10 Best Japanese New Wave Movies, Ranked

Cinema has a number of critical and unforgettable periods, and the crucial Japanese New Wave, which happened between 1950 and 1976, was exceptionally enriching and helped shape the history of cinema. As you might expect, he focuses on taboo subjects, such as violence and radicalism, through his experimental and unconventional storytelling.

While many are familiar with European film movements such as the French New Wave, Japan's Nūberu bāgu is just as intriguing and innovative, eventually spawning some of Japan's most unforgettable features with a huge impact across the world From The naked island a Woman in the Dunes, We Take a look back at some of the best Japanese New Wave films that every movie lover should see at least once.

10 'The Naked Island' (1960)

Director: Kaneto Shindô

Centered around a small family consisting of a husband and wife with two children (Nobuko Otowa, Taiki Tonoyama, Shinji Tanaka, Masanori Horimoto) struggling to navigate their lives on a small island in the Seto Inland Sea in Hiroshima, The naked island it is a type of life characteristic that illuminates the family's obstacles and challenges in the face of adversity.

Kaneto ShindoThe poetic film of has almost no spoken dialogue, but that doesn't make it any less great: in fact, it just goes to show that the greatness of a film doesn't depend entirely on this one particular aspect. Fans of existentialist and humanist stories will likely enjoy Shindô's impeccable effortsas the masterfully directed film meditates on the cycle of life and work, all the while highlighting the importance of endurance amid life's trials.

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9 'Eros + Massacre' (1969)

Director: Yoshishige Yoshida

Two interconnected stories are intriguingly illustrated Eros + Massacre, a Japanese biographical drama that ranks among the best of the Japanese New Wave. The film follows the anarchist Osugi Sakae and illustrates his relationship with three women: his wife Yasuko Hori, his militant feminist lover Itsuko Masoka (inspired by Ichiko Kamichika), and his third lover Itō Noe. Meanwhile, the audience also gets a glimpse of two students from the 1960s researching Osugi's theories.

From the mind of one of Japan's most renowned directors, Yoshishige Yoshida's Eros + Massacre it is certainly essential when it comes to gender. In addition, it is also a culturally rich feature, offering viewers a compelling portrayal of the real-life anarchist who was killed by the Japanese military police in 1923. Despite its long running time of 3.5 hours, this epic work of art film it's still very nice with stunning visuals.

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8 'Death by the Gallows' (1968)

Directed by: Nagisa Oshima

Filmed in documentary format, Death by hanging sees a man of Korean ethnicity known only as R (Do-yun Yu) – a character loosely based on real life Ri Chin'u, a student who murdered two Japanese schools in 1958, sentenced to death by hanging only to survive the execution, but lost his memory in the process. In the next two hours, those responsible for his execution try to figure out how to handle the situation: they must convince him to accept guilt by reminding him of his crimes.

Nagisa OshimaThe groundbreaking film about the death penalty in Japan is an intriguing picture of guilt, systemic prejudice and identity. Technically, it is a cinematic landmark and is often praised for its Brechtian techniques. Audiences who are captivated by dark films with twisted premises might want to give the Japanese New Wave Death by hanging a shot.

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7 'Throw Away Your Books, rally in the Streets' (1971)

Director: Shuji Terayama

This psychedelic and experimental drama from Shuji Terayama centers around an angsty teenager (Eimei Sasaki) of a dysfunctional family that includes a thieving grandmother and a war criminal father. The unnamed protagonist navigates life after being out on the street. While exploring the real world, Eimei SasakiThe character will inevitably be disillusioned with the world around him.

This pioneering feature may not be known around the world, but its impact on cinema is undeniable. When it comes to Japanese New Wave, Throw away your books, gather in the streets it is undeniably a must watch. Apart from analyzing materialism in Japan among other interesting socio-cultural topics, TerayamaThe film also benefits from an incredible score and a very absorbing premise. It's a provocative and forward-thinking watch that anyone into Japanese cinema should check out.

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6 “Pastoral: Dying in the Country” (1974)

Director: Shuji Terayama

Also known as Pastoral in hiding, this Japanese drama set in a strange town in Aomori Prefecture, at the foot of Dread Mountain, centers around a 15-year-old boy's unconventional coming of age and his quest to find a departure from his hometown. Through a film within a film structure, director Shuji Terayama examines his childhood memories and tries to translate them to the big screen.

