Movies by Ryuichi Sakamoto

The Last Emperor

The Last Emperor

A dramatic history of Pu Yi, the last of the Emperors of China, from his lofty birth and brief reign in the Forbidden City, the object of worship by half a billion people; through his abdication, his decline and dissolute lifestyle; his exploitation by the invading Japanese, and finally to his obscure existence as just another peasant worker in the People's Republic.

Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence

Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence

Island of Java, 1942, during World War II. British Major Jack Celliers arrives at a Japanese prison camp, run by the strict Captain Yonoi. Colonel John Lawrence, who has a profound knowledge of Japanese culture, and Sergeant Hara, brutal and simpleton, will witness the struggle of wills between two men from very different backgrounds who are tragically destined to clash.

TV WAR

TV WAR

Performed live on September 15th, 1985 on the SONY JumboTRON at Tsukuba Expo, Tukuba, Japan

Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda

Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda

Oscar winning composer Ryuichi Sakamoto weaves man-made and natural sounds together in his works. His anti-nuclear activism grew after the 2011 Fukushima disaster, and his career only paused after a 2014 cancer diagnosis.

The Oshima Gang

The Oshima Gang

Documentary about the making of Nagisa Oshima's 1983 film MERRY CHRISTMAS MR. LAWRENCE.

Ryuichi Sakamoto: async at the Park Avenue Armory

Ryuichi Sakamoto: async at the Park Avenue Armory

A live performance film capturing an intimate concert by composer, pianist and music producer Ryuichi Sakamoto in New York City. The performance marked the first public unveiling of Sakamoto’s new opus, async, hailed as one of the best albums of 2017 by Rolling Stone and Pitchfork.

Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus

Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus

“Ars longa, vita brevis” – art is long, life is short. This is one of Japanese music icon Ryuichi Sakamoto’s favorite quotes, and the message that he leaves for viewers at the end of his final concert film, shot before he succumbed to cancer in March 2023. Consisting of only Sakamoto and his piano, Opus features the final live performances of 20 songs that Sakamoto meticulously curated to encapsulate his distinguished 40-year career.

SUGA: Road to D-DAY

SUGA: Road to D-DAY

SUGA of the world-renowned group, BTS, works on a new album. He embarks on a journey to find his story to tell through music, while interacting with artists from various cities around the world.

Ryuichi Sakamoto: Playing the Piano 2022

Ryuichi Sakamoto: Playing the Piano 2022

On December 11, 2022, Ryuichi Sakamoto’s solo piano performance will be streamed in the form of a concert. However, what we will experience that day is carefully recorded footage of Sakamoto performing a few pieces of music each day over the course of a week, that was then thoughtfully edited together. This is last performance.

Ryuichi Sakamoto + Alva Noto: The Glass House

Ryuichi Sakamoto + Alva Noto: The Glass House

Music live performance of Ryuichi Sakamoto and Alva Noto at the Glass House.

Ink Music: In the Land of the Hundred-Tongued Lyricist

Ink Music: In the Land of the Hundred-Tongued Lyricist

Everyone in Japan knows his work, yet few recognize his face. Chris Mosdell, British expatriate, pop lyricist, poet and visual artist, during his 30-year residence in Tokyo has written chart-topping hits with some of Japan's most influential musicians and composers, penned lyrics to anime film scores, and run with the multimedia underground of that city's avant-garde. Ink Music: In The Land Of The Hundred-Tongued Lyricist is a 90-minute documentary film detailing those artistic relationships in the expansive career of artistic word-smith, Ch...

A Y.M.O. Film: Propaganda

A Y.M.O. Film: Propaganda

Starring Yellow Magic Orchestra and David Brooks Palmer, YMO Propaganda is 1984 Musical film directed by Shin Saito. Originally premiered theatrically throughout Japan in 1984 and is considered by some to be the best visual work from 'Y.M.O.'

YMO JAPAN TOUR at Nippon Budokan

YMO JAPAN TOUR at Nippon Budokan

Yellow Magic Orchestra playing songs from the album Service in the Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan in the 22 Dec. 1983

All Star Video

All Star Video

A compilation of avant-garde artwork and talent of the mid to late 20th century hosted by Ryuichi Sakamoto.

Nam June Paik: Moon Is the Oldest TV

Nam June Paik: Moon Is the Oldest TV

The quixotic journey of Nam June Paik, one of the most famous Asian artists of the 20th century, who revolutionized the use of technology as an artistic canvas and prophesied both the fascist tendencies and intercultural understanding that would arise from the interconnected metaverse of today's world.

No Smoking

No Smoking

A documentary about Haruomi Hosono, a musician respected around the world and the music composer of Cannes Palme d'Or winner Shoplifters. The footage traces his encounter with music in early childhood to his days in bands Happy End and YMO to his solo activities. It also includes in-depth coverage from recent years of his first overseas performances in London, New York and Los Angeles. In London, he was joined by Yukihiro Takahashi, and when Ryuichi Sakamoto made a surprise appearance onstage, the YMO members were reunited for the first time...

Steel Cathedrals

Steel Cathedrals

20 minute music documentary shot in two days of November 1984 in, and around the outskirts of, Tokyo, Japan. A large part of the music was completed during that same month and recorded over a period of three days.

Yellow Magic Orchestra - YMONHK

Yellow Magic Orchestra - YMONHK

A live performed on August 5, 2011 at NHK 101 Studio in Shibuya, Tokyo. Yellow Magic Orchestra, who has almost never done a studio live, played "RYDEEN", "FIRECRACKER", "COSMIC SURFIN", and others, in front of about 1,000 spectators selected by lottery. Keigo Oyamada, Tomohiko Gondo, and Christian Fennesz participated as support members.

Yellow Magic Orchestra - Winter Live 1981

Yellow Magic Orchestra - Winter Live 1981

A domestic live tour in 1981 when YMO released two masterpiece albums, "BGM" and "Technodelic". A live concert filmed at the Shinjuku Koma Theater, "WINTER LIVE 1981" focuses on songs from "BGM" and "Technodelic" and symbolizing the mid-term YMO catalogue along with artistic performing art. The audio is also remastered, giving the viewer a more realistic feel.

Ryuichi Sakamoto - Ars longa, vita brevis

Ryuichi Sakamoto - Ars longa, vita brevis

A Music Special episode broadcasted by NHK. This documentary looks back at the great achievements and innovative works of Ryuichi Sakamoto's carreer, with a variety of rare footage from the NHK archives and other sources. The programme is narrated by Koji Yakusho, a long-time friend of Sakamoto.