Drama has always been a part of our lives. Be it as an element in the films or television shows you watch, the books you read, or even watching plays enacted on a stage.
Drama adds a flare to a rather dull and mundane story plot, giving it the much-needed twists and turns and making it more interesting and fun to watch. And who does not love watching dramas? From films to reality television shows, we all desperately crave the dramatic element.
However, Chinese dramas stand in a league of their own, especially war dramas. Be it fictional or non-fictional, they will undoubtedly leave you spellbound with their magical armors and inspirational speeches. SFX will make you go, “ Dude, this is crazy good! ” and the plots of these War Chinese dramas are just as awe-worthy, if not more!
So, presented before you is a well-curated list of 45 War Chinese Dramas for you to watch if you are looking to keep yourself entertained during the holidays or are thinking of trying to watch something different for a change.
If you are new to the genre, do not fret! There is something in this list that you may find worth watching as well! Be it binge-watching or staying up to date with the new episodes, there is everything for all.
War Chinese Drama (Credits- Faceoff)
1. Empresses in the Palace(2011–2012)
Rating- 8.3 Episodes- 76
The first episode of the war Chinese drama Empresses in the Palace was aired on 17 November 2011. The show has 1 season and is based on “ Hougong Zhen Huan Zhuan ” by Liu Lianzi.
Empresses in the Palace (Credits- meWatch)
A young woman from the Eight Banners’ family is married off to the Emperor of the Qing Dynasty. The woman is initially portrayed as innocent and naive. However, after surviving the various schemes set into motion against her and seeing the true colors of the people around her, she herself becomes sad and cruel. Later, the woman is bestowed with the title of Empress Dowager, the most powerful woman in the Emperor’s harem.
Furthermore, Empresses in the Palace also got its own spin-off titled “ Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace ” in 2018.
2. A Dream in Red Mansions (2010)
Rating- 8.6 Episodes- 50
A Dream in Red Mansions is based on the novel by Cao Xueqin titled “ Dream of the Red Chamber . ” The show has beautiful and soothing songs and an amazing cast and the scenery and setting of the show are bound to leave you starry-eyed!
The plot of the series revolves around the tragic love story of Lin Daiyu, a pretty woman of many talents, and Jia Baoyu, a clever and carefree man. Lin Daiyu is sent to her mother’s side of the family, where she meets Jia Baoyu and connects with him.
A Dream in Red Mansions (Credits- MUBI)
However, Baoyu has an affair with a maid as well as acts playful with his female cousins but eventually develops feelings for Daiyu.
No love story has ever been an easy one, and similarly, the pair face trials and tribulations along the way. Furthermore, the story praises and glorifies the revolts led by several servants as well as nurses in the Grand View Garden.
3. San guo yan yi (1995– )
Rating- 8.6 Episodes- 84
San guo yan yi or Romance of the Three Kingdoms, is a war Chinese drama series based on the novel of the same name by Luo Guanzhong. Towards the end of the 2nd century, China was in a state of turmoil. The land was divided by the warlords, and disasters such as droughts, and famine was very common.
San guo yan yi (Credits- IMDb)
During this time, Zhang Jiao and his brothers start to rebel against the Han. Zhang Jiao manages to convince people with his speeches and promises, and wearing a “yellow turban” they go around plundering towns.
They came to be known as the “ Yellow Turbans ” and were successful in overthrowing a few generals of the Imperial Court. The Imperial Courts set up an alliance in which Liu Bei, Cao Cao, and Sun Jian – the three generals – are recruited.
These generals, along with some help, successfully managed to put an end to the rebellion, which brought them immense popularity. But when one gets the taste of power, he always wants more. So did they.
The generals wish for China to be under one rule and continue to fight for it by waging wars and cutting down anyone who stands in their way. The drama narrates the ancient tale with such accuracy that it will make you want to watch it over and over again.
4. The Water Margin (1998)
Rating- 8.1 Episodes- 43
Based on the novel of the same name by Shi Nai’an, the Chinese war drama is produced by Zhang Jizhong. The show aired in January 1988 and starred Li Xuejian, Zang Jinsheng, Zhou Yemang, Ding Haifeng, and Zhao Xiaorui.
The Water Margin (Credits- MyDramaList)
The Water Margin took us back to China a thousand years ago, wherein a cruel and unjust government had established its reign. However, a group of 108 renegades decides to unite and rebel against the government.
5. The Road We Have Taken (2009)
Rating- 7.8 Episodes- 50
The Road We Have Taken (Credits- MyDramaList)
The series is set between the years 1925 and 1949 and places emphasis on three children in Liling county of the Hunan province. These three children are born into a big family and are driven by their hunger and desire to obtain a political path amidst a lot of chaos and ruin.
The show highlights many important historical events like the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Chinese Civil War, the First as well as Second United Front , and also the foundation of the People’s Republic of China .
6. Three Kingdoms (2010)
Rating- 8.3 Episodes- 95
Directed by Giao Xixi, Three Kingdoms is a modern remake of the 1995’s San gyo yan yi. Just like the one before, it is also based on the same book by Luo Guanzhong.
Three Kingdoms (Credits- IMDb)
The plot is set in the Han Dynasty and portrays in detail the story of the Wei, Wu, and Shu Kingdoms in China. Being three of the major kingdoms in the country during that time, they shared complicated relationships and bad blood with each other.
The series aired in China in May of 2010 and went on to set a record for the most expensive small-screen series in China’s history during that time.
7. Princess Agents (2017)
Rating- 7.5 Episodes- 67
Set amidst the chaotic times of Northern Wei, a slave named Chu Qiao, is left in a forest along with some other slaves for the purpose of hunting. However, Prince Yan Xun saves the poor girl, but the experience proves to be traumatic for her.
Princess Agents (Credits- Reelgood)
She swears on her life to run away from the place, but her skills attract Master Yuwen Yue, who brings her under his care. There she learns to become a sacrificial agent and befriends Yan Xun.
Throughout the series, many battles take place, acquaintances get made, and false accusations and betrayals ensue. Moreover, once friends turn into enemies and love tinges on the air.
Although the show proved to be a huge success, it was left unfinished and ended on a cliffhanger, and so far, no sequel has been announced by the team.
