Rikiya Imaizumi

Directing

Rikiya Imaizumi

Born

1981-02-01 (45)

Place of birth

Koriyama, Fukushima, Japan

Known for

Directing

Credits

45 titles

Rikiya Imaizumi (今泉 力哉, Imaizumi Rikiya, born February 1, 1981 in Kōriyama, Fukushima) is a Japanese film director.

Known for

Call Me Chihiro poster
7.2

An unapologetic former sex worker starts working at a bento stand in a small seaside town, bringing comfort to the lonely souls who come her way.

Call Me Chihiro

2023

The Borderline Between Friends with Benefits and Lovers poster
NR

The subject of "Are we friends with benefits (FWB) or are we in a real relationship?" is tackled in this series of seven episodes.

The Borderline Between Friends with Benefits and Lovers

2025

Teasing Master Takagi-san poster
7.3

Takagi, now grown up, revisits her middle school as a trainer. She encounters Nishikata, her former classmate she used to tease, now a PE teacher there. Their playful dynamic resumes, leading to more interactions between the two.

Teasing Master Takagi-san

2024

Over the Town poster
7.3

Arakawa Ao lives happily on his own and hardly ever leaves Shimokitazawa, where he works at a vintage clothing shop, goes to occasional concerts and hangs out at his favorite bar. Then, he gets an unusual request to appear in an independent film.

Over the Town

2019

Skeleton Flowers poster
6.2

High school student, Yo, lived with her father, Nao, after her mother, Sachiyo, left the family when she was very young. However, their life together came to an end and they started a new life as a family of four with her father's second marriage partner, Miko, and her stepdaughter, four-year-old Hinata. She confides in Riku, who belongs to the same art club as Yo, about her confusion about this new life. Yo, who has been developing curiosity for her biological mother, Sachiyo, promises to go with Riku to Sachiyo's art exhibition.

Skeleton Flowers

2021

Undercurrent poster
8.1

Kanae's husband disappeared without a trace while on a union trip. Though usually headstrong and independent, the woman becomes plagued with worry over what happened to him, and is unable to move on with her life. Thus, Kanae decides to hire a private investigator, and keeps running the public bathhouse to the best of her abilities. As he tries to figure out the truth about her husband, Kanae must deal with the stress from a work-intensive job, meddlesome neighbors, and recurring nightmares in which she is drowning.

Undercurrent

2023

Film credits

Series credits

Behind the camera

Call Me Chihiro poster
7.2

An unapologetic former sex worker starts working at a bento stand in a small seaside town, bringing comfort to the lonely souls who come her way.

Call Me Chihiro

2023

Call Me Chihiro poster
7.2

An unapologetic former sex worker starts working at a bento stand in a small seaside town, bringing comfort to the lonely souls who come her way.

Call Me Chihiro

2023

Teasing Master Takagi-san poster
7.3

Takagi, now grown up, revisits her middle school as a trainer. She encounters Nishikata, her former classmate she used to tease, now a PE teacher there. Their playful dynamic resumes, leading to more interactions between the two.

Teasing Master Takagi-san

2024

Teasing Master Takagi-san poster
7.3

Takagi, now grown up, revisits her middle school as a trainer. She encounters Nishikata, her former classmate she used to tease, now a PE teacher there. Their playful dynamic resumes, leading to more interactions between the two.

Teasing Master Takagi-san

2024

Over the Town poster
7.3

Arakawa Ao lives happily on his own and hardly ever leaves Shimokitazawa, where he works at a vintage clothing shop, goes to occasional concerts and hangs out at his favorite bar. Then, he gets an unusual request to appear in an independent film.

Over the Town

2019

Over the Town poster
7.3

Arakawa Ao lives happily on his own and hardly ever leaves Shimokitazawa, where he works at a vintage clothing shop, goes to occasional concerts and hangs out at his favorite bar. Then, he gets an unusual request to appear in an independent film.

Over the Town

2019

Skeleton Flowers poster
6.2

High school student, Yo, lived with her father, Nao, after her mother, Sachiyo, left the family when she was very young. However, their life together came to an end and they started a new life as a family of four with her father's second marriage partner, Miko, and her stepdaughter, four-year-old Hinata. She confides in Riku, who belongs to the same art club as Yo, about her confusion about this new life. Yo, who has been developing curiosity for her biological mother, Sachiyo, promises to go with Riku to Sachiyo's art exhibition.

Skeleton Flowers

2021

Skeleton Flowers poster
6.2

High school student, Yo, lived with her father, Nao, after her mother, Sachiyo, left the family when she was very young. However, their life together came to an end and they started a new life as a family of four with her father's second marriage partner, Miko, and her stepdaughter, four-year-old Hinata. She confides in Riku, who belongs to the same art club as Yo, about her confusion about this new life. Yo, who has been developing curiosity for her biological mother, Sachiyo, promises to go with Riku to Sachiyo's art exhibition.

