Kankuro Kudo

Kankurō Kudō  (宮藤 官九郎 Kudō Kankurō, born 19 July 1970) is a Japanese screenwriter, dramatist, director, actor and member of the theater company Otona Keikaku. He won the 'Best Screenplay' award at the 2002 Japanese Academy Awards for Go, which explores problems faced by people of Korean-heritage living in Japan. He acted in the hugely popular tear-jerker, Crying Out Love, In the Center of the World, and is also guitarist in the Japanese Comedy Rock Band Group Tamashii. Description above from the Wikipedia article Kankurō Kudō, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia

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Kids Return (1996)

Shinji and Masaru spend most of their school days harassing fellow classmates and playing pranks. They drop out and Shinji becomes a small-time boxer, while Masaru joins up with a local yakuza gang. However, the world is a tough place.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Takeshi Kitano
CAST:  Ken Kaneko  •  Masanobu Ando  •  Leo Morimoto  •  Hatsuo Yamaya

Shinji and Masaru spend most of their school days harassing fellow classmates and playing pranks. They drop out and Shinji becomes a small-time boxer, while Masaru joins up with a local yakuza gang. However, the world is a tough place.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Takeshi Kitano
CAST:  Ken Kaneko  •  Masanobu Ando  •  Leo Morimoto  •  Hatsuo Yamaya

Crying Out Love in the Center of the World (2004)

While searching for his fiancee Ritsuko, Sakutarou rediscovers through flashbacks the void deep within him caused by the events from his high school days.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Isao Yukisada
CAST:  Takao Osawa  •  Tsutomu Yamazaki  •  Kanji Tsuda  •  Rio Kanno

While searching for his fiancee Ritsuko, Sakutarou rediscovers through flashbacks the void deep within him caused by the events from his high school days.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Isao Yukisada
CAST:  Takao Osawa  •  Tsutomu Yamazaki  •  Kanji Tsuda  •  Rio Kanno

Maruyama, The Middle Schooler (2013)

Katsuya Maruyama (Hiraoka Takuma) is a middle school student boy full of obscene thoughts. He then meets Tatsuo Shimoi (Tsuyoshi Kusanagi), a single father who moves into the same apartment complex. Tatsuo Shimoi is a bit of an enigma: he doesn't get along with the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kankuro Kudo
CAST:  YOU  •  Takuma Hiraoka  •  Kenji Endo  •  Tsuyoshi Kusanagi

Katsuya Maruyama (Hiraoka Takuma) is a middle school student boy full of obscene thoughts. He then meets Tatsuo Shimoi (Tsuyoshi Kusanagi), a single father who moves into the same apartment complex. Tatsuo Shimoi is a bit of an enigma: he doesn't get along with the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kankuro Kudo
CAST:  YOU  •  Takuma Hiraoka  •  Kenji Endo  •  Tsuyoshi Kusanagi

The Sword of Alexander (2007)

Orichalcum is a mystical metal material that gives great powers to the life form that possesses it. Many Eons ago, the Orichalcum was split into three and landed on Earth. The metal then took the form of three relics: Skanda’s Vajra, Jew’s Cross, and the Sword of ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yukihiko Tsutsumi
CAST:  Hiroshi Abe  •  Riki Takeuchi  •  Kyoko Hasegawa  •  Meisa Kuroki

Orichalcum is a mystical metal material that gives great powers to the life form that possesses it. Many Eons ago, the Orichalcum was split into three and landed on Earth. The metal then took the form of three relics: Skanda’s Vajra, Jew’s Cross, and the Sword of ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yukihiko Tsutsumi
CAST:  Hiroshi Abe  •  Riki Takeuchi  •  Kyoko Hasegawa  •  Meisa Kuroki

Instant Swamp (2009)

A woman finds out her father is not her real one after her mother falls into a coma while searching for a mythical creature. She decides to meet her real father who happens to be an off-beat antique shopkeeper.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Satoshi Miki
CAST:  Kumiko Aso  •  Ryo Kase  •  Morio Kazama  •  Keiko Matsuzaka

A woman finds out her father is not her real one after her mother falls into a coma while searching for a mythical creature. She decides to meet her real father who happens to be an off-beat antique shopkeeper.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Satoshi Miki
CAST:  Kumiko Aso  •  Ryo Kase  •  Morio Kazama  •  Keiko Matsuzaka

A Heartful of Love (2005)

Hiroshi, a 30 year-old businessman, has traveled back in time 20 years. He encounters Kazumi, a young woman who was gravely ill. Hiroshi regarded this as an opportunity to help the young woman from his past, the memory of whom he had always cherished.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Akihiko Shiota
CAST:  Hideaki Ito  •  Mimura  •  Chieko Baisho  •  Ryo Katsuji

Hiroshi, a 30 year-old businessman, has traveled back in time 20 years. He encounters Kazumi, a young woman who was gravely ill. Hiroshi regarded this as an opportunity to help the young woman from his past, the memory of whom he had always cherished.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Akihiko Shiota
CAST:  Hideaki Ito  •  Mimura  •  Chieko Baisho  •  Ryo Katsuji

Rock'n'Roll Mishin (2002)

Kenji has a dull life. He is unmotivated at the office, and unable to break off a lukewarm relationship with his girlfriend. Then, he meets an old classmate from high school, Ryoichi. Ryoichi says he's starting up a clothing brand with a group of friends. One day, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Isao Yukisada
CAST:  Kenji Mizuhashi  •  Urara Awata  •  Ryo Kase  •  Hiroyuki Ikeuchi

Kenji has a dull life. He is unmotivated at the office, and unable to break off a lukewarm relationship with his girlfriend. Then, he meets an old classmate from high school, Ryoichi. Ryoichi says he's starting up a clothing brand with a group of friends. One day, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Isao Yukisada
CAST:  Kenji Mizuhashi  •  Urara Awata  •  Ryo Kase  •  Hiroyuki Ikeuchi

Thirteen Steps (2003)

A released inmate is hired to solve a murder case.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Masahiko Nagasawa
CAST:  Takashi Sorimachi  •  Tsutomu Yamazaki  •  Tsurube Shofukutei  •  Rena Tanaka

A released inmate is hired to solve a murder case.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Masahiko Nagasawa
CAST:  Takashi Sorimachi  •  Tsutomu Yamazaki  •  Tsurube Shofukutei  •  Rena Tanaka

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

A New Love in Tokyo (1994)

A look a the lives of two sex workers in Tokyo: Rei, who works as an S&M dominatrix, and Ayumi, in the more straightforward profession of call girl. In addition to their working life, the film also looks at their private lives. Rei is acting in an amateur theatre ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Banmei Takahashi
CAST:  Sawa Suzuki  •  Reiko Kataoka  •  Aya Sugimoto  •  Hiromitsu Suzuki

A look a the lives of two sex workers in Tokyo: Rei, who works as an S&M dominatrix, and Ayumi, in the more straightforward profession of call girl. In addition to their working life, the film also looks at their private lives. Rei is acting in an amateur theatre ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Banmei Takahashi
CAST:  Sawa Suzuki  •  Reiko Kataoka  •  Aya Sugimoto  •  Hiromitsu Suzuki

Welcome to the Quiet Room (2007)

28 year old freelance writer Sakura Asuka wakes up tied in a white room. The white room is a protected room located in an isolated ward of a psychiatric hospital. Sakura first became unconscious because of heavy alcohol use and a druge overdose. She’s confined in ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Suzuki Matsuo
CAST:  Yuki Uchida  •  Yu Aoi  •  Ryo  •  Yuko Nakamura

28 year old freelance writer Sakura Asuka wakes up tied in a white room. The white room is a protected room located in an isolated ward of a psychiatric hospital. Sakura first became unconscious because of heavy alcohol use and a druge overdose. She’s confined in ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Suzuki Matsuo
CAST:  Yuki Uchida  •  Yu Aoi  •  Ryo  •  Yuko Nakamura

Yaji & Kita: The Midnight Pilgrims (2005)

Yaji and Kita are two men who live in Edo. They are deeply in love. Yaji is married to a woman, while Kita is an actor addicted to various drugs.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kankuro Kudo
CAST:  Tomoya Nagase  •  Shichinosuke Nakamura  •  Sadawo Abe  •  Yoshiyoshi Arakawa

Yaji and Kita are two men who live in Edo. They are deeply in love. Yaji is married to a woman, while Kita is an actor addicted to various drugs.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kankuro Kudo
CAST:  Tomoya Nagase  •  Shichinosuke Nakamura  •  Sadawo Abe  •  Yoshiyoshi Arakawa

Memories of Matsuko (2006)

While combing through the belongings of his recently deceased aunt, Matsuko, nephew Sho pieces together the crucial events that sank Matsuko's life into a despairing tragedy.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tetsuya Nakashima
CAST:  Miki Nakatani  •  Eita Nagayama  •  Yûsuke Iseya  •  Mikako Ichikawa

While combing through the belongings of his recently deceased aunt, Matsuko, nephew Sho pieces together the crucial events that sank Matsuko's life into a despairing tragedy.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tetsuya Nakashima
CAST:  Miki Nakatani  •  Eita Nagayama  •  Yûsuke Iseya  •  Mikako Ichikawa

Too Young To Die! (2016)

