Yoko Minamino

How hard is it to kill an idiot? Just ask Kudo Kankuro! The acclaimed screenwriter brings his 2004 Kunio Kishida-winning stage play Donju (a.k.a. Dumb Animal) to the big screen in all its wacky tragicomedic glory. The one and only Asano Tadanobu sports a seriously nerdy bowl haircut to play the leading role of simple-minded novelist Dekogawa who has mysteriously disappeared. Dekogawa wrote an autobiography about his youth that reveals not only his past, but also some of his childhood friends’ best-forgotten secrets. In order to keep the skeletons in the closet, these buddies of yesteryear try to silence him permanently. But no matter how hard they try to kill Dekogawa, he just keeps coming back – because he’s simply too thickheaded to die!

After the events of the TV series, the 18 year old Yoko Godai has abandoned her special agent Saki Asamiya name to return to her normal life, and is now studying for college entrance exams. However, she accidentally bumps into a young man named Kazuo Hagiwara trying to escape from a group of hitmen, and learns that he comes from Sanko Academy, a private school located in a remote island known as Hell's Castle. The school is ruled by a former revolutionary thought to be dead named Hattori who is trying to brainwash students into terrorists to help him stage a fascist coup d'etat in Japan.

A modern Japanese family loses their youngest son in a tragedy. The mother, Misako, plunges into depression and the oldest son Akira starts blaming himself for the death of his brother.

The Pale Hand

Yoko Sakaki: 24 years old. Occupation: Ghost Negotiator. With her tomboyish attitude and severely bad mouth, she helps ghosts leave this world by shouting at them. But, that work is almost done - she and her boyfriend Toshio are about to get married, and their dream is to open a tofu shop together. However, she has kept her profession a secret from him, instead telling him she is a flight attendant... While out with him one night, Yoko gets a call from work telling her that a ghost has appeared in Hachioji... She goes to bust the ghost with her unreliable new partner, Yanagida, but can she hold on to her relationship at the same time?

Shinku is a compelling drama that focuses on the strange relationship that develops between two people who find their lives irrevocably changed as a result of a horrible multiple homicide. The first person traumatized is the lone survivor of the terrible family bloodbath, a girl who grows up to be a pretty college student. The second person affected by this heinous crime is the daughter of the murderer, a young girl who ends up becoming a tattooed bartender. A full decade after the crime, the killer is finally going to be executed, and the surviving member of the massacre decides to reach out and befriend the murderer's daughter. A tentative, odd sort of friendship blossoms between these two people, both of whom seem to have little in common personally, and every reason in the world for not wanting to meet. Yet they do, but not without reservations. And really, is this friendship quite what it seems? Or is it all part of some twisted plan for vengeance?

Various individuals named Ichiro undergo life-changing events while being inspired by the baseball player Ichiro. A heartwarming movie about the people who root for the baseball player Ichiro, and their struggles to make their own dreams come true.

A young woman, Asami, searches for the man who helps her quest to enter medical school.

Yasuo Furuhata directs this romantic yakuza flick based on a book by popular romance novelist Tomiko Miyao. Set in 1932, the film centers on Peony (Yoko Minamino), a geisha who was forced into the business at a young age by her dissipated father.

The story opens with Yukiko and her business partner in Moscow searching for Russian items for their store in Tokyo. There they meet a Russian translator, Nicholai, played by Sergei Nakariakov - a trumpeter from Russia. Some months later after they have returned, Nicholai and Yukiko meet again while he is auditioning for the Tokyo orchestra where seeds of romance begin. Yukiko's father, however, is diagnosed with a terminal case of cancer. Yukiko returns home to be with him in his final months as he decides not to go through therapy and let the disease run its course. Coming into contact with a childhood friend while at home Yukiko is left to choose between her old friend and Nicholai, all while having to face the emotional struggle of dealing with her father's impending death.

