Article: Top 10 Award-Winning Japanese Movies On OTT

1. Mirai

Mirai, directed and written by Mamoru Hosada, was released on June 20, 2018. The film is animated and features the voices of Rebecca Hall, John Cho, and, Daniel Dae-Kim in the English version. The film is about a young boy who is insecure about the arrival of his younger sister. Things change when he finds a mysterious garden in his home’s backyard which leads him to go back to the past and meet his mother as a young girl and his great-grandfather as a young man. Meeting them changes his perspective and he grows to become the big brother he is meant to be. The film is magical and has fantastical adventures yet it is sweet, heartwarming, and wholesome. It is available on Netflix in many countries. It has been nominated for Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film. It has also won the Award for the Japanese Academy for Best Animation Film, Annie Award for Best Animated Independent Film, and the Best Animated Film award in the FFCC Awards. It has won five international awards and has received thirty-five nominations. It is the first Japanese animated movie to be nominated for an Academy Award not produced by Studio Ghilbi.

 

2. A Silent Voice

A Silent Voice, directed by Naoko Yamada, was released on September 17, 2016. It is an animated movie and features the voice talents of Miyu Irino and Saori Hayami. The film is about a young bullied high-schooler contemplating suicide but decides against it when he realizes he still needs to redeem himself to his former deaf classmate whom he had bullied in the past. He starts by being her friend and protects her from other bullies. In turn, she helps him get rid of his cynical perspective and gain a more positive outlook. Slowly, his old friends who had abandoned him again reconnect with him. In due course, the girl ends up falling in love with him. This movie is a psychological drama that skillfully deals with issues like disability, suicide, depression, and bullying. This movie has won the awards for Best Female Vocal Performance in an Anime Film in Supporting Role and Best Male Vocal Performance in an Anime Film by BTVA People’s Choice Voice Acting Awards and the Best Film Award and Best Screenplay Award by Tokyo Anime Award. It has also received eight nominations for various awards. This film is available on Netflix.

 

3. 37 Seconds

37 Seconds, directed and written by Hikari, was released on 9 February 2019. This film stars Mei Kayama and Misuzu Kanno. It is about a young woman, Yumi, who suffers from cerebral palsy. The title of the movie, 37 seconds, refers to the thirty-seven seconds Yumi wasn’t breathing when she was born which resulted in her disability. She has to juggle her familial duties with her dream to be a manga artist. She navigates her way through her sexual identity as she meets new people. This movie teaches us to be free and that disabled people can also meet their potential and live fulfilling lives. This film has won eleven awards, including several for Best Film, Best Director, and Best New Performer. It has also received three nominations.

 

4. Lu Over The Wall

Lu Over The Wall, directed and written by Masaaki Yuasa, was released on May 19, 2017. This movie features the voices of Kanon Tani and Shota Shimoda. It is a fantasy-adventure movie with magic as its main element. The protagonist is a young boy Kai, who is part of a band he formed with his friends. One day, he accidentally meets the Merfolk people. He strikes a friendship with Lu, a ningyo girl from the Japanese mythologies. He introduces her to his friends and soon finds out about her love for music and dance and the story progresses from there. The story has a mythological touch as it revolves around ningyo, who are mythical fish people in Japanese folk stories. It is sweet and wholesome with deep messages about trust and friendship. This movie has won the Best Feature Film Award at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival. It has also been nominated for other international awards.

 

5. Violet Evergarden: The Movie

Violet Evergarden: The Movie, directed by Taichi Ishidate, was released on 18 September 2020. It is an animated movie that features the voices of Yui Ishikawa and Daisuke Namikawa. It is based on the popular light novel series Violet Evergarden by Kana Akatsuki. It is also the sequel to the 2018 movie Violet Evergarden. The film revolves around the protagonist, Violet Evergarden, a vital player in any war, who learns to visit her past and try living with love, following the last words of her mentor and friend. This movie is filled with raw emotions and emotional scenes. It poignantly explains the complex emotions of love and loss and how individuals deal with them. This film won the Animation Of The Year Award by the Tokyo Anime Award. It has also been nominated for other awards. The movie is available on several OTT platforms, including Netflix.