8. The Qin Empire (2009)
Rating- 8.1 Episodes- 48
The Qin Empire is based on the novel of the same name by Sun Haohui and was produced in 2006. Furthermore, the show has three sequels- T he Qin Empire II: Alliance (2012), The Qin Empire III (2017), and The Qin Empire IV (2019) . Each of these sequels is also based on the novels by Sun Haohui.
The show is set during the Warring States period of China, when the country was on the verge of poverty and inner turmoil. Under the guidance and rule of Duke Xiao, the Qin State strives to restore itself to its initial golden days.
The Qin Empire (Credits- Reelgood)
In order to do so, Duke Xiao promises that he will share Qin with anyone who assists him with restoring the State. A Legalist named Wei Yang avails the opportunity and decides to help the Duke with his quest.
The two men debate for days and nights, giving rise to a beautiful friendship. They work tediously for nearly two decades after the planning and emerged victorious in making Qin a powerful state.
9. The Advisors Alliance (2017)
Rating- 7.8 Episodes- 86
The Advisors Alliance is a two-part war Chinese drama television series that portrays the life of Sima Yi. The first part of the series aired on 22 June 2017, whereas the second part aired on 8 December 2017. The series starrs Wu Xiubo, Liu Tao,, Tang Yixin, Yu Hewei, Li Chen, Janine Chang, and Wang Luoyong.
The Advisors Alliance (Credits- DramaPanda)
The show portrays the life of Sima Yi, a military general and a government official who lived through China’s Eastern Han dynasty and Three Kingdoms period.
The first part covers his career as an advisor to Cao Cao’s son Cao Pi, who goes on to usurp Emperor Xian and establish the Cao Wei state. The second part covers his service under the three emperors Cao Pi, Cao Rui and Cao Fang.
Sima Yi rises to become a regent for Cao Fang, the third emperor. Further on, he stages a coup d’état and successfully manages to become the de facto ruler of Cao Wei.
10. The Wolf (2020)
Rating- 7.8 Episodes- 49
The Chinese war drama The Wolf aired on 19 November 2020 on Tencent Video, iQiyi, and Youku. It starrs Darren Wang, Li Qin, Lin Yo-wei, Xin Zhilei, Xiao Zhan, and Kuo Shu-yao.
Ma Zhaixing is the daughter of Ma Ying, the Kuizhou city governor. She meets a boy who is later adopted by Chu Kui, the emperor of Yang empire, who bestows the title of Prince Bo upon the young lad.
The Wolf (Credits- IMDb)
Eight years later, the pair chance upon a meeting and start to grow close to each other. Together, they help civilians, bring justice, and oppose strict government laws.
In the end, after many hardships and conflicts of their own, the two find joy and peace amid each other.
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11. Ice Fantasy (2016)
Rating- 6.7 Episodes- 78
Based on the bestselling novel “City of Fantasy ” by Guo Jingming, this Chinese war drama is directed by Ju Jue Liang. The show has a total of two seasons, with 62 and 16 episodes, respectively.
Ice Fantasy (Credits- Global Times)
The Fire King Huo Yi uses the murder of Xin Jue, the second prince of the fire tribe, who is killed during his visit to the Ice Tribe, to start a war between both tribes. During the war, most of the family of the Ice Tribe gets either killed or captured, except the two Ice Princes – Ka Suo and Ying Kong Shi.
The two make a getaway to the mortal realm and request help from the guardian Li Luo to help restore the Ice Wall so that their tribe can be saved. Eventually, the Fire Tribe is defeated, and the two brothers fight each other for the throne.
12. Winter Begonia (2020)
Rating- 8.5 Episodes- 49
Winter Begonia aired exclusively in 2020 on iQiyi and is based on Shui Ru Tian Er’s BL web novel of the same name.
The show narrates the story of the close relationship between Cheng Fengtai, an astute businessman, and Shang Xirui, a Peking opera genius. The two crossed paths in Beijing right before World War II.
Winter Begonia (Credits- DramaPanda)
Fengtai saves Xirui from a rebellious crowd during one of his performances. From here, the two develop a close friendship and together, face many trials and tribulations.
The show portrays the relationship between Cheng Fengtai and Shang Xirui as bromance, although the novel portrayed it as romantic.
13. Sparrow (2016)
Rating- 7.3 Episodes- 69
Sparrow (Credits- IMDb)
Sparrow aired from 5 September to 20 October 2016 on Hunan TV and is based on the book by Hai Fei of the same name.
Set during Shanghai’s revolutionary times, a communist agent named Chen Shen adopts “Sparrow” as his code name and infiltrates the Japanese base with a mission to secure a secret plan that could prove fatal for China.
14. Battle of Changsha (2014)
Rating- 8 Episodes- 32
Produced by Hou Hongliang, Battle of Changsha stars Wallace Huo and Yang Zi. The show comprises a single season which consists of 32 episodes. Furthermore, the show highlights the Anti-Japanese war and the Battle of Changsha during World War II.
Battle of Changsha (Credits- MyDramaList)
Battle of Changsha follows the life of a mundane family residing in Changsha in the Hunan Province of China. A 16-year-old spoiled girl Hu Xiangxiang is seen running away from a blind date that was set up for her by her brother-in-law.
Gu Quingming is a senior KMT strategy advisor of the battle who is brave and enthusiastic. He wants to fight in the incoming war, unlike Hu Xiangxiang’s family, who wants to run far away so that they do not get caught in it.
Various incidents take place, and although initially, the two did not start off on the right foot, eventually, they cross paths again and develop a fondness towards each other while working together, providing help in times of war.
15. Tribes and Empires: Storm of Prophecy (2017)
Rating- 7.6 Episodes- 75
Tribes and Empires: Storm of Prophecy (Credits- YouTube)
The series takes place in Novoland, a fictional world, and narrates the story of the young descendants of the Duan Dynasty. We have three male protagonists whose lives are intermingled with each other.
There are premonitions made, loyalty tested, friendships formed, truth uncovered, and battles fought. You will find love triangles, rivalry, some hidden motives, and a whole bunch of mysteries that will leave you in awe.
16. General and I (2017)
Rating- 6.6 Episodes- 62
The series General and I is based on the novel “ A Lonesome Fragrance Waiting to be Appreciated ” by Feng Nong. It aired from 2 January to 10 February 2017 on Hunan Television.
General and I (Credits- Pinterest)
He Xia and Bai Pingting are forced to run away from the Kingdom of Yan after Prince Jing’an’s mansion is destroyed. However, the two end up getting separated from each other and Pingting finds refuge in a monastery where she chances upon a meeting with Chu Beijie, a general of the Kingdom of Jin.
Chu Beijie immediately recognizes Pingting as she was his first love but sadly, since they both belong to opposite kingdoms, it makes it impossible for their relationship to have a bright future.
17. Novoland: Eagle Flag (2019)
Rating- 7.3 Episodes- 56
Novoland: Eagle Flag is based on the novel of the same name by Jiang Nan. The show aired on 16 July 2019 on online platforms like Tencent and Youku as well as on Zhejiang TV.
The show is set in the fictional world of Novoland and follows the emergence of three heroes-to-be and the struggles they face in becoming so.
Novoland: Eagle Flag (Credits- WeTV)
The Crown Prince of the Qingyang tribe is sent as a hostage to the Hetang Kingdom where he crosses paths with Ji Ye, who is on a quest to become a warrior. He also meets the princess of the Winged tribe – Yu Ran. The three immediately connect with each other and become fast friends. However, both the boys fall in love with the princess which creates a love triangle.
Moreover, Ying Wuyi, a powerful warlord has been bestowing power to the Emperor and the three friends decide to join the battle against Ying Wuyi oblivious of the conspiracy at play.
18. Awakening of Insects (2019)
Rating- 7.2 Episodes- 45
Awakening of Insects takes place in the early 1940s when battle and bloodshed hung heavy in the air. The show has a total of 45 episodes and aired in 2019.
Awakening of Insects (Credits- TV Time)
The series depicts the life of Chen Shan who, in order to save his captive younger sister, is forced to become a Japanese spy. He is caught amidst the conflicts between the KMT, CCP, and the Japanese. However, in the end Chen Shan emerges as a proud patriotic fighter.
19. Once Upon a Time in Qingdao (2014)
Rating- 5 Episodes- 42
Once Upon a Time in Qingdao (Credits- Shandong Film & TV Media International)
The story timeline commences in the year 1904 and ends in 1937 with the upsurge of war. It depicts the lives of three brothers and the obstacles they face in the unruly political period right before the war knocks upon their door.
20. Moment in Peking (2005)
Rating- 7.1 Episodes- 44
Aired from October 23, 2005, to December 2005 , Moment in Peking is a war Chinese drama television series that is based on the novel of the same name by Lin Yutang. The series was produced by CCTV and has won seven awards.
Moment in Peking (Credits- IMDb)
The story follows Yao Mulan, along with two girls who get married to the sons of Zeng, which ensues lives filled with troubles and hardships. The series portrays multiple problems that arise in love, relationships, family, as well as in national honor.
21. Love in a Fallen City (2021)
Rating- 6.8 Episodes- 40
The story revolves around a naive and ordinary young girl and a general. They both cross each other’s paths and eventually grow affectionate toward each other.
Love in a Fallen City (Credits- MyDramaList)
But as we all so accurately know, love itself is never enough to make anything work. The pair strive hard in order to obtain happiness and joy with each other despite the trials and tribulations that come their way.
22. My Chief and My Regiment (2009)
Rating- 8.2 Episodes- 43
Also known as “ Chief ” or “The Chief Show,” My Chief and My Regiment is an extremely popular Chinese series. It was directed by Kang Honglei and produced by Huayi Brothers Media Group. Furthermore, the series is based on the novel of the same name by Lan Xiaolong.
My Chief and My Regiment (Credits- YouTube)
The show is narrated by a limping young soldier and tells about the Chinese National Revolutionary Army Expeditionary Force in Burma who, in the 1942 Battle of Yunnan-Burma Road , fought the Imperial Japanese Army at the Second Sino-Japanese War .
23. Red Sorghum (2014)
Rating- 6.9 Episodes- 60
The Chinese series Red Sorghum is based on the novel of the same name by Mo Yan, which was published in 1986. The series has won 11 awards so far and has received 13 nominations.
Red Sorghum (Credits- KIBES Corporation)
The series is set in the early 1930s and documents the various struggles and hardships of Jiu’er in the rural province of Shandong.
Moreover, it also features Zhou Xun’s return to television after 10 whole years.
24. Too Late to Say I Love You (2010)
Rating- 7.3 Episodes- 36
Too Late to Say I Love You is based on the novel by Fei Wo Si Cun titled “ Bi Zhou Chen. ” The series aired a total of 36 episodes from 30 August 2010 on Hubei TV.
The story follows a wealthy young woman who gets engaged to her childhood friend, who is thrown into prison on account of smuggling drugs and firearms. The woman takes on a train journey in order to save her man but instead ends up saving another young man from a manhunt.
Too Late to Say I Love You (Credits- my own strange bubble)
Too Late to Say I Love You is a story filled with romance, political ambition, passion, and emotions. Difficult decisions are made, truths uncloaked, and love faced head-on.
25. Yangko Dance (2015 – 2019)
Rating- 7 Episodes- 79
Produced by Shandong Film and Television Media Group, Yangko Dance aired from October 2015 to December 2019 on Jiangsu TV and Tianjin TV.
Deriving inspiration from the Haiyang Yangge folk dance, Yangko Dance portrays the life of a fortune-teller who survives by begging for alms on the streets. He ends up getting caught in the vicious clutches of love, family, love and revenge.
Yangko Dance (Credits- GHY Culture & Media)
The journey of the fortune-teller is a whirlwind. He crosses paths with a young woman who he develops a fondness for amidst the chaos and ruin that ensues.
The series is fully loaded with rivalry, bloodshed, and lots of drama for you to feast upon!
26. Ashes of Love (2018)
Rating- 8.3 Episodes- 63
The Flower Deity Zifen foresees a prophecy that when her daughter is born, she will suffer a trial of love during the initial ten thousand years of her life. In order to protect her daughter from this, before she dies, Zifen gives her a magical pallet that prevents her from feeling romantic love.
Ashes of Love (Credits- Amazon)
Jinmi however becomes unknowingly involved in a love triangle between two brothers because of the magical pallet. These two brothers form rivalry towards each other, and wars are waged.
The series is filled with bloodshed, rivalry, romance, and several mysteries that will keep you hooked till the last minute!
