Japanese Movies Completed

I could watch this movie a hundred times and the story will forever feel new to me. The male lead is possessive of the female lead who has zero confidence but like in a hot way... does that sound weird? 

The camerawork/production on this movie is absolutely terrible and the male lead is a complete jerk while treating the female lead like a dog but I still somehow manage to enjoy every second of the story no matter how many times I watch it.

An oldie but goodie, this movie makes me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside. It's extremely lighthearted with a twist of sentimental values of youth and I just love the simple yet sweet chemistry between the leads.

An absolute gem (in which I should have watched sooner). This movie is so uplifting yet heartwarming as the story takes us through the journey of three friends who are trying to find their place in this world all through the power of music. I also want to point out that the characters were acted out so well, especially from Taishi Nakagawa who made me adore the strong yet diverse Sentaro.

This movie is so cringe but it is definitely a guilty pleasure of mine and a top favorite for sure. The story is overall funny and lighthearted so no matter what I have no choice but to ship the female lead with her hot Sensei, it's impossible not to as they have such good chemistry.

I truthfully didn't expect anything great from this movie and mainly wanted to see Shun Oguri but holy crap the story was totally disturbing yet awesome all at the same time. The drawings and cinematography were literally top tier. Acting was of course amazing, Masaki Suda and Shun Oguri had great chemistry and I love how their characters could easily relate and connect with each other. I'm surprisingly not upset that the ending was a cliffhanger, yeah it kinda leaves you guessing if there will be a second movie but I'm content with the conclusion. Overall, I highly recommend this be watched. 

Yes, I do feel like this is a Boys Over Flowers knockoff... just add an extra boy, have characters with zero confidence, and make basketball a main theme and boom it is slightly different. The story felt very relaxing, calming, and comforting to me though and it was told in such a beautiful way. I found Mitsuki to be a relatable character too as her personality is similar to mine and the friendship between Mitsuki and the boys (including Aya) was heartwarming. The romance wasn't overbearing either and I thought it was pretty subtle which felt right.

I've been wanting to watch this movie for months after coming across the poster on Facebook so I kinda had high expectations, but is it too much for me to say I'm in love?  If you pay close attention the story is actually meaningful, both leads help build each other up while also filling in an empty void (it's not all that cringe or fluffy trust me). The only reason I didn't give this movie a solid ten is because the beginning starts off weird to me (like their first encounter), male lead working as a bartender while still in high school is odd too,  and acting could have been better but overall I'll be back for a rewatch.

To say I'm not obsessed with this movie would be a lie.  The overall story is pretty basic but the idea of it being based around car racing appeals to me the most and I find it to be a very underrated sport but the brotherhood between the male leads highlights the meaning and appreciation for car racing perfectly. 

This movie has like a Cinderella twist to it because the female lead is spoiled to the core and ends up marrying her crush from school while living with him in a shabby home. The story is very cliché but the fluffy and funny moments between the leads is worth every minute.

This movie is also so cringe and a weird one to top it all off because the leads are technically siblings but not by blood  and end up liking each other which still makes the story a little uncomfortable to watch but I somehow find joy when watching and instantly fell in love with the characters.

I thought the movie was going to be a sweet and simple love story about a bad boy who falls in love with a shy/dorky girl. I mean, I'm half right but this movie is not simple and there is a lot of depth and layer for each character even for the psycho.

This movie is just awesome and nothing can beat it, not even the Korean drama version. The music and romance is enough to keep anyone invested, feels like such a classic.

Time travel is not my cup of tea but this movie turned out to be better than I expected. The story might have been confusing but if you pay close attention things add up in a way that isn't too hard to understand. However, I do think 2 hours wasn't enough time to fully explain every detail but nonetheless I enjoyed this movie a lot and acting was superb.

I've seen my fair share of student-teacher romances, so they can either be a hit or miss but I must say this movie is a top contender for me (Sensei Kunshu is still an all time personal favorite). I truthfully didn't have high expectations going into this but I actually enjoyed it a lot, as the story felt authentic and real. Ito and Hibiki's romance felt more mature than other romances I've seen before too and I don't care if their relationship is wrong (at least he waited to pursue anything more until she graduated), they are adorable together.

