Top 8 Most Meaningful and Human-Centric Japanese Films

"This is not the memoir of a queen, nor an emperor, but a different kind of memory."

"A Geisha is an artist. She dances. She sings. She makes you happy."

"My mother said that Natsu was like a tree, a tree rooted firmly in the earth. But I am like water, a stream that wears down stone, carving a new path."

Chiyo's clear, autumn-like eyes—was it these very eyes that made her one of the most famous Geishas? She has tasted all the flavors of life, from the bitterness of being sold, the fear of abuse, the tremors of first love, and the heartbreak to the glorious life of a Geisha. Geishas are not prostitutes; they do not sell their bodies but their skills.

For a man, a Geisha is simply a concubine... but a Geisha has her own pride. Those who wish to buy her so-called virginity must pay a heavy price, which then becomes the foundation of her fame. Yet, Geishas cannot dream, cannot love—love is a luxury they cannot afford. Thus, Chiyo keeps her feelings locked deep inside her heart. She sells her virginity to the highest bidder, not to the one she loves.

She lives the life of the most famous Geisha of her time. But no one can remain forever in the glow of fame. As the world changes, even a Geisha's story becomes a thing of the past. All that remains is: "I was once a Geisha." In the end, Chiyo finds the love she sought, though it feels distant, almost unreal, and lacks the profound fulfillment of her memories as a Geisha. The Geisha—once living a beautiful, complete life—now exists only in memory.

This Japanese drama series follows the romantic and intriguing school life of Haruna Tsubame, a high school girl. Everything seems normal until Tsubame is unexpectedly forced into the position of student council president. However, she quickly realizes that her voice has no power among her peers.

The turning point comes when she is unable to clear the name of a classmate who has been wronged. In that moment of helplessness and despair, she meets the mysterious genius speaker Shizukui, and together they spark a revolution. This is where the story truly begins.

This movie is an adaptation of the famous Japanese manga of the same name. There have been several adaptations, but the 2006 film The Death Note stands out with its portrayal of two main characters, L and Kira. Kira accidentally comes into possession of the Death Note, a notebook dropped from the heavens.

The notebook's power is simple: if you write someone's true name in it, that person will die from a heart attack. Kira is a genius, but he becomes disillusioned with the world, seeing it filled with criminals despite his brilliance. What happens when you pair a Death Note with a genius mind? The only person capable of confronting Kira is L, an eccentric detective with a mind equal to Kira's. The film depicts a fierce intellectual battle between L and Kira, two people on opposite sides of light and darkness. Who will dominate this world?

Say I Love You is a sweet, lighthearted high school romance between the most popular guy in school and Mei, an unremarkable girl who doesn’t stand out. Ironically, the bright and charming boy takes an interest in Mei after a small misunderstanding where Mei accidentally hurts him.

At first, Mei can’t believe the handsome boy could possibly care about someone like her. The film’s highlight is the boy’s kisses, each with a different meaning: a kiss for friendship, for affection, for admiration, and for love. But does he truly have feelings for Mei, a girl who seems ordinary and without special qualities?

This film is based on the novel ‘White Night’ by Keigo Higashino, a famous Japanese crime thriller. However, experts and readers alike have noted that the movie fails to fully capture the atmosphere and inner struggles of the characters from the book. The story paints a dark and grim picture of Japanese society, where the shadows of child abuse lurk and crime runs deep.

The plot follows two main characters, Yukiho and Ryoji, as they navigate their troubled lives, from childhood to adulthood, during a haunting white night. Yukiho endures the darkest experiences life has to offer, while Ryoji bears witness to these tragic events. The twist lies in the fact that Ryoji saw his own father abuse Yukiho when she was just a child, and ironically, it was Yukiho’s mother who sold her to Ryoji’s father.

The dark journey of Ryoji, a genius marked by his intellect, begins with the very scissors he used to kill his father. While Yukiho lives under the bright sun, it is Ryoji who keeps the darkness away, always protecting her from harm. The film concludes with a sense of regret, as no one truly understands what Ryoji’s feelings for Yukiho really were.

Kokuhaku is not just a story; it is a mosaic of human pieces, depicting the dark, chaotic world of a decaying school society, where demons hide behind the facade of students. This is the world of Watanabe Shuuya, Shimomura Naoki, Kitahara Mizuki, Moriguchi sensei, and Yoshiteru Terada. Shuuya, a genius with a gifted mother, bears the curse of his inheritance. Shuuya is A, the one who attempted to kill Minami (Moriguchi sensei’s daughter) but failed.

Shimomura Naoki endures constant bullying. Despite his weak body and bright smile, his soul is consumed by darkness. Naoki is B, the real killer of Minami. Kitahara Mizuki is like a mirror, reflecting everything around her. She understands Moriguchi sensei, but also sees the flicker of something unsettling in Shuuya’s eyes when he speaks of his mother. But knowing too much comes with a cost—Mizuki must die.

Moriguchi sensei teaches her students the ultimate lesson of life: to live. A lesson built upon the death of her innocent four-year-old daughter, Minami. Yoshiteru Terada takes over as the new teacher, believing himself to be a savior. But in truth, he pushes Naoki’s mother into a state of utter despair. While we might think Shuuya or Naoki are the true monsters, Kokuhaku reveals an even darker creature lurking in the shadows. Unveil the horrific truth behind the veil of guilt!

The movie is adapted from the memoir of Kito Aya. It tells the courageous battle of a girl who suffers from a terminal illness for 10 years, from the age of 15 to her passing at 25. The film depicts a relentless struggle for life as a 15-year-old girl receives the devastating diagnosis of cerebellar degeneration, an incurable disease. She was once an optimistic girl, filled with life, living in a happy middle-class family.

However, everything falls apart when her diagnosis is confirmed. For 10 years, Aya fights against this cruel disease, surrounded by her family, while her diaries capture the progression of her decline. Her symptoms gradually strip away her ability to function normally.

The movie introduces a character named Haruto Asou, a classmate who walks beside Aya until the end. Haruto doesn’t appear in Aya’s diaries, but his presence helps shed light on Aya’s inner world. “Some people exist like air—gentle, quiet, and only when they are gone do we realize how important they were. I want to be that kind of existence.” – Kito Aya

A postal worker leads a simple life, caught in a repetitive routine, until one day he’s diagnosed with brain cancer. What will he do? If a devil offers him an extension on his life, with the catch that for every extra day, something will disappear from the world, what would he choose? “If Cats Disappeared from the World” is not a comedy, nor is it a tearjerker.

Throughout the story, death looms and many things vanish forever. While the devil is a fictional character, it can symbolize the internal demons each person faces. In exchange for life, people are willing to sacrifice things that are significant to them. Each thing that disappears is something tied to the main character’s memories with loved ones—like his phone, which connected him to an old love, or the films, where he found his dearest friend.

The film is a simple yet profound reflection on the beauty of ordinary life and the desire to live. The lines “I will keep living” from the girlfriend, and “If we’re alive, we’ll meet again” from a passerby, all contribute to the protagonist’s decision. The characters in “If Cats Disappeared from the World” are all ordinary, yet the film masterfully uncovers the extraordinary aspects of their lives—such as the protagonist’s fear of death, his passionate friend, his grieving ex-girlfriend, a mother who continues to care for him even in death, and a quiet father with a deep love. This film will evoke all kinds of emotions in you.