27. Arsenal Military Academy (2019)
Rating- 8.3 Episodes- 48
Directed by Hue Kaidong , the war Chinese drama Arsenal Military Academy stars Li Chengbin, Bai Lu, Xu Kai, and Wu Jiayi.
The series tells the story of Xie Xiang, a girl who disguises herself as a male student in order to join the military. She wishes to follow in her deceased brother’s footsteps. In the military academy, she comes across Shen Junsan and Huang Song, and they all become good friends.
Arsenal Military Academy (Credits- The Movie Database)
Xie Xiang works very hard and overcomes all obstacles that come her way, eventually becoming a good soldier who makes everyone, especially herself, proud.
However, the group of friends soon come to find that there is a huge conspiracy at play that surrounds the Chinese resistance and the Qing dynasty, and so they decide to uncover the truth.
28. Who Rules the World (2022)
Rating- 8.4 Episodes- 40
Who Rules the World (Credits- WeTV)
Who Rules the World is a story depicting the age-old saying “opposites attract.” Hei Feng Xi and Bai Feng Xi are the exact opposites of each other. Love blossoms between the two amidst the chaos and ruin of warfare and the vicious claws of the political world.
29. Ever Night (2018 – 2020)
Rating- 8.1 Episodes- 103
Aired in October of 2018, “ Ever Night” is the TV series adaptation of the novel “ Jiang Ye ” by Mao Ni. The show is divided into 2 seasons, with the first season having 60 episodes and the second having 43 episodes.
In the Tang Dynasty, a general ruthlessly kills a family, but a young boy somehow manages to escape from his lust for blood. The boy survives by becoming a murderer himself.
Ever Night (Credits- DramaPanda)
One fine day, the boy uncovers a girl who is lost amidst a pile of corpses. The two grow close and become inseparable. Later in the story, the boy becomes a part of the military and joins the entourage of a princess.
The little girl takes ill out of the blue, and the boy discovers that she is, in fact, the reincarnation of a powerful being who is said to bring chaos and ruin.
30. The Long Ballad (2021)
Rating- 8.3 Episodes- 49
Also known by its other name, “ Chang Ge Xing,” The Long Ballad is a Chinese war drama that is based on the manhua of the same name published in 2011 by Xia Da.
The story is set during the Tang dynasty when the emperors Gaozu and Taizong had established their reigns. It follows the narrative of an imperial princess who is after revenge and whilst seeking it, meets a tribal prince.
The series depicts many authentic historical figures throughout its duration, however, the relationships between most of them, as well as the series plot is purely fictional.
China Wars (Credits- HistoryExtra)
And with this, we wrap up the list of Chinese war dramas for you to watch right now.
Historical and war dramas are always a good choice to watch as not only are they fun and interesting, but they also help educate our minds. Be it fictional or non-fictional, there is always something or the other to learn. Furthermore, the Chinese culture and traditions switch up the whole outlook of the shows.
From the wars within dynasties, internal conflicts, blossoming romance, love triangles, betrayals, unearthing conspiracies, and exploring magical realms to learning important life-changing lessons, these drama shows will not only keep you entertained but also help inculcate knowledge.
So, what will you be watching next?
Japanese film has been one of global cinema’s top standards since Thomas Edison introduced the kinetoscope to the Japanese in 1896. Japanese filmmaking has always been able to strike the ideal balance between light and shade, the ideal mix of whimsy and solemnity to examine otherwise inaccessible areas of the human condition.
This is due to the country’s rich, distinctive aesthetic tradition and brutal feudal history. The Yakuza movie is one of the most well-known film genres to have originated in Japan. The Yakuza is basically the Japanese Mafia, distinguished by their vicious behavior and rigorous adherence to their individual standards of conduct.
The films of this genre frequently feature significant portions of their founded ritual practices, such as yubitsume (the customary act of cutting off a finger as a way of sincere apology) and full body tattooing (or irezumi), and they frequently explore themes of extreme loyalty, respect, family, and adaptation to shifting social landscapes.
Japanese movies before World War II typically focused on the adventures of bakuto, roving gamblers who predated and later evolved into the current Yakuza. Famous national legends were presented in these movies as empathetic Robin Hood-like figures who were compelled to live a lonely outlaw existence.
Yakuza films did not acquire the moral ambiguity and complexity that the bakuto stories lacked until the post-war works of Japan’s most-known filmmakers, such as Akira Kurosawa and Yasujiro Ozu. Here is the list of 30 gangster movies that you should definitely have a look at if you are a fan of this genre, this list may surprise you.
30. Ryuji (1983)
Ryuji is the only classic Yakuza movie that has been made since the 1970s, according to Kinji Fukasaku, the famed director of Battles Without Honour and Humanity, which is widely regarded as the best Yakuza movie ever.
Additionally, for a good reason, author/star Shoji Kaneko Toru Kawashima subverts the traditions of the genre by providing a low-budget depiction of the contemporary Yakuza in which tradition and ceremony are reduced to running gags. The realistic method used in Ryuji served as a model for Takeshi Kitano and Takashi Miike’s more recent masterpieces.
Ryuji
Ryuji, a high-ranking Yakuza member, is let out of jail. Despite being feared and revered inside his group, he wants to leave the Yakuza life and take care of his young family. The allure of reuniting with his old group, though, might be too great to resist given his rising obligations and the enticement of cheap cash just around the corner.
Less than a month after the movie’s debut, Kaneko tragically went away following a fight with cancer, but his sensitive, nuanced portrayal of the damaged title character made sure that his legacy would be remembered fondly.
29. Branded to Kill (1967)
The Nikkatsu film company produced a number of Yakuza movies in the 1950s and 1960s that heavily referenced American gangster and noir films. The Ninkyo Eiga (chivalry films) subgenre, which portrayed the Yakuza as heroic outlaws much in the way of pre-war filmmaking, was the most well-liked among the general population during this time.
Branded To Kill
Seijun Suzuki’s 1967 film Branded to Kill, which Nikkatsu president Kyusaku Hori deemed “incomprehensible,” is now regarded as an influential masterpiece and has had a significant influence on the works of directors like John Woo and Quentin Tarantino. However, Nikkatsu was mainly remembered for the irreverent works of director Seijun Suzuki.