Skeleton Flowers

2021

Undercurrent poster
8.1

Kanae's husband disappeared without a trace while on a union trip. Though usually headstrong and independent, the woman becomes plagued with worry over what happened to him, and is unable to move on with her life. Thus, Kanae decides to hire a private investigator, and keeps running the public bathhouse to the best of her abilities. As he tries to figure out the truth about her husband, Kanae must deal with the stress from a work-intensive job, meddlesome neighbors, and recurring nightmares in which she is drowning.

Undercurrent

2023

Undercurrent poster
8.1

Kanae's husband disappeared without a trace while on a union trip. Though usually headstrong and independent, the woman becomes plagued with worry over what happened to him, and is unable to move on with her life. Thus, Kanae decides to hire a private investigator, and keeps running the public bathhouse to the best of her abilities. As he tries to figure out the truth about her husband, Kanae must deal with the stress from a work-intensive job, meddlesome neighbors, and recurring nightmares in which she is drowning.

Undercurrent

2023

Love Nonetheless poster
5.4

Koji runs a second-hand bookstore. He likes female drummer Ichihana, but, suddenly, female high school student Misaki appears in front of him and keeps confesses her feelings for him.

Love Nonetheless

2022

His poster
7.1

Shun and Nagisa first meet and fall in love during their first year of high school. While Shun is graduating from university, Nagisa tells him that he doesn't see a future for them. Despite Shun's strong feelings, they go their separate ways. Years later, Shun is now a store owner, living alone in a rural area. Out of the blue, Nagisa arrives with his six-year-old daughter, Sora. Spending time together, Shun realizes he still harbors feelings for Nagisa. Can Nagisa reconcile with his feelings for Shun, which have been there all along?

His

2020

Our Blue Moment poster
7.3

Bakery employee Ichii Fumi holds a peculiar outlook on marriage: "I doubt anyone would love me forever, and I'm doubtful I can love someone forever." One day, Fumi meets the focus of her very first crush, Yuasa Tamotsu. Over time, the distance between Fumi, who broke up with her boyfriend for being unable to reach a decision about marriage, and Tamotsu, who still pines for the wife he divorced, begins to grow closer.

Our Blue Moment

2018

Our Blue Moment poster
7.3

Bakery employee Ichii Fumi holds a peculiar outlook on marriage: "I doubt anyone would love me forever, and I'm doubtful I can love someone forever." One day, Fumi meets the focus of her very first crush, Yuasa Tamotsu. Over time, the distance between Fumi, who broke up with her boyfriend for being unable to reach a decision about marriage, and Tamotsu, who still pines for the wife he divorced, begins to grow closer.

Our Blue Moment

2018

What Is Love? poster
6.9

Teruko is a 28-year-old office worker. 5 months ago, she fell in love with Mamoru at first sight. Since that time, she has not cared about her work or her friends. She then loses her job and her friends look at her coldly. Yet, Teruko is happy as long as she is with Mamoru. Meanwhile, Mamoru thinks Teruko is an easy woman for him to not love. Teruko's unrequited love grows deeper.

What Is Love?

2019

What Is Love? poster
6.9

Teruko is a 28-year-old office worker. 5 months ago, she fell in love with Mamoru at first sight. Since that time, she has not cared about her work or her friends. She then loses her job and her friends look at her coldly. Yet, Teruko is happy as long as she is with Mamoru. Meanwhile, Mamoru thinks Teruko is an easy woman for him to not love. Teruko's unrequited love grows deeper.

What Is Love?

2019

Little Nights, Little Love poster
6.7

Sato is an employee conducting a survey in front of Sendai Station. Saki takes the survey and the two ultimately become a couple. 10 years later, Sato proposes to Saki on the occasion of their 10th anniversary.

Little Nights, Little Love

2019

In Those Days poster
5.1

Having failed to get into graduate school, with no girlfriend, no money, and no prospects of success with his band, Tsurugi's life has reached rock bottom. One day, after watching the video of Aya Matsuura's song “Momoiro Kataomoi”, he becomes obsessed with the idol singers of “Hello! Project”, and plunges into the idol geek lifestyle. However, as time passes, he and his buddies all find other things just as important as the idols and begin to move on.

In Those Days

2021

Mellow poster
5.8

Seiichi is the owner of a flower shop. He enjoys his peaceful single life. Kiho runs the ramen restaurant left to her by her father, but she's thinking of closing it.

Mellow

2020

Mellow poster
5.8

Seiichi is the owner of a flower shop. He enjoys his peaceful single life. Kiho runs the ramen restaurant left to her by her father, but she's thinking of closing it.

