Shinichiro Matsuura

Keiko surprises everyone when she overcomes adversity to win her first two boxing fights. But when an unexpected incident threatens the closure of her gym, she is pushed further than she thought possible.

Slacker Ichiko gets into a fight with her younger sister and begins to live on her own, working the late shift at a 100 yen shop. On her way home, she passes a gym and meets boxer Kano who trains there in silence...

In 1943, as Japan's WWII effort falters, a vice-admiral proposes training squadrons of "volunteer" flyers to crash their armed planes into Allied warships. Yarn follows the lives of kamikaze pilots, as remembered by an aging Kyushu restaurateur who cherishes their memory. Honoring the dead and multiple military anthems may stir the soul of some Japanese, but elsewhere auds will make a one-way trip for exits. Battle scenes are well-executed and script delivers some memorable scenes, but overall competent helming and thesping are powerless over writer-cum-Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishiara's repetitive storytelling. A post-war postscript adds considerable length to an already over-extended narrative. Tech credits are good quality.

One night in Tokyo, Leo, a young boxer, meets his first love, Monica, an imprisoned sex worker. Caught up in a drug-smuggling scheme, they find themselves pursued by a corrupt cop, a yakuza, his nemesis, and a female assassin.

In summer, Nagisa and Natsuo meet by the sea. Their vacant gazes reflect each other as they exchange awkward words and wade into the rain-drenched ocean. In winter, Li, a screenwriter, travels to a snow-covered village. There, she finds a guesthouse run by Benzo.

Forty years after leaving Japan for a boxing career in the U.S. that never panned out, Jin returns to restart his life with his old boxing buddies. When hotheaded young boxer Shogo asks for Jin’s help to get him back into the ring after an unfair loss, the two men decide to seize their final chance at glory. A boxing film so authentic that it inspired co-star Yokohama Ryusei to qualify as a pro boxer, Zeze Takahisa’s boxing drama is one of the veteran director’s most crowd-pleasing films thanks to the touching father-son bond at its core.

Nobuto, a dedicated boxer, can't seem to win a match, while his friend Kazuki is becoming a rising star and may win the championship. Meanwhile, Kazuki is engaged to Chika, Nobuto's first love.

Once close friends, an incident led them to different lives and to become enemies.

A man, who moved to Tokyo to become a musician, returns to his hometown for the first time in 10 years. He sees the beautiful scenery of his childhood years and the kind people who supports him.

Asahi and Kaori are a happy couple and plan to marry soon. But Kaori’s mother looks down on a prospective son-in-law who grew up in an orphanage and works as a boxing trainer. Things become more complicated when Asahi tries to help his best friend Hiroto who has been scammed by a shady businessman.

Iwakura Mai lives with her parents Kota and Megumi and older brother Haruto. Her father Kota runs a small factory in Higashi Osaka, a district that is known for its craftsmen. Mai is shy and withdrawn. But when she visits her grandmother Shoko who lives on Nagasaki’s Goto Islands which has a rich natural environment, she is entranced by the Baramon kites that catch the wind and soar high in the sky. Wanting to fly high in the sky like these kites, Mai’s longing swells into a dream to become a pilot. Even though she works hard, the path to getting there is tougher than she had imagined. As Mai deepens her ties with the people living in her two hometowns of Higashi Osaka and Goto, her dream eventually takes a new form. She gathers enthusiastic friends to build a small electric plane that can fly to and from the islands. Her dream becomes a wing that carries everyone’s dreams and takes off.

Dr. Ko Yowai is a happy-go-lucky but an absolutely brilliant psychiatrist. Yuri Amamiya is his slightly outspoken assistant nurse with a heart of gold. Together, they're waiting for the day when everyone feels comfortable visiting a psychiatrist. This is Shrink, the emotional drama series for those navigating the effects of mental health issues.