The third-ranked contract killer in the Japanese underworld is Goro Hanada, a Yakuza assassin who enjoys the smell of boiled rice. He is forced into a chaotic struggle for survival and his sanity after failing to complete a challenging contract that a mystery woman promised him. This struggle ends in a confrontation with the mysterious Number One. The Japanese cinema business banned Suzuki after this project, and he didn’t work for another 10 years. Despite this, Suzuki’s cult fame only grew.
28. Sonatine (1993)
Surprisingly, filmmaker Takeshi Kitano started out as a humorist, though you wouldn’t know it from the intensity he gives to this movie as the writer, director, and main actor. When Kinji Fukasaku, a fellow Yakuza film expert, became ill in 1989 while working on the set of Violent Cop, Kitano earned his start as a director.
Sonatine
In the years that followed, Kitano refined his technique to the point where he could create a fluid work that was as captivating and graceful as Sonatine. Murakawa, a Yakuza enforcer, is skeptical when his group is sent to Okinawa to arbitrate a minor gang conflict.
When his group is ambushed, and several people are killed, his worries are validated. Murakawa seeks cover in a beach house with the survivors as he prepares his retaliation. Sonatine demonstrates an author at the height of his abilities, balancing deeply poetic passages with horrifically violent ones.
27. Hana-Bi (1997)
Takeshi Kitano established himself as the preeminent Japanese filmmaker now working on the international scene with this movie and Sonatine. Even if this claim were debatable, few would contest the critical acclaim Kitano’s creative output has received on a global scale, including the renowned Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival for Hana-Bi.
Hana Bi
The movie’s title translates to “fireworks” in Japanese, but Kitano hyphenated it to signify the dual duality of his lead character, Nishi. Hana, which means “flower,” is a symbol of life, but bi, which means “fire” and is a representation of gunshots, is a symbol of death.
Kitano portrays Nishi, a violent and corrupt police detective. With his wife battling cancer, his Yakuza debts mounting, and his partner now restricted to a wheelchair following a deadly gunfight, Nishi makes a sad decision.
The entire movie is anchored by Kitano’s controlled performance; he effortlessly switches between great joy and extreme violence, yet it is a tribute to his directorial that none of these gory scenes feel forced and always fit the character.
26. The Yakuza (1974)
The Yakuza is the ideal place to start for someone unfamiliar with Japanese cinema because it is the only movie on this list that was produced in the west. It takes a thorough yet obviously western approach to the mysterious world and practices of the Yakuza, using action and plot when a Japanese director would be content to exclude them.
The Yakuza
The Yakuza, directed by the dependable Sydney Pollack from a screenplay by the legendary Robert Towne and Paul Schrader (with his brother Leonard), deftly balances the opposing ideologies of the west and the east, culminating in a chaotic clash in the style of Paul Schrader.
Harry Kilmer, played by Robert Mitchum, is a private eye who has a strong connection to Japan because, when serving as a marine stationed there after World War II, he fell in love with Eiko and was forced to leave at her brother’s request. Nearly 30 years later, he is charged with assisting a close friend whose daughter the Yakuza has abducted.
The relationship between Mitchum and Eiko’s brother, played by Yakuza movie staple Ken Takakura, gives the movie its actual strength and emotional center. Mitchum’s presence alone is enough to carry the movie.
25. Battles Without Honor and Humanity (1973)
With this instant classic, frequently referred to as the “Japanese Godfather,” Kinji Fukasaku cemented his position as the leading Yakuza film director of his generation. It is regarded as one of the very first current Yakuza movies and was shot in a documentary-like manner. Although many had portrayed the Yakuza in its modern incarnation, few had the ambition to have unredeemable antiheroes as their main characters.
Battles without Honor and Humanity
Additionally, it stands apart from other prominent Yakuza movies of the era due to its violence and fast pace. It remains near the top of many “best of” lists, including fifth on the famous Japanese film publication Kinema Junpo’s best all-time film list. It is based on the memoirs of genuine Yakuza member Kz Min.
The epic movie, which spans ten years, centers on the exploits of young Yakuza criminal Shozo Hirono. Hirono, who is trying to create a reputation for himself within the underworld, observes the changing of the area Yakuza leaders and ruling families in Hiroshima after the war. The movie was the first in a massively popular, five-part series that ultimately altered Japanese filmmaking forever.
24. Ichi the Killer (2001)
One of Japan’s most productive filmmakers now active in Japan is Takashi Miike. He was accredited with directing 15 pictures in the years 2001 and 2002 alone, demonstrating his tremendous levels of productivity. His variety is nearly unsurpassed, spanning from slick crime fiction to teen dramas and dark humor.
Ichi the Killer
But among his films, his translation of the manga serial Ichi the Killer stands out as being highly divisive. Due to the intense sexual violence and gore, the movie underwent significant editing and was outright banned in some nations. Despite this, the stylized violence and frantic direction made it a cult classic with enormous influence. Kakihara will do all it takes to get even with those responsible for the murder of his boss.
He discovers a plot to rid the city of its Yakuza as he cuts his way through the underbelly of Shinjuku, sparking a gang war in the process. The homicidal outbursts of the psychotic killer known only as Ichi are the driving force behind this plan.
As the bodies pile up and the blood pours, Kakihara and Ichi get closer to their final encounter, from which neither will survive unscathed. The picture goes forward at an incredible rate thanks to Tadanobu Asano’s severe performance as the sadomasochistic (and potentially demonic) Kakihara, which is wonderfully balanced by Nao Omori’s twitchy craziness as Ichi.
23. Graveyard of Honor (1975)
According to assistant director Kenichi Oguri, realism is the secret to any of Kinji Fukasaku’s excellent Yakuza movies, and he frequently chose players who would give their all in physical sequences. Graveyard of Honour may be the pinnacle of this philosophy because it is incredibly honest in its focus on the self-destruction and persisting madness of its lead character.
Graveyard of Honor
It is one of the darkest Yakuza flicks because it has one of the most repulsive antiheroes to ever appear in cinema. It is strong and unrelenting in its gloom. This movie depicts the, especially in the post period of Rikiko Ishikawa’s rule, and is based on the real story of the former Yakuza chief.
It focuses on the consequences of his violent behavior and the punishments he receives from his own gang, as his drug use and contempt for both his allies and foes put his tenuous hold on power in jeopardy. A well-known version was helmed by Takashi Miike in 2002, who added more bloodshed and brutality in his own distinctive manner.
