Yuriko Hirooka

2

Audition (1999)

ScaryDisturbing

Seven years after the death of his wife, widower Shigeharu seeks advice on how to find a new wife from a colleague. Taking advantage of their position as a film company, they stage an audition. Interviewing a series of women, Shigeharu is enchanted by the quiet ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Takashi Miike
CAST:  Ryo Ishibashi  •  Eihi Shiina  •  Jun Kunimura  •  Tetsu Sawaki

Seven years after the death of his wife, widower Shigeharu seeks advice on how to find a new wife from a colleague. Taking advantage of their position as a film company, they stage an audition. Interviewing a series of women, Shigeharu is enchanted by the quiet ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Takashi Miike
CAST:  Ryo Ishibashi  •  Eihi Shiina  •  Jun Kunimura  •  Tetsu Sawaki

The Tokyo Siblings (1995)

Living in an old Tokyo district, Kenichi works at a second-hand bookshop to support his sister, Yoko, a high school student. When Yoko graduates, she starts work at a photo shop. By the time, Kenichi's girlfriend has decided to marry someone else as she is tired of ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jun Ichikawa
CAST:  Yuriko Hirooka  •  Urara Awata  •  Rie Minemura  •  Naoto Ogata

Living in an old Tokyo district, Kenichi works at a second-hand bookshop to support his sister, Yoko, a high school student. When Yoko graduates, she starts work at a photo shop. By the time, Kenichi's girlfriend has decided to marry someone else as she is tired of ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jun Ichikawa
CAST:  Yuriko Hirooka  •  Urara Awata  •  Rie Minemura  •  Naoto Ogata

Shikei Kijun (2011)

Do criteria exist for the death penalty? Yusuke Mito, a law faculty lecturer who did not become a lawyer even though he passed the bar exam, the famous lawyer Kojiro Otomo who advocates the abolition of the death penalty, and the public prosecutor Mariko Nagase ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Toshiyuki Mizutani
CAST:  Koji Yamamoto  •  Yukiyoshi Ozawa  •  Naho Toda  •  Kotomi Kyōno

Do criteria exist for the death penalty? Yusuke Mito, a law faculty lecturer who did not become a lawyer even though he passed the bar exam, the famous lawyer Kojiro Otomo who advocates the abolition of the death penalty, and the public prosecutor Mariko Nagase ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Toshiyuki Mizutani
CAST:  Koji Yamamoto  •  Yukiyoshi Ozawa  •  Naho Toda  •  Kotomi Kyōno

The Story of Yonosuke (2013)

The year is 1987 and Japan is just reaching the peak of its economic success. Eighteen-year old Yonosuke Yokomichi arrives in Tokyo from Nagasaki. Ordinary in every way possible, he lives in a suburb far from the excitement of the big city and commutes to a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shuichi Okita
CAST:  Kengo Kora  •  Yuriko Yoshitaka  •  Go Ayano  •  Sosuke Ikematsu

The year is 1987 and Japan is just reaching the peak of its economic success. Eighteen-year old Yonosuke Yokomichi arrives in Tokyo from Nagasaki. Ordinary in every way possible, he lives in a suburb far from the excitement of the big city and commutes to a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shuichi Okita
CAST:  Kengo Kora  •  Yuriko Yoshitaka  •  Go Ayano  •  Sosuke Ikematsu

Fancy Dance (1989)

Yohei, a punk rocker, becomes a Buddhist monk in order to inherit a mountain temple. Though initially rebelling against the tough monastic discipline, he learns to adjust. Then his girlfriend shows up, enticing him to return to his rock 'n' roll roots.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Masayuki Suō
CAST:  Masahiro Motoki  •  Honami Suzuki  •  Ken Osawa  •  Hiromasa Taguchi

Yohei, a punk rocker, becomes a Buddhist monk in order to inherit a mountain temple. Though initially rebelling against the tough monastic discipline, he learns to adjust. Then his girlfriend shows up, enticing him to return to his rock 'n' roll roots.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Masayuki Suō
CAST:  Masahiro Motoki  •  Honami Suzuki  •  Ken Osawa  •  Hiromasa Taguchi

By Player (2000)

The film is a series of vignettes from Taiji Tonoyama's life and film clips, interspersed with a dialogue to camera by Nobuko Otowa, addressing the camera as if she is addressing Tonoyama himself, recollecting events in his life. The film focuses on Tonoyama's ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kaneto Shindō
CAST:  Naoto Takenaka  •  Keiko Oginome  •  Hideko Yoshida  •  Nobuko Otowa

The film is a series of vignettes from Taiji Tonoyama's life and film clips, interspersed with a dialogue to camera by Nobuko Otowa, addressing the camera as if she is addressing Tonoyama himself, recollecting events in his life. The film focuses on Tonoyama's ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kaneto Shindō
CAST:  Naoto Takenaka  •  Keiko Oginome  •  Hideko Yoshida  •  Nobuko Otowa

Will to Live (1999)