An illustration of the tragic lives of geishas at a popular geisha house, Shinonomero. Shortly after being sold to a geisha house at age 5, Shizu is befriended by a fellow older geisha, Tsuru. After years of living and working together, Tsuru and Shizu manage to run the operations of Shinonomero as the proprietress and assistant. Despite vows to never to let their lovers come between them or Shinonomero, moments of weakness leave Tsuru and Shizu caught up in a web of betrayal and plunged into debt. With the guilt of losing Shinonomero to Udo, a yakuza who loaned them money, it is now up to young Shizu to redeem Tsuru’s honor and restore Shinonomero as their own.

Benio, a peppy tomboy, is surprised to learn that she has been secretly betrothed by her grandfather to a young officer named Shinobu Ijuin. Because of his family’s noble status, Benio must first undergo rigorous training to learn how to be a proper bride and wife before she can marry. However, because of her vivacious personality, this proves to me more challenging than anyone imagined.

It is 1965. High-school student Takeyoshi Fujiwara hears "Pipeline" by the Ventures, and is mesmerized by their unique sound. With three friends, he forms a band called "The Rocking Horsemen." A warm and comic glimpse into high-school and small-town life in Japan in the 60's.

Keiko’s life is turned upside down when she discovers that she has been infected with HIV. As she struggles to cope with the situation and resist the infection, she finds new friendship and companionship with a journalist named Miyuki and a man named Akira.

In the continuing adventures of Nemuri Kyoshiro, noted film actor Tamura Masakazu stars again as the red-haired ronin with foreign blood in his veins. The son of a foreign missionary and a samurai's daughter. His mother died when he was a child, and he was forced to bury her himself, praying that her soul would rest in peace. He became an expert at swordsmanship, despite being in the shadow of isolation and nothingness, and walks the bloody path of destruction carrying his only friend, a razor sharp sword made by the Master, 'Peerless Masamune' to go with his unique Full Moon Sword style. After being accused of being a government spy, he falls ill and accepts the aid of a prostitute who nurses him back to health. As he prepares to leave the Chief Retainer of the Akita Clan asks him to help save the clan from an evil plot. Kyoshiro's deadly full moon cut will have to come into play against many who seek his life!

A former assassin is drawn into a conspiracy which leads him to return to his old ways, endangering his brother who suspects that something is afoot...

Biopic of yakuza Noboru Ando, based on his autobiography.

Based on the comic by Hiroshi Motomiya

The body of Kazuyoshi Kawagishi, a construction company worker, is discovered stabbed to death in Shinjuku Central Park in Tokyo. Detective Masanao Ushio of Shinjuku West PD begins an investigation and finds that the murdered Kawagishi was an honest person who didn't have any troubles. Kawagishi worked for a company in Kofu City in Yamanashi, leaving behind his wife and daughter on Awaji Island in Hyogo. He seems to have started working as a laborer 3 years ago, having fallen on hard times when the company went bankrupt. Saeko Kawamura, Ushio's reporter friend, calls him wanting to talk about the case. According to Saeko, Kawagishi was one of the survivors of the "bus hijack arson case" that happened three years ago. In the bus hijack arson case, a man who was hallucinating under the influence of dangerous drugs set fire to an intercity bus going to Shinjuku and departing from Kofu Station...

Kunio Shibano was bankrupted. He visits a snowland spa area to commit suicide. But he meets Geisha Moeko, and she gives him power to face life one more time...

Mitabi no kaikyô

Fukuzawa Yukichi opens a school for samurai, who aim to learn Dutch language, most common for overseas trading. But when he was in Yokohama he learned that English language is one way more global one. His struggle against patriarchal mindset leads his school to become one of the oldest universities in Japan.

Film director Mario Baba meets a mysterious gentleman, and realizes he is a important man from his boyhood. The two chase each other around, causing a lot of commotion.

Kume tries to protect her husband Tokugawa Yoshimune and their three children from the schemes of the inner palace of Edo Castle.

Tales of the Bizarre: Vol. 3

Omuraisu

High school student Saya Toma lost her parents and younger brother in an airplane accident. Detective Akio Kondo came and told her "your family has a high possibility that they were killed by people who have spec." That was the first time she heard of "spec". 6 years later, Saya Toma, who has never forgotten what the Detective said, decides to become a detective. She returns to Japan after receiving training by the FBI in the United States. Saya Toma is assigned to work unsolved cases in the Public Security Bureau. Meanwhile, because of Satoshi Chii's scheme, Juichi Ninomae considers Saya Toma his parents' enemy and tries to push her to the edge. Satoshi Chii's scheme has also caused Saya Toma and Juichi Ninomae to forget that they are brother and sister. The siblings are headed to a life-staking fight. A girl named Maho Ueno becomes involved in their fight. To protect Maho Ueno, Saya Toma uses "spec".

Sawako worked as an emergency physician at a university hospital. Due to to a situation, she returns to her father Tatsuro's home in Ishikawa Prefecture. She then begins to work at the local Mahoroba Clinic. She works with the clinic director Toru, Nurse Mayo and staff Seiji. Seiji, who worked with Sawako at the university hospital, followed her and works with her again. Mahoroba Clinic provides home healthcare to patients. Sawako visits the patients' homes and provides treatment there. At first, she has a hard time due to the different system. She becomes acclimated to the different system and finds a way to deal with the patients, their lives, and their families. --asianwiki

Kaoru is a former racing driver who retired two years ago. She is invited by her brother Saburo to return to Team Alesis, which he owns, as a B driver. However, the mechanics don't think it's a good idea for Kaoru, a woman, to be driving, and their relationship becomes awkward.

A man must overcome many obstacles as he works his way through the dangerous crime world to the level of yakuza.

The second TV movie Obayashi Nobuhiko directed based on Akagawa Jiro's Mikeneko Holmes series.

At the end of the Heian period, Musashibo Benkei, a warrior monk who hated the Heike clan, was humiliated by his fellow monks and left the mountain monastery. Soon, Benkei competes with the Heike warriors on the Gojo Bridge in Kyoto and takes away their swords. One night he tried to stop a young man who had a beautiful sword on his belt and fought him, but he could not win. Knowing that this young man Ushiwakamaru (Minamoto no Yoshitsune) is looking for an opportunity to overthrow the Heike clan, Benkei asks him to let him join him.

Follows the final days of the shogunate and Shinsengumi's Vice-Comander Hijikata Toshizo along with his fellow anti-imperialist group.

Four girls, Aoi, Sumire, Kaede, and Tsukushi arrive in Asuka, Nara prefecture with the purpose of unraveling the mystery of an ancient mirror. As they explore the ancient city, they are confronted with various mysteries and gradually begin to unravel the secrets of history, leading them into a strange world that transcends time and space.

Set two years after the drama series "Nemesis," Naoki Kazama works for Nemesis Detective Agency and is regarded as a brilliant detective. He is able to solve the most difficult of cases, but he has a secret. He is actually a lousy detective and relies on the genius skills of his assistant Anna Mikami to solve cases. Their partnership continues.

A vicious plot that would change the course of Japanese history is set in motion when assassins conspire to kill Iemitsu, the third shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty. Things heats up as Iemitsu plans a journey across Japan where assassins lie in wait. Working with elder statesman Okubo Hikozaemon is Musashi Miyamoto who wants to unravel the mystery of who is behind this plot and things heat up further when some of them are the greatest swordsmen in the land!

Takashi and his wife Misako, who lost their beloved son in a trapeze accident, have never recovered from the shock, and have kept the urn in their bedroom because they do not want to leave their son's ashes. One day, the couple hears that they can see their son if they go to the old Isejin Tunnel.

Ace, Houtaro, and their allies participate in a new edition of the Desire Grand Prix kickstarted by the rogue Chemy X Wizard, who has involved the Jyamato in its diabolical plans. This is the 14th entry of the Kamen Rider winter crossover movies with this entry feature the cast of Kamen Rider Gotchard and Kamen Rider Geats.

The life story of Japan’s greatest leader, Tokugawa Ieyasu, whose shogunate ruled the nation for almost 300 years has never been told like this before. From the early days as a supporter of Imagawa Yoshimoto, then on to his days with Oda Nobunaga, leading to his wars against and ultimate victory over the Toyotomi to become shogun is a fascinating tale of his military genius coupled with a native intelligence that allowed him to become the last of the great warlords and ultimately the leader of the nation. With great performances from an all-star cast featuring names like Kitaoji Kinya and Takahashi Hideki this is history come to life on the screen.

A ronin named Azami Onijuro travels the Nikko Highway, he is being followed by the bounty hunter Daihachi and Yukata Danzen. He is pursued by his past as a covert spy under Lord Matsudaira. Due to certain circumstances, Onijuro betrayed him and became a wandering ronin. Ever since, he's been hunted by Matsudaira's subordinates and bounty hunters. After saving the tough and fiery woman Omom from yakuza trouble, Onijuro and his companions head to Akame-shuku (inn town). Here, a conflict brews between the Tsurugame family led by Genroku and the lawless monk group led by Tetsuzan, a former sumo wrestler gone rogue. Onijuro sides with Tetsuzan, while Daihachi and Danzen side with Genroku. This intricate web of allegiances and confrontations unfolds against the backdrop of the bustling post-town.

The wife of a lawyer and her twice-divorced sister-in-law scheme to break up her brother's marriage in this hard-edged drama of misdirected passion. The quirky characters who fill out the cast include a youthful entrepreneur and the heroine's father, a police officer who would do anything to make his daughter happy.

The popular Shinkansen bullet train serves as the setting for a series of romantic encounters, from youthful flirtations to mature relationships, office affairs, and simply the love of life itself. A common thread is maintained by the young chief conductor and his crew of well-worn professionals and first-time pursers.

7人の女弁護士

Set in Kyoto, the story revolves around a single, 40-year-old part-time university lecturer named Urasawa Yu. Although she is awkward in normal social situations, she possesses extraordinary judgment when it comes to understanding people in art-related contexts and determining the authenticity of historical works of art. With those skills, she is able to determine the truth behind various incidents that happen around her. Tokyograph

He didn’t even like children, yet without warning, the handsome, single newscaster finds himself playing the role of father to three impertinent daughters. His entire image of the roles of the sexes gets turned upside down as he makes the transition from a swinger into a caring parent.

Hanzawa Naoki works as a loan manager at the Osaka Nishi branch of Tokyo Central Bank. One day, Hanzawa makes a loan contract for 500 million yen with Nishi Osaka Steel Company. Hanzawa didn't want to approve the loan, but he had to due to the branch manager's order. Nishi Osaka Steel Company seems financially stable, but the company actually hides massive amounts of debt through fraudulent accounts. The company is caught. Three months later, Nishi Osaka Steel Company goes bankrupt. The bank's branch manager is Asano. He is an ambitious man and tries to shift the blame to Hanzawa. Hanzawa then attends an inquiry about the loan failure at the bank's headquarters in Tokyo. Hanzawa denies fault and promises to retrieve the 500 million yen loan. He did this because it's the only way for Hanzawa to survive as a banker.

The stabbed corpse of IT company president Kinji Shiroyama (Yuichi Haba) is found in the Gulf warehouse at Hinode Pier. Unemployed Satoru Oki (Yoshiyoshi Arakawa) who ran away from the scene of the incident is arrested as the murderer. Fujiko Kajiwara (Yuki Matsushita), who was asked to be a duty lawyer meets him, but Ooki denies the charges makes repeats vague statements and refuses to tell the truth.

Sukeban Deka II in 1985-1986 starred Yoko Minamino as the second "Sukeban Deka", a mysterious girl with an iron mask named Yoko Godai who takes on the identity of Asamiya Saki after being freed from her mask; She will get the help of two other sukeban: Kyoko "Okyo" Nakamura (Haruko Sagara), and Yukino Yajima (Akie Yoshizawa, from jpop band Onyanko Club which will appear in two episodes).

SMAP×SMAP was an ongoing weekly Japanese variety show on Kansai TV and Fuji TV starring the members of SMAP. The show began on April 15, 1996 and it aired from 22:00 to 22:54 every Monday. The show's usual ratings were higher than 20%, which is considered high since most variety shows range from 10-20%. Each episode begins a variety of skits, comedic performances, and/or games.  These are followed by Bistro SMAP, in which the SMAP members compete against each other to impress celebrity judges with their gourmet cooking.  Last is a musical performance by SMAP which may include celebrity guests, as well.