22. Drunken Angel (1948)
Film historians regard Akira Kurosawa’s seminal work as the director’s first important piece of work, as well as the first to portray the post-World War II Yakuza as they are known today. Kurosawa depicted a young criminal negotiating the terrain of an occupied Japan, departing from the typical pre-war representations of the bakuto.
Drunken Angel
As much social critique as the US censors would permit smuggled in by Kurosawa, the outcome is similar to the contemporaneous Italian neorealist cinema trend. Although the issues covered in the movie aren’t typical of the genre, Kurosawa’s method and Toshiro Mifune’s electrifying performance would pave the way for the 60 years of Yakuza movies that followed.
When the clan leader is locked up, Matsunaga, a low-level Yakuza criminal, starts drinking and having affairs. He is cured by a native alcoholic doctor after a fight with a competing gang, and the two develop an odd bond. When his boss is let out of jail, Matsunaga discovers that his standing in the gang is less secure than he had believed. Mifune makes an appearance in the first of Kurosawa’s sixteen films with him, which also features prominent roles in Rashomon and Seven Samurai.
21. Another Lonely Hitman (1995)
Without sacrificing the intensity and brutality of a typical Yakuza movie, Mochizuki Rokuro’s character study of a guy who is having a difficult time accepting change is profoundly compelling. With influences like Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs, Another Lonely Hitman can be understood as bridging the gap between the grim, serious Yakuza flicks of the 1970s and the cinema of the twenty-first century.
Another Lonely Hitman
But it stands out from the crowd as a movie of great worth because of an emotional resonance not typically connected with the genre. A vintage Yakuza hitman is horrified to discover that his gang is now peddling narcotics and that the code of behavior he used to follow has been abandoned after serving a ten-year prison sentence.
Being a recovering addict, he develops sympathy for a local call girl. However, when he steps in to protect her from an assault by a member of a rival group, he finds himself the target of two different gangs. Ishibashi Rio gives a nuanced portrayal that earned him Best Actor at the Japan Film Professional Awards by giving the lonely hitman a lot of sympathy.
20. Velvet Hustler (1967)
Velvet Hustler
In Japan, director Toshio Masuda is regarded as a dependable box office victor; over his 50 years of production, 16 of his films have placed in the top ten for box office take. However, it is his work with Nikkatsu in the 1960s that has endured the greatest and, along with Seijun Suzuki, a contemporary, defined a time in cinematic history.
The song Velvet Hustler (or Like a Shooting Star), with its French New Wave influences and brilliant colors, is the best example of his style at this time. It is among Nikkatsu’s best, not to mention Masuda’s finest moment, and is rife with action and a playful self-awareness.
Young Yakuza hitman Goro keeps quiet after finishing a lucrative job in Tokyo. Although he is able to remain silent and have an active life as desired, he finally becomes a suspect in the killing of a young woman. Another hitman is pursuing him at the same time in vengeance for the assignment he completed in Tokyo. The zany brilliance Joe Shishido has honed through his multiple partnerships with Seijun Suzuki comes through as Goro.
19. Abashiri Prison (1965)
Abashiri Prison
Although Teruo Ishii’s 1965 film was the first authentic Yakuza movie, Kurosawa’s Drunken Angel is still regarded as the first true Yakuza movie. It established Ishii and star Ken Takakura as household celebrities, and Ishii went on to direct twelve sequels as a result of the movie’s success.
A notorious prison in Hokkaido is called Abashiri Prison. As he waits for the final six months of his sentence to pass, Shinichi Tachibana is a model prisoner who tries to keep to himself. When veteran Yakuza member Gonda breaks free while handcuffed to him, Tachibana is forced to flee. In an effort to avoid the law, the two try to form a tense alliance. As Tachibana and Gonda, Takakura and Koji Nanbara complement one another beautifully.
18. Youth of the Beast (1963)
This chaotic journey through the underworld of Tokyo is once again directed by Seijun Suzuki, who is known for his anarchic style. Here, his superb use of color, furious jazz music, and elegantly dressed killers are all on display, cementing him as a cult favorite.
Youth of the Beast
Suzuki’s usual ridiculousness is added in scenes such as when a man has his hair set on fire with an aerosol can and a lighter, giving his Yakuza B-movie canon another potent entry. Joe Shishido, a well-known Yakuza actor, portrays a teenage criminal who is recruited by the local Yakuza because of his unstable and aggressive behavior.
Once he joins, he begins making deals with other gangs to play them against one another, and it quickly becomes clear that he has other goals. Shishido is a regular character in Suzuki, and in this movie, he is at the height of his abilities. His aggressive style and easy coolness perfectly capture Suzuki’s vibrant vision of Tokyo.
17. Street Mobster (1972)
Another Kinji Fukasaku movie on this list simply serves to highlight his enormous influence and prodigious talent in the Yakuza movie genre. His meticulous attention to detail and refusal to shun social deterioration and brutality set the tone for the harsh tone of 1970s Yakuza cinema.
Street Mobster
His renowned epic Battles Without Honor and Humanity was made possible by the ideas and scope of this picture. When a Yakuza member is freed from jail, he discovers that his former gang is in ruins and that the political climate of the underground has drastically changed.
He must lead the remaining members of the gang to claim a new region in order to reposition them as a formidable gang, despite his relative lack of expertise with the new ways, unbridled aggression, and contempt for authority. Because he had many Yakuza buddies, Bunta Sugawara not only gave a terrific performance as the lead but also gave Fukasaku many script recommendations.
16. Minbo, a.k.a. The Gentle Art of Japanese Extortion (1992)
Juzo Itami, a satirist, best known for his screwball ramen western Tampopo, was a master at using humor to subtly highlight the various flaws in Japanese culture. Itami was especially cruel in the comedy Minbo, which follows a brave lawyer (Nobuko Miyamoto, Itami’s wife, and frequent collaborator) as she aids a posh hotel in fending off a swarm of Yakuza who are trying to extract money from it through fabricated civil issues.
Minbo
The gangsters here lack any of the honor or cool frequently associated with them in popular culture and are instead portrayed as little more than craven, thuggish thugs seeking to con honest citizens, which is a mirror of the anti-yakuza onslaught of its time.
In this regard, Minbo makes a particularly sharp observation on the frequently conflict-averse attitude of contemporary Japan while offering possibly the least sympathetic portrayal of Japanese organized crime ever put to film. It’s important to note that this movie and Tokyo Vice have an intriguing, though the tragic, link.