It is based on the story of The Ballad of Narayama updated to the present day, with the substitution of putting a parent into an old people's home for the abandonment of the original. The film won the Golden St. George and the FIPRESCI Prize at the 21st Moscow ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kaneto Shindō
CAST:  Rentaro Mikuni  •  Akira Emoto  •  Hideko Yoshida  •  Shinobu Otake

It is based on the story of The Ballad of Narayama updated to the present day, with the substitution of putting a parent into an old people's home for the abandonment of the original. The film won the Golden St. George and the FIPRESCI Prize at the 21st Moscow ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kaneto Shindō
CAST:  Rentaro Mikuni  •  Akira Emoto  •  Hideko Yoshida  •  Shinobu Otake

The Brutal Insanity of Love (1993)

A policewoman (Megumi Yokoyama) investigates the apparent suicide of a college coed. The prime suspects include the girl's professor, who may have been having an affair with her, and the professor's wife, who frequents lesbian bars. Gruesome axe murders and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Toshiharu Ikeda
CAST:  Shirō Sano  •  Megumi Yokoyama  •  Kimiko Yo  •  Tatsuo Yamada

A policewoman (Megumi Yokoyama) investigates the apparent suicide of a college coed. The prime suspects include the girl's professor, who may have been having an affair with her, and the professor's wife, who frequents lesbian bars. Gruesome axe murders and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Toshiharu Ikeda
CAST:  Shirō Sano  •  Megumi Yokoyama  •  Kimiko Yo  •  Tatsuo Yamada

Perfect Education 4: Secret Basement (2003)

A shy, nerdy man, Takeru finds a schoolgirl hooker Lily is unconscious in a Tokyo park, so he decides to bring her home and lock her up in a secret basement. Although Lily is afraid of him, in fact, Takeru didn't do anything to hurt her. After Lily begins to ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Toshiyuki Mizutani
CAST:  Yuriko Hirooka  •  Satoshi Izumi  •  Haruko Katō  •  Kenichi Matsuyama

A shy, nerdy man, Takeru finds a schoolgirl hooker Lily is unconscious in a Tokyo park, so he decides to bring her home and lock her up in a secret basement. Although Lily is afraid of him, in fact, Takeru didn't do anything to hurt her. After Lily begins to ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Toshiyuki Mizutani
CAST:  Yuriko Hirooka  •  Satoshi Izumi  •  Haruko Katō  •  Kenichi Matsuyama

Brass Knuckle Boys (2009)

A record company office worker named Kanna discovers a punk rock band called Shonen Meriken Sakku 'Brass Knuckle Boys' through the internet and subsequently decides to represent them on behalf of her company. What Kanna did not know was that the Brass Knuckle Boys ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kankuro Kudo  •  Kazunari Tanaka
CAST:  Aoi Miyazaki  •  Yuichi Kimura  •  Ryo Katsuji  •  Tomorowo Taguchi

A record company office worker named Kanna discovers a punk rock band called Shonen Meriken Sakku 'Brass Knuckle Boys' through the internet and subsequently decides to represent them on behalf of her company. What Kanna did not know was that the Brass Knuckle Boys ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kankuro Kudo  •  Kazunari Tanaka
CAST:  Aoi Miyazaki  •  Yuichi Kimura  •  Ryo Katsuji  •  Tomorowo Taguchi

The Exam (1999)

Togashi, an enthusiastic marathon runner and his wife are occupied with their daughter Mayumi's grade school entrance examinations, but he becomes jobless when his company folds. To regain his confidence Togashi decides to join the marathon that is taking place on ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yojiro Takita
CAST:  Eikichi Yazawa  •  Yûko Tanaka  •  Ren Osugi  •  Natsumi Ohira

Togashi, an enthusiastic marathon runner and his wife are occupied with their daughter Mayumi's grade school entrance examinations, but he becomes jobless when his company folds. To regain his confidence Togashi decides to join the marathon that is taking place on ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yojiro Takita
CAST:  Eikichi Yazawa  •  Yûko Tanaka  •  Ren Osugi  •  Natsumi Ohira

Kitaro (2007)

Kitaro is a half human, half creature who keeps an eye on the human society to save them from the evil attacks from another world. He finds that a magical ball that controls all powers had been brought into the human world, and stops it from falling into the wrong ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Katsuhide Motoki
CAST:  Eiji Wentz  •  Mao Inoue  •  Rena Tanaka  •  Yo Oizumi

Kitaro is a half human, half creature who keeps an eye on the human society to save them from the evil attacks from another world. He finds that a magical ball that controls all powers had been brought into the human world, and stops it from falling into the wrong ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Katsuhide Motoki
CAST:  Eiji Wentz  •  Mao Inoue  •  Rena Tanaka  •  Yo Oizumi

Begging for Love (1998)

During a quest to find a Taiwanese father's grave, disturbing memories of child abuse are aroused.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hideyuki Hirayama
CAST:  Mieko Harada  •  Maho Nonami  •  Kiichi Nakai  •  Ai Koinuma

