As the year winds down, you might be wondering: what are the Best Japanese Movies of 2024?
Look no further for your answer. Cinema Escapist’s editors have curated this list of the 10 Japanese films of 2024, spanning numerous genres including anime, horror, thriller, action, comedy, documentary, and more.
Our selections include not just blockbusters and crowd-pleasers, but also indie gems that will make you think. In line with Cinema Escapist’s editorial ethos, we’ve also put special emphasis on movies with some broader societal significance.
Scroll down, and find out more about the best Japanese movies of 2024! If available, we’ve also included streaming links for these movies on services like Netflix (availability may vary by region).
• • •
10. 11 Rebels
Japanese Title: 十一人の賊軍 | Director: Kazuya Shiraishi | Starring: Takayuki Yamada, Taiga Nakano, Hiroshi Tamaki, Sadao Abe | Genre(s): Action, Drama, History, Thriller
11 Rebels offers a gripping blend of historical drama and action. Set during the 1868-69 Boshin War, the film follows a diverse group of eleven condemned criminals and samurai who unite to defend a fortress against overwhelming odds.
The film is visually stunning, and showcases meticulously crafted period details alongside intense action sequences that include swordplay and explosive confrontations. Those who enjoy classic samurai movies should find 11 Rebels satisfying for such action scenes, as well as its poignant exploration of honor and loyalty amidst chaos.
9. Till We Meet Again on the Lily Hill
Japanese Title: あの花が咲く丘で、君とまた出会えたら | Director: Yôichi Narita | Starring: Haruka Fukuhara, Koshi Mizukami, Kentaro Ito | Genre(s): Drama, History, Romance, War
Till We Meet Again on the Lily Hill is a time-traveling romantic drama adapted from a popular cell phone novel. Its story follows a modern high school girl named Yuri who, after running away to an air raid shelter after a fight with her mother, finds herself transported to the year 1945. There, she meets a kamikaze pilot named Akira, and becomes smitten with his kindness and sincerity.
With a melancholy tone and evocative cinematography, Till We Meet Again on the Lily Hill should satisfy those looking for a romance that’ll touch hearts and jerk tears. The film also offers timeless meditations about the notion of sacrifice and the desire to alter fate; it’s also interesting to examine from a historiographical perspective as yet another modern Japanese movie (similar to The Eternal Zero) which portrays kamikaze pilots in a rather sympathetic light.
8. The Floor Plan
Japanese Title: 変な家 | Director: Junichi Ishikawa | Starring: Shotaro Mamiya, Jiro Sato, Rina Kawaei | Genre(s): Mystery, Thriller, Horror
The Floor Plan stands out due to its unique blend of horror, mystery, and depiction of modern social media. The movie follows a struggling YouTuber named Amemiya, who specializes in occult phenomena. When Amemiya’s manager shares with him the floor plan of a seemingly ordinary Tokyo townhome, Amemiya realizes that the house has certain rooms that suggest sinister goings-on. Alongside an architect and a mysterious woman, he decides to dig in and try to unravel the house’s secrets.
If you enjoy classic Japanese horror movies like Ju-On or The Ring, you may also like The Floor Plan. The film maintains an exhilarating sense of unease throughout, and catches you off guard with its suspense and jump scares. Meanwhile, its incorporation of YouTube and social media also gives it a more relatable, modern feel. The Floor Plan was also quite popular in Japan when it released, becoming the 7th highest grossing Japanese movie of 2024.
7. Last Mile
Japanese Title: ラストマイル | Director: Ayuko Tsukahara | Starring: Hikari Mitsushima, Masaki Okada, Sadao Abe | Genre(s): Thriller, Crime, Mystery
If you’re looking for a thriller amongst 2024’s best Japanese films, check out Last Mile. This movie kicks off with a series of ecommerce packages exploding across Japan; with the populace terrorized, the director of a large distribution center must bring order from chaos and save Japan’s logistics infrastructure from collapsing amidst the busy holiday season.
Besides twists and suspense, Last Mile is also noteworthy for its reflections upon contemporary society’s reliance on technology, as well as the hidden importance of logistics. The film was a big box office success in Japan, garnering over US$39.1 in ticket sales and becoming the fifth-highest grossing Japanese film of 2024.
6. Broken Rage
Japanese Title: ブロークンレイジ | Director: Takeshi Kitano | Starring: Takeshi Kitano, Tadanobu Asano, Nao Omori | Genre(s): Action, Crime, Comedy
Legendary Japanese director Takeshi Kitano returned again in 2024 with Broken Rage, which blends genres and delights audiences in just 62 minutes of runtime. The film has two parts; the first is a gritty yakuza action flick, and the second is a comedy that parodies the first portion.