Mellow

2020

Their Distance poster
6.8

Reon is a young Korean man. He avoids contact with other people and works as an apprentice shoemaker. One after, he sees a woman Sona passed out and sleeping on a bench in the park. Reon doesn't know why, but he can't get her out of his mind. Meanwhile, Kokaze works in the same shoe shop with Reon and has feelings for him.

Their Distance

2016

Their Distance poster
6.8

Reon is a young Korean man. He avoids contact with other people and works as an apprentice shoemaker. One after, he sees a woman Sona passed out and sleeping on a bench in the park. Reon doesn't know why, but he can't get her out of his mind. Meanwhile, Kokaze works in the same shoe shop with Reon and has feelings for him.

Their Distance

2016

By the Window poster
7.8

Inagaki Goro plays a freelance writer married to his editor wife (Nakamura Yuri), who he discovers is having an affair with the popular novelist she is responsible for at work. Although troubled, he can’t bring himself to confront his wife. He later meets a high school novelist at a literary award ceremony, and–drawn to the award-winning book–he inquires about the model it’s based on, thinking he’d like to meet that person…

By the Window

2022

By the Window poster
7.8

Inagaki Goro plays a freelance writer married to his editor wife (Nakamura Yuri), who he discovers is having an affair with the popular novelist she is responsible for at work. Although troubled, he can’t bring himself to confront his wife. He later meets a high school novelist at a literary award ceremony, and–drawn to the award-winning book–he inquires about the model it’s based on, thinking he’d like to meet that person…

By the Window

2022

Virgin poster
NR

Omnibus by three young directors in the spotlight of Japan’s independent film industry, dealing with the theme of “lost virginity.” Yoshida Koki, whose film {Household X} was an official selection for the Berlin International Film Festival’s Forum, depicts a woman in her thirties losing her virginity. Kazuyo (Masaki Sawa) is a 35-year-old pharmacist living quietly on her own. One day, her interest is piqued by the pseudo-sexual harassment approach of Ryo (Yanagi Shuntaro), a high school youth, and her body gets a taste of sexual desire.

Virgin

2012

Virgin poster
NR

Omnibus by three young directors in the spotlight of Japan’s independent film industry, dealing with the theme of “lost virginity.” Yoshida Koki, whose film {Household X} was an official selection for the Berlin International Film Festival’s Forum, depicts a woman in her thirties losing her virginity. Kazuyo (Masaki Sawa) is a 35-year-old pharmacist living quietly on her own. One day, her interest is piqued by the pseudo-sexual harassment approach of Ryo (Yanagi Shuntaro), a high school youth, and her body gets a taste of sexual desire.

Virgin

2012

Sister Game poster
5.3

Sister Game is a brother-sister romantic comedy that follows the daily life of Gorō Hōzuki, a high school boy with an older sister named Haru who is unrelated by blood. Gorō is mortified when the self-centered and lustful Haru plays pranks on him.

Sister Game

2014

Sister Game poster
5.3

Sister Game is a brother-sister romantic comedy that follows the daily life of Gorō Hōzuki, a high school boy with an older sister named Haru who is unrelated by blood. Gorō is mortified when the self-centered and lustful Haru plays pranks on him.

Sister Game

2014

Same Old, Same Old poster
8.0

Focusing on the lives (and a few deaths) of three filmmakers, Rikiya Imaizumi (Their Distance, Sad Tea) tackles weighty themes in this new ensemble drama set in Tokyo and Fukushima. Director Kajiwara, struggling to earn a living from film, gets an offer to do a music video. But it doesn’t go well and he finds himself in an unexpected situation. Actress Aoba witnesses her filmmaker boyfriend's suicide and decides to hide his body. Gardener Taro plans to close the family business he inherits from his father, but receives a phone call one night from the self-declared girlfriend of his estranged twin, Jiro.

Same Old, Same Old

2016

Same Old, Same Old poster
8.0

Focusing on the lives (and a few deaths) of three filmmakers, Rikiya Imaizumi (Their Distance, Sad Tea) tackles weighty themes in this new ensemble drama set in Tokyo and Fukushima. Director Kajiwara, struggling to earn a living from film, gets an offer to do a music video. But it doesn’t go well and he finds himself in an unexpected situation. Actress Aoba witnesses her filmmaker boyfriend's suicide and decides to hide his body. Gardener Taro plans to close the family business he inherits from his father, but receives a phone call one night from the self-declared girlfriend of his estranged twin, Jiro.

Same Old, Same Old

2016

Straying poster
6.3

A couple who are about to divorce argue over who should take custody over their pet cat. The cat flees and disappears due to the human commotions, causing connections and revelations to be revealed.

Straying

2022

No artwork available
NR

A comedy about marriage versus break-up, honesty versus lies. Sekiguchi and Takagