Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald (Japan, 1997)

A radio play is going to go on air at a Tokyo radio station. It is a weepy melodrama written by housewife Miyako, who is the winner of the competition run by the station. Suddenly, the hot-tempered lead actress Nokko decides she wants the name of her character to be Mary Jane and not Ritsuko. That leads to the chain of events which changes the play completely.

Here's a film with a very simple and concentrated story; a group of voice actors are trying to put together a radio drama. Though, not much goes according to plan as one could guess. So many laugh-out-loud moments in this film, the characters are all very funny and likeable, even the "mean" ones. I haven't seen this film being mentioned at all on a lot of film sites and that's no less than a gigantic mistake. It's an excellent film that leaves you in a great mood and should be considered an hidden classic. 

Genre: Comedy

A Letter to Momo(Japan, 2011)

Clinging to an unfinished letter written by her recently deceased father, young Momo moves with her mother from bustling Tokyo to the remote Japanese island of Shio. However, it's not long before several bizarre occurrences crop up around the previously tranquil island. Momo hears strange mumblings coming from the attic of their home. Annoyed by these creepy goings-on and her mother's refusal to believe them, Momo embarks on a strange and supernatural adventure to discover the source of the mischief, which leads her to a trio of troublesome imps.

I'm so glad I don't have a gang of yokai hanging around, they can be quite something to deal with it turns out. A Letter to Momo uses a very realistic animation style, not unlike the works of Katsuhiro Otomo (Akira), and it looks amazing throughout the film. The animation team worked hard to make it as close to natural movements as possible, which shows a lot in the characters faces and small hand gestures. It's full of Japanese culture and customs, not to mention all the folklore coming to life. The three yokai really are what steals the show with all their antics and outbursts. Momo does a great job of balancing a very mature, sad story with quirky and fun characters, and it's a wonderful film that exceeds were many live-action movies only has tried to tell a similar story of loss and finding happiness again afterwards. 

Genre: Animation/Drama

Sakuran (Japan, 2006)

A young girl is sold into a red-light district brothel and tries to adapt to life as an oiran (courtesan).

Sakuran isn't your typical stale geisha drama, but more like the rebellious sister of period films. A modern, rock-influenced soundtrack go hand in hand with a story that's usually accompanied by lonely koto melodies. The beautiful set designs makes me think of huge theatre productions, and there's a ton of gorgeous shots with cherry trees by moonlight and the colorful environment we're spending our time with. 

Being the directorial debut by Mika Ninagawa, who's famous for her extremely colorful and vivid photography, we're really being treated to her skillful ways of making the picture look like a dazzling, fascinating world. The film is adapted from a manga, so there's plenty of source material to take in. The perfect film to see if you want a stylish geisha film that's not littered with historical inaccuracies like Memoirs of a Geisha (2005). 

Genre: Drama/History

Harmonium (Japan, 2016)

Toshio hires Yasaka in his workshop. This old acquaintance, who has just been released from prison, begins to meddle in Toshio's family life.

It always amazes me how radically a film can make me feel about it in just a short period of time. In the beginning of Harmonium I didn't have the highest of all hopes, but after a while it delivered the goods without hesitation. Heartbreaking yes, but the film honestly earns it by having such a captivating story and believable characters. Also, fans of actor Tadanobu Asano should really give it a watch because here he plays a sinister man that gets under your skin, and someone you love to hate.

Genre: Drama

Sweet Bean (Japan, 2015)

The manager of a pancake stall finds himself confronted with an odd but sympathetic elderly woman looking for work. A taste of her homemade bean jelly convinces him to hire her, which starts a relationship that is about much more than just street food.

Sweet Bean is a warm film full of joy. Well, at least it begins that way. Even the sun has its spots, just like this lovely drama has its fair share of darkness. It's a wonderful testament to how tragedies can be defeated by our shared interests like food, like new relationships and like the perfect sweet bean paste. 

Genre: Drama

Belladonna of Sadness (Japan, 1973)

After being banished from her village, a peasant woman makes a pact with the devil to gain magical ability.

Belladonna has that genuine 70's vibe, and I can easily picture The Beatles suddenly starting to play during its lively watercolor imagery. There's lots of still images which are meant to speak for themselves, and they really do convey every bit of horrifying and erotic fantasies dwelling underneath the paint. It gets extremely surreal at times, and often it feels like you're on a jazz-infused acid-trip. 

It may be hard to fully grasp the story, but the amount of crazy things practically spewing out at the viewer makes it very re-watch friendly. Truly a visual treat. Not exactly for viewers without patience, but a stunning film if you allow yourself to be drawn into its fairytale-like world. 

Genre: Animation/Drama/Fantasy

Midori (Japan, 1992)

Midori, is a young, and vibrant girl who enjoys her school and classes, but after her mother became very ill, and their dad evaded contact with her, her mom dies from her ailments. Midori is then tricked by a circus producer to enter his funfair, where she is consistently raped and abused by the circus folk, but when she is on the edge of giving up hope, she is acquainted by a dwarf, and her whole world changes.

The whole story of how this film even got made could be its own stand-alone article. It got banned pretty much everywhere, even in Japan, due to the graphic violence and sexual abuse. The director, Hiroshi Harada, had to animate it all by himself because no one wanted to come near it. After its release, people did their best to destroy every copy of the film, which is why it's so obscure these days. Well, how bad could it be, you ask?   

The trailer says it all, really: "the ultimate antidote to mainstream anime". If you've grown tired of everything Japanese animation has to offer, this is your last stop. It has a staggering shock factor and could be seen as a more juvenile version of Freaks (1932). Had Midori been live-action, it would have been one of the most disturbing films ever made, but as an animated feature it reaches half-way and "only" leaves you deeply disturbed afterwords. Precisely the kind of film that would have been passed around as a rumoured bootleg back in the 90's. A stern warning must be issued though, due to the heavy themes of rape, abuse and animal violence taking place during its rather short runtime (56 min). Adult audiences only. 

Genre: Animation/Drama/Horror