an eel he befriended while in prison....
Kagemusha
Character: Oyunokata
Akira Kurosawa's lauded feudal epic presents the tale of a petty thief who is recruited to impersonate Shingen, an aging warlord, in order to avoid attacks by competing clans. When Shingen dies, his generals reluctantly agree to have the impostor take over as the powerful ruler. He soon begins to appreciate life as Shingen, but his commitment to the role is tested when he must lead his troops into battle against the forces of a rival warlord....
Dreams
Character: Mother of 'I'
A collection of magical tales based upon the actual dreams of director Akira Kurosawa....
Turn
Character: Mori Satoko
Maki is a talented copper plate artist, however, just before her first gallery show, she gets struck by a truck. When she comes to she is at home. When she ventures outside, the city is deserted and she knows something is deeply wrong. Each day repeats; she wakes up at 2:15 in the afternoon. Gradually things start change, the phone rings, and she finds that she is not alone......
The Ballad of Narayama
Character: Oei
In a small village in a valley everyone who reaches the age of 70 must leave the village and go to a certain mountain top to die. If anyone should refuse they would disgrace their family. Old Orin is 69. This winter it is her turn to go to the mountain. But first she must make sure that her eldest son Tatsuhei finds a wife....
Vengeance Is Mine
Character: Kazuko Enokizu
A thief, a murderer, and a charming lady-killer, Iwao Enokizu is on the run from the police....
Cinema Fighters
Character: Miyuki
Six stories based on six songs, the first project of Cinema Fighters....
Tenchu!
Character: Onimo
A ronin desperately seeks a way out of financial straits; he allies with the Tosa clan under the ruthless leader Takechi, who quickly takes advantage....
Blazing Famiglia
Character: Donbaa
"Blazing Famiglia" centers around a family of former teenage gangsters. Tetsu Hino (Yoshimi Tokui) was once the leader of the most feared motorcycle gang in the Kanto area. Now, Tetsu Hino is middle-aged man who is looked down upon by his rebellious son Shuhei (Kento Hayashi). One day, Tetsu and his old biker gang gather together again after the daughter of a member is assaulted. Tetsu, worried about his day to day life, nevertheless regains the passion from his biker days. Tetsu then finds out...
The Lady Shogun and Her Men
Character: Yorinobu Mizuno
In the year 1716 a mysterious epidemic stickens men in the country of Japan, dropping the population of men to 1/4th of its prior state. With the drastic reduction of men, the gender roles have become reversed in Japan. Woman become the dominant members of society and males are sought out for the ability to produce children. A young man named Unoshin Mizuno hopes to marry childhood sweetheart Onobu, but due to class differences realizes this is almost impossible. To raise his social status and a...
Tales from Earthsea
Character: The Mistress (voice)
Something bizarre has come over the land. The kingdom is deteriorating. People are beginning to act strange... What's even more strange is that people are beginning to see dragons, which shouldn't enter the world of humans. Due to all these bizarre events, Ged, a wandering wizard, is investigating the cause. During his journey, he meets Prince Arren, a young distraught teenage boy. While Arren may look like a shy young teen, he has a severe dark side, which grants him strength, hatred, ruthlessn...
The Crazy Family
Character: Saeko Kobayashi
The Kobayashi family finally are able to move out of their tiny, cramped Tokyo apartment to the suburban house of their dreams. But things are not as perfect as they seem: the house is infested by termites and the family starts going crazy. As the Kobayashi's house begins to crumble, so does the sanity of its inhabitants. Father Katsuhiko takes it upon himself to keep them from the asylum… at any cost....
The Geisha
Character: Osodé
Yokiro was the most successful Geisha house in Western Japan during the first half of the 20th century and remains open to this day. At its peak, it was home to over 200 geisha, however behind the fabulous facade, there were many battles - between family members, men and women, and with the Yakuza. Momokawa was sold to Yokiro at age 12, and despite being the top geisha, her many complicated relationships provide unending challenges throughout her glamorous but turbulent life....
Manhunt
Character: Otsuki Kyoko
A tough prosecutor is falsely accused of theft and goes on the run to clear his name. He is assisted by the beautiful daughter of a rich man....