Those who love Takeshi Kitano’s work will especially appreciate Broken Rage as a self-referential exploration of Kitano’s own identity as an artist. Kitano is known for his idiosyncratic style, and Broken Range shows that he still has his mojo when it comes to artistic innovation and novelty. Those who are less familiar with Takeshi Kitano’s work will still find Broken Rage a fun and low commitment introduction to the director though, given the movie’s short runtime and easily accessible hijinks.
5. Ghost Cat Anzu
Japanese Title: 化け猫あんずちゃん | Directors: Yōko Kuno, Nobuhiro Yamashita | Starring: Mirai Moriyama, Noa Goto, Munetaka Aoki | Genre(s): Animation, Fantasy
We at Cinema Escapist love Japanese movies about cats, so it’s no surprise that Ghost Cat Anzu made it onto our list of 2024’s best Japanese movies. The movie is a whimsical animation which follows an 11-year old girl named Karin who, amidst difficulties with her father, finds companionship in an eccentric talking ghost cat named Anzu. With Anzu as her guide and other spirit creatures coming along for the ride, Karin explores family traumas and the tribulations of growing up as she journeys around Japan.
With its nuanced but not overly depressing exploration of themes like grief and resilience, Ghost Cat is an animated film that will make you not just feel, but also think. The film garnered screening slots at prestigious international festivals like Cannes and Annecy, and has garnered much praise for its relatability across ages and cultures.
4. My Sunshine
Japanese Title: ぼくのお日さま | Director: Hiroshi Okuyama | Starring: Keitatsu Koshiyama, Kiara Nakanishi, Sosuke Ikematsu | Genre(s): Drama, Sports
My Sunshine stands out as one of 2024’s top Japanese movies thanks to its heartfelt storytelling, natural performances, and social consciousness. Set on a picturesque small island, the movie explores the relationship between two young ice dancers named Takuya and Sakura, who are training under the guidance of their gay figure skating coach Arakawa.
Director Hiroshi Okuyama did not give the film’s child actors a script before filming, and asked the cast to improvise much of their lines. This paid off in giving My Sunshine a highly naturalistic feel, which serves to accentuate its emotional depth. The film is a visual splendor as well, depicting the changes across seasons in a beautiful metaphor of the vagaries of youth. Those looking for social consciousness may also appreciate how My Sunshine explores gender norms in Japanese society in a nuanced and non-preachy manner.
3. Black Box Diaries
Japanese Title: Black Box Diaries | Director: Shiori Ito | Starring: Shiori Ito | Genre(s): Documentary
On the note of social consciousness, Black Box Diaries stands out as one of the most unique and noteworthy Japanese films of 2024. The film is a documentary that’s directed by and about female journalist Shiori Ito, who became the face of the #MeToo movement in Japan after her landmark sexual assault case in 2017.
Black Box Diaries traces Ito’s personal journey in grappling with how Japan’s judicial system and societal address sexual assault, utilizing secret recordings and personal video diaries to inject a high degree of authenticity. The film has garnered significant international attention, with festival screenings and coverage from major global media outlets.
2. Happyend
Japanese Title: HAPPYEND| Director: Neo Sora | Starring: Hayato Kurihara, Yukito Hidaka, Yuta Hayashi, Shina Peng | Genre(s): Drama
Neo Sora—the son of renowned composer Ryuichi Sakamoto—made a strong fictional feature debut in 2024 with his film Happyend. Set in a dystopian near-future Tokyo, the film centers on two students who get trapped in an ever-more draconian surveillance system that gets instituted at their high school.
The film’s depiction of youth existing in an environment of oppression offers a poignant meditation on the state of contemporary Japanese society, in which superaging and weakening economic growth are top of mind. Happyend also contains some pointed commentary on xenophobia in Japan, with a highly multicultural cast.
Despite its rather heavy themes, Happyend is not all depressing though. The film contains moments of levity and intimacy amongst its young characters, and ultimately offers a well-balanced blend of joy and melancholy that’ll leave audiences feeling both soulful and nourished by the end of its 1 hour 53 min runtime.
Learn more about Happyend in our full-length review
1. Cloud
Cloud | Japanese Title: クラウド | Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa | Starring: Masaki Suda, Kotone Furukawa, Daiken Okudaira, Amane Okayama | Genre(s): Psychological Thriller
Topping off 2024’s list of best Japanese movies is Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s psychological thriller Cloud. In this movie, an unethical online goods reseller named Ryosuke Yoshii (played by Masaki Suda) gets caught up in a series of escalating events when suppliers and buyers begin to catch on to his schemes.
Through this plot, Cloud offers a compelling exploration of late stage capitalism, replete with moral ambiguity and the juxtaposition of online anonymity with real-world identity. Well-crafted cinematography and sound design accentuate the film’s sense of tension, keeping audiences hooked as its narrative unravels.
After screenings at the 2024 Cannes and Busan International Film Festivals, Cloud garnered significant critical acclaim, and even got selected as Japan’s entry for Best International Film at the 2025 Oscars.
• • •