My Favourite Japanese Directors

To absolutely no one’s surprise, my return to blogging involves talking about Japanese cinema. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love Japanese films and how much I enjoy talking about them and recommending them. Today I will be recommending a handful of films but doing so by talking about the directors of those films. This is not a top ten, more just a list of the directors I love and whose work I admire. If you have any knowledge of Japanese cinema, you will defiantly recognise a few names, while there may also be a few that are new to you. But first, lets start with a handful of directors who don’t quite make the cut for one reason or another. In other words, honourable mentions.

Honourable Mentions

Kenji Mizoguchi

This may be the most egregious omission from my main list. Mizoguchi is held in the highest regard within cinematic circles and is often spoken abut in the same breath as the masters of Japanese cinema. But I simply have not seen enough films of his to put him on my list of favourite directors.

Hideo Nakata

While I have seen enough of Nakata’s films to consider putting him on the list, he only has one film, Ringu (1998) that I truly love so I would be forcing him in based on that alone.

Ishiro Honda

I was so close to putting Honda on my list, but when I really think about it I would be doing so for the same reason I would put Nakata in there. Godzilla (1954) is an obvious masterpiece, and some of his sequels are a lot of fun, but he also made some stinkers.

Masaki Kobayashi

Much in the same vein as Mizoguchi, it feels a bit of a crime to not have Kobayashi in the list proper. But again, I have only seen two of his films, and while both of those film, Harakiri (1962) and Kwaidan (1964) are exceptional, I can’t add him based on two films.

Nobuhiko Obaysahi

Not having the director of House (1977) on my list hurts my soul, but it is again another case of not having seen enough of his films to include him.

Kiyoshi Kurosawa

The man who was the closest to being on my list, but alas I didn’t feel like I love enough of his films to have him be included. But do watch Pulse (2001) and Cure (1997)

My Favourite Japanese Directors

Akira Kurosawa: Favourite film – Throne of Blood (1957)

I might as well kick this off with one of the most tap in choices. Akira Kurosawa is THE Japanese director to western audiences. Even if you have never seen any of his films you have definitely heard of them, or you know of one of the Hollywood reimaginings of his films. His influence is undeniable, and his skill is unquestionable. A director who is as comfortable directing action epics as he is with smaller scale human stories, there is something for everyone within his filmography. While he is best know for his samurai films like Seven Samurai (1954), Ran (185) and Throne of Blood (1957), I would also recommend his contemporary films like Ikiru (1952) and High and Low (1963).

Sion Sono: Favourite film – Love Exposure (2008)

If I’m being honest with myself Sono is quite lucky to make this list as I have not seen all that many of his films. But the films I have seen are of a quality that means I am happy to put him here. And, maybe more importantly, his films are more interesting than many filmmakers as he is unafraid to push the boat out in both his style and storytelling which means that his films have stuck with me long after I have finished them. Suicide Club (2001) is probably his most well known film to western audiences as it is within that group of early 2000s J-horror films that introduced a lot of western audiences to Japanese cinema. And while it is very good and probably the best gateway into his filmography, Love Exposure (2008) is what I would consider his magnum opus. An almost four hour epic that is as stylish as it is bonkers, it is an absolute must see.

Satoshi Kon: Favourite film – Perfect Blue (1997)

A man taken from the world far too early. Dying at the age of 46, Kon only directed 4 feature length films, but all four could be considered to be masterpieces so it is no surprise he makes this list. And what makes it even more impressive is that those four films, while visually have a clear style, are also so clearly disitinct from one another. Because of this I feel like if you asked a room of people what their favourite Kon film is you will likely get a different answer each time. As for myself, I was in between Paprika (2006) and Perfect Blue (1997), eventually landing on the latter based solely on the fact I have seen it more times. But honestly all of his films are exceptional and worth a watch.

