Best Japanese Thriller Movies
Although not as flourishing as the Korean crime and revenge movie genre, Japan has still managed to produce a great number of thriller movies. The resources come from the plethora of fictional work in the crime genre and numerous real-life events.
- The Forest of Love (2019)
- The Third Murder (2017)
- The World of Kanako (2014)
- Cold Fish (2010)
- Outrage (2010)
- Suspect X (2008)
- Battle Royale (2000)
- Kamikaze Taxi (1995)
- Stray Dog (1949)
Japan has produced numerous world-class movies. Japanese thriller movies also have their own unique footing on the global platform. Some have such novel concepts and twisted plots that have inspired several Hollywood rip-offs. These pieces won’t just entertain you with hooking stories, but also daze with twists and turns that go way beyond a regular person’s imagination.
Best Japanese Thriller Movies
Here is a list of 9 best Japanese thriller movies in no chronological order except for the release year. Crime is the key element in each story, but they are diverse in nature, depicting everything from violence, mystery, and slow-paced drama.
The Forest of Love (2019)
Japanese name – (Ai-naki mori de sakebe)
Directed by – Sion Sono
Release date – October 11, 2019
Running time – 151 minutes
Ratings – IMDb (6.4), Rotten Tomatoes (100%), Metacritic (N/A)
Plot
The movie is about how an older man manipulates a group of amateur filmmakers and a timid young girl to do his bidding that involves perverted acts, torture, and even murder. Despite discerning the man as a serial killer, they cannot stop following his orders.
Why watch it? Based on a true story, Sion Sono has presented violence and gore in a highly stylized way, much like that of Quentin Tarantino. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but the audience would appreciate the skillful presentation of strange perversions and graphic details of a murder spree.
Interested? Watch it on Netflix.
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The Third Murder (2017)
Japanese name – (三度目の殺人, Sandome no Satsujin)
Directed by – Hirokazu Kore-eda
Release date – 4 September 2017
Running time – 124 minutes
Ratings – IMDb (6.7), Rotten Tomatoes (86%), Metacritic (68%)
Plot
The story revolves around a defense lawyer, Tomoaki Shigemori, who has to defend a convicted criminal. But the problem is Tomoaki’s client has already confessed to the crime. Meanwhile, the more he digs into the matter, the more he grows skeptical of what has actually happened.
This murky courtroom drama creates a bleak atmosphere that appears sinister and fascinating at the same time. It tells the story in a unique style and the excellent acting of the main characters adds more depth to it.
Why watch it? This is a perfect watch for people who are not into the mindless action and killings of typical thriller flicks. This is a courtroom crime drama that touches convoluted issues like justice, integrity, and fatherhood.
Interested in buying the movie? Click here.
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The World of Kanako (2014)
Japanese name – (渇き, Kawaki)
Directed by – Tetsuya Nakashima
Release date – June 27, 2014
Running time – 118 minutes
Ratings – IMDb (6.6), Rotten Tomatoes (68%), Metacritic (55%)
Plot
When ex-police detective and estranged father Akikazu Fujishima learns about his daughter Kanako’s disappearance, he starts digging into the matter. However, his desperate search starts unfolding something about his daughter he had never imagined.
Why watch it? This thriller flick has executed the story so perfectly that it dazes and surprises the audience at every turn. Forget about the random murders and gunshots. That is to say, watching this movie is like peeling an onion and under each layer, you will see something violent, depressing, or disturbing.
Interested in buying the movie? Click here.
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Cold Fish (2010)
Japanese name – (冷たい熱帯魚, Tsumetai Nettaigyo)
Directed by – Sion Sono
Release date – September 7, 2010
Running time – 145 minutes
Ratings – IMDb (7.1), Rotten Tomatoes (74%), Metacritic (66%)
Plot
The life of a middle-aged man Nobuyuki Syamoto changes forever when his daughter gets a job in a fish store, despite getting caught stealing fish from that very shop. The shop owner and his wife seem generous at first, but when their dark secrets come to light, Nobuyuki is forced to take extreme measures to save his family.
Despite revolving around serial killing, the story of Cold Fish does not roll around blood and guts only. This movie indeed depicts gruesome reality wrapped up in dark comedy.
Why watch it? Because it has gruesome killings, blood, and serial killers! Also, it’s based on the true events of “Saitama serial murders of dog lovers”. This movie presents an intense story on the background of sexually explicit scenes and bloodshed. Above all, the villains are great and the chemistry between the characters is intriguing.
Interested in buying the movie? Click here.
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Outrage (2010)
Japanese name – (アウトレイジ, Autoreiji)
Directed by – Takeshi Kitano
Release date – 17 May 2010
Running time – 109 minutes
Ratings – IMDb (6.8), Rotten Tomatoes (80%), Metacritic (N/A)
Plot
The story revolves around men in a Yakuza clan who are fighting and struggling for power. When Sanmo-kai chairman retaliates for being betrayed, a gang war ensues, leading to more deceits, lies, and an orgy of killings.
Why watch it? If you are interested in the politics of crime syndicates, particularly of the Yakuza (members of organized crime syndicates), this movie is a must-watch. Unfolded in a gritty drama, it shows the ugly side of the mobsters and a nihilist anti-hero. To sum up, there is no redemption or ray of hope, just plunging more and more into the world of betrayal and crime.
Interested in buying the movie? Click here.
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Suspect X (2008)
Japanese name – (容疑者Xの献身, Yōgisha Ekkusu no Kenshin)
Directed by – Hiroshi Nishitani
Release date – October 4, 2008
Running time – 128 minutes
Ratings – IMDb (7.5), Rotten Tomatoes (N/A), Metacritic (N/A)
Plot
Single mother Yasuko Hanaoka kills her abusive ex-husband accidentally during a scuffle. Her neighbor Tetsuya Ishigami, who is an introvert but brilliant mathematician, steps in. He helps to cover up the crime and creates a full-proof alibi for Yasuko. But police seek help from Professor Manabu Yukawa. When he starts digging in to find loopholes in the suspect’s statement, Tetsuya must outwit him to protect the people he cares about.
Why watch it? To clarify, this thriller flick is not your typical whodunnit-mystery. Rather, the audience gets to know who does what at the beginning of the movie. Despite that, watching the battle of brilliance between a mathematics teacher and an eccentric physicist is captivating.
Interested in buying the movie? Click here.
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Battle Royale (2000)
Japanese name – (バトル・ロワイアル, Batoru Rowaiaru)
Directed by – Kinji Fukasaku
Release date – December 16, 2000
Running time – 113 minutes
Ratings – IMDb (7.6), Rotten Tomatoes (87%), Metacritic (81%)
Plot
Based on Koushun Takami’s 1999 novel by the same name, the movie’s story is set at the turn of the 21st century when Japan suffered an economic blow. At that time, the Japanese totalitarian government sends a group of junior high school students to a deserted island. During a span of three days, these teenagers have to fight and kill each other until the last survivor stands.
Due to its totally original but disturbing plot, the movie drew huge controversies. Despite that, it has inspired scores of movies, video games, comics, and more.
Why watch it? With a unique storyline, this movie has garnered a cult-following amid all the debates between “greatest movie ever made” and “absurd gore-fest”. However, it offers a completely different perspective if you care to look deeper. In fact, it’s a social commentary about the problems of the Japanese teens in the late 90s.
Interested in buying the movie? Click here.
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Kamikaze Taxi (1995)
Japanese name – (Kamikaze takushî)
Directed by – Masato Harada
Release date – April 25, 1995
Running time – 134 minutes
Ratings – IMDb (7.5), Rotten Tomatoes (N/A), Metacritic (N/A)
Plot
A young Yakuza footsoldier sets off for a “kamikaze” mission to avenge the murder of his prostitute girlfriend. During his attempts to kill his bosses and a corrupt politician, he gets help from a taxi driver who has recently returned to Japan after living several decades in South America.
It’s a crime movie on the surface. However, underneath the violence and commercial sex, the story also deals with the prejudice of native-born Japanese toward the immigrants. Unlike many other thriller movies, the scriptwriter here puts effort into developing and exploring the characters.
Why watch it? The movie offers the audience a fete of violent revenge and blood-fest. However, the story dives deeper and reminds Shunji Iwai’s Swallowtail Butterfly in so many ways. Also, it deals with various Japanese cultural issues that work like eye-openers.
Interested in buying the movie? Click here.
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Stray Dog (1949)
Japanese name – (野良犬, Nora inu)
Directed by – Akira Kurosawa
Release date – 17 October 1949
Running time – 122 minutes
Ratings – IMDb (6.7), Rotten Tomatoes (95%), Metacritic (79%)
Plot
This classic movie is set in the late 1940s ravished post-war Tokyo. It’s about the search for the stolen pistol of rookie Detective Murakami (played by Toshiro Mifune). Things turn dire when the criminal starts using the weapon in various crimes. Then, Murakami gets help from a senior detective Sato. Together they start to track the culprit in the middle of a sweltering heatwave.
Why watch it? This classic movie is a faithful depiction of the turbulent and painful times during post-war Japan. Also, it was the country’s first detective movie that laid the groundwork for today’s buddy cop genre. This sheer cinematic boldness from Kurosawa delves into the questions of morality and honor amid the cat-and-mouse chase.
Interested in buying the movie? Click here.
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Eli Civil
A software engineer, entrepreneur, and Japanese culture enthusiast. I travel the world while working from my laptop and try to visit Japan as often as I can. About Eli Civil
