If 2025 proved anything, it’s that Japanese live-action cinema is stepping into a bold new era, and we can’t wait to see what 2026 has to offer. From tense courtroom dramas and bittersweet romances to cursed social media legends and beloved manga icons stepping into flesh and blood, the line-up of Japanese movies slated for theatrical release in 2026 is a timely reminder that Japan’s cinema isn’t all about anime gems.
In 2025, Lee Sang-il’s Kokuho rewrote box-office history, becoming the highest-grossing live-action Japanese movie of all time. The Kabuki-themed drama also received an Oscar nomination in the Best Makeup and Hairstyling category at the 98th Academy Awards. Meanwhile, Kōji Fukada’s Love on Trial enjoyed a strong festival debut at Cannes and is set to receive a theatrical release this year, keeping the momentum going.
Additionally, titles such as Love Punch!, Golden Kamuy: Assault on Abashiri Prison, Look Back, Sakamoto Days, and Mystery Arena showcase the sheer range of stories arriving in 2026. So, without further ado, here are the Japanese live-action movies that deserve a place on every 2026 watchlist, whether you’re chasing spectacle, character-driven drama, or something different altogether.
Also read: Have you seen these best anime shows of the 21st century?
16 Japanese live-action movies you must watch in 2026
This story first appeared here.
1 /16
The Girl at the End of the Line — 23 JanuaryGenre: Drama, slice-of-life
Directed by: Kota Yoshida
Cast: Ami Touma, Sena Nakajima, Hirasawa Kokoro, Minami Kotona, Mai Fukagawa, Hikari Ishida
Synopsis: At the entrance ceremony of an elite girls’ high school, Kiyoko’s orderly world is upended when she meets Akari, a mysterious transfer student raised overseas by her renowned photographer father. Drawn to Akari despite the envy she provokes, Kiyoko grows close to her. But just as their bond turns intimate, a hidden diary suggests Akari has far more secrets than she lets on.
About the movie: The film is adapted from Asako Yuzuki’s novel of the same name. Prior to its theatrical release, The Girl at the End of the Line premiered at the 2025 Shanghai International Film Festival.
2 /16
Higuma!! The Killer Bear — 23 JanuaryGenre: Survival thriller
Directed by: Eisuke Naito
Cast: Fuku Suzuki, Wan Marui, Takashi Ukaji
Synopsis: On the day Osanai receives his university acceptance letter, his world collapses. His father, driven to suicide by a ruthless scam and crushing debt, leaves him with nothing. Forced to abandon his future, the 18-year-old turns to the same shadowy “illegal part-time jobs” that destroyed his family. But when he signs on for a high-paying kidnapping, the job escalates into an order to kill and dispose of the target, leading Osanai deep into the forest, face to face with murder and an unexpected danger.
3 /16
Love on Trial — 26 JanuaryGenre: Romance, drama
Directed by: Kōji Fukada
Cast: Erika Karata, Yuki Kura, Kyōko Saitō, Kenjiro Tsuda
Synopsis: Mai (Saitō), a rising J-pop idol, is swiftly taken to court by her own agency after breaking her contract’s ultimate rule against falling in love. What follows is a tense legal battle in which love itself is put on trial, as Mai and her partner fight to defend their relationship against a system that treats emotion as a breach of contract.
About the movie: Ahead of its theatrical release, the film became Kōji Fukada’s third selection at the Cannes Film Festival, following his 2016 psychological thriller Fuchi ni Tatsu (Harmonium) and his 2020 compilation romance Honki no Shirushi: Gekijōban (The Real Thing).
Also read: Spell love, but in Japanese, with these 16 highest-rated romantic movies according to IMDb
(Image credits: RENAI SAIBAN © 2025 “LOVE ON TRIAL” Film Partners via Cannes Film Festival)
4 /16
Mag Mag — 6 FebruaryGenre: Horror, comedy
Directed by: Yuriyan Retriever
Cast: Mai Fukagawa, Tetsu Hirahara, Atsuko Hirata, Joe Kujo, Oshiro Maeda, Mizuki Maehara, Sara Minami
Synopsis: Sanae (Minami) sets out to avenge her beloved’s murder by the Mag Mag ghost. But her quest spirals into something far more horrific when she discovers who she truly needs to take revenge on.
About the movie: Ahead of its theatrical release, Mag Mag was screened at the Cork International Film Festival in November 2025 and got nominated for the Kāu Ka Hōkū Award at the 45th Hawai‘i International Film Festival.
5 /16
Hodonaku, Owakare Desu — 6 FebruaryGenre: Drama
Directed by: Takahiro Miki
Cast: Minami Hamabe, Ren Meguro, Ken Mitsuishi
Synopsis: Shimizu Misora (Hamabe), feeling lost in life after an unsuccessful job hunt and hiding her unsettling ability to hear the voices of the dead, finds her fate shifting when funeral planner Reiji Urushibara (Meguro) uncovers her secret. Taken on as an intern at Bando Kaikan and put through strict, almost ruthless training, Misora becomes discouraged. However, her discouragement soon turns to admiration for Urushibara; his calm manner and compassionate care for the deceased and the bereaved families leave a lasting impression.
About the movie: The film is adapted from Nagatsuki Amane’s hit novel series of the same name, which has sold over 700,000 copies and won the Shogakukan Bunko Novel Award Grand Prize.
6 /16
Love Punch! — 13 FebruaryGenre: Romance
Directed by: Fuga Yaegashi
Cast: Jyutaro Yamanaka, Takamatsu Aloha, Haruto Shiratori, Arashi Shoma, Shunya Asano, Daichi Kodaira
Synopsis: At Benisakura High, Kamei Madoka, the bright, beloved top student, is counting down his days after being told he’ll have to repeat a year. Determined to live loudly and cherish his friends, he swears he’ll never fight or fall in love again, until Mitsuru Sato, the stoic ace from rival Shiraiwa High, steps into his world.
About the movie: Love Punch! is based on Nanao’s hit shōjo manga, Pure Love, Bring It On!.
Also read: 10 books like Red, White & Royal Blue to swoon over until the movie’s sequel comes out
7 /16
The Convenience Store — 20 FebruaryGenre: Horror, thriller
Directed by: Jiro Nagae
Cast: Minami Kotona, Takezai Terunosuke, Seki Tetta, Tanaka Shunsuke, Sakamoto Makoto
Synopsis: At a lonely convenience store on the edge of a sleeping neighbourhood, Tatsuru Yukino (Kotona), a college student, takes the night shift for the pay and the silence. But as the fluorescent lights hum, unease creeps in — mysterious packages arrive, strange customers linger, and unexplained figures appear on the surveillance footage. What begins as routine work slowly becomes a chilling encounter with something unseen, disturbing the quiet night.
About the movie: The movie is adapted from the Japanese indie horror game The Convenience Store (Yakin Jiken) by Chilla’s Art.
8 /16
Sai: Disaster — 20 FebruaryGenre: Crime, drama, thriller
Directed by: Yutaro Seki, Kentaro Hirase
Cast: Teruyuki Kagawa, Sena Nakajima, Ryuhei Matsuda, Chika Uchida, Kisetsu Fujiwara, Jiro, Maki Sakai
Synopsis: Drifting from city to city like a ghost in plain sight, a mysterious man slips into ordinary lives, sometimes as a teacher, sometimes as a driver and sometimes as a barber. Wherever he appears, death quietly follows.
About the movie: The film, adapted from the Wowow drama series Sai (2025), was screened at the Busan International Film Festival in September 2025.
9 /16
Kaneko Fumiko — 28 FebruaryGenre: Drama, history
Directed by: Sachi Hamano
Cast: Nahana, Katsuya Kobayashi, Masaki Miura
Synopsis: What led to the mysterious death of Japanese anarchist Fumiko Kaneko (Nahana)? Sentenced to death and later granted a commutation to life imprisonment by the Supreme Court, she spent her final days at Tochigi Women’s Prison. What drove Fumiko to take her own life?
About the movie: Based on the life of Japanese anarchist Fumiko Kaneko (1903–1926), the film closely follows her journey in the 121 days leading up to her death. It is being released to mark the 100th anniversary of her passing.
10 /16
Golden Kamuy: Assault on Abashiri Prison — 13 MarchGenre: History, action, adventure
Directed by: Kenji Katagiri
Cast: Kento Yamazaki, Anna Yamada, Asuka Kudo, Shuntaro Yanagi, Tachi Hiroshi
Synopsis: In post–Russo-Japanese War Japan, Saichi Sugimoto (Yamazaki) hunts for stolen Ainu gold, its location encoded in tattoos etched onto escaped prisoners. Teaming up with Asirpa (Yamada), an Ainu girl seeking justice for her father, Sugimoto is drawn into a brutal three-way conflict with the ruthless 7th Division and the legendary Hijikata Toshizo (Hiroshi). All roads lead to Abashiri Prison, where the truth awaits.