Btw imagine having Toma Ikuta as your teacher and soon later boyfriend oof that's like winning the lottery. 

I definitely didn't picture Kento Yamazaki in a movie like this since I had no idea this was going to have some singing  but I'm a sucker for good music in general so I enjoyed listening to the tunes and seeing the dancing.  There is not much to the story just something sweet and simple but the ending could have been better honestly.

My first Japanese movie ever, so this will always have a special place in my heart even if the story is full of clichés. The leads are just so cute and they put a smile on my face while watching them try to get along under the same roof. 

This movie is absolutely adore and I totally didn't expect the story to be on another level when it comes to hitting my emotions. The story is raw yet so pure, I was definitely in my feels the whole time while hearing the powerful music to lift my spirits. Not to mention there is more bromance than romance which I'm all here for.

Where has this movie been all my life? I didn't expect it to be that great but man was I wrong. It's so refreshing and the story had my adrenaline pumping from the human powered flight birdman rally. The leads chemistry is on another level and seeing them bicker made me laugh like an idiot.

I personally didn't think I was going to like this movie but it is actually good. At first I thought the story was going to be boring but it's more like a slow burn as they ease us in on getting to know the characters and their different personalities while maintaining a strong friendship with one another. However, I do have one complaint. There just wasn't enough focus on Rio and Yuna's relationship and there also wasn't enough screen time for Kazu but other than that I totally recommend this movie as a good watch.

I didn't expect much from this movie (it could have worked as a drama series too) despite how much I love Takuya Kimura (there is nothing this man can't do though) but this turned out to be an enjoyable watch. I think the main focus of the story wasn't the murder mystery case, instead, they heavily showcased the daily life of working at a hotel which made the movie feel a little lighthearted. There wasn't much depth with the characters either but an undercover detective working as a hotel clerk is simply genius to me.

This movie had my full attention in the beginning and got confusing about midway but the ending made the whole story make perfect sense. Friendship, death, and love is the main focus of this "master plan" told in the eyes of three orphan friends. Btw the last scene gave me chills and tears in my eyes, it just felt so sad but very bittersweet which is all I'm going to say.

This movie is simply entertaining and so much fun but it also tells an important message to just be yourself. The male lead is absolutely adorable despite his short temper and everyone being completely afraid of him except the female lead.

I truly thought this movie was going to be really sappy just by looking at the poster but the story was great and the music was on another level, totally lit.

This movie made me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside, definitely should be watched during the winter when your heart feels cold like ice. The story might not be too exciting but the whole setting and vibe between the leads is so sweet and easy-going 

I should have watched this movie sooner because the story turned out to be better than what I thought and I enjoyed it a lot but of course there are some flaws. Editing is very choppy and it doesn't seem like 2 hours was enough time to tell the story, so they should have made it into a drama instead of a movie. I also wish we could have seen more beautiful moments between Kazuki and Haruyama (loved them together), they were both broken rebellious teenagers but they lifted one another up and changed each other's behaviors and lives for the better which was beautiful.

Probably the most underrated movie on this list. I mostly jumped on this right away because I'm a big fan of Super Junior and Yesung is male lead here but I ended up staying for the story and totally loved everything about it.

Such a unique movie, the friendship was on another level but I always found it sad how the female lead's memories would disappear every Monday. The effort coming from the male lead wanting to be the female lead's friend made me want to protect him at all cost.

The story is not something I usually go for but this is a slow burn kind of movie that tackles the toxicity and struggles of an unhealthy relationship while fate is still holding on by a thread. It kept me invested, loved the leads as they expressed such emotions and Kento did a really good job at making me want to punch Nagata in the face several times. The ending is probably the best of seen from a J-movie, Nagata told his love story (with Saki) through theatre which is extremely creative yet beautiful.

Definitely not one of my favorite works from Kento Nakajima and the movie wasn't that memorable but I like how it focuses more on friendship and not romance plus the musical aspect was heartwarming. 

This movie is actually sad and heart wrenching for the leads and their fate but at the same time the story was so beautiful with the music.  I was impressed to know Kento Yamazaki and Hirose Suzu both had to learn how to play the piano and violin so props to them.

Even though I feel like this movie is pretty average, although it tackles the psychological aspect very well. Time travel isn't my cup of tea but this story really pulled my heartstrings.

This movie felt very healing and comforting which I wasn't expecting but I liked it anyway. The leads both had their own fears but it was really cute how he changed her world and she soon changed his. The only thing that was upsetting was the ending, I really needed to see both leads as adults but they cut it off without showing the male lead... like whattt??? That hurt my soul. Btw the paintings were gorgeous and the actual highlight of this movie.

This movie is a bit more ridiculous than both two seasons combined. I enjoyed it for the most part but this extra side story wasn't necessary in my opinion.

I swear I ended up watching this movie two times (but I don't have it listed that I did). I didn't find anything seriously wrong with the story, it was just very lighthearted and I loved the fact that the female lead has a passion for styling hair.

I'm actually surprised I like this movie because from just reading the synopsis it doesn't sound too entertaining. There was just the right amount of politics, romance, and comedy so neither one of them could overlap each other. Not to mention Mirei Kiritani and Nobuyuki Suzuki have such good chemistry.

I was so excited to watch this sequel after completing the first movie but I think this fell short for me. The story in the second movie practically told the same thing as the first movie, there wasn't much of a difference. I gave it a decent rating for Takuya Kimura, the other cast members, and acting but I find the whole movie unnecessary and it honestly didn't even need to be made.

I decided to watch this movie on a whim and it honestly wasn't that bad, kinda reminded me of My Brother Loves Me Too Much. I think they dragged the Mina lie for too long and it should have stopped right when she left for Ecuador. I honestly thought Toru knew everything the whole time and was just pretending not to know so him and Minato both could realize their feelings for each other but I guess he was completely clueless. It would have been nice to see Minato and Toru as a real couple but instead all we got were those little clips of them moving out and getting married during the end credits.

Honestly this movie didn't live up to my expectations. I wasn't enjoying the story as much and found the overall vibe to be a bit strange. I loved the leads chemistry though despite their family situation being a little off putting but I've always thought about giving it a second watch in the future.

Honestly wasn't too impressed with this movie despite it having a lot of hype and being highly recommended back then. The female lead acted too silly while male lead did nothing for me and story could have been better.

I thought this movie was weird for like the first 20 or 30 minutes but I started to enjoy the story more and more since it was mainly cute and fluffy,

A movie about first love was really all this story was to me. I also didn't know who I liked the female lead with because she had great chemistry with both her Sensei and classmate.

I feel like I enjoyed the two series more than the movie. Yes, it was good and chemistry didn't disappoint but I feel like I was losing interest during some parts of the story.

This movie was just straight up weird but the male lead is so stinking cute and he brought amazing energy so it was worth the watch for him and the supporting characters only.

There is not much to say about this movie except that it was cute. I enjoyed it but the story wasn't anything special or new. Not sure why they kept saying the female lead was ugly, she was adorable and if anything the male lead wasn't that attractive but hey who cares. 

I really do love this movie but I can't stand the female lead and her childish antics plus the male lead doesn't seem to know what he wants half the time and just settles with the typical annoying girl (his junior) who likes him.

I don't usually have a problem with watching student-teacher romance so this movie was right up my alley.  However, the male lead and female lead were just really weird characters in my opinion making them seem cringy and awkward but the chemistry was lowkey perfect and that one kiss scene (if you know you know) was hot and totally sneaky / naughty.

This movie just seemed to be on crack. No but seriously if you are looking for something simple and entertaining this is the way to go. I do have to say the production on it doesn't look cheap and I love the special effects it works really well especially with the characters facial expressions. 

I seriously loved the whole archery theme from this movie and the kiss scenes were pretty steamy but that is really all the story gave.

The title and synopsis seems relatable because what person out there hasn't had a crush on their brother's friend? This is just a super cute movie and the awkwardness fits the lead couple perfectly.

This movie is beyond ridiculous with scenes being overly exaggerated on purpose to the point that it is actually funny which is surprising to me since I didn't expect much but not going to lie the story had some boring moments.

P.S. Sho be looking so damn gorgeous with blonde hair!

This movie just makes you stop and appreciate the little things while living life to the fullest, might need tissues for this one as the story is very sweet. Nothing more, nothing less.