My Phoenix
Character: Takako Demachi
Romance story about the first female manager of the Nihon University Phoenix...
Bandits vs. Samurai Squadron
Character: Omatsu
Kumokiri Nizaemon, a former samurai warrior, has abandoned his class to become the leader of a gang of thieves. He leads his outlaws in an attempt to rob the castle of his former clan....
A Last Note
Character: Naoko Yazawa
A retired actress whose husband has recently died visits her summer home. There she has encounters with old friends and acquaintances who bring various stories and news of death and the past...
Noriben - The Recipe for Fortune
Character: Fumiyo Hara
Komaki is a thirty-something woman that has had it with her perpetually unemployed aspiring writer husband. Following the divorce, she moves back to her Tokyo-area hometown of Kyojima along with her young daughter, Non-chan. However, she has a difficult time making ends meet in big city Tokyo. Her solution? Take a chance and try opening her very own bento (lunch box) shop....
P. P. Rider
Character: Ikuko
Three high-school students tangle with indulgent yakuza and lackadaisical police as they set out in search of the class bully, who has been kidnapped....
Offbeat Cops
Character: Sachiko Naruse
Tsukasa Naruse works as a detective. He is enthusiastic with his job. To catch criminals, he sometimes breaks rules that detectives should follow. Tsukasa works on a voice phishing case that targets elderly people. He targets a suspect without a warrant. Due to his, Tsukasa gets transferred to the police musical band....
Tokyo Lullaby
Character: Hisako Hamanaka
Hamanaka Koichi returns to his wife Hisako and family in a sadder, run-down section of eastern Tokyo after having run away from home years before. He gives no explanation of his absence and his family asks no questions. It is only through the questions that a young writer named Asakura, who is secretly in love with Hisako, poses of local shop owners, that we learn that Hamanaka's disappearance may be related to the fact that the woman everyone thought he would marry, Tami - who runs the cafe ac...
Mr. Love Chemistry 2
Character:
Despite working as a matchmaker, Sosuke is an awkward person. He works with Shion and they bicker over their different beliefs of love and marriage....
Let Him Rest in Peace
Character: Akai Shima
A man returns to his seaside roots to confront a yakuza boss. Along the way, he charms young men, softens a hard woman and busts a few heads....
Duel at Fort Ezo
Character: Aka Shu
1864. Samurai Shinbei is sent in a secret mission to Ezo, in the North of Japan, to stop riots of villagers commanded by Jirozaemon. A Russian count's daughter, the village leader's daughter and a secret treasure add up to the adventure....
Wings of Icarus' Flight
Character:
A young man who travels around the world with a camera in his hand finds the circus a fascinating subject. The huge tents and life-threatening acrobatics were filled with dreams, laughter, and excitement. From that moment on, his destiny changes. While living in the circus, the young man becomes fascinated by the art of performing, trains hard, and makes his debut on the big stage. He puts all of his youth into his quest to become a clown, the flower of the circus and the origin of laughter....
Rock: Wanko no Shima
Character:
A boy, Shin, and his family are forced to evacuate the island of Miyakejima, when it erupts in 2000. Shin's dog, Rock, is mistakenly left behind....
The Blind Swordsman
Character: Self
A documentary about the character created for a series of Japanese films starring Shintaro Katsu. There are behind-the-scenes interviews on the set of the subsequent television series featuring the character....
Locomotive Teacher
Character:
Seigo Yoshioka (Kenji Sakaguchi) is a teacher that became mute after a kendo accident. He feels lost after the accident and eventually decides to teach again on a small island where his mother was born. The children there on the island quickly name him "Kikansha Sensei" (Teacher Locomotive) after learning he is mute. The parents on the island are mostly hostile to Seigo Yoshioka, believing he is incapable of teaching their children. But with Seigo Yoshioka's determination and kindness, a strong ...
All Around Us
Character: Namiko Yoshida
Kanao, a courtroom portrait artist, observes crimes, scandals and the decline of Japanese values without passing judgement. As he and his wife endure the tragedy of their first child’s death, hope slowly unfolds and their love story flickers to life once again....
Dawn of a New Day: The Man Behind VHS
Character: Masae Murakami
A Japanese film that tells the tale of the birth of VHS. It follows Kagatani Shizuo, an electronics employee who rallies his coworkers to save their jobs by increasing sales. They do this by developing the VHS standard. They battle with Sony and their standard and ultimately prevail....
Counterfeit
Character: Kageko Sada
Kageko, a teacher in a small mountain village with a thriving Japanese paper industry, is visited by a former student, who proposes a plan to manufacture counterfeit money. She initially refuses, but eventually decides to join the project for the sake of the poor children in the village and her own mentally handicapped child....
Kigeki: Onna ikitemasu
Character:
Comedy centered on a stripper agency...
Out
Character: Yoshie 'Sensei' Azuma
When pregnant lunchbox factory worker Yayoi has finally taken all the abuse she can handle, she strangles her brutish husband and disposes of the body parts, piece by piece. She's soon joined by three down on their luck housewives who murder their own husbands and find various ways to hide the evidence....
Winter's Flower
Character: Merry
Kanno is a Yakuza. He had to kill Matsuoka who betrayed their boss. Kanno knew Matsuoka had a 3-year-old daughter named Youko. Before he gave himself to the police, he asked his trusted man to take care of her. While in prison, Kanno kept sending letters to Youko, disguising as an uncle in Brazil. 15 years later, Kanno is released. He is determined to live legitimately, however the Yakuza has not forgotten his wicked deed!...
Why Not?
Character: Oko
The film depicts carnivalesque atmosphere summed up by the cry "Ei ja nai ka" ("Why not?") in Japan in 1867 and 1868 in the days leading to the Meiji Restoration. It examines the effects of the political and social upheaval of the time, and culminates in a revelrous march on the Tokyo Imperial Palace, which turns into a massacre. Characteristically, Imamura focuses not on the leaders of the country, but on characters in the lower classes and on the fringes of society....
52-Hertz Whales
Character: Sachie Muranaka
After her mother remarried, Kiko Mishima was abused mentally and physically by her family that included her mother, stepfather, and younger stepbrother....
Zegen
Character: Shiho
At the time between the World Wars, Japan is involved in empire-building throughout East and Southeast Asia. After a brief career as a low-level military adventurer, Iheiji sets up chains of brothels throughout Asia. As Japan's power in the region grows, so does Iheiji's prosperity and patriotism....
Time Never Stops
Character: Iku Hamaguchi
A family that was severely damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake that struck in March 2011, and a family that escaped the disaster. The film depicts the collapse and rebirth of two families whose children were supposed to marry each other. A moving drama written by Yamada Taichi and starring Nakai Kiichi, Kuroki Meisa and Kamiki Ryunosuke....
Love Letter
Character:
A romantic film about the spiritual exchange between a gangster and a Chinese woman who got married to him under false pretenses....
Warm Water Under a Red Bridge
Character: Mitsu Aizawa
A down-and-out businessman travels to a seaside town, where he meets a woman with unusual sexual powers....
Charming Men
Character: Haruko
One day, when Goro (Kiyoshi Atsumi) returns to his poor tenement house from a trip on a deep-sea tuna boat, his neighbor's daughter Haruko (Mitsuko Baisho) also returns from the juvenile classification center on the same day. However, at a welcome party held by Goro for Haruko, a drunk friend crashes into Haruko's house with a dump truck and is forced to leave. Goro plans to marry Haruko to a rich man and force her to pay dowry, but......
A Single Drop of Water in a Mighty River
Character:
The story opens with Yukiko and her business partner in Moscow searching for Russian items for their store in Tokyo. There they meet a Russian translator, Nicholai, played by Sergei Nakariakov - a trumpeter from Russia. Some months later after they have returned, Nicholai and Yukiko meet again while he is auditioning for the Tokyo orchestra where seeds of romance begin. Yukiko's father, however, is diagnosed with a terminal case of cancer. Yukiko returns home to be with him in his final months ...
