Movies by Renji Ishibashi

Mourning Recipe

Mourning Recipe

A widower and his daughter deal with the death of the man's wife.

Jubaku: Spellbound

Jubaku: Spellbound

When a major bank is caught paying off a corporate extortionist, the media and prosecutors begin to dig, breaking open a money-and-favours scandal that threatens to rock the entire structure of business and government to its core. While the bank's top executives continue to vacillate, a quartet of middle-management reformers, led by straight-arrow Kitano (Koji Yakusho), decide to stage a boardroom coup and install a new, clean management team. With the aid of a hotshot news anchor (Miho Wada) and a hard-nosed prosecutor (Kenichi Endo), heads...

Ronin-gai

Ronin-gai

Near the end of Japanese civil war, several disgraced ronin living in Edo's red light district attempt to regain their honor by defending a brothel from a hostile militia bent on wiping out local prostitutes.

Castle Under Fiery Skies

Castle Under Fiery Skies

The year is 1575 in feudal Japan. Oda Nobunaga's (Kippei Shiina) forces defeat Takeda Katsuyori, when Nagashino Castle was besieged during the Battle of Nagashino. The next year Oda Nobunada decides to build a lavish new castle symbolizing his unification of various factions. The castle named Azuchi Castle will be built near water and high enough to be seen from the capital city of Kyoto. Director Mitsutoshi Tanaka's adaptation of Kenichi Yamamoto's novel of the same name received the 33rd Japan Academy Film Prize for Excellent Art Direction.

Lone Wolf and Cub: The Final Conflict

Lone Wolf and Cub: The Final Conflict

A noble samurai serving the Shogun as 'Kogi Kaishaku-nin' (Official Executioner) is the target of a plot by the evil Yagyu Clan to take away his position and replace him with a member of their own family. When his wife is murdered and evidence is produced that he was plotting against the Shogun the Code of Bushido calls for him and his son to commit sepuku. Instead he defies the Shogun's orders and takes up arms against his enemies, becoming an assassin for hire.

This Country’s Sky

This Country’s Sky

Set in Tokyo, Japan near the end of World War II. 19-year-old Satoko (Fumi Nikaido) lives with her mother (Youki Kudoh) and her aunt. The war is turning more grave. Even though Satoko is near the age to get married, she can't even think of marriage due to the unstable situation. Satoko then begins to communicate with her neighbor, Ichikawa (Hiroki Hasegawa). He has avoided military service due to failing his physical test. As Satoko communicates with Ichikawa, she begins to awake as a woman.

So What

So What

In a small town, high school students in their final year try to balance their studies while also playing together in a rock band.

Woman's Trail: Wet Path

Woman's Trail: Wet Path

A stripper reluctantly returns to her manager and husband with her new lover in tow. The lover tries to claim her but after escaping a beating he takes to the road alone meeting several women along the way.

Kikaider REBOOT

Kikaider REBOOT

In the near future, the “ARK Project” has initiated a program to increase the quality of human life through the peaceful use of robots. Dr. Komyoji, the chief scientist on the project, has developed a process to create a robot with a figurative human “heart” through the installation of a “conscience circuit”, but his plans are violently opposed by researcher Gilbert Kanzaki. When Dr. Komyoji is killed in an apparent accident, his children Masaru and Mitsuko are targeted by mysterious forces within the ARK Project looking to gain control of ...

The Notorious Bored Samurai 2

The Notorious Bored Samurai 2

The Satsuma clan conspires with key figures in the shogunate to overthrow the government. However, the head inspector, Naito Yamashiro no Kami, cannot find the sworn statement of rebellion and takes responsibility by ending his own life. This deeply affects Mondonosuke Saotome, who was close to Yamashiro no Kami and who is known for his restless nature. Seeking an audience with Shogun Tsunayoshi to request a view of the sworn statement, Mondonosuke Saotome is granted permission to go to Satsuma. He sets off on this journey accompanied by Sas...