After Minbo was made available in Japan, members of the Goto-gumi, a branch of one of the biggest yakuza groups in the nation, planned an assault on Itami and brutally beat and slashed him. The yakuza organization that the actual Jake Adelstein told about encountering in Tokyo Vice is this one (the book). Adelstein supposedly discovered the real reason for the filmmaker’s strange death, which was a murder that was misdiagnosed as a suicide.
15. Brother (2000)
Takeshi Kitano produced numerous movies on the Yakuza, including coming-of-age tales (Kids Return), road movies (Kikujiro), and even a whole movie about a group of grandfather yakuza out and about (Ryuzo and the Seven Henchman). Brother, the only movie Kitano made in America, is arguably one of his underrated works.
Brother
He plays Yamamoto, a yakuza who is compelled to leave for Los Angeles after his clan is broken up, in the movie. When he meets up with Ken, his younger half-brother, he discovers that he, too, is involved in gang activity. In order to dominate Los Angeles or perish trying, Yamamoto organizes a new yakuza clan with his half-brother and his Black pals rather than giving up and retiring.
Brother, a movie about Yakuza entering America, draws an interesting comparison to Tokyo Vice, a television program about an American entering the Yakuza. Similar to this, Yamamoto’s foreignness is highlighted by the fact that at the beginning of the movie, he is completely lost in translation. But as the story progresses, he strengthens his bonds with his LA crew, particularly Denny, played by Omar Epps. A random heroin dealer from Los Angeles is forced to commit yubitsume in another scene.
14. Why Don’t You Play in Hell? (2013)
A yakuza film about creating a yakuza film is called Why Don’t You Play in Hell. An absurdist criminal odyssey with a jumble of seemingly unrelated parallel stories that eventually collide spectacularly, including a conflict between two warring yakuza clans.
Why Don’t You Play in Hell?
The exploits of the Fu#k Bombers, a group of overzealous but ineffective guerrilla filmmakers, and a love story that included the would-be starlet daughter of one clan’s oyabun. A grandiose fever pitch is reached in the story’s blood-soaked and cocaine-dusted final act, despite the fact that it takes place over the period of ten years and, well, sounds fairly filthy.
13. The Blood of Wolves (2018)
1988 saw Hiroshima. Shuichi Hioka, a young, university-educated junior investigator, is partnered with Shogo Ogami, a crude and unconventional senior detective. The two cops look into the death of a bookkeeper with connections to the Yakuza, but as they dig more into the case, Hioka becomes less certain that he can believe Ogami, who not only behaves and dresses like a thug but is also reputed to be working for the mob himself.
The Blood of Wolves
12. First Love (2019)
After learning that he has a brain tumor, silent, lonely boxer Leo explores the streets of Tokyo in disbelief. Indentured to the mob as a call girl, Monica uses drugs to block off horrific memories of her abusive father.
The two come into contact in one of cinema’s strangest on-screen romances when Leo instinctively punches out a cop who is trying to frame Monica for stealing a sizable shipment of drugs. This puts the two in the middle of a conflict between the Chinese and Japanese triads, who are both after the couple’s blood.
First Love
Despite having produced more than 100 feature films in the roughly 30 years since his debut, Takashi Miike is perhaps most recognized abroad for his use of gruesome visuals and gratuitous gore. His most notorious films, including Ichi the Killer and Audition, reach such a pinnacle of crazed violence that Eli Roth resembles Ken Burns in them.
So it’s all the more amazing that Miike manages to mix First Love’s exhilarating violence, hilarious comedy, and unexpected sweetness so well. It reminds me of Quentin Tarantino’s True Romance. It’s a romantic comedy of errors between young misfits involved in a criminal situation, supported by a cast of great characters, most notably a hyperconfident but ungraceful yakuza cleaner whose desire for power starts the whole messy fiasco and provides many of the movie’s biggest laughs.
11. Under the Open Sky (2020)
Former yakuza Mikami is keen to walk the narrow path after serving a lengthy jail sentence, but he finds it difficult to integrate into a community that may not want him. Although he is sincere and diligent, his impulsiveness and refusal to compromise his convictions scare and repel many around him, including the TV producer he hopes, would bring him in touch with his long-lost mother.
Under the Open Sky
In the end, the decision is between Mikami continuing a futile fight and choosing the simple route back to a life of crime. Miwa Nishikawa, the film’s director and a student of Shoplifters director Hirokazu Kore-eda, is particularly interested in exploring how anti-yakuza laws hinder former members’ recovery and prevent their reintegration into society. It’s a subtle, moving drama about adjusting to and surviving in a world where everything is stacked against you.
10. Alice In Borderland (2020)
When Alice in Borderland debuted, it quickly rose to the top of the charts in Hong Kong, reviving the image of Japanese dramas. The manga-based drama is set in a futuristic Tokyo and centered on aimless gamer Ryohei Arisu (Kento Yamazaki), who discovers the once-bustling city has been abandoned after meeting with his buddies in Shibuya station.
Alice in Borderlands
A voice directs him to a game they have to play, but it’s not just any game; they have to play it to survive. Despite its grim survivalist setting, the drama is packed with thrills and excitement, which may be exactly what we all crave when we’re alone. Fans loved it so much that it was renewed for a second season, and everyone is anticipating the release of the new season in December.
9. Final Fantasy XIV: Dad of Light (2017)
When Akio’s diligent father, Hakutaro, abruptly decides to leave his office job one day without giving any notice, he is confused. For the majority of Akio’s existence, Hakutaro was typically concerned with work. Therefore the two rarely had much time to interact.
Final Fantasy XIV Dad of Light
Akio reintroduces his father to Final Fantasy, a video game the two formerly bonded over when Akio was just a small boy, in an effort to come to know and understand him better. Hakutaro notices that his interest in the game is growing now that his job isn’t taking up all of his leisure time. Akio has been playing the game covertly under an alias in an effort to convince his father to confide in him.
This shockingly underappreciated treasure, which is based on a true story, is broken up into an eight-part miniseries. You’ll want to grab some Kleenex and think about buying the most recent Final Fantasy, which stars Yudai Chiba as Akio and Ren Osugi as Hakutaro.