Miyamoto Musashi
Character: Akemi
In Part I we see the young would-be swordsman setting out to achieve greatness in war, achieving nothing because fighting on the losing side, & then beginning his long period of wandering & training, with the goal always in mind of his duel with Kojiro. Part II builds toward that great duel on Ganryu Island, with considerable focus on Musashi's planning & forethought as to how to gain an advantage....
Flames of Blood
Character: Orin
The story is set in Bakumatsu and revolves around the Bunta Sugawara character, a yakuza (of course :) but instead of a modern yakuza/gangster, he's a gambler/bakuto). After he kills someone and gets wound, is saved by a blind woman (Mitsuko Baishô), who took care of him. They has a happy time under the protection of the Tomisaburo Wakayama character, an oybun. But of course, happy time doesn't last long. The story is also related to Okada Izo and the Shinsengumi (w/ Kondo Isami played by Makoto...
A Scream from Nowhere
Character: Sumiko Miyajima - The Actress
In 1930, the chance meeting of a novelist and one of his fans opens the door to a series of mysterious events culminating in the death of a wealthy industrialist who may have been leading a double life....
Dendera
Character: Masari Shiina
Fifty elderly women are abandoned to die on a snow covered mountain, but instead wor together to build their own village named "Dendera." Some of the women wants to live their remaining days in peace, but others seek revenge against the villagers and their own families who left them to die....
Shining Boy and Little Randy
Character: Asako Fujisawa
Tetsumu, an introverted youth, realizes he has a natural ability of communicating with elephants. This prompts him to leave for Chiang Mai in Thailand to become Japan's first elephant trainer. Having found his place in the world, Tetsumu develops into a strong, confident young man. He returns to Japan with the dream of building a green "paradise" for his ivory-tusked friends. Meanwhile, he starts a career as an elephant trainer for touring shows. He meets Emi, a woman seven years his senior and ...
Sing My Life
Character: Katsu Seyama
Katsu (Mitsuko Baisho) is a 73-years-old woman. She often makes trouble with her biting remarks. While raising a daughter alone, Katsu was unable to live the life she wished for. One day, Katsu goes to a photo studio and takes a picture. She leaves the photo studio, but finds that she is now 20-years-old (Mikako Tabe) again. Katsu changes out of her grandmother clothes, picks out a more youthful style and names herself Setsuko Otori. Later, Katsu decides to take part in a singing contest held i...
Chase That Man
Character:
The story of the desperate struggle between the police and a large crime syndicate....
Big & Little
Character: Masako
...
Curtain Call
Character: Haruko Nakamichi
Miho Nakamichi, an orphan adopted by Haruko, dreams to star in a musical. One day, Haruko promised Miho that she could go on a journey to find her real father, "Daddy-Long-Legs", who sends a bouquet of flowers every birthday, once she can wear a special pair of pointe shoes. The day finally arrives and Miho's small adventure begins....
An Emblem Dedicated To You
Character: Takajo Waka
Kazuya Takajo was a promising soccer player. At the age of 23, he was selected for the national A football team and he bought a house to live with his fiancé Miki Nakagawa. One day, Kazuya Takajo gets into a car accident and becomes paralyzed and falls into deep despair. Kazuya goes through rehab on the strength of his wife's love. Yet, he becomes frustrated by those opposed to his marriage with Miki and others who give him pity looks. He also can't find anything to replace soccer in his life. K...
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
Character: Yukiko Yoshiyama
A high-school girl acquires the ability to time travel....
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up
Character: Harue Fujishima
Arrangement instructor Makiko Norita (Yukie Nakama) displays a dignified smile, but she also makes bitting remarks. Nevertheless, with her magic arrangement skills, arrangement instructor Makiko Norita makes people happy. Based on the book "Jinsei ga Tokimeku Katazuke no Maho" by Marie Kondo (published December 27, 2010 by Sunmark Publishing,Inc.). Marie Kondo is a cleaning consultant and developed popular "KonMari Method" for organizing and storing household items....
Haru, Bânîzu de
Character:
Tsutsui, an office worker, marries Hitomi, who has a son from a previous marriage. However, one day, he realizes that something is missing in the life he chose....