History of Jirocho Shimizu

History of Jirocho Shimizu

A historical chivalric drama with tears and laughter, telling the story of Jirocho Shimizu's family, his confrontation with Katsuzo Kurokoma's family, right up to the final battle on the Tenryu River to avenge Ishimatsu Mori.

I Want To Live Once More: Shinjuku Bus Fire Incident

I Want To Live Once More: Shinjuku Bus Fire Incident

On the night of August 19, 1980, a bus was set on fire by the vagrant Hirofumi Maruyama at the Shinjuku West Exit Bus Terminal. In the burning flames, Mitsuko, who was exhausted by her affair, suddenly thought of suicide. As a result, she escaped too late from the bus and suffered a serious injury. From there, she was hospitalized for a long time. As she gradually recovered, the wife of her affair partner, Soroku Sugihara, died of cancer. Soroku proposed to Mitsuko again, and they lived together. Due to Soroku's mounting debt, they decided ...

Akanezora Beyond the Crimson Sky

Akanezora Beyond the Crimson Sky

A young tofu maker, Eikichi comes from Kyoto to open a tofu shop in a friendly neighborhood. He meets there a feisty local girl Ofumi who befriends him as he sets up his shop, Kyo-ya and in spite of the difficulties stemming from cultural differences between the two ancient capitals including the favored taste of tofu itself, they eventually marry and become the owner of a tofu shop on a more respectable street. Behind the rock-solid business of Kyo-ya, their son, Eitaro bears the brunt of other tofu shops' animosity toward Kyo-ya's refusal ...

Kanei Chronicles

Kanei Chronicles

From all over Japan, the greatest warriors: Yagyu Jubei, Miyamoto Musashi, Araki Mataemon, and more came to test their blades in a tournament of swords. But behind the match a bloodthirsty plot is born. Tokugawa Yorinobu, a corrupt shogunate official plans to assassinate Shogun Iemitsu and take his place. With scheming samurai Yui Shosetsu and ruthless Negoro ninja leader Genyusai, he plans to incite a ronin uprising and cut a bloody trail across Japan, with terrifying Chinese gunboats to back his play. Matsudaira Izu-no-kami, councilor and ...

The Oil-Hell Murder

The Oil-Hell Murder

The indolent son of an oil vendor becomes a regular customer of a prostitute, racks up a mountain of debt, and is disowned by his parents.

A Story of Modern Chivalry

A Story of Modern Chivalry

A hard-boiled man who lived in the world of the Yakuza, leaves everything behind in search of revenge for his great friend.

Miracle in Four Days

Miracle in Four Days

Dvorak's Symphony No. 9, "From the New World" wafts through a hospice recreation room. Sitting at the grand piano is a young girl, Chiori, with a prodigious ability to play any piece of music after one hearing. Keisuke Kisaragi whose career was abruptly cut short when he jumped in front of a bullet fired by a crazed gunman. The nerves in one hand were severed but he saved the life of Chiori. The tragic incident takes the lives of Chiori's parents, however, and Keisuke becomes her guardian. Not long after their return to Japan, Keisuke discov...

The International Gang of Kobe

The International Gang of Kobe

In 1947, in Kobe, Japan, a local street gang fights for their survival when its turf is overrun by United States occupation forces and international gangs.

I'll Give It My All ... Tomorrow

I'll Give It My All ... Tomorrow

41-year-old Shizuo Daikoku (Shinichi Tsutsumi) suddenly quits his job at a company to become a mangaka. His family and friends become involved in his new pursuit...

She's In Love With Picasso

She's In Love With Picasso

Kiriko is a curator at the Hakone Open-Air Museum. She gets caught up in a computer virus incident and fights for her life. This drama was produced by Fuji Television to promote its affiliated museums. At the time, it was notable for being directed by the cutting-edge director Koji Enomoto.