11. Battle Royale (2000) (B.J)
Kinji Fukasaku, a cornerstone of Japanese Action Cinema. Whether it be his iconic Battle’s Without Honour or Humanity series (both original and new) or his dives into Sci-Fi and Fantasy (The Green Slime or Legend of the Eight Samurai), there was nothing he could not do, but despite his legacy, it wasn’t until the very end that a film of his would get the international recognition he so richly deserved.
Battle Royale was a game changer. It opened a floodgate for a generation to get invested in Japanese cinema, breaking the barrier only reached by the likes of Ring and Ju-On. It paved the way for more Japanese extreme cinema to get releases, it could even be argued that if not for Battle Royale would Oldboy have garnered the popularity it did?
Arguments aside, Battle Royale was released during a golden period of East Asian cinema. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon had shown the wider world the wonders of Wuxia, companies such as Tartan and HKL were releasing so many greats for the blooming DVD market, and a certain Quentin Tarantino was about to release his homage to Kung Fu/Samurai cinema in the form of Kill Bill Vol 1. The world was finally ready to accept what many of us had embraced for years, but now it was easier to get our greasy mitts on.
Look, I know this isn’t a “review” of the film, so if you want that there are plenty of far smarter people that will give a fantastic breakdown about the rising generational separation that comes with an ageing population, but there is nothing that I can add except for my own unique view as someone that was there when the film made its initial impact. Battle Royale is a classic for a reason.
12. Kotoko (2011) (B.J)
The mind is a beautifully twisted thing. From the imagination of things that could not be to the soul crushing inner monologue that is relentless, it is a fantastically strange pulp of fat, protein and water, and yet it controls everything we do.
Shinya Tsukamoto has never been a director that was shy from venturing to the dark side of the mind, but he is unique in his ability to stay fresh and as unconventional as the day he released his nightmare of flesh and chrome that is Tetsuo: The Iron Man, and Kotoko is no different in its ability to shock, but it is a very different in its approach, showing a director that has never stopped growing and evolving. Cocco delivers a beautifully coarse performance as our titular single parent struggling with reality. Playing the swings between moments of clarity to hallucinatory chaos takes range, and as a starring debut she proves she is more than capable of meeting the challenge.
Kotoko is a painful watch. It never shies away from showing an emotional punch or viscerally disturbing image, making the audience face the same internal struggle Kotoko faces herself. If only more filmmakers were as brave as Shinya Tsukamoto. REVIEW / PODCAST
13. First Love (2019) (B.J)
“Oh, Miike you’re so fine, you’re so fine you blow my mind, hey Miike”. Is there nothing Takashi Miike can’t put his hand to? With his filmography now in the hundreds, sure there have been some duds in there, but there is a reason why a film can be released here on his name alone.
First Love is a convoluted tale of boy meets girl. He is a boxer with a grave diagnosis, she’s a strung out junkie prostitute that keeps having visions of her dead father. At this juncture it may surprise you to hear just how funny this film is. Despite the grim premise of a drug deal gone wrong, this carried a light tone and the comedy chops to carry it off. Add to this a heavy dose of physical violence, a perceived calling card for us fans of Miike’s here in the West, and you have an ugly gold trinket that you cant take your eyes off.
The nearest comparison I can give is if somebody had taken a Nikkatsu script from the late 60s, done a rewrite after watching Johnnie To’s PTU and then given it to the maestro himself to somehow make sense of it (which, if we’re honest with ourselves, has never been one of Miike’s strong points). Despite all these potential road blocks, First Love works on so many levels. If you’re a fan of Takashi Miike or not, First Love is well worth the investment of time. This is for anyone that loves a hyper violent Drug Heist gone wrong with a twist of Boy meets Girl. REVIEW
14. Godzilla Minus One (2023) (B.J.)
Unshackled of the Hollywood trappings that have plagued recent outings, Godzilla Minus One does what so many outings have failed to do, it recaptures the heart and the spirit of Ishiro Honda’s 1954 original. What made this (and thus the 1954 film) so special is that it doesn’t tell a story of a monster, but that of people trapped in terrible situation. From the guilt of survival to the senselessness of blindly following traditional values, it covers so much ground and becomes a perfect analogy for a modern Japan, much like how the 1954 film dealt with a healing Japan in an atomic age, a Japan that was still covered in scars.