 

6. River’s Edge

River’s Edge, directed by Isao Yukisada, was released on 16 February 2018 in Japan. It stars Fumi Nikaido and Ryo Yoshizawa. This is a dark film about a young high school girl Haruna and her friend Ichiro who is gay. One day, they discover a dead body by a river, and their life changes. This movie deals with the dark side of adolescence and teenage. It shows graphic displays of violence and intimate scenes. It deals with topics such as struggles with coming out, addiction, and sexuality crises. It is a complex movie with details and scenes not suitable for young or sensitive viewers. This movie has won the Newcomer Of The Year by the Awards Of The Japanese Academy and the FIPRESCI Award at the Berlin International Film Festival. It has also been nominated for more awards. It is available on Netflix.

 

7. The Fable

The Fable, directed by Kan Eguchi, was released on 21 June 2019. It stars Jun’ichi Okada and Fumina Kimuro. The film is about a cold-blooded assassin who is named The Fable. He has received an off for one year and he has no choice but to be a law-abiding citizen with the name Akira Sato. In his peaceful life, he faces many dangers which try to force him to go back to his old life.  It is based on the manga The Fable by Katsuhisa Minami. It has a sequel, The Fable: The Killer Who Doesn’t Kill, which was released in 2021. The film is unique and has a mashup of different genres such as thriller, comedy, and romance. The parallels between his old life and his new one are pretty interesting to see. The film has won the Outstanding Action Movie at the Fantasia Film Festival and the Best Asian Film at the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival in 2019. This film is available on the popular OTT platform Netflix.

 

8. In This Corner Of The World

In This Corner Of The World, directed by Sunao Katabuchi, was released on November 12, 2016. This movie is animated and features the voices of Rena Nonen and Yoshimasa Hosoya. It is the story of a young woman Suzu, who married during the era of the Second World War. She cherishes a passion for drawing and has to navigate her married life as the war strikes her small town. Despite facing innumerable losses, she does her best to find her will to live. It is based on a manga of the same name which is written and illustrated by Fumiyo Kono. It is an emotional movie and is touching and realistic. It highlights the losses of war and shows its impact on average citizens. It has won awards for Best Feature Film, Best Animated Feature Film, Best Director, and Best Foreign Language Film. Overall, this film has won ten awards and has been nominated for ten more awards.

 

9. Audition

Audition, directed by Takashi Miike, was released on 3 March 2000. This movie stars Ryu Ishibashi and Eihi Shiina. The film is a dark horror movie that is based on the novel of the same written by Ryu Murakami. The story is about a widower who decides to hold an audition to shortlist his wife. He is enchanted by a young girl, who is not what she seems. Slowly he is sucked into her sadistic world. This movie has graphic scenes of torture and some scenes are too disturbing for sensitive and young viewers. The filmmakers have certainly been bold in their approach to the film. It has won the Audience Award at the Jeonju Film Festival and the International Fantasy Film Award by the Fantasporto. This film has won four awards and has been nominated for five more awards. It is available on Netflix and Amazon Prime.

 

10. Battle Royale

Battle Royale, directed by Kinji Fukasaku, was released on December 16, 2000. The film stars Tatsuya Fujiwar, Aki Maeda and Taro Yamamoto. The story is set in the future, where a totalitarian Japanese government forces students from a classroom to fight each other to death. If they refuse, the organizers will kill them themselves. The protagonist has to keep himself, his best friend’s crush, and another friend alive in these difficult circumstances. This movie has served as the blueprint for various other popular movies and serials such as The Hunger Games and Squid Game. Fans of these would find it interesting that they both share the same genre- the Battle Royale genre. This movie is well planned out and thrilling, though the graphic violent scenes might seem too disturbing to some viewers. This movie has gained the reputation of a cult classic in Japan and has gone down in film history as one of the greatest Japanese films of all time. This film has won several awards, such as Best Filmmaker, Newcomer of The Year, Most Popular Film, and Best Supporting Actress. This film has won seven awards and has received nine nominations. It is available on Netflix and Amazon Prime.