This movie is light and refreshing but with a touch of sadness which is the best way I can describe it. For once I actually like the female lead because she is not too cringy or over the top embarrassing like usual but I didn't care for Masahiro Higashide's character that much.

I wasn't able to enjoy this movie very well because Sho Hirano's voice threw me off completely (this was my first time watching him so no hate love him) and the female lead falling in love with her biological uncle was strange as hell.

I didn't expect much from this movie but overall it was simple, sweet and lighthearted. For the longest time I thought the male lead was a hobo because he shows up at the female leads house and loves cooking with wild herbs and collecting them too lol.

Cringe but cute. I would say if you're looking for something to make you giggle and clench your teeth out of second hand embarrassment, this movie is it. The male lead having a butt fetish "hobby" is a little too much for me not gonna lie but at least it wasn't the main point of the story.

L♥DK was the first Japanese movie I ever watched so I think it is obvious to say that the 2019 version doesn't even compare to the 2014 version. Don't get me wrong though, I absolutely adore the cast but the acting made me cringe and Kento Yamazaki is literally superior making the original better in my eyes.

Another movie that is pretty basic with a simple storyline of a foreign exchange student from South Korea who helps our main leads be together. The ending had me emotional though.

I never read the manga so I feel like this movie was just okay, it was kinda cringe and some of scenes felt overly acted out especially from the female lead. Shizuku and Subaru were annoying but Yori was extremely adorable and his shy yet clumsy personality won me over in the matter of seconds.

Not an exciting movie and was pretty average but the story wasn't terrible. The female lead has heart fluttering moments for a man who is gay so there really isn't any romance but friendship is a strong focal point which I remember enjoying.

This movie is a real cringe fest despite the fact that I managed to watch it two times because I thought it was the greatest thing ever the first time. Overall it wasn't bad because the female lead learns how to trust and love but the story is not something I would watch for a third time.

While watching this I remember being fond of the chill / laid back second lead. I was also extremely upset over the fact that there was no kiss between the lead couple, when they desperately needed one.

This movie is funny and overall entertaining but the story itself wasn't doing much for me. For the first 30 to 40 minutes I was confused on who liked who and once it became obvious, it took the rest of the movie for Takeo to figure out that Rinko liked him and not Suna. Talk about a hot mess.

Btw Takeo is a big teddy bear who has a lot of love to give!

I was so uncomfortable while watching this movie and I honestly think the male lead is the worst character I have ever seen in a J-movie. I understand sometimes guys tease the girls they like but the fact that he kept calling the female  lead "trash" and other name calling is crossing the line! I still don't understand how she even came to terms with liking him but at least I can say the second lead was a decent character.

This is one of those movies that is a slow burn, kinda boring, and not worth 2 hours long but it could have been worse I guess. I thought the 10 year time jump was kinda unnecessary, like what was the point? The story would have been totally fine without it. There was also too many characters and the only ones I was invested in were Sato, Saki, Ono, and the kid with the stick.

I actually liked how they emphasized "are you glad you met that person?", there are no regrets with any of the couples shown in the movie and each time they would chose their life partner over and over again despite all the ups and downs. I just find that question and their answers to be really sweet.

Not the best movie out there, a little boring for my taste but I like how both Kondo and Akira inspired each other to get back into doing what they love. The fact that there might have been a possible romance between them (she's a high school student and he's a 45 year old man) though doesn't bother me because their relationship was more of a friendship.

Once a cheater, always a cheater from what I believe so I find Shino and Kyoshiro to be very childish even though their toxic relationship is common and realistic. However, I kinda find them to be an overall cute couple when they're not fighting or cheating... they truly have great chemistry and a good connection.

I'm sorry to say but this movie was really boring!
It was interesting at first but I fell asleep about half way through and not even Kento Yamazaki could save the story because it was just that bad.

Worst Japanese movie I've ever watched.... should have listened to the bad reviews.
You don't know toxicity until you have watch this, like for real Hatsumi (female lead) couldn't even think for herself and every guy manipulated and took advantage of her with each chance they got which is not cool or cute. I think it is obvious to say the directing and production was extremely poor. There is also a lot of dialogue between the characters and they were conversating pretty fast while the scenes kept changing back and forth causing a headache.