Saki Takaoka
Also Known As: 高岡 早紀, ساکی تاکائوکا
Biography: Saki Takaoka (高岡 早紀) is a Japanese actress born as Sakiko Takaoka (高岡 佐紀子). Her uncle is the jazz pianist Yōsuke Yamashita. She won the award for best actress at the 19th Hochi Film Award for Crest of Betrayal.
Department: Acting
Place of Birth: Kanagawa, Japan
Adult: No
Popularity:
Known For:
Love for Beginners
Overview: Hibino Tsubaki is a young teenage girl with a talent for styling other people's hair. Yet, Tsubaki suffers from low self-esteem and isn't very comfortable styling her own hair. She also has a tendency to dress old-fashioned. She's teased at high school because of this. One day, popular male student Tsubaki Kyota targets Tsubaki for teasing. Tsubaki Kyota holds sway over the entire classroom and is quite a playboy. Inexplicably they fall in love. Meanwhile, Tsubaki Kyota has commitment issues...
Genres: Romance Comedy
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2012-12-06
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Kanashiki Tenshi
Overview: The body of a 59-year-old male is found on the banks of a river. The stepson, Kazuo, confesses to his involvement but also implicates his estranged sister Nami. Two detectives, Okishima Keisuke and Kono Kaoru, then travel to the resort district of Beppu to stake out the house of Nami's ex-lover. They feel he may also be implicated in the murder and are certain that Nami will make contact. The detectives now wait.
Genres: Mystery
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2006-10-27
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Yakuza: Like a Dragon
Overview: Former yakuza underling Kazuma Kiryū has recently been released from prison after a lengthy incarceration and is trying to piece his life together and distance himself from his yakuza past. Unfortunately, Kiryū's problems slowly escalate as he is pursued by a former associate, the baseball-bat-wielding psycho Gorō Majima, who has a grudge to settle with Kiryū.
Genres: Action Crime Drama Comedy
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2007-03-03
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Rika - Jisho 28 Sai no Junai Monster
Overview: A dead body in a suitcase is found on a mountain. The body is identified as Takao Honma. 3 years ago, he was kidnapped by Rika Amamiya and went missing. Detective Jiro Okuyama tries to catch Rika Amamiya. He uses a dating app, while using a fake name, and finally finds Rika Amamiya, but he becomes attracted to Rika Amamiya.
Genres: Crime
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2021-06-18
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Ocean Waves
Overview: As a young man returns home after his first year away at college he recalls his senior year of high school and the iron-willed, big city girl that turned his world upside down.
Genres: Romance
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 1995-12-25
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The Harimaya Bridge
Overview: The Harimaya Bridge is a drama about an American man who must travel to rural Japan to claim some important items belonging to his late son, from whom he was estranged. While there, he learns several secrets his son left behind.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2009-06-13
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Young Thugs: Nostalgia
Overview: Nostalgia is Takashi Miike’s favorite film of his considerable body of work. Including biographical elements, Nostalgia centers around the home and school of a young boy, whose family mix the violent and dysfunctional with the comic and the loveable. Though containing elements of the sudden and shocking brutality that many associate with this director, Young Thugs – Nostalgia is more concerned with a child’s moment of leaving the internalized world of fantasy, and passing on eagerly to the next stage of life. A wonderful, touching, startling vision that is uniquely Miike’s.
Genres: Drama Action Comedy
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 1998-09-26
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Baian Fujieda the Assassin
Overview: An adaptation of the Shotaro Ikenami novels, set in the historical Edo period, and centered on Fujieda Bayan, a medicine man and doctor by day, but ruthless killer for hire by night. His tools of the trade are the same in either job: acupuncture needles that leave no trace.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2006-11-04
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cf Girl
Overview: The film is an adaptation of the novel of the same title by Takashi Kitajima.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 1989-10-07
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Masquerade Night
Overview: An anonymous letter is delivered to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. The letter states that a criminal of a murder case will appear at the countdown party Masquerade Night that will be held at Hotel Cortesia Tokyo. Detective Kosuke Nitta must go undercover and work again at the Hotel Cortesia Tokyo. There, he meets Naomi Yamagishi, who works as a concierge. Without any information about the criminal, except that the person will be in attendance, Detective Kosuke Nitta works feverishly to find the criminal among the 500 attendees.
