Asia has not always been at the forefront of the gender equality movement. In Asian movies, men frequently grapple with world-changing events, while women are left to care about domestic issues or watch enviously as their guy saves the world. However, the balance occasionally shifts, resulting in some unforgettable examples of men and women going above and beyond their appointed station. This post will find the top 10 Japanese movies based on women.
1. Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫), 1997
"Many Hayao Miyazaki films have strong female leads – fearless, self-sufficient girls who never think twice about opposing what they believe is right. They'll need a companion, but never a rescuer. "Any woman may be a hero just as any male." We can't thank him enough for this – there's something about his female figures that makes us feel inspired. Princess Mononoke is no exception since it chronicles the story of a conflict between a young heroic princess and a mining hamlet. Miyazaki's ethically complex characters are what makes his stories so fantastic. Unlike traditional Western interpretations of fairy tales and myths, Miyazaki's characters are highly complex.
2. Kamikaze Girls (下妻物語), 2004
Based on a novel by Novella Takemoto, Tetsuya Nakashima's Kamikaze Girls has it all! Kamikaze Girls is a highly compelling, lively, and fast-paced picture that combines comedy, drama, and action. Momoko (Kyoko Fukada), a rococo girlie and a somewhat alone in her pink-inspired world, meets head-butting biker gal Ichiko (Anna Tsuchiya) by coincidence and embarks on a plot-twist-heavy, fast-paced, wacky adventure. Their friendship, which appears to bring out features neither of them knew about themselves — or each other — becomes a magnet for bringing out characteristics neither of them knew about themselves — or each other. Make sure you have extra highballs in the refrigerator for the last scenario!
3. Josee, The Tiger, And The Fish (ジョゼと虎と魚たち), 2003
Josee, the Tiger and the Fish by Ishin Inudo depict the unorthodox narrative of ordinary college student Tsuneo (Satoshi Tsumabuchi), who falls for remarkable Josee (Chizuru Ikewaki), who has cerebral palsy, in a cinematic style reminiscent of the indie sensation Amelie. The film's slow pace and touching score depict the pair's steadily blooming relationship rather than being a love-at-first-sight romance. Furthermore, the couple's tremendous victories over societal discrimination and disabilities will undoubtedly elevate and inspire all viewers.
4. Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し), 2001
Spirited Away is one of Hayao Miyazaki's masterpieces, including Alice in Wonderland and Hansel and Gretel elements. It tells the narrative of Chihiro, a 10-year-old girl who, with her mother and father, travels through a typical tunnel only to find an abandoned amusement park. Chihiro is unexpectedly assigned the weighty responsibility of rescuing her parents' lives while trapped in the unusual world of the weird and terrifying supernatural. Spirited Away is an incredibly artistic, adventurous, and awe-inspiring coming-of-age story with a lot to teach young girls.
5. Memories Of Matsuko
Sho (Eita), a young adolescent living alone in Tokyo, is surprised by his father's arrival. His father is holding a white box, which he explains to his son, holds his Aunt Matsuko's ashes (Miki Nakatani). His father explains that Aunt Matsuko lived alone and that he must return to his homeland, so Sho asked to go to his Aunt's old apartment and clean up any mess that has left behind. When Sho gets to his Aunt's apartment, he sees that she lives in a dirty old apartment full of garbage bags of things she's accumulated over the years. Sho can't recall ever meeting anyone.
6. Early Summer
In postwar Tokyo, this family is loving and peaceful: ageing parents, their 28-year-old daughter Noriko, their married son, his devoted wife, and two rambunctious sons. Noriko's lack of a husband is their only source of dissatisfaction. Society is changing: she works with female friends who taunt and dispute with her, and her brother considers her independence impudent, while she considers it normal. All of her family members encourage her to accept her boss's proposal to marry a 40-year-old bachelor who is his friend. Noriko makes her own decisions without seeking their input, to their dismay.
7. The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya (2013)
Okina, an elderly farmer, stumbles upon a mysteriously lit bamboo stem from within, which grows a tiny fairy-like creature enfolded in a royal gown before his amazed eyes. The older man runs to his wife, Ona, only to observe the small nymph transform into a baby, much to their surprise. Finally, as the baby grows into a lovely young lady, the impoverished couple will take her to Kyoto, Japan's capital, to groom her into an aristocratic and well-mannered lady worthy of Japan's most potent suitors. Is this, however, Princess Kaguya's fate?
8. Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)
Kiki, a young witch in training, has turned thirteen. All witches have to leave home for a year to learn how to live independently. Kiki and her talking cat Jiji flee to Koriko, a beach town. Kiki must adjust to her new existence after launching her delivery service (using her broom as the delivery vehicle), especially once she loses her ability to fly.
9. Nausica Of The Valley Of The Wind (1984)
A thousand years after the nuclear war, it made the Earth a nuclear disaster. A small kingdom, "The Valley of the Wind," ruled by King Jil, fights for survival as the community tries to protect the Valley of the great Ohmus and the poisonous plants that live across the Valley from the Rotten Sea. In contrast, Princess Nausicaä, Jil's daughter and heir to the throne, tries to understand and believe it is wrong down a poisonous forest. The Tolkien people attack the Valley, aiming to destroy the Sea of Rotten with the best warriors who begin the genocide. After being captured, Nausicaä flees and descends to the bottom of the Dead Sea. He discovers that deadly plants purify the Earth by removing radiation and pollutants from the air. With everything in line, Nausicaä joins the Ohmus to go to the Valley to prevent the Tolmekian from releasing the Great Warrior, which has resulted in another genocide.
10. Lady Snowblood
Due to the machinations of a gang of criminals, Yuki's family nearly got wiped out before she was born. Her mother is kidnapped and brutalized by these thugs, but she survives. Her mother is eventually imprisoned, with only revenge to keep her alive. By getting pregnant on purpose, she develops a weapon for this vengeance. Although she dies during childbirth, she ensures that her kid is reared as an assassin to kill the villains who killed her family. Yuki has never known the love of a family, just murder and vengeance.