After dying in a bus crash and falling to hell, high schooler Daisuke joins a demonic rock band so he can be reincarnated back into the mortal world.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kankuro Kudo
CAST:  Ryunosuke Kamiki  •  Tomoya Nagase  •  Aoi Morikawa  •  Nana Seino

After dying in a bus crash and falling to hell, high schooler Daisuke joins a demonic rock band so he can be reincarnated back into the mortal world.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kankuro Kudo
CAST:  Ryunosuke Kamiki  •  Tomoya Nagase  •  Aoi Morikawa  •  Nana Seino

Bakuman (2015)

Moritaka Mashiro doesn't want to follow in the path of his uncle who worked as a manga artist, but ultimately died because of exhaustion. Moritaka Mashiro figures he will graduate from school and work at an office. Things change though when falls in love with a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hitoshi One
CAST:  Takeru Satoh  •  Ryunosuke Kamiki  •  Nana Komatsu  •  Kenta Kiritani

Moritaka Mashiro doesn't want to follow in the path of his uncle who worked as a manga artist, but ultimately died because of exhaustion. Moritaka Mashiro figures he will graduate from school and work at an office. Things change though when falls in love with a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hitoshi One
CAST:  Takeru Satoh  •  Ryunosuke Kamiki  •  Nana Komatsu  •  Kenta Kiritani

Piece of Cake (2015)

Shino Umemiya readily dates guys interested in her, because she believes that's better than being alone. She breaks up with her violent boyfriend after he discovered that she cheated on him. She moves to a new area to get a fresh new start on her life. There, Shino ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tomorowo Taguchi
CAST:  Mikako Tabe  •  Go Ayano  •  Tori Matsuzaka  •  Fumino Kimura

Shino Umemiya readily dates guys interested in her, because she believes that's better than being alone. She breaks up with her violent boyfriend after he discovered that she cheated on him. She moves to a new area to get a fresh new start on her life. There, Shino ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tomorowo Taguchi
CAST:  Mikako Tabe  •  Go Ayano  •  Tori Matsuzaka  •  Fumino Kimura

The Tragedy of W (2010)

The lakeside at Lake Yamanaka is covered with snow. In the vacation house in such a quiet area owned by the chairman of Watsuji Seiyaku, one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in Japan, the tragedy suddenly breaks out. ”I have killed my granduncle!!” says Mako ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Akimitsu Sasaki
CAST:  Miho Kanno  •  Teruyuki Kagawa  •  Hiroki Narimiya  •  Miki Maya

The lakeside at Lake Yamanaka is covered with snow. In the vacation house in such a quiet area owned by the chairman of Watsuji Seiyaku, one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in Japan, the tragedy suddenly breaks out. ”I have killed my granduncle!!” says Mako ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Akimitsu Sasaki
CAST:  Miho Kanno  •  Teruyuki Kagawa  •  Hiroki Narimiya  •  Miki Maya

Dear Etranger (2017)

Makoto Tanaka is 40-years-old and has remarried. His wife is Nanae and they care for 2 daughters from Nanae's prior marriage. Makoto tries to have an ordinary family. Nanae then becomes pregnant. Afterwards, things begin to change among the family members.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yukiko Mishima
CAST:  Tadanobu Asano  •  Rena Tanaka  •  Shinobu Terajima  •  Kankuro Kudo

Makoto Tanaka is 40-years-old and has remarried. His wife is Nanae and they care for 2 daughters from Nanae's prior marriage. Makoto tries to have an ordinary family. Nanae then becomes pregnant. Afterwards, things begin to change among the family members.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yukiko Mishima
CAST:  Tadanobu Asano  •  Rena Tanaka  •  Shinobu Terajima  •  Kankuro Kudo

My Uncle (2016)

Yukio Haruyama is an elementary school student. He has an uncle that teaches philosophy part-time at an university. His uncle leeches off his family. The uncle then goes on a blind date and falls in love with beautiful Eri Inaba. She is a fourth generation Japanese ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Nobuhiro Yamashita
CAST:  Ryuhei Matsuda  •  Riku Onishi  •  Yoko Maki  •  Shigeyuki Totsugi

Yukio Haruyama is an elementary school student. He has an uncle that teaches philosophy part-time at an university. His uncle leeches off his family. The uncle then goes on a blind date and falls in love with beautiful Eri Inaba. She is a fourth generation Japanese ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Nobuhiro Yamashita
CAST:  Ryuhei Matsuda  •  Riku Onishi  •  Yoko Maki  •  Shigeyuki Totsugi

 (more)

DIRECTION:  Kensaku Sawada
CAST:  Yuji Oda  •  Eri Fukatsu  •  Toshiro Yanagiba  •  Nene Otsuka
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