The Best Japanese Thriller Movies with an IMDb Rating Above 7

Japanese cinema is known for producing some of the best-known thriller movies of all time. But what makes Japanese thrillers stand out from the rest is that they often interweave stories of morality and social commentary through elements of drama.

Japanese cinema is indeed known for its outstanding (and long-running) samurai films. Auteurs such as Akira Kurosawa and Masaki Kobayashi as well as modern-day icon Keishi Ōtomo have made Japanese cinema synonymous with the stories of heroic characters who showcase an indomitable will and showman-like skill with the katana in their struggle against impossible odds. At the same time, in its long and illustrious cinematic History, Japan has witnessed some of the greatest classics in every other genre, which includes thrillers.

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What has made Japanese thrillers noteworthy is they often depict a very dark side of humans and rely more on tensions than outright displays of violence, which is common in most suspense stories in other industries. Part of this reason could be the ‘thinking’ aspect of Japanese filMMAkers: they explore complex psychological angles and depth of the mental faculties of humans in their stories, irrespective of the genre. This is why several of the best Japanese thriller movies also underline how class differences or general societal inequality directly affect the events in the film. This gives a touch of slow-burn potboiler, which gives room to highlight everything from ethical dileMMAs to a complete breakdown of humanity. Put together, this intellectual mix gives Japanese thrillers a decisive edge.

Accordingly, Japanese thrillers, be it movies of the Kurosawa era or those in the last decade or so, follow a minimalist visual style which amplifies the atmospheric effect of the unease depicted on the faces of the characters. The interplay of light and dark on the screen leads audiences to connect deeply with the psyche of all the characters involved as well as the story itself.

Take for instance Rashomon. Widely known as one of the greatest Japanese films ever made, Rashomon actually tells a story of human failings in multiple forms, using a storytelling technique that gave birth to its eponymous effect. That the film does so brilliantly while placing the lens on a tense account of a murder most foul is perhaps one of the finest examples of the cerebral level of Japanese thriller films.

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This story first appeared on Lifestyle Asia Kuala Lumpur

The greatest Japanese thriller movies of all time