During a quest to find a Taiwanese father's grave, disturbing memories of child abuse are aroused.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hideyuki Hirayama
CAST:  Mieko Harada  •  Maho Nonami  •  Kiichi Nakai  •  Ai Koinuma

Shadow of the Wraith (2001)

Two brothers are plunged into the realm of psychic horror, one tormented by a stalker, and the other involved with a girl whose home is the site of eerie occurrences.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Toshiharu Ikeda
CAST:  Kozue Ayuse  •  Hyōe Enoki  •  Makiko Fujii  •  Yuriko Hirooka

Two brothers are plunged into the realm of psychic horror, one tormented by a stalker, and the other involved with a girl whose home is the site of eerie occurrences.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Toshiharu Ikeda
CAST:  Kozue Ayuse  •  Hyōe Enoki  •  Makiko Fujii  •  Yuriko Hirooka

Wood Job! (2014)

After failing his university entrance exam, Yuki Hirano sets his eyes on the role of a forestry trainee. Setting off for training he doubts his decision many times, but eventually after passing the training course, he is sent to Kamusari Village for a year of work ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shinobu Yaguchi
CAST:  Shota Sometani  •  Hideaki Ito  •  Naomi Nishida  •  Akira Emoto

After failing his university entrance exam, Yuki Hirano sets his eyes on the role of a forestry trainee. Setting off for training he doubts his decision many times, but eventually after passing the training course, he is sent to Kamusari Village for a year of work ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shinobu Yaguchi
CAST:  Shota Sometani  •  Hideaki Ito  •  Naomi Nishida  •  Akira Emoto

Maria's Stomach (1990)

A carnivorous monster lives on the island of Sipang. A group of office ladies band together to fight it.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hideyuki Hirayama
CAST:  Haruko Sagara  •  Akira Emoto  •  Makoto Ohtake  •  Kimiko Yo

A carnivorous monster lives on the island of Sipang. A group of office ladies band together to fight it.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hideyuki Hirayama
CAST:  Haruko Sagara  •  Akira Emoto  •  Makoto Ohtake  •  Kimiko Yo

What a Wonderful Family! (2016)

A husband and wife have been married for 50 years. For her birthday, the husband asks the wife what she wants for her birthday present. She replies that she wants a divorce. The wife's divorce announcement sends the entire family into chaos.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yoji Yamada
CAST:  Isao Hashizume  •  Yu Aoi  •  Kazuko Yoshiyuki  •  Masahiko Nishimura

A husband and wife have been married for 50 years. For her birthday, the husband asks the wife what she wants for her birthday present. She replies that she wants a divorce. The wife's divorce announcement sends the entire family into chaos.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yoji Yamada
CAST:  Isao Hashizume  •  Yu Aoi  •  Kazuko Yoshiyuki  •  Masahiko Nishimura

Nagasaki: Memories of My Son (2015)

Nobuko (Sayuri Yoshinaga) works in Nagasaki, Japan as a midwife. Her son died 3 years earlier from the atomic bomb. On August 9, 1948, her son appears in front of her again. Since that time, Koji (Kazunari Ninomiya) appears in front of her and they reminiscence ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yoji Yamada
CAST:  Sayuri Yoshinaga  •  Kazunari Ninomiya  •  Haru Kuroki  •  Tadanobu Asano

Nobuko (Sayuri Yoshinaga) works in Nagasaki, Japan as a midwife. Her son died 3 years earlier from the atomic bomb. On August 9, 1948, her son appears in front of her again. Since that time, Koji (Kazunari Ninomiya) appears in front of her and they reminiscence ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yoji Yamada
CAST:  Sayuri Yoshinaga  •  Kazunari Ninomiya  •  Haru Kuroki  •  Tadanobu Asano

Ghost Theater (2015)

Sara, a young actress, is able to land the leading role in big theater play, but soon learns that somebody or something is trying to end the production at all cost, which puts Sara in deadly danger.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hideo Nakata
CAST:  Haruka Shimazaki  •  Rika Adachi  •  Riho Takada  •  Keita Machida

Sara, a young actress, is able to land the leading role in big theater play, but soon learns that somebody or something is trying to end the production at all cost, which puts Sara in deadly danger.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hideo Nakata
CAST:  Haruka Shimazaki  •  Rika Adachi  •  Riho Takada  •  Keita Machida

Let Me Eat Your Pancreas (2017)

A dying girl meets a nonchalant boy who found out her secret. She decided to fulfill her bucket list with none-other-than the boy who couldn't care less about the world.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Sho Tsukikawa
CAST:  Minami Hamabe  •  Takumi Kitamura  •  Shun Oguri  •  Keiko Kitagawa

A dying girl meets a nonchalant boy who found out her secret. She decided to fulfill her bucket list with none-other-than the boy who couldn't care less about the world.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Sho Tsukikawa
CAST:  Minami Hamabe  •  Takumi Kitamura  •  Shun Oguri  •  Keiko Kitagawa
2