Japanese films, Q4 2025: the quarter in review

Released on October 31 by Warner Bros. Japan. A mysterious middle-aged man, "Tagosaku Suzuki" (Jiro Sato), taken into custody after a drunken assault, announces a series of bomb attacks from the interrogation room and engages the detectives in a battle of wits. Based on Katsuhiro Go's novel, it was directed by Akira Nagai. The cast includes Yuki Yamada as detective Ruike, along with Sairi Ito, Shota Sometani and Atsuro Watabe.

By the end of January 2026 it had grossed 3.16 billion yen, the highest of any Japanese live-action film released in October and November. At the 49th Japan Academy Film Prize it received Awards of Excellence in 11 categories, and Jiro Sato won Best Supporting Actor. Sato also won Best Supporting Actor at the Blue Ribbon Awards, as well as Kinema Junpo's Best Supporting Actor award for this film, Under Ninja and others.

Released on October 10 by Toho. A live-action film that reworks Makoto Shinkai's 2007 animated feature into a feature of about two hours, it follows Takaki (Hokuto Matsumura) and Akari (Mitsuki Takahata), who were special to each other as children, as they live their own lives separated by time and distance. Yoshiyuki Okuyama directed from a screenplay by Fumiko Suzuki, with Nana Mori, Aoi Miyazaki and Hidetaka Yoshioka in the cast. The theme song is Kenshi Yonezu's "1991."

It finished its run with 2.30 billion yen. Following 1st Kiss in the first quarter, it was Hokuto Matsumura's second hit of 2025, and it earned him an Award of Excellence for Leading Actor at the 49th Japan Academy Film Prize. Noa Shiroyama received Newcomer of the Year, and the film also received Awards of Excellence for Cinematography and Lighting.

Released on November 21 as Shochiku's 130th-anniversary film. As taxi driver Koji (Takuya Kimura) drives 85-year-old Sumire (Chieko Baisho) from Shibamata to a care facility in Hayama, he stops at places around Tokyo at her request and hears about the life she has lived. A remake of the French film Driving Madeleine (2022), it is Yoji Yamada's 91st film as director, and he co-wrote the screenplay with Yuzo Asahara. Yu Aoi plays the young Sumire, with Yuka and Lee Jun-young co-starring.

It had its Asian premiere in the Centerpiece section of the Tokyo International Film Festival on October 29, and opened at No. 1 with 214,000 admissions and 293 million yen on its first weekend. Its final gross was 1.67 billion yen (Kinema Junpo tally). At the 49th Japan Academy Film Prize it received Awards of Excellence in 10 categories including Picture of the Year, and Chieko Baisho won Best Actress. Yoji Yamada won Best Director at the Blue Ribbon Awards.

Released on November 28 by GAGA. A true story told through the eyes of his mother Manami (Kyoka Suzuki), it depicts the illness of Hanshin Tigers outfielder Shintaro Yokota (Takaya Matsutani), who retired because of a brain tumor, and the "miracle throw to home plate" in his farewell game. Based on Yokota's book Kiseki no Back Home and a book by Yuriko Nakai, it was directed by Jun Akiyama from a screenplay by Nakai. Kentaro Maeda, Arata Furuta and Masaya Kato co-star. It is the first film from Gentosha Film, and its theme song is Yuzu's "Eiko no Kakehashi."

It premiered in the Gala Selection of the Tokyo International Film Festival on November 1. It was still in theaters with 1.65 billion yen at the end of January 2026, and by April 2026 had passed 1.75 billion yen and 1.29 million admissions, more than double its break-even point (750 million yen). Takaya Matsutani received Newcomer of the Year at the 49th Japan Academy Film Prize.

Released on November 7 by Bitters End. Lee (Shim Eun-kyung), a Korean screenwriter who feels she has reached the limits of her talent, forms a strange bond with Benzo (Shinichi Tsutsumi), the listless owner of an inn deep in the snowy mountains. Based on Yoshiharu Tsuge's manga "Umibe no Jokei" and "Honyarado no Ben-san," it was written and directed by Sho Miyake. Yuumi Kawai and Shiro Sano co-star.

It premiered at the 78th Locarno Film Festival on August 15 and won the Golden Leopard, the first for a Japanese director in 18 years, since The Rebirth (Ai no yokan) in 2007. It topped the Kinema Junpo Best Ten, and Shim Eun-kyung won Kinema Junpo's Best Actress award.