Makoto Sato Movies

This coming-of-age story from Japan opens just after 17-year-old Sataka (Japanese teen idol Rene Tanaka) has gotten dumped by her boyfriend. When her mother is hospitalized with a malignant stomach ulcer, Sataka is left alone with her emotionally repressed father; whiling away the hours one day, she comes across a love letter written to her mother 24 years earlier. Deciding to track down the letter's author, Sataka eventually finds Shinichiro (Hiroyuki Sanada), an overweight slob who was abandoned by his wife years earlier and now spends his time hanging around pachinko parlors. Determined to clean him up and reintroduce him to her mother, Sataka nags Shinchiro until he finally agrees to her demands, and a gradual friendship develops between the two as Sataka drags him to the gym and a clothing store. But once Shinchiro's makeover is complete, he turns the tables on his young friend, and when the time comes for him to meet Sataka's mother, all concerned parties find themselves embarking on a new phase in their lives. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, Rovi

Message from Space, a bargain-rack Japanese Star Wars clone, stars Vic Morrow as the token American. Responding to a plea for help from a faraway planet, A young, idealistic four-person crew hurtles to the rescue. Along for the ride are two funny robots. As could expected from the Toei Studios, Message from Space is a clearing house of good, bad, and "aw come on!" special effects. Vic Morrow followed this film triumph with the equally unforgettable The Evictors (79) and Humanoids from the Deep (80). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This Japanese-made film is basically a religious tract for the Nichiren Shoshu Association. The NSA is an atypically evangelistic self-labelled Buddhist group which has made some headway in the U.S. with the likes of performers Tina Turner and Patrick Duffy. The story concerns the religious conversion of a man imprisoned already for religious deviance, and is based on the book by Daisaku Ikeda. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

This Japanese war movie, set during WW II, chronicles events in the newly created Japanese Air Force. The story centers around Sato, a flight instructor, and his two prize pilots, Fujimaki, a Chinese officer studying there, and Hiraizumi. When Japan tries to take over China, Fujimaki must shoot down his friend Hiraizumi over northern China. His former flight instructor challenges him to an aerial duel. Fujimaki is quickly shot down. After killing him, Sato is wracked with guilt. He carries it with him wherever he goes until he himself is shot down over the Bay of Bengal. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Originally released in Japan as Chintao Yosai Bakugeki Meir Ei, Siege of Fort Bismarck is set during World War I, when (though not commonly acknowledged) the Japanese fought aggressively against Germany - a series of events that gain immense historical significance in retrospect because they marked Japan's very first use of naval aviation in warfare. As the tale opens, the Germans have built an outpost fort on the coast of China, christened Fort Bismarck. But Japan casts its lot with the Allies, thus its military leaders want to capture Fort Bismarck and rout the Kaiser's forces. Unfortunately Japan has no air force -- at least not until they purchase two planes from the French. Though heavily outflanked, the Japanese forces team up with the Brits and finally cripple the German fighting machine via aerial assault. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Mythical wandering swordsman Zatoichi (Shintaro Katsu) finds himself in dire straits after being duped into killing a man with a large gambling debt in the 19th chapter of the long-running samurai saga. Almost immediately after Zatoichi completes his mission of terminating the troublesome debtor, the man's sister arrives at the yakuza headquarters with the money needed to pay off her siblings' debt. Realizing that he has been duped by the crafty gangsters, Zatoichi must now make reparations by freeing the girl from the evil boss and escorting her to safety. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

This star-studded and relatively lavishly produced fact-based war drama, set in 1945 Japan during WW II, chronicles the attempts of Japan's War Minister, (played by Toshiro Mifune), to prevent Emperor Hirohito from publicly broadcasting the declaration of surrender. The War Minister rallies those officers around him who also want to keep the war going. The conspirators murder the leader of the Imperial Guards and storm the palace. Fortunately they are stopped by the palace guard. On learning of this failure, the War Minister commits suicide. At least one Western reviewer of this 1967 film (for Variety) still bore very harsh memories of the war and attributed all sorts of face-saving propagandistic intent by the Japanese to this relatively innocuous movie. He was particularly distressed that the aura of sanctity surrounding the Emperor remained intact and was even enhanced by this film; even so, he praised it as expertly acted and entertaining in its own right, despite being an apparently "official" film. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

The Daphne refers to Hariko Sugimura, a widow with four daughters. Two of the girls still live at home; the other two are married, with lives of their own. The film chronicles the shifting-sand relationship between mother and daughters, with happiness and heartbreak coming out even. The cast of The Daphne was impressive by Japanese film-industry standards, though few of the stars are recognizable names to western audiences. Released in a 106-minute version in the US, The Daphne ran nearly three hours in its original Japanese version, which went out under the title Jinchoge. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Toshiro Mifune stars as a shipwrecked sailor who joins a Japanese priest in his search for the bones of Buddha in this children's adventure. The duo are hounded by the forces of a nearby king from his castle fortress. The heroes show the king the error of his ways and even provide him with a pretty woman to take as his queen. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

The original Japanese title of Tiger Flight was Kyomo Ware Ozorani Re. The plot is essentially a made-in-Japan knockoff of the British classic Breaking the Sound Barrier. The heroes are a group of pilots who want to go faster than anyone has gone before. But no so fast as to miss out on romance while they're on solid ground. Tatsuya Mihashi stars as the squadron's no-nonsense commander. So as you see, not every Japanese film can be Rashomon or Seven Samurai. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this war drama, set during the Sino-Japanese war, a Japanese battalion must fight guerrilla attacks in China's northern mountains to protect a sympathetic warehouse owner. The Japanese troops face great danger, but help the owner transport his goods away from the jungle marauders. The trouble really begins when a lieutenant discovers that the guerrilla leader is the warehouse owner, and that the Japanese have been graciously transporting an arms shipment for him. Unfortunately, before he can warn his troops, the officer is captured by the Chinese who attempt to force him into leading the battalion into an ambush. Fortunately, the lieutenant escapes and destroys the guerrilla arms. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

In this Japanese samurai adventure, a brave, highly principled warrior resigns his post as a body guard to the head of a powerful clan after he learns that his employers have been smuggling arms to the enemy. The remaining samurai try in vain to coerce him back, but their efforts are thwarted by crooked warriors who launch an attack. The sword fights are especially exciting. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi