10 Movies Starring Takayuki Yamada

The Cat Returns

The Cat Returns

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2002-07-19

Languages:

Japanese, English

Countries:

Japan

Runtime:

75 min

Rated:

G

IMDB Ratings:

7.3 (27280 Reviews)

Director:

Hiroyuki Morita

Cast:

Writer:

Aoi Hiiragi (comic "Neko no Danshaku

Baron")

Reiko Yoshida (screenplay)

Cindy Davis Hewitt (screenplay)

Donald H. Hewitt (screenplay)

Fullplot:

A young girl rescues a mysterious cat from traffic and soon finds herself the unwelcome recipient of gifts and favors from the King of the Cats, who also wants her to marry his son, Prince Lune. With the assistance of a fat, grouchy real cat and a an elegant cat statuette come to life (both characters featured in Studio Ghibli's earlier anime "Whisper of the Heart"), the girl visits the Cat Kingdom and narrowly escapes again.

The Letters

The Letters

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2007-04-26

Languages:

Japanese

Countries:

Japan

Runtime:

121 min

IMDB Ratings:

6.9 (261 Reviews)

Director:

Jirè Shèno

Genres:

Drama

Cast:

Writer:

Keigo Higashino (novel)

Teruo Abe (screenplay)

Yukako Shimizu (screenplay)

Fullplot:

Crows Zero

Crows Zero

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2007-10-27

Languages:

Japanese

Countries:

Japan

Runtime:

130 min

IMDB Ratings:

7.1 (5040 Reviews)

Director:

Takashi Miike

Cast:

Writer:

Hiroshi Takahashi (comic)

Shègo Mutè (screenplay)

Fullplot:

The Suzuran Senior High School for Boys, nicknamed "The School of Crows", is the poorest achieving, most violent school in the country. The students are called "crows" and they band together in factions, battling each other for influence and power. But they all share a common goal, one that has never been reached in the school's history: unification. No one faction has ever reigned supreme. Genji Takiya, a transfer student who attempts to take over Suzuran Boys High School and is mentored by old boy yakuza Katagiri as he faces off against rival Serizawa.

Crows Zero

Crows Zero

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2007-10-27

Languages:

Japanese

Countries:

Japan

Runtime:

130 min

IMDB Ratings:

7.1 (5092 Reviews)

Director:

Takashi Miike

Cast:

Writer:

Hiroshi Takahashi (comic)

Shègo Mutè (screenplay)

Fullplot:

The Suzuran Senior High School for Boys, nicknamed "The School of Crows", is the poorest achieving, most violent school in the country. The students are called "crows" and they band together in factions, battling each other for influence and power. But they all share a common goal, one that has never been reached in the school's history: unification. No one faction has ever reigned supreme. Genji Takiya, a transfer student who attempts to take over Suzuran Boys High School and is mentored by old boy yakuza Katagiri as he faces off against rival Serizawa.

Ikigami

Ikigami

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2008-09-27

Languages:

Japanese

Countries:

Japan

Runtime:

133 min

IMDB Ratings:

7.2 (559 Reviews)

Genres:

Drama

Cast:

Writer:

Motorè Mase (comic)

Motorè Mase (manga)

Motorè Mase (screenplay)

Tomoyuki Takimoto (screenplay)

Akimitsu Sasaki (screenplay)

Hiroyuki Yatsu (screenplay)

Fullplot:

13 Assassins

13 Assassins

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2010-09-25

Languages:

Japanese

Countries:

Japan, UK

Runtime:

141 min

Rated:

R

IMDB Ratings:

7.6 (47152 Reviews)

Director:

Takashi Miike

Cast:

Writer:

Kaneo Ikegami (based on a screenplay by)

Daisuke Tengan (screenplay)

Fullplot:

In 1844, the peace of Feudal Japan is threatened by cruel Lord Naritsugu Matsudaira, who is politically rising and getting closer to his half-brother, the shogun. After the harakiri of the Namiya clan leader, samurai Shinzaemon Shimada is summoned by the shogun's advisor Sir Doi of the Akashi Clan to listen to the tragedy of Makino Uneme, whose son and daughter-in-law have been murdered by Naritsugu. Then Sir Doi shows a woman with arms, legs and tongue severed by Naritsugu and she writes with her forearm a request to Shinza to slaughter Naritsugu and his samurai. Shinza promises to kill Naritsugu and he gathers eleven other samurais and plots a plan to attack Naritsugu in his trip back to the Akashi land. But the cunning samurai Hanbei Kitou that is responsible for the security of his master foresees Shinza's intent. Shinza decides to go with his samurai through the mountain, where they find the hunter Koyata that guides them off the mountain and joins the group. Now the thirteen men prepare an ambush to Naritsugu and his army of two hundred samurai in a suicide mission to stop evil.

The Floating Castle

The Floating Castle

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2012-11-02

Languages:

Japanese

Countries:

Japan

IMDB Ratings:

6.5 (238 Reviews)

Cast:

Writer:

Ryè Wada (based on the novel by)

Ryè Wada (screenplay)

Fullplot:

In the year 1590, powerful daimyo Toyotomi Hideyoshi nears his plan to unify all of Japan, but he comes across a floating fortress known as Oshi Castle. Narita Nagachika must use his army to defend the castle.

The Samurai That Night

The Samurai That Night

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2012-11-17

Languages:

Japanese

Countries:

Japan

IMDB Ratings:

6.4 (81 Reviews)

Director:

Masaaki Akahori

Genres:

Drama

Cast:

Writer:

Masaaki Akahori (based on the play by)

Masaaki Akahori (screenplay)

Fullplot:

A widower sends daily reminders to the petty criminal who killed his wife in a traffic accident that on the anniversary of her death, he will kill him.

Lesson of the Evil

Lesson of the Evil

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2012-11-10

Languages:

Japanese

Countries:

Japan

Runtime:

129 min

IMDB Ratings:

6.7 (2543 Reviews)

Director:

Takashi Miike

Genres:

Thriller

Cast:

Writer:

Yèsuke Kishi (based on the novel by)

Takashi Miike (screenplay)

Fullplot:

A popular high school teacher concocts an extreme plan to deal with the rise of bullying and bad behavior among the student body.

The Devil's Path

The Devil's Path

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2013-09-21

Languages:

Japanese

Countries:

Japan

Runtime:

128 min

IMDB Ratings:

7.2 (274 Reviews)

Genres:

Thriller

Cast:

Writer:

Kazuya Shiraishi (screenplay)

Izumi Takahashi (screenplay)

Fullplot:

Journalist Shuichi Fujii receives a letter from convicted killer Junji Sudo. Writing from death row, Sudo wants to confess to crimes unknown to the police. On visiting Sudo in prison, Fujii learns about a real estate broker called "Doc" who masterminded a string of murders that Sudo worked muscle for. Set up by Doc, Sudo seeks revenge and implores Fujii to find the evidence needed to bring in his former boss. Working off Sudo's sketchy memories, Fujii begins to piece together a grizzly tale of extortion, torture, rape, and arson. But as his desire to see Doc brought to justice nears the boiling point, he runs into resistance from his editor, who views the story as tripe, the police, who seem indifferent to the case, and his wife, who is at her wits' end dealing with his mother's increasing dementia. Based on true crime cases, "The Devil's Path" exposes the secret underbelly of crime in modern Japan.

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