Hinako is the executive assistant to the CEO of Relation Gate, a startup company growing at breakneck speed. Apt to listen to his gut feelings, her boss bombards her day in and day out with tall orders he concocts on a whim. Life is far from chill for Hinako, who hasn't had a boyfriend in six years. She barely even has time to sit and think carefully about her future. Each long workday ends with the same toxic thought, "I find no meaning doing this!" as she clutches a beer and lets out a huge sigh.

An entertaining historical drama depicting Sanada Yukimura, a hero who has gone through the era from the incident at Honnōji Temple to the summer siege of Osaka Castle, as "a man of men".

Saigo Takamori, the hero of the Meiji Restoration, was born to a poor, low-ranking samurai family in the Satsuma domain (present day Kagoshima Prefecture). His simple honesty caught the attention of its charismatic feudal lord of Satsuma, Shimazu Nariakira. Nariakira’s assertion that the love of people is what will enrich and strengthen the nation captivated Saigo who took on Nariakira’s secret mission and eventually became a key person for Satsuma. Not a portrait of him survives today and much of his life is a mystery. He is a man who was twice exiled and thrice married. He overthrew the Tokugawa Shogunate with exceptional bravery and action. Although he accomplished the restoration, he lost his life in a fight with the new Meiji government.

Satoshi Itomura is an assistant police investigator who belongs to the Metropolitan Police Department’s Scientific Investigation Team. Reenactments, fingerprint and voice data collections, profiling... His team collects scientific evidence and pieces together fragments of information in order to help build evidences. However, Itomura often does not care about the scientific approach and instead pays a great deal of attention to the things that the victims always carried with them or treasured. And he focuses on these things because they usually carry the victim’s dying wishes, understanding that last message not only helps solve the cases but also brings closure to the depressed family of victims.

Inspired by American TV movies like "Hitchcock Theater" and "The Twilight Zone," the show features multiple works with Tamori as the storyteller and actors as the main characters. While horror and supernatural themes are predominant, a variety of genres like comedy and drama are also produced. Most episodes, however, have a bad ending.

二軒目どうする?~ツマミのハナシ~

Commander Sugata discovered the existence of the Royal Underground Empire Tube, a malignant force that desires to dominate the land, which is based underneath Japan. He recruits five young people, each one specializing in a style of martial arts, and teaches them in the ways of the mystical "Aura Power" energy. A year after he recruited and trained the Maskmen, Tube is ready to strike.

Takeshi Hongo is a promising young man with a passion for motorcycle racing. However, his dreams are suddenly ruined when he gets kidnapped by Shocker, the evil secret organization planning to dominate the world. After being remodeled into a cyborg, Takeshi escapes and swears to protect the world from the inhuman monsters.

After returning to Japan from Paris and excelling as an Olympic-level equestrian, Kaoru Mizuho’s life at an elite high school takes a dramatic turn when she forms a unique bond with her classmate Emiko Kubo, sharing not only the same Horoscope sign but also a shocking family secret that threatens to unravel their worlds.

A mysterious alchemist studies and experiments to create a "living creature" called Chemie. Unfortunately, the card that should have been well-kept, accidentally slipped together. A high school student named Houtarou Ichinose accidentally got involved and was given a task to return all the Chemie that was released around the world. He transformed with Grasshopper Chemie, Hopper 1 and Steam Locomotive Chemie, Steamliner to become Kamen Rider Gotchard.

During the Edo period, the eighth Tokugawa shōgun, Yoshimune, officially had 17 families of oniwaban, his private ninja guards. They were known as "The Secret 18th Group." Months after Yoshimune's death, his fourth son, Hitotsubashi, asks Kane Ametaro, a hairdresser, to put the group back together. The other members of the secret 18th group include Miki, a doctor; Otojirō, a chef; and Inokichi, an acrobat. The group members have their doubts and internal conflicts about how to live their lives as "secret agents," but when various injustices occur in Edo... they have no other option but to unite and begin clearing the darkness together.

ミステリー　第三の女

A mysterious man Shomei Abeno opens a fortune telling shop in a quiet neighbourhood. However, residents of the area wonders if he is just a regular con man with something to hide.