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The Japanese cinema started in the 18th century, called the “Silent Era” with the first film Bake Jiso (Jiso the Spook).From that moment the Japanese movies increase in audience among the Japanese people and around the world. Japan has one of the beautiful cinemas in the world with masterpieces from silent movies through war or historical movies, extending to the present animation and horror movies.
As the pastime increased the Japanese “moviemakers” became active with the rise of talented artists.
The first one is Kurosawa Akira with his best films like Rashomon 1950 or Shichinin no samurai (1954, Seven Samurai) and others acclaimed films that made him a famous director around the world.
The second one is Ozu Yasujiro with his best films like Banshun (1953, Late Spring) or Tokyo Monogatari (1953, Tokyo Story).
From 1960, the Japanese movies decrease in popularity because of the TV dramas but new directors continued to make their debut like Kitano Takeshi, with his movie Hana-bi.
One of the most famous movies is from Kaiju series, the Godzilla (1954) a Japanese science fiction film with American versions, the latest one in 2004.
From the Jidaigeki series-samurai films, most of them take place in the Edo period are Mito Komon or Zatoichi (2003) with Kitano Takeshi. Others take place much earlier in the Meiji period or Heian.
The Japanese terror movies started from 1920 till today, from the classical ghost movies through cyberpunk movies. The best horror movies are Kwaidan (1964)directed by Masaki Kobayashi; Kuroneko (1968) directed by Kaneto Shindo; Ring (1989) by Hideo Nakata; The grudge (2002) by Takashi Shimizu and the latest one Box (2004)by Takashi Miike.
The interest in the Japanese Manga among the locals and with the increase popularity around the world, many talented directors brought to life an almost impossible to count hero’s of gifted comic artists, among them the father of the Japanese film Tezuka Osamu and many others, making Japan the world’s largest producer of animated film.
An old famous animated film is the Astro boy the Osamu’s work followed by Sailor Moon ,very popular in the United States and not only.
Another outstanding animated film is Tonary no Totoro (1988) directed by Hayao Miyazaki,
followed by his most successful Japanese movie ever The Princess Momonoke(1997)
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Among the recently top animated movies is Naruto series (2004) directed by Tensai Okamura with many fans around the world and the latest one The Death Note series, which has been adapted into an anime series and a life action film series in 2006.
Also the TV anime cartoon series, like Pokemon or Anpanman, reached the children’s heart from all over the world, the stories being available in video games too.
There are numerous other Japanese films that have been exported and are being watched all over the world, the list described here being consider by fans and critics only “the cream on the cake “of the Japanese cinema production .
References: Talking about Japan Updated Q&A, Kondansha International
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