Pastoral: Dying in the Country must watch in the Japanese New Wave genre, as it had a major impact on Japanese art and the avant-garde movement, and remains a landmark in today's cinema. Masterfully directed by an often overlooked director, this visionary film illuminates themes of childhood in a compellingly surreal way.

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5 'Demons' (1971)

Director: Toshio Matsumoto

Toshio Matsumoto's devils is a captivating meditation on revenge and selfishness. The plot is as follows: Gengobe Satsuma (Katsuo Nakamura), an exiled samurai, gets a second chance to become the 48th Ronin against the Shogunate. His servant gathers the 100 ryo necessary for his acceptance. However, Gengobe is in love with a greedy geisha named Koman (Yasuko Sanjo). To keep her, he must pay off his debt of 100 ryo.

devils it's not your usual samurai story, and that's what makes it stand out from the rest. Matsumoto's film is dark, both literally and figuratively speaking, providing audiences with an absolutely captivating tale of revenge. devils', a haunting narrative, in addition to the film's astonishing technical achievements, such as incredible editing and style, undoubtedly make it a must-see Japanese film..

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4 'Onibaba' (1964)

Director: Kaneto Shindô

the daring onibaba is a project of cinema and Japanese cinema, with its legacy remaining intact. Kaneto Shindomonochrome masterpiece by, recommended by Willem Dafoefollow two women (Noboku Otowa i Jitsuko Yoshimura) devastated after learning that Kichi, son of one of the protagonists and husband of the other, has died in the war. Their lives are disrupted when one of them begins an affair with his neighbor and the other meets a mysterious samurai with a strange mask.

To this day, the quasi-poetic and medieval ensemble of Japan onibaba remains one of the best films about grief, betrayal and envy whose story is elevated by the two three-dimensional female leads at its center. Kaneto Shindô's film is not only a classic of the Japanese New Wave, but also an incredible achievement in cinema that every film enthusiast should see at least once.

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3 'Funeral Parade of Roses' (1969)

Director: Toshio Matsumoto

The second film on this list directed by Matsumoto is the visually stunning art featureFuneral procession of Roseswhich was a free adaptation Oedipus Rex. Set in the late 1960s, this film takes audiences to the underbelly of stunning Tokyo, introducing them to the city's underground gay culture while depicting the trials of Eddie (Pîtâ) and other transvestites in Japan.

Funeral procession of Roses is an experimental Japanese film suitable for all audiences, but naturally especially for those who enjoy LGBTQ+ themed films, as it has had an undeniable impact on queer cinema. Toshio Matsumoto's gloriously progressive drama was ahead of its time when it was released, which is why it endures as a compelling watch of the Japanese New Wave..

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2 “The Face of Another” (1966)

Director: Hiroshi Teshigahara

Based on the novel of the same name by Kōbō Abe, The face of the other centers around a businessman, mr. Okuyama (TatsuyaNakadai), who suffers facial burns and disfigurement in a workplace accident and is fitted with a realistic mask by his doctor. However, things start to get complicated when the mask begins to alter his personality.

With elements of horror, Hiroshi TeshigaharaThe story's philosophical and existentialist psychological thriller about identity and alienation is an entertaining art film that doubles as a thought-provoking piece. Despite being an international critical and financial failure, the Japanese New Wave classic The face of the other is now considered must-see when it comes to cinematic motion and has established itself as one of Japan's most intriguing projects.

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1 “Woman in the Dunes” (1964)

Director: Hiroshi Teshigahara

It would be a crime to end this without mentioning it Woman in the Dunes led by pioneer Teshigahara, too. The 1964 psychological thriller follows an entomologist, played by Eiji Okada, who is on holiday and has been persuaded to spend the night in a house at the bottom of the sandbar. Finally, Niki finds herself stuck living with a woman (Kyoko Kishida) the task of a lifetime is shoveling sand for the villagers.

The poignant and allegorical Woman in the Dunes is a great film in Japan and around the world, proving that the Japanese New Wave was an important movement in film history. I like The face of the other, this essential film meditates on alienation and the human condition, while also sending messages about work. Critically, Hiroshi Teshigahara's film deservedly received critical acclaim and was nominated for two Academy Awards.

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