Risking it All: The Spirit of the Men in Orange
Character:
Yamakura of the Kobe Fire Department aspires to wear the vaunted “orange” uniform of an elite rescue force that only 3% of all firefighters can attain. But to do so, he and his fellow trainees must suffer through the most rigorous training. As Yamakura and his fellow trainees grit their teeth and complain, their superior officer, Sakurai, impresses upon them the lessons of the Great Hanshin Earthquake (Kobe Earthquake) 20 years ago as “the only time we ever lost.” What happened on the front line...
Sure Death 4
Character: Ofuku
Having been demoted for failing to prevent the murder of one of his superiors, Mondo is startled by a group of masked thugs who are soon attacked in turn by an unseen force. He begins to suspect the work of assassins, but whose side are they on?...
Flower and Dragon
Character:
Kingoro Tamai moves with his wife and son to the port city of Wakamatsu. He organizes the Tamai-gumi, a stevedore group, to vie for work with two other powerful groups. Gingo is Tamai's chief rival who falls in love with the latter's wife and tries to kill Tamai....
Theater Of Life
Character:
Centred on Aonari Hyokichi, a young literary man with aspirations to become a writer, and the surrounding people, including Kira Tsuneo and Tobigashikaku....
The Shinano River
Character:
Romantic drama based on the manga published in Young Comic....
Daddy on a Rocking Boat
Character:
Based on the comic by Mitsutoshi Furuya...
Follow the Girls
Character:
Comedy of an entertainment agent and strip-teasers....
The Love and Adventures of Kuroki Taro
Character:
Taro Kuroki, 42, is a stuntman with a samurai's heart. He loves adventures, plays pranks with the police, tries to cure a cat lady by reversing her trauma, and finally, rescues his niece who is about to be lured into prostitution....
The Life of Chikuzan
Character: Chikuzan's 2nd wife
A 1977 Japanese biographical film directed by Kaneto Shindo based on the life of shamisen player Takahashi Chikuzan....
Shichou Shisu
Character:
The mayor is found dead in the river in a small town known for its hot springs. It's assumed that he fell to his death, but his nephew just cannot understand why his uncle would have gone there by himself to begin with. When he cleans up his house, he finds his uncle's diary and tries to find out what exactly happened....
Love Letter
Character: Kyoko Takehara
A drama depicting the conflict between a man that ran to an old lover suffering from advanced leukemia, his wife and child that were left behind, and the friendship that develops between his wife and his former lover....
Women Who Do Not Divorce
Character:
Keiichi (Kenichi Hagiwara) is a weather man. He gets involved with two married women, Yoshiko (Mitsuko Baisho) and Miyoko (Chieko Baisho). Both want to divorce but are trapped in meaningless marriages. While being undecided of who he wants to chose, Keiichi witnesses passions boil to an unforgiving climax....
11’09”01—September 11
Character: Kayo Furuhashi (segment "Japan")
Filmmakers from all over the world provide short films – each of which is eleven minutes, nine seconds, and one frame of film in length – that offer differing perspectives on the 9/11 terrorist attacks....
The Three Ginza Rascals
Character:
Three men, all named Masa, join forces to capitalize on each of their unique yet questionable talents against a hyper-competitive Tokyo underworld....
When My Mom Died, I Wanted to Eat Her Ashes
Character: Akiko
When Satoshi was little, his mother Akiko always took good care of him. She was gentle, but mentally strong. However, two years ago she was diagnosed with cancer and now it's Satoshi's turn to comfort and care for her. However, despite his best efforts, she passes away. A year after Akiko's passing, Satoshi, his father Toshiaki and his older brother Yuichi start new lives. Around that time, Satoshi receives a present from his mother....
Lover's Duet
Character: Yachiyo Kawada
A melodrama about a talented singer who finally makes her debut. A remake of the 1939 film of the same name....
Bōkyō
Character: (segment "Mikan no hana")
Three stories from Shiratsuna Island: "Mikan no hana" Shiratsuna Island is the only remaining island city in Japan, but it is being merged with a city on the opposite shore. Housewife Misato Tomita lives on the island. "Umi no hoshi" Yōhei Hamasaki, who was born on Shiratsuna Island, lives in an apartment in the outskirts of Tokyo with his wife, Tomomi, and their son, Taichi. "Kumo no ito" Popular artist Hirotaka Kurosaki, who is a native of Shiratsuna Island, goes back to his hometown aft...