Takashi Yamazaki has had a very active career in the fantastical (from Returner in 2002 through many a live action anime adaptation including Space Battleship Yamato in 2010 and both parts of Parasyte in 2016), there wasn’t really anything to suggest that he was capable of such a masterpiece as this outside of 2019s Lupin III: The First… and yet, deliver it he did with aplomb.
Where many previous entries looked to make its own mark on this historical franchise, Godzilla Minus One is all about paying homage to what had gone before. From reprising Akira Ifukube’s iconic theme (which genuinely sent shivers down my spine) to an appreciative nod for the model FX work of Eiji Tsuburaya, even the near replication of the creature design from Takao Okawara’s Godzilla 2000 (1999), Godzilla Minus One is steeped in Godzilla lore (Godzillore?), lovingly recreated for a modern audience.
There will be those, I’m sure, that will criticise its simplistic narrative and cliché formula, but right now, in the glow of watching the final credits, non of that matters, because when something is perfect it can’t be bettered, and Godzilla Minus One is a perfect Godzilla film in every way. Whilst we never got that Akira Kurosawa Godzilla movie (Toho thought it would be too expensive), he was a close friend of Ishiro Honda (who would direct second unit on films such as Ran and Kagemusha, along with fellow Godzilla alumni Takao Okawara), and together they reshaped the way the world saw Japan. No mean feat for a silly creature feature involving a man in a rubber suit.
15. Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (1979) (B.C)
One of Hayao Miyazaki’s first films and one of his best. The film follows Lupin III, a gentleman thief, and his gang of cohorts (Fujiko, Jigen, and Goemon) as they try to uncover a counterfeiting ring. Along for the ride is his rival, Inspector Zenigata, who is naturally tailing the dastardly thief. Allegedly it has influenced John Lasseter and Steven Spielberg. For the latter, most likely in the Indiana Jones original trilogy, some of my favorite films ever. Miyazaki is able to continue what he did when he worked on Lupin III Part III television program by making Lupin more of a sensitive, morally sound hero instead of the original writer’s hardened thief who doesn’t mind killing or treating women poorly.
A recommendation in a recommendation, watch the episode titled Wings of Death – Albatross in Part II. An episode directed by Miyazaki which features the characters acting more like their counterparts in Castle of Cagliostro. Lupin is the gentleman thief, willing to throw his plans away to save a young woman in danger and Fujiko is a considerate friend and Lupin’s on again off again lover, rather than the sexpot and temptress who more often than not stabs Lupin in the back for riches. Like she is in the older television series. It remains one of my favorite anime movies and one of my favorite Miyazaki movies. And it’s perfect for families and young kids.
16. My Neighbor Totoro (1988) (B.C.)
Another one of Miyazaki’s early films, this one showcases his love of nature and the relationship between humans and the natural world. It’s one of his quietest films plot wise, as nothing really happens, but it is still mesmerizing to watch. The plot follows sisters Satsuki and Mei as they move into a new house with their father and explore the surrounding woods. There they meet Totoro, a woodland beast who protects the woods. Even though the plot is secondary and that can often kill a film, it is still fantastic. The lack of a plot makes the movie seem more realistic given that it is about children. Children aren’t focused, the film shows the lack of structure in children’s lives, and in that sense it is perfect. I think that Roger Ebert said it best in his review of the film,
“Here is a children’s film made for the world we should live in, rather than the one we occupy. A film with no villains. No fight scenes. No evil adults. No fighting between the two kids. No scary monsters. No darkness before the dawn. A world that is benign. A world where if you meet a strange towering creature in the forest, you curl up on its tummy and have a nap.”
