Even without knowledge of specific titles, audiences from around the world have seen decades of films internationally that was built on the foundation of Japanese cinema. In the aftermath of World War II, cinema became a cathartic outlet for Japanese filmmakers to express their honest views and expand their horizons beyond government-approved propaganda films.
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In the years since, Japan has remained a prominent and distinct voice in film, offering a unique perspective on familiar genres. Fromearly samurai epicsto ground-breaking animation, the following is a timeline of the many points in history when Japan changed the cinematic landscape forever.
‘Rashomon’ (1950)
When a man is found murdered and a woman assaulted, four people involved are brought to trial to uncover the truth behind the incident. As each individual reveals their story to the court, more questions begin to arise than answers.
Overlooked upon its original Japanese release, it wasn’t untilAkira Kurosawa’s early masterpiece was awarded at Venice Film Festival that its nuanced storytelling and visual craft would truly be appreciated. From then on, critics began to recognize prominent Japanese filmmakers, includingYasujiro OzuandKenji Mizoguchi, introducing the rest of the world to the country’s varied and rapidly-growing cinematic landscape.Rashomonwould also go on to inspire dozens of films, such asThe Usual Suspects,Hero, andThe Last Duel, that utilized its uniquely structured plot and unreliable narration, forever embedding itself in film history.
‘Tokyo Story’ (1953)
An elderly couple travels from their small village to bustling Tokyo to visit their adult children. When their family all appear to be too busy to spend time with them, they begin spending more time with their widowed daughter-in-law, Noriko (Setsuko Hara).
Yasujiro Ozu’s understated classic is the culmination of the auteur’s endless fascination with complex family relationships and generational divides. As with most of Ozu’s work, flashy cinematography is avoided in favor of static matter-of-fact shots of everyday life, peppered with the director’s signature close-ups. This visual approach allows the viewer to feel the family’s shifting dynamics and internal struggles first-hand, as the film subtly builds to its emotionally gripping climax.
‘Seven Samurai’ (1954)
When a village is running low on food and supplies due to frequent raids by a bandit clan, they recruit a few samurai who are willing to help without payment. They scrounge together seven ronin, each from different backgrounds, who must band together and outwit the merciless bandit horde.
Often considered one of cinema’s greatest achievements,Seven Samuraiis a three-plus hour epic that moves like a modern superhero flick, but with the character development and precise direction of a prestigious period piece. It set the precedent for the unlikely team dynamic in film with an ensemble of iconic performances, including Kurosawa regularsToshiro MifuneandTakashi Shimura. From western re-imagining ofThe Magnificent Sevento Pixar’sA Bug’s Life,the film’s blueprint has been re-purposed for decades, however,Seven Samuraiendures as the masterclass of its own formula.
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‘Godzilla’ (1954)
In the aftermath of the atomic bomb, a giant lizard-like creature rises from the depths of the ocean and wreaks havoc on Tokyo. Amidst the chaos, a select group of scientists must find a way to stop the beast, before any further casualties are suffered.
Godzillaacts as a haunting allegory for the fear that loomed over Japan after the nuclear attacks and remains as emotionally resonant and poignant as it was upon its release. The fact that it’s all told with a man in a rubber and latex suit and can be taken seriously is a testament to the craft and earnestness with which the material is handled. Though it would go on to spawn one of cinema’s longest-running franchises, the original film stands as tall as its titular monster asthe golden standard of the kaiju genre.
‘The Hidden Fortress’ (1958)
Two scheming peasants encounter a mysterious man and woman. Unbeknownst to them, the strangers are a princess and general, respectively, who offer to give the peasants gold in exchange for their company to escort them to safety.
Widely known by cinephiles asGeorge Lucas’primary influence onStar Wars,The Hidden Fortressis a sprawling adventure well ahead of its time upon release. Though thematically lighter when compared to the rest of Kurosawa’s filmography, the movie more than makes up for it with brilliantly realized action set pieces and a keen eye for scope and spectacle.
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‘Yojimbo’ (1961)
A wandering ronin arrives at a town that’s been overrun by two warring criminal factions. Over the next few days, he enacts a plan, pitting the two gangs against each other, in order to free the town from tyranny.
Kurosawa’s streak of samurai classics from the 1950s carried over into the following decade with this classic ideal of the “wandering samurai” trope. The premise would later be riffed by the Italian directorSergio Leonefor his spaghetti western classicA Fistful of Dollars, essentially spawning an entirely new sub-genre. Kurosawa’s muse Toshiro Mifune once again utilizes his unhinged charisma in an otherwise understated role, creating one of the most iconic samurai heroes of the genre.
‘Akira’ (1988)
Years after an experiment-gone-wrong leads to the Japanese government bombing of Tokyo, the newly rebuilt city is plagued with crime. When a street gang is roped into a plot involving another round of experiments, it becomes a race against time to keep Tokyo from being destroyed again.
Similarly to 1954’sGodzilla,Akirabrilliantly comments on the cyclical nature of humanity’s destruction in a grave and harrowing manner. The film’s vision of a reconstructed metropolis bridges the gap betweenBlade Runnerand almost every dark sci-fi vision of the future that would follow. The kinetically thrilling, and often graphic, action and violence set against a backdrop of heavy themes showed the world what the medium was capable of, as well as its ability to tell more than just children’s stories.
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‘Ring’ (1998)
After her niece is found dead, watching a supposedly cursed videotape, reporter Reiko (Nanako Mastushima) embarks on a search for the truth. Upon watching the tape herself, she receives a call saying she will die in seven days. Reiko and her ex-husband continue looking for answers, as well as the origin behind the haunted tape.
While awareness of this creepy cult classic came to a head with the release of the American remake ofThe Ringin 2002,Ringstands on its own as an arguably grittier and more disturbing take on the book both films are based on. The story is told with a straightforward approach, adding a visceral realism to each terrifying set-piece. It would go on to inform much of the international horror scene for the next decade, proving that haunting imagery beats a cheap jump-scare any day.
‘Audition’ (1999)
Widower Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) decides he is ready to get back on the dating scene. His friend in the movie business arranges a fake audition to help Aoyama find the perfect match. After becoming enamored by the beautiful Asami (Eihi Shiina), Aoyama begins a relationship with her, only to eventually learn of her own, more sinister, motives.
One of the most prolific and hardest-working directors in Japan,Takashi Miikedelivers what many consider to be his magnum opus with this modern horror classic. Much of the film’s first half is treated with a light tone, making it all the more jarring (and horrifying) when it takes a turn for the dark and twisted in its latter half. The horror elements of the film would later be used as a template for the “torture porn” boom of the early 2000s, though none of those films would quite match the shock and terror of Miike’s masterpiece.
‘Spirited Away’ (2001)
While taking a shortcut to their new home, 10-year-old Chihiro (Rumi Hiiragi) and her parents come across an abandoned amusement park. When the sun sets before they are able to leave, Chihiro’s parents turn into pigs, and she finds herself trapped in what now appears to be a bathhouse, as well as a safe haven for spirits.
Many beloved animatorsHiyao Miyazaki’sfilms could be considered masterpieces, but none had the universal appeal and adoration garnered bySpirited Away. For many American moviegoers, it was an introduction to the coveted tradition of Japanese animation and blew audiences away with its detailed world, quirky characters, and endless well of imagination. From mysterious apparition No-Face to mystical dragon Haku, the film is stuffed with wildly inventive imagery that defined an era of animated cinema, maintaining its awe-inspiring magic today.