Genres: Crime Mystery
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2021-09-17
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Seicho Matsumoto Special: Fingers
Overview: Fukue Yumiko is a struggling actress who isn't afraid to lie, cheat, or exploit her own sexuality if it means her own success. But as she becomes a big star, one TV reporter decides that it's time someone uncovered her dark past and reveal just how far she was prepared to go for her own fame.
Genres: Crime Drama Mystery
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2006-02-21
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Dance with Me
Overview: As a child, Kyoko learned latin dance from Jose, a Cuban-American serviceman stationed in Japan. Years later, Kyoko travels to New York to see Jose again. After much searching, she finds Jose, only to discover that he is dying of AIDS and no longer remembers much of his past, including the time he and Kyoko spent together.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 1996-03-30
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In Love and Deep Water
Overview: On a massive luxury cruise ship while at sea, the loyal butler and a mysterious woman cross paths as they try to uncover a murder-mystery that occurs on the ship.
Genres: Romance Comedy Mystery Thriller
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2023-11-16
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Desire
Overview: Yokubo from director Tetsuo Shinohara is based off of the award-winning love story by Mariko Koike. A young man searching for physical comfort and dumb lust, and the world-weary woman drowning in a sea of men that works with him. This is a fantastic new film from a remarkably skilled cast about "the beauty of sensualism."
Genres: Drama
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2005-11-19
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Samurai Gangsters
Overview: Jirocho (Kiichi Nakai), a fledgling bakuto who left his wife, goes on a year-long training with his minions: right-hand man and military master Ohmasa (Kishibe Ittoku); stinky priest Daigoro (Takashi Sasano); well-known stranger Ishimatsu Mori (Yoichi Nukumizu); beautiful Masagoro Oiwake (Kazuki Kitamura); and others. As Jirocho's fame spreads, he gains more enemies. Among them are Katsuzo Kurokoma (Koichi Sato), who is one of the most powerful in Koshu, and the villain who is also Ishimatsu's nemesis, Masaru Mima (Riki Takeuchi). A traitor also emerges from the family, Yoshikazu Ebisu (Yoshikazu Ebisu). Meanwhile, Jirocho's wife falls ill and other terrible situations occur. Jirocho falls into a pinch of absolute despair. What on earth will he do? What is the fate of his minions? The Jirocho family will face a fierce battle...
Genres: Comedy Adventure Action
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2008-09-20
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A Long Walk
Overview: A lonely retired girl's High School Principal who's lost his wife to alcoholism moves to an old apartment in a country town. There he forms a relationship with a neglected little neighborhood girl.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2006-04-01
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Just Remembering
Overview: A former couple remembers their most intimate days, only to part once again. A bittersweet love story inspired by a Jim Jarmusch masterpiece, set in times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Genres: Drama Romance
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2022-02-11
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Female
Overview: 'Female' is comprised of five short films adapted from five novels by female authors. Directed by Shinya Tsukamoto, Tetsuo Shinohara, Ryuichi Hiroki, Miwa Nishikawa, and Suzuki Matsuo.
Genres: Drama Comedy
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2005-05-14
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Midnight Diner
Overview: A restaurant opens at midnight. Both the menu offerings and personality of the owner draw a series of flawed patrons including Tamako, whose boyfriend has passed away, live-in worker Michiru, and ruckus-raising Kenzo.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2014-11-01
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Swimming Upstream
Overview: One day after school, Kaoru glances at Sonoko at the pool side. He falls in love with her at first sight and decides to join the swimming team even though he cannot swim.
Genres: Romance
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 1990-06-02
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Echo of Silence
Overview: In a small town of Hokkaido, Yunni, Fusako Kurokawa (Saki Takaoka), lives a quiet life with her father. Life here is very simple, but it is good enough and she is happy enough. Days go on as usual. with some coincidence, she meets this man one day, Wataru Kadokura (Atsuro Watabe) a man who cannot speak. A very peaceful "time" now becomes part of her daily life as this strong emotion suddenly takes place in her simple quiet life.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2008-10-19
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Waiting for Good News
Overview: General store manager Akio (Tetsuji Tamayama) lives a carefree live in Okinawa with his dog, Kafu. One day he receives a strange letter from a woman named Sachi, but that’s not any person he’s familiar with. It turns out that the letter was a response to a joke wish he hung up at a Shinto shrine months earlier. Then one day, Sachi (Maiko) shows up and the two begin a relationship.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2009-02-28
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Tales of Terror from Tokyo and All Over Japan Volume 2
Overview: An anthology series based on stories collected throughout Japan, mainly by writers Hirokatsu Kihara and Ichiro Nakayama.
