Did you know that Japanese cinema is incredibly prolific? Few productions are exported to our shores because Japanese cinema is primarily geared towards the local audience – much like the Japanese music industry. Discover the biggest cinematic hits (hint: the top 10 includes 10 works by Miyazaki!).
10) Bayside Shakedown 2 (2003) by Katsuyuki Motohiro
12.6 million viewers
Bayside Shakedown originated as a drama, meaning a Japanese television series. Following the series' conclusion, several films were produced. The second installment is the most popular in the franchise. It follows the story of Shunsuke, a former salesman, who decides to become a police officer because he envisions a thrilling and heroic life. He quickly encounters reality and realizes that, ultimately, this new life isn't so different from his old one…
9) King Kong Vs Godzilla (1962) by Ishiro Honda
12.6 million viewers
The title speaks for itself: the film depicts the confrontation of two of the most mythical creatures in cinema.
8) Ponyo on the Cliff (2008) by Hayao Miyazaki
12.8 million viewers
This animated film is aimed at children. It follows the adventures of Ponyo, a goldfish who desires more than anything to become human.
7) Princess Mononoke (1997) by Hayao Miyazaki
14.2 million viewers
The first major international success of animation master Hayao Miyazaki (the Japanese also thoroughly enjoyed it)! This ecological fable invites us to follow the adventures of San and Ashitaka in medieval Japan, at a time when fantastic animals and deities live their last moments alongside humanity.
6) Howl's Moving Castle (2004) by Hayao Miyazaki
15.5 million viewers
Adapted from Dianne Wynnes Jones' novel "Howl's Moving Castle," this magical tale is a story where things are never what they seem. A Studio Ghibli classic!
5) Your Name (2016) by Makoto Shinkai
19.3 million viewers
Your Name is a true global phenomenon, having earned the title of the highest-grossing Japanese film of all time (a record since broken by the current number one). The story follows Mitsuha, a college student living in the countryside, and Taki, a student from Tokyo. Although they don't know each other, they each dream about the other's life. One day, they wake up, each in the other's body….
4) Emperor Meiji and the Great Russo-Japanese War (1957) by Kunio Watanabe
20 million viewers
This 1950s blockbuster captivated Japanese audiences, who flocked to theaters. The story recounts the famous Great War that pitted the Russian and Japanese empires against each other between 1904 and 1905 (spoiler alert: Japan emerged victorious).
3) Tokyo Olympiad (1965) by Kon Ichikawa
23.5 million viewers
This is a documentary film about the 1964 Tokyo Summer Olympics.
2) Spirited Away (2001) by Hayao Miyazaki
24.8 million viewers
This animated film long remained the biggest box office success in Japanese cinema history, both in terms of audience numbers and box office receipts, both in Japan and internationally. Chihiro, a 10-year-old girl, accidentally enters the spirit world. When her parents fall victim to a curse, she finds herself alone in this unknown and magical world, with only the mysterious Haku as her ally.
1) Kimetsu no Yaiba: The Infinity Train (2020) by Haruo Sotozaki
28.8 million viewers
The biggest box office success in Japanese cinema history! In Japan, it's impossible to miss the phenomenon: in the streets, shops, restaurants, and even at the Diet (the Japanese National Assembly), Kimetsu no Yaiba is everywhere. No franchise, Japanese (Pokémon, Dragon Ball, One Piece, etc.) or foreign (Marvel, Harry Potter, etc.), has managed to generate such enthusiasm. It originated as a manga whose popularity exploded thanks to its anime adaptation. The story picks up where it left off at the end of the first season of the anime. Tanjiro and his group embark on a new mission alongside one of the most powerful demon slayers, Rengoku the Flame Pillar, to eradicate the terrible threat plaguing the Infinity Train.
