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Screen Insights

Tatsuya Nakadai as Ryunosuke Tsukue, blood streaked and mid cut, in the closing massacre of The Sword of Doom.

Screen Insights

19 September 2026

Tatsuya Nakadai: The Essential Films

He walked past the camera as an extra in Seven Samurai and ended up carrying Ran. Eleven films for Kobayashi, five for Kurosawa, and the school he left....

  • Screen Insights

    Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman Explained

    The blind masseur who became the longest running a...

    Title card for The Tale of Zatoichi reading Zatoichi Monogatari 1962, with Shintaro Katsu as Ichi and a travelling companion in straw hats.
    The blind masseur who became the longest running a...

    Written by: Lee O'Neill

    12 September 2026
  • Screen Insights

    Samurai Cinema: Jidaigeki, Chanbara and Where to Start

    Across misty battlefields and quiet villages time ...

    A cinematic wide shot of samurai warriors on horses charging through a smoky battlefield during a Japanese historical drama film by Akira Kurosawa.
    Across misty battlefields and quiet villages time ...

    Written by: Simon Martin

    9 September 2026
  • Screen Insights

    Boy (1969): Childhood on the Road in Ōshima’s Japan

    A ten year old, a travelling scam and a country ge...

    Close-up of the Boy in a baseball cap with his stepmother, played by Akiko Koyama, looking down at him in Boy (1969)
    A ten year old, a travelling scam and a country ge...

    Written by: Keltie Mechalski

    25 August 2026

Japanese film and television have had a profound impact on global culture. Our insights section explores the cultural significance of Japanese cinema and TV, breaking down the themes, storytelling techniques, and iconic filmmakers who have defined the industry. Learn about the evolution of Japanese media and its role in shaping entertainment worldwide.

  • Dreamlike scene from Branded to Kill (1967) featuring a woman in the foreground and a hitman beneath butterfly-covered walls in Seijun Suzuki's surreal Japanese New Wave crime film.

    The Japanese New Wave: Japan’s Cinema Revolution Explained

    Understand why this movement still shapes modern filmmaking and leave with the context to watch its ...

    By: Simon Martin

    1 August 2026
  • Kokuho official poster

    Kokuho Explained: The Cost of a National Treasure

    Why did Kokuho become Japan's highest-grossing live-action film? We explore this cinematic masterpie...

    By: Santiago Campodonico

    1 May 2026
My Neighbour Totoro Studio Ghibli’s beloved film, brought to life
on stage by the Royal Shakespeare Company
The family’s move to the countryside,
recreated live on stage
Soot sprites swarming live on stage,
just as you remember them from the film
Joe Hisaishi's iconic score,
performed by a live band and singer
Musicians play from treehouses
above the stage at every performance
Winner of six Olivier Awards
and five WhatsOnStage Awards
The beloved Totoro made real, with puppets
built by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop
Totoro and the Catbus, live Satsuki and Mei, live in London The soot sprites are real Hisaishi's score, live nightly Musicians in the treehouses Award-winning, final months Six Olivier Awards Book your seats From screen to stage Choose your date Book tickets Book tickets Book tickets See Totoro live

More From Our Screen Insights Archive

  • Akira Kurosawa's The Idiot is an underrated film in his body of work.

    Kurosawa’s The Idiot, More Than an Adaptation

    By Santiago Campodonico

    24 January 2026

  • japanese cinema scene featuring two characters in traditional costume standing on rocks reflecting noh theatre influence and stylized dramatic storytelling.

    Noh’s Presence and Power in Japanese Cinema

    By Santiago Campodonico

    4 December 2025

  • A close up of Hirayama and his niece looking up at trees while taking photos in a scene from Wim Wenders film Perfect Days.

    Wim Wenders’ Japan: A Cornerstone of Subtle Beauty

    By Santiago Campodonico

    24 September 2025

  • Rick Deckard reading a newspaper in front of vibrant pink and blue neon lights in Blade Runner showcasing the intersection of corporate life and Japanese visual influence.

    Ridley Scott’s Japan: A Path Forward

    By Santiago Campodonico

    15 May 2025

  • scene from seven samurai 1954 by akira kurosawa showing samurai warriors preparing for battle representing the golden age of japanese cinema.

    Golden Age of Japanese Cinema: Must-See Film Classics

    By Simon Martin

    20 February 2025

  • Juzo Itami

    The Death of Juzo Itami: Suicide or Yakuza Hit?

    By Santiago Campodonico

    28 December 2024

  • bob and charlotte from lost in translation standing together against bold patterned background reflecting emotional disconnection loneliness and search for connection in tokyo nightlife.

    Representing Tokyo in ‘Lost in Translation’

    By Simon Martin

    17 October 2023

  • godzilla giant kaiju monster destroying city lights in classic japanese monster movie representing the godzilla showa era and kaiju film genre.

    The Evolution of Godzilla in the Shōwa Era (1954 to 1975)

    By Simon Martin

    8 May 2022

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Next
My Neighbour Totoro Studio Ghibli’s beloved film, brought to life
on stage by the Royal Shakespeare Company
The family’s move to the countryside,
recreated live on stage
Soot sprites swarming live on stage,
just as you remember them from the film
Joe Hisaishi's iconic score,
performed by a live band and singer
Musicians play from treehouses
above the stage at every performance
Winner of six Olivier Awards
and five WhatsOnStage Awards
The beloved Totoro made real, with puppets
built by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop
Totoro and the Catbus, live Satsuki and Mei, live in London The soot sprites are real Hisaishi's score, live nightly Musicians in the treehouses Award-winning, final months Six Olivier Awards Book your seats From screen to stage Choose your date Book tickets Book tickets Book tickets See Totoro live
Rebellious Bodies Butoh Festival 2026
16 Oct to 22 Nov 2026
Three generations of butoh on one UK stage, for the first time
Mitsuyo Uesugi returns to The Place after 46 years
London · Bangor · Newcastle · Norway
See what's on

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    Kokuho Explained: The Cost of a National Treasure

Final show 3 Jan 2027 My Neighbour Totoro Book tickets

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