Genres: Horror
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2004-02-02
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Love on Sunday: Last Words
Overview: Nagisa, a high school girl who has been given three months to live. Without telling her widowed father where she is going, she sets out from the city to the small town where she was born. She recalls her childhood memories, and her love for Satoshi begins to grow stronger. However, she is shocked to discover that Satoshi is having an affair with Eriko, a married woman.
Genres: Drama Romance
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2007-06-08
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Fuyu no Hi
Overview:
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2015-12-06
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The Short Films Everyone started out as a child
Overview: A dream collaboration between five directors who represent the modern Japanese film industry! An omnibus work composed of five short films has been created. "The Short Films: We all started as children." The theme that runs through the five short films is "children." The styles vary from period dramas to contemporary daily life scenes, but all of the works highlight the dreams of children, who are entrusted with Japan's future, as well as the issues facing the social system surrounding children. ©ABC Television
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2008-12-23
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The River with No Bridge
Overview: A widow and her two sons, Seitaro and Koji, live in the small town of Komori, where Buraku people are forced to reside. The two boys are continuously harassed by their teachers and classmates through their childhood as a result of their Buraku heritage. In the midst of the 1918 Great Rice Riots in Osaka, Seitaro meets with Asako, the daughter of a rice shop owner, and falls in love with her. She too is of Buraku descent. At the same period, Hideaki, an old friend of the brothers returns to Komori, and he along with Koji and the townspeople create "Zenkoku Suiheisha", the National Levelers Association, an organization pledged to build a bridge over the river of discrimination, making all people equal in every way.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 1992-05-23
Popularity:
25
Overview: Detectives Shintarou Sakurai (Sho Aikawa) and Koichi Hikage (Susumu Terajima) are partners. They are also corrupt and often blackmail criminal groups and seize their money. One day, the Chief of Police becomes aware that 2.5 million yen in seized money is missing. He orders Shintarou and Koichi to bring the money in by tomorrow morning. Shintarou and Koichi are in big trouble. They then read an article about a pension fund embezzlement case involving 6 billion yen. The prime suspect of the pension fund embezzlement case spent most of that money, but he has 2.5 billion yen left.
Genres: Action Crime
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2014-11-01
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Detective Katherine
Overview: Katherine Turner initially accompanied her father, Vice President of the United States, on his official trip to Japan but decided to stay longer to study the Japanese art of flower arrangement for her business back in the States. Yukio Hamaguchi, Minister of Foreign Affairs and also a very good friend of Katherine’s father, assigns his nephew Ichiro to escort Katherine during her stay. Ichiro is halfhearted at first but when Katherine’s old friend Maiko becomes the victim of a murder case, Katherine and Ichiro start to reveal their talent as brilliant detectives by untangling clues and solving the case together.
Genres: Mystery
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2015-09-05
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A Courtesan with Flowered Skin
Overview: Japan around 1860: popular courtesan Asagiri will be freed soon from her service, yet she cannot imagine any other existence. Until one day at a local festival, Asagiri meets the young artisan Hanjiro by chance – an encounter that changes her destiny. With a strong performance by leading actress Yumi ADACHI and exquisite camerawork and production design, A COURTESAN WITH FLOWERED SKIN succeeds in recalling the golden age of Japanese erotic film.
Genres: Drama Romance
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2014-11-08
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Lesson of the Evil: Prologue
Overview: Follows high school teacher Seiji Hasumi's background history and in the process depicts the horror inherent in daily life.
Genres: Horror Thriller
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2012-10-15
Popularity:
Monster
Overview: A woman has an ugly face. She has been called 'monster' since childhood. A case occurs in her town that leads to her being ejected and a relocation to Tokyo. She obtains plastic surgery and begins working as a prostitute. She makes some dough and extends the plastic surgery to her entire body. She changes her name and begins a new life. The perfect body leads her to think about men and her hometown.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2013-04-27
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The Lowlife
Overview: Based on a 2016 novel by Mana Sakura, “The Lowlife” shows the stories of three women who work in Japan’s adult video industry.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2017-11-25
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Crest of Betrayal
Overview: Weaving two storylines together: the first is the story of 18th-century shogunate intrigue and loyalty, and the second is a ghost story about a beautiful woman who falls victim to passion and evil.