About the movie: The film is a live-action adaptation of Satoru Noda’s award-winning manga of the same name. It was also adapted into an anime series in 2018, under the same title.
11 /16
The Last Song You Left Behind — 20 MarchGenre: Romance, drama
Directed by: Takahiro Miki
Cast: Shunsuke Michieda, Meru Nukumi
Synopsis: What begins as an ordinary school day quietly becomes life-changing when Haruto (Michieda), a poetry-loving loner, crosses paths with Ayane (Nukumi), a gifted singer who is hiding her struggle with dyslexia. Brought together by after-school songwriting sessions, they find refuge in words and melodies and in each other. Over the next decade, love grows between them, tender yet fragile. But can a romance built on music withstand the tests of fate?
About the movie: The film is adapted from Ichijo Misaki’s popular novel titled, Kimi ga Saigo ni Nokoshita Uta.
12 /16
The Ogre's Bride — 27 MarchGenre: Romance, fantasy
Directed by: Chihiro Ikeda
Cast: Ai Yoshikawa, Ren Nagase
Synopsis: In a world where humans and mesmerising ayakashi live side by side, love is rare and eternal. Yuzu (Yoshikawa), starved of affection all her life, never imagined being chosen by anyone, let alone Reiya (Nagase), the powerful heir to the oni clan. Named his destined bride, she is swept into a life-changing bond.
About the movie: The film is adapted from The Ogre’s Bride, a light novel series, written by Kureha and illustrated by Yu Shiroya.
13 /16
Sakamoto Days — 29 AprilGenre: Action, adventure
Directed by: Yuichi Fukuda
Cast: Ren Meguro, Fumiya Takahashi, Aya Ueto, Miyu Yoshimoto
Synopsis: Once feared as the deadliest hitman alive, Taro Sakamoto (Meguro) traded bloodshed for love, family and a quiet life running a convenience store. Now older and heavier, but no less dangerous, his peaceful world is shattered when his past comes knocking.
About the movie: Originally a Japanese manga series of the same name written and illustrated by Yuto Suzuki, Sakamoto Days was also adapted into an anime television series by TMS Entertainment, which aired between January and September 2025.
14 /16
Mystery Arena — 22 MayGenre: Mystery, comedy
Directed by: Yukihiko Tsutsum
Cast: Toshiaki Karasawa
Synopsis: Momotaro Kabayama (Karasawa) hosts a live mystery quiz show. After a run of unsolved questions sends the jackpot to 10 billion yen, he unveils a new case: A murder in an isolated Western-style mansion during a storm. Can the six selected contestants crack it?
About the movie: The film is a live-action adaptation of Reiichiro Fukami’s 2015 novel of the same name.
Also read: Welcome to Waikiki and 19 other best comedy K-dramas that will leave you in splits
15 /16
Yamaguchi-kun Isn't So Bad — 5 JuneGenre: Romance
Directed by: Kentaro Moriya
Cast: Kyohei Takahashi
Synopsis: Shy yet determined, Satsuki Shinohara hopes for a fresh start at high school, until a terrifying incident on the train almost shatters her confidence. Her unlikely hero is Yamaguchi-kun (Takahashi), the class “delinquent” everyone avoids. Though he keeps brushing off her attempts to get closer, Satsuki refuses to give up. Pushing past rumours and rough exteriors, she sets out to discover the gentle, misunderstood boy behind Yamaguchi-kun’s tough reputation.
About the movie: Yamaguchi-kun Isn’t So Bad (Japanese title: Yamaguchi-kun wa Warukunai) is adapted from the Japanese manga series of the same name written and illustrated by Yuu Saiki.
16 /16
Look Back — TBAGenre: Coming-of-age, drama
Directed by: Hirokazu Koreeda
Synopsis: Brash young manga artist Fujino crosses paths with reclusive Kyomoto, and the two form an unexpected bond through their shared love of creating manga.
About the movie: It is a live-action adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s 2021 one-shot manga. An anime film adaptation, also titled Look Back, was released in 2024.
(Hero and Feature Image credits: RENAI SAIBAN © 2025 "LOVE ON TRIAL" Film Partners via Cannes Film Festival)Note : The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