Fun on the Run
Character: Ponta
Comedy about five good-for-nothings who run a phony exercise-hall....
Our Miyo-chan
Character: Miyo
Owner and workers of a tiny medicine factory fall in love with a lovable girl....
Women Can't Be Beaten
Character: Aiko
An uptight young man comes to suspect that his factory worker girlfriend has a secret involving his boorish older brother....
Snowman
Character: Miyuki (old)
A near future not far from now. A couple who are tied with deep love with, Roku and Miyuki. Miyuki decide to freeze Roku had an incurable disease and wait for the development of a new medicine. Believe in the words of the doctor. He said that after 10 years he will develop a remedy....
Threads - Our Tapestry of Love
Character: Setsuko Murata
Ren Takahashi and Aoi Sonoda were both born in 1989. They met for the first time at the age of 13 and became each other's first love, but they separated. At the age of 21, they met again. They were unable to undo their past. Now, they are 31 years old....
The Million Dollar Pursuit
Character:
Burned out butcher Hazama meets a woman at a restaurant and is asked to help her deliver a bag of diamonds....
Cabaret
Character: Megumi Nanbu
A young jazz musician's desire to advance in his career runs afoul of organized crime in this thriller from Haruki Kadokawa. After a saxophonist starts playing at a particular nightspot, a thug from the Yakuza adopts him as a special friend for no greater reason than he plays one of his favorite songs well. As the dangerous life of the gangster intertwines with that of the musician, it brings harm to the musician's girlfriend, who is raped. This changes the young saxophonist's attitude about his...
Nuclear Gypsies
Character:
Barbara, a dancer, is coming home to Nagoya after a long absence. She lives above a bar in an area whose inhabitants are mainly from Okinawa. Upon her return, Barbara faces problems beyond her control. Her brother and two friends take one of their teachers hostage to extort money to go on a school trip. Miyazato, the man who loves Barbara is there, but not Aiko, her best friend. Miyazato, a yakuza and manager in a nuclear power plant has forced Aiko into prostitution for the workers of the plant...
Sensei
Character: Shota's mother
...
By Player
Character:
The film is a series of vignettes from Taiji Tonoyama's life and film clips, interspersed with a dialogue to camera by Nobuko Otowa, addressing the camera as if she is addressing Tonoyama himself, recollecting events in his life. The film focuses on Tonoyama's alcohol dependence and his various sexual relationships, as well as his film work with Shindo....
In the Wake
Character: Kei Tōshima
Baffling serial killings unfold in which the victims are tied up and left to starve. Tone was just released from prison after finishing his sentence for another crime, and he surfaces as a suspect but detective Tomashiro can't nail down conclusive proof....
Akuma ga Kitarite Fue wo Fuku
Character:
Eiso Tsubaki, a former aristocrat, was suspected in a murder case in Ginza and committed suicide. Detective Kindaichi Kosuke, who is commissioned by Tsubaki's daughter, Mineko, and believes in her father's innocence, witnesses a bizarre fortune-telling session at the Tsubaki mansion. That night, another murder occurs within the mansion. A visual adaptation of Seishi Yokomizo's gothic horror....
Postcard
Character: Chiyo Morikawa, the Mother-in-Law
Toward the end of World War II, middle-aged soldier Keita is entrusted with a postcard from a comrade who is sure he will die in battle. After the war ends, Keita visits his comrade's wife Yuko and bears witness to the tragic life she has led....
Chicken Is Barefoot
Character:
A disabled child of separated parents gets caught up in police espionage due to his uncanny ability to remember license plate numbers....
Brighter Days
Character: Sae Yukino
Saho Takahashi, capable but a disillusioned nurse, has lost all motivation for her job working at Sumidaku Sakuraoka General Hospital. She seeks solace in the company of her bed-ridden patient, former Honorary Head Nurse, Sae Yukino. As she opens up about her despair, a sudden earthquake sends Saho into the depths of a strange, unfamiliar jungle....