Yasujiro Ozu: Favourite Film – Late Spring (1949)

Along with Akira Kurosawa, Ozu is often seen as one of the true masters of cinema as a whole, not just in Japan. And yet, he feels like he couldn’t be much different from Kurosawa. He has a distinct style unlike many filmmakers, to the point here you can almost immediately recognise you are watching an Ozu film. His films are not epics but stories about the family and the everyday struggles and joys that people experience. His films are slow and deliberate which I feel will make them harder to engage with for a lot of audiences. But there is a magic and beauty in his films that is almost unmatched. While Tokyo Story (1953) is often cited as his masterpiece, as well as one of the greatest films of all time, I would argue that Late Spring (1949) is his greatest film. Alongside these two I would also recommend Autumn Afternoon (1962) and Floating Weeds (1959).

Hirokazu Kore-eda: Favourite Film – After Life (1998)

A director who is often described as the modern day Ozu due to the subject matter of his films, Kore-eda for me is the more accessible of the two. This is mostly because the Ozu comparisons stop at the subject matter of the films. The style is much more visually ‘stimulating’ and quicker which I feel will allow more people to enjoy his films. Similar to Ozu though, his films are beautiful narratively and visually. If there is one director on this list who makes me think and feel the most after the films have ended it is Kore-eda. I am definitely not caught up on his filmography as I would like, but After Life (1998) is a must watch, while Still Walking (2008) almost pipped it to my favourite spot.

Isao Takahata: Favourite Film – Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

While Studio Ghibli is a world renowned and mostly universally loved animation studio, I often feel like the films Takahata made for the studio are overlooked, with probably the exception of my favourite. This is most likely due to the fact that unlike the other big director for the studio, Takahata did not have a distinct visual or thematic throughline across his films. He was much more inclined to explore different visual styles and push the boundaries of what the studio was doing. His films, with possibly the exception of Pom Poko (1994), also feel much more adult than the rest of the studios filmography. While Grave of the Fireflies is his undoubted masterpiece, I also would hugely recommend Only Yesterday (1991).

Shinya Tsukamoto: Favourite Film – Tokyo Fist (1995)

If you want a filmmaker whose films feel like a slap to the face, the Tsukamoto is your man. Frenetic maybe took weak a word to describe the films of Tsukamoto, but it is this style is exactly what makes his films so engaging, and that is before you get to the themes beneath the narratives as well as the narratives themselves. Violence and sex are constants within his films and these are pushed to extremes. This will, of course, turn a lot of viewers away, but it is this extremity that stands Tsukamoto out. Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989) is his most well known film and would also be where I would recommend starting with him, but Tokyo Fist (1995) takes the prize for his best work in my eyes.

Takashi Miike: Favourite Film – Audition (1999)

I haven’t checked this but I would be surprised if Miike wasn’t the most prolific director on this list, having directed over 100 films and still adding to that tally. And when you have directed that many films there are going to be some lows. But Miike’s highs are some of the highest, and like Tsukamoto, the energy that pulses from his films is something that I can’t help but getting sucked into every time. And endlessly interesting filmmaker, if I see his name attached I am immediately interested. Audition (1999) is by far his most well know film, and is also his best, but his remake of 13 Assassins (2010) outdoes the original, while Ichi the Killer (2001), The Happiness of the Katakuris (2001) and One Missed Call (2003) show off his versatility.

Hayao Miyazaki: Favourite Film – Spirited Away (2001)

I started with an obvious choice so I will end with another. While Miyazaki might not be a household name, his films are most definitely the most well know worldwide, and this was also the hardest choice I had when picking my favourite film of a filmography. I landed on Spirited Away (2001) which I think was the first Japanese film I ever watched, but ask me tomorrow and it could have been Princess Mononoke (1997) or Ponyo (2008) or Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984), and I haven’t even mentioned My Neighbor Totoro (1988). Is he my favourite director on this list? No. But just look of those films I have listed and tell me he is not one of the greatest directors of all time. And what makes it even more insane, there are other masterpieces I have not included here. An incredible filmography and an incredible director.