Surfshark VPN – Watch Japanese Movies on Netflix From Any Country
With Surfshark VPN, you can access Japanese movies on Netflix from any country. Check out these great films that explore themes of family, overcoming obstacles, and more.
A classic Studio Ghibli movie, this film is a wartime drama with mesmerizing animations. It’s also a great way to learn about Japanese culture and history.
37 Seconds
In the midst of a media representation renaissance, this coming-of-age movie takes a bold stance on disability. The film centers around Yuma, a 23-year-old aspiring manga artist with cerebral palsy who ghost writes her questionable bestie’s comics and is searching for independence.
The film doesn’t fixate on Yuma’s condition, though it does highlight the dehumanizing behavior she experiences because of her wheelchair. It also explores her emotional boundaries and how she finds a piece of herself she didn’t know was missing.
This is a great movie for beginner learners to understand family dynamics and build Japanese competency. The slow dialogue and simple emotions make it easy to keep up with and comprehend. Try watching it with subtitles and rewatching to improve retention.
Shin Godzilla
One of the best Japanese movies on Netflix, Shin Godzilla is a stunning, epic wartime drama with mesmerizing animation. The story is about a former assassin who becomes a wandering swordsman and helps people in need.
Hideaki Anno’s fingerprints are all over this film, from the narrow focus on byzantine political gamesmanship to the matter-of-fact grandeur with which Godzilla stomps through Tokyo. And the running gag about bureaucratic roles constantly changing and overlapping clearly satirizes Japan’s stunned, sluggish response to the 2011 tsunami and Fukushima nuclear disaster.
Another great Japanese movie to watch is Tuna Girl, which follows the sweet story of a clumsy fishery student who seeks out her place in a world-renowned research institute. This film is also a good choice for those learning Japanese, as it provides an in-depth look into rural Japan.
My Tomorrow Your Yesterday
A mix of fantasy, romance, and sci-fi, this movie explores the complexities of first love. It also addresses social issues and the nature of fate.
It is a heart-warming story of a clumsy fishery student and her struggles to find her place in life. The animation is beautiful and the movie touches upon themes of family, loss, and redemption.
This Studio Ghibli masterpiece is a must-watch for any anime fan. It features the story of a young girl who falls in love with her classmate. However, she soon discovers that her love is not reciprocated. The mesmerizing animation has given the film a prestigious reputation.
Ride or Die
This movie can get very graphic at times, but it’s worth it for the story and moral quandaries that run the gamut. Based on Ching Nakamura’s adult manga Gunjo, Ride or Die stars Kiko Mizuhara as Rei and Honami Sato (the drummer of the hip-hop/progressive band Gesu no Kiwami Otome) as Nanae, two friends with a complicated relationship.
Ryuichi Hiroki’s adaptation of the Nakamura manga sticks to the traditional yuri manga formula of same-sex relationships, but it doesn’t shy away from the violence. Its premise sounds like hard-boiled neo-noir: Nanae coerces her lesbian best friend to kill her abusive husband. The film also delves into the psychological dynamics of marital abuse, and it reveals that one of the primary drivers of domestic violence is male phallic insecurity.
Tuna Girl
A clumsy but cheery student takes up a placement at a tuna research facility despite not really fitting in. Featuring a lot of actual facts on tuna (and other fish) the movie is uplifting and a little bit quirky.
This movie is a must-watch for those who are looking for a cute and lighthearted film to watch. It has a charming story and is full of awe-inducing visuals. The acting is also top-notch, especially that of Fuka Koshiba who truly shines in her role as the naive Minami. It’s not an out-of-the-box flick and will probably fall into some cliches for true drama lovers but it does its job well.