(Roger Ebert, My Neighbor Totoro)
The animation is perfect, it has that 80’s look which I adore. The natural scenes are great and look like something out of a photograph or a memory. The soundtrack by Joe Hisaishi is of course brilliantly done. I could go on and on about the film, but it is better if you watch it.
17. Ghost in the Shell (1995) (B.C)
Surprisingly a box office bomb that later recouped its losses from home media sales, Ghost in the Shell still became an influential anime film. I know that I sound like a broken record but it influenced many Hollywood films, such as the Matrix series, and Avatar (2009).
The story follows Major Motoko Kusanagi, usually called Major, as she tries to locate a hacker known as the Puppet Master. One of the interesting things that Ghost in the Shell does is make their protagonist a cyborg which leads to some interesting ideas and conflicts within the story. There are many great action scenes but also has some great thought provoking themes and ideas. Ideas such as the relationship that humans have with technology, and the idea of consciousness. The animation is great, and the score by Kenji Kawai is beautiful. It is one of the best sci fi films from the last 50 years and one of the best anime films too.
18. Paprika (2006) (B.C)
Paprika is unfortunately the swan song for director Satoshi Kon, as he would die from cancer two years later. But it’s a hell of a last film. The general premise is a sinister group has stolen dream technology and the story follows a detective who is trying to recover it. If you have already seen a Kon film, you know it can get quite strange. And it does as Kon wants the viewer to feel like watching the movie is, well, like a dream. There’s bizarre imagery and sometimes things feel just out of place, like a dream. The animation is beautiful and really enhances the surreal look that Kon is going for. It is one of those movies where I cannot think how Satoshi Kon thought up some of his ideas for the plot and how he animated some of the scenes. It really does feel like a dream.
If you read a synopsis of the film and wonder if it sounds familiar, Christopher Nolan’s Inception (2010) came out two years after Paprika. They are very similar films, both about dream technology, both feature a hotel hallway scene that look similar, etc. Whether he intentionally or unintentionally borrowed from Paprika, we’ll probably never know but if you’ve seen Inception, you should definitely see the original film, Paprika.
19. Promare (2019) (B.J)
Promare is, on the surface, a really simple story (Hero believes their government, eventually uncovers a truth that sends him down a more rebellious path), but what makes this so convoluted is the visual style. The constant motion and the endless stream of dialogue. However, despite the continual shifting in the visual style, this is arguably the best and most accessible that Studio Trigger has been since Little Witch Academia, which is high praise indeed as that is one of the most underrated shows currently on Netflix.
Promare won’t be for everyone, mainly due to the marmite effect Studio Trigger tends to have on people, but this is showing that Trigger is starting to move in a more audience friendly way after their bouts of fan service baiting with Kill La Kill and their mind bending, overt sexualisation of teens in Darling in the FranXX. Promare is something bigger for the studio, and long may they keep this up (especially if you keep having Hiroyuki Sawano scores on your shows/films).
20. Lupin the 3rd: The First (2019) (B.C)
Another Lupin entry but also, one of the best looking animated films ever made. For me, it’s up there with The Adventures of Tintin (2011) as one of the best looking 3-D animated films ever made. Like every other entry in the Lupin franchise, it stars Lupin and his gang and Inspector Zenigata also appears, trying to catch the elusive Lupin. But he is not the main antagonist. Lupin is trying to get his hands on a rare diary that supposedly will lead to a great fortune. And on his tail are history and cinema’s most dastardly villains, the Nazis.
As I stated before, the animation is gorgeous. The action scenes are fantastic and enjoyable for all ages. Like the previous Lupin entry on this list, it’s a great kids/family film. The first half of the film is the strongest for me. It follows a more thriller/adventure theme with Nazis, like some of the Indiana Jones films. The second half of the film can be a bit off putting as it can be a bit more zany than the first half. But this much is true; Lupin’s monkey face has never looked this good.
