Japanese Film Festival 2025 to screen 'Godzilla Minus One,' 'Haikyu,' and more

Godzilla Minus One

A guilt-ridden pilot, Shikishima Koichi, finds new strength and courage to stand up against Godzilla that suddenly appeared, in helping a young woman, Oishi Noriko, and the little orphan girl in her care. Hailed by many reviewers and legions of worldwide fans as one of the best Godzilla movies, this is a must-see film.

Perfect Days

Hirayama seems utterly content with his simple life as a cleaner of toilets in Tokyo. Outside of his very structured everyday routine, he enjoys his passion for music and books. And he loves trees and takes photos of them. A series of unexpected encounters gradually reveal more of his past. A deeply moving and poetic reflection on finding beauty in the everyday world around us.

Akira

As the leader of a group of young robust delinquents, Kaneda spent his nights tearing through the urban wastes, racing his motorbike against rival groups. One night while riding with his gang, his friend Tetsuo suddenly encounters a strange boy–the product of human experimentation—and is injured in the ensuing crash.

Shortly thereafter, a military squadron appears to take the boy and Tetsuo away to an army research facility. Determined to free Tetsuo from capture, Kaneda sneaks into the army research lab. However, a regimen of extreme experimental procedures has awakened a new power in his friend, and now he is consumed by madness.

DitO

Leaving his wife and children behind in Japan, professional boxer Eiji Kamiyama is trying to make a comeback in a foreign land, the Philippines. One day, his only daughter Momoko appears in front of Kamiyama.

Reunited, the father and daughter clash but gradually deepen their bond. Meanwhile, Kamiyama, who has just turned 40, receives an offer for his last chance at a match.

Sand Land

Set in a mysterious desert world where demons and humans coexist, Sand Land is an adventurous fantasy following the mischievous but pure-hearted Fiend Prince, Beelzebub, who forms a trio with a demon named Thief and a human sheriff, Rao, in search of the Legendary Spring hidden somewhere in the desert. 

Under the Open Sky

Mikami, an ex-yakuza of middle age who spent most of his life in prison, gets released after serving 13 years of sentence for murder. Hoping to find his long-lost mother, from whom he was separated as a child, he applies for a TV show and meets a young TV director Tsunoda.

Meanwhile, he struggles to get a proper job and fit into society. His impulsive, adamant nature and ingrained beliefs cause friction in his relationship with Tsunoda and those who want to help him.

The Imaginary

Studio Ponoc’s new animated feature film, The Imaginary, is a wondrous adventure that portrays the depths of humanity and creativity through the eyes of young Amanda and her imaginary companion, Rudger, a boy no one can see imagined by Amanda to share her thrilling make-believe adventures.

But when Rudger, suddenly alone, arrives at The Town of Imaginaries, where forgotten Imaginaries live and find work, he faces a mysterious threat.

Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle

During the Miyagi Prefecture Spring High School Volleyball Tournament and the preliminaries for the Spring High, Karasuno High School emerged victorious over formidable opponents, continuously evolving their skills. They achieved a stunning triumph over Inarizaki High School in the second round of the Spring High tournament.

Now, they stand ready to face their longstanding rivals, Nekoma High School, in the highly anticipated third round. These two powerhouse teams have never clashed on the official stage despite engaging in numerous practice matches. This long-awaited showdown between Karasuno High School and Nekoma High School is famously known as "The Dumpster Battle."

Monster

When her young son Minato starts to behave strangely, his mother feels that there is something wrong. Discovering that a teacher is responsible, she storms into the school demanding to know what’s going on. But as the story unfolds through the eyes of mother, teacher, and child, the truth gradually emerges.

Matched

Successful at work but shy in love, wedding planner Rinka reluctantly joins a dating app at the urging of her colleague. She matches with a blonde-haired charmer named Tom, but on the first date, Rinka quickly realizes something off about this mysterious stranger.

What began as an innocent meeting soon takes a rotten turn: Tom starts sending an endless stream of messages, and unbeknownst to Rinka, he’s a suspect in a murder case targeting users of the same dating app… the victims of which were all Rinka’s clients!

Frightened by Tom’s relentless pursuit, Rinka seeks help from app developer Kageyama, soon finding comfort in her newfound hero’s arms. Is this finally Rinka’s happy-ever-after, or is something sinister still lurking in the shadows?

Our Secret Diary

One day, second-year high school student Nozomi finds a letter on her desk from Setoyama, the most popular boy in school that simply reads “I like you.” Though confused if it’s a prank, she puts a response in his shoe box, leading to the start of a secret exchange diary.

But it turns out that the letters and diary were intended for her best friend. Although everything started because of a misunderstanding, she keeps up with the exchange diary without telling Setoyama the truth.

Nozomi, who always reads the room too much and isn’t much of a talker, initially dislikes the straightforward Setoyama, but she starts to fall for him as she gets to know him. However, as she starts to lose her chance of coming out with the truth, things take an unexpected turn… Where will this bittersweet one-sided love that began with a lie end up

Let's Go Karaoke

As his school’s choir club leader, 14-year-old Satomi has only one thing on his mind—the upcoming final competition before he graduates middle school. However, his routine is disrupted when he’s approached by Kyoji, a menacing yakuza with an unusual request: “Let’s go karaoke!”

Baffled and cautious, Satomi soon discovers the off-key gangster needs singing lessons to avoid losing his gang’s karaoke contest and a harrowing punishment… a bad tattoo selected by the boss himself! Reluctantly, Satomi agrees to help Kyoji through a series of karaoke sessions, and the duo forge an unexpected friendship.

Details on the venue and screening schedules of the Japanese Film Festival have yet to be announced.