Genres: Horror Drama Action History Fantasy
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 1994-10-22
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Love Is Five Seven Five
Overview: A haiku club comprised of five unlikely students aim to win the national high school haiku tournament.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2005-03-26
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Snow Flower
Overview: A terminally ill girl, who dreams of going to Finland to see the northern lights, falls in love
Genres: Romance Drama
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2019-02-01
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Taxi Driver's Mystery Diary 38
Overview:
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2015-08-29
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The Housekeeper
Overview: Nobuko is a plain, unattractive woman with disheveled hair, and is hired as a housekeeper in the Inamura residence in Tokyo. The Inamuras are a family of six. The father, Tatsuya, is the head of a university hospital's department of internal medicine. He lives with his wife Haruko, their three sons, and Tatsuya's mother, Shigeko. Although the Inamuras appear to be a happy family, Nobuko soon uncovers the truth.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2012-12-22
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Megazone 23 III - Part 1 - The Awakening of Eve
Overview: Years after the events of Megazone 23 II, the only city on Earth is the supposedly idyllic Eden. There lives Eiji Takanaka, a B Level hacker who has just been accepted into EX, the organization that controls Eden. However, before his first day on the job, he becomes embroiled in a network war, a legendary figure named EVE, and a plot to re-inhabit the Earth.
Genres: Animation Science Fiction
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 1989-09-28
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Wet Red Thread
Overview: Shigeru meets Ichimi at a club and they get involved. Her yakuza husband complicates matters.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2005-08-06
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Higuchi Ichiyo Monogatari
Overview: Higuchi Ichiyo is the first female professional novelist in Japanese literature. This tanpatsu drama is a biography of her personal life.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2004-11-01
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Eden
Overview: When Miro's transsexual friend Noripee dies, Miro and his friends from the gay bar 'Eden' are once again reminded of the discrimination they are constantly facing from society. They decide to convince Noripee's parents, who disowned her, to bury Noripee's body.
Genres: Comedy Drama
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2012-11-17
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Happy People
Overview: Japanese anthology follows the depressing lives of several people just trying to keep going in a nihilistic world. Movie version of Kosuke Suzuki‘s previous SOV movie by the same title.
Genres: Drama Horror
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 1997-09-27
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Memo
Overview: Mayuko Motohashi is a high-school student in Tokyo. She suffers from an obsessive-compulsive disorder, obsessively writing down everything that crosses her mind. The anxiety happens so often, that she has to buy large amounts of note pads every few days at a stationer. Mayuko’s life mostly consists of two things. Going to school and seeing her female counselor. One day, after a long period of time, Junpei who is the brother of Mayuko’s father reappears, surprising the family. By a coincidence, Junpei also suffers from an obsessive-compulsive disorder, making him and Mayuko begin to share a strange relationship, both of them fighting to overcome their disorders. But one day, Junpei didn’t seem like himself.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2008-03-22
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First Love
Overview: A university student has the usual dreams and aspirations. It turns out to be a pipe dream and so she murders her own flesh and blood. The usual media heads seek an answer in order to sell copy. A psychologist is writing a book about the character and incident. Her research for the subject matter turn the psychologist inward and things come out of the shadows that perhaps are better left buried deep in the shadows of the psyche.
Genres: Drama Mystery
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2021-02-21
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A Day Begins
Overview:
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2024-10-11
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Ravens
Overview: Enigmatic, rejected, heartbroken. Masahisa Fukase must rebuild his life, overcome tradition, his inner demons and the pain of a broken marriage. The fascinating love story of the iconic Japanese photographer, his wife, his art and his family told for the very first time. A love consumed and destroyed by a life of photography.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2024-10-25
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Tales of Terror from Tokyo and All Over Japan: The Movie
Overview: 8 short stories comprise this anthology movie, based on the Tales of Terror TV series. The segments are, in order: The Night Watchman (directed by Akio Yoshida), Wisps of Smoke (Kosuke Suzuki), Gloves (Hirohisa Sasaki), The Weight (Kosuke Suzuki), Full-Length Mirror (Ryuta Miyake), Line of Sight (Keisuke Toyoshima), The Promise (Keita Amemiya) and Hisao (Shun'ichi Hirano).
Genres: Horror
Original Language: ja
Release Date: 2004-08-21
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