8. Ride or Die (2021)
Rei, a young woman from a rich family, receives a surprising call one day from her old high school buddy Nanae. Rei is excited to see Nanae even though it has been ten years since they last spoke because they attended the same high school together, and she used to harbor romantic sentiments for her.
Ride or Die
Rei learns that Nanae is an abused wife who is locked in an abusive marriage when she is reunited with her buddy. The two friends gradually develop a new level of familiarity until Nanae asks Rei whether she would assist her in killing her husband.
In this riveting psychological drama presented as an LGBT romance, Kiko Mizuhara (Norwegian Wood, Attack on Titan) and co-star Honami Sato (‘The Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese’) make a comeback to full-length films. Ryuichi Hiroki, who also directed the 2014 movie “Kabukicho Love Hotel,” adapted the story from Ching Nakamura’s manga “Gunjo.”
7. Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan (2019)
Oda Nobunaga takes over as the Oda clan’s new leader after his father passes away, and he quickly begins to seize power in central Japan. However, Nobunaga is not the only daimyo who aspires to unify the country under his absolute reign.
Age Of Samurai Battle for Japan
The following decades of 16th-century Japan become a crucial period in history for the nation and its rulers due to political intrigue and bloody samurai warfare. The actual sequence of events is dramatic enough as it is; this specific period in history doesn’t need to be depicted as a period drama to be stunning, action-packed, and full of high stakes.
This documentary series tells the story of the end of the Warring States era in Japan through historical reconstructions of key moments involving historical figures, including Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu. Re-enactments involve well-known performers like Masayoshi Haneda (‘West World,’ ‘The Last Samurai’), Hideaki Ito (‘Memoirs of a Murderer’), and others, and commentary is provided both in English and Japanese.
6. Demon (1985)
The director of the final New Abashiri Prison episode, Yasuo Furuhata, seems to be drawn to locations covered in snow. A former criminal who retires to a small seaside village in the dead of winter to start over as a fisherman with his family is a self-referential character in this movie, which features the star of the original series. Soon after, a heroin-dependent mobster (played by Takeshi Kitano), who is tempting him back to his old habits from his past, returns to haunt him.
Demon
Furuhata seems to be drawing a contrast between the cruel, crude, and avaricious new breed and the traditional death-and-duty character of the pre-1970s gangster that Takakura had made his stock in trade in this rather poignant, character-driven piece created during a slump in the popularity of the yakuza genre. Kitano, Japan’s most well-known comedian and media figure, makes one of his early cinematic appearances here. The latter would later be popularly described by Kitano.
5. The ‘Black Society’ trilogy (1995-99)
It’s hard to know where to start with the yakuza genre flicks that the incredibly prolific Takashi Miike has directed. This loosely connected “Black Society” (kuroshakai) triptych was started soon after he left the realm of straight-to-video V-Cinema and before he achieved international success with Audition (2000).
Black Society
It is regarded as one of his best works. Each of the titles makes insightful remarks about the Asian racial minorities in Japan, which would appear in a large portion of Miike’s body of work. The first pits a police investigator of a mixed race against a mobster from Taiwan, and the second is about a Japanese gangster who has been exiled to Taiwan.
Although there is much more going on underneath the theatrical on-screen onslaught, they are all characterized by Miike’s quick cuts, highly formed and inventive mise en scene, and hyperbolic attitude to on-screen violence.
4. Midnight Dinner (2009)
Since travel is now postponed, Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories is a fantastic way to satisfy your craving for Japanese food. The story revolves around Meshiya, a late-night eatery in Shinjuku run by the mysterious Master, a chef. In each episode, a different customer tells their entire life story to the Master, who responds by providing support and advice.
Midnight Dinner
The meal frequently represents the character’s favorite and is somehow related to the story. The TV show is well-liked both in and outside of Japan. All of us are in need of the kind of reassuring tales and food that may be found in inspiring food stories. The Master’s advice may be vital to a particular character, but viewers might also take something away from it and identify with it.
3.Giri/Haji (2019)
Although this show is actually made in the United Kingdom, I know you all wished for a show about the Yakuza, the well-known Japanese Mafia. But don’t worry, there are several situations when they speak Japanese, and a portion of the series was filmed in Tokyo. In Japanese, Giri/haji signifies “Duty/Shame.”
Giri Haji
Detective Kenzo Mori travels from Tokyo to London at the start of the series in search of his brother Yuto, who inexplicably vanished and was thought to have died. Yuto was a yakuza member who was charged with killing a yakuza boss’s nephew before going missing. He encountered the violent London underworld while looking for his brother Kenzo.
2.Samurai Gourmet (2017)
Samurai Gourmet, a simple-to-watch series with only 12 chapters lasting 20 minutes each and based on the comic Nobushi no Gourmet by Masayuki Kasumi, is another Japanese series that has seen considerable success outside.
Samurai Gourmet opens with a circumstance that is quite typical in Japan: Takeshi Kasumi, a salaryman who has spent his entire life working and who is now in his 60s and has just retired, is unsure of what to do with all of his spare time. But eventually, he starts to learn about unfamiliar places in his neighborhood and starts to relish the pleasure of dining.
Samurai Gourmet
Additionally, he recalls memories from his youth through eating. Maybe a lot of you will have questions. Okay, but where are the samurai? Actually, Kasumi’s imagined alter ego—the samurai—exists only in her mind.
Due to Kasumi’s shyness and insecurity, she often assumes the guise of a samurai when there is a fight or other stressful situation. This ronin, or samurai without a lord, is the antithesis of Kasumi: haughty and pompous. Somehow, this warrior encourages Kasumi to show greater bravery and resolve.
1. Battle Royale (2000)
Though this movie is not a gangster drama but this dystopian horror film, which is packed with action and gore, is actually regarded as one of the best films of the whole decade, not just in the horror subgenre. It basically invented a new genre and has impacted many other forms of media.
Battle Royale
Any scenario in which a number of people are encouraged to kill each other out until only one person is left is now referred to as a “battle royale.” In order to regulate the country’s youth population, the government passes a law in this movie that compels a group of roughly 50 high school students to engage in a match to the death.
Does The Hunger Games seem familiar to you? Okay, so it’s not (this film came first). They are neither strangers nor professionals. These are classmates competing against one another without any prior preparation. As you witness them commit murder in order to survive, it makes you doubt your own values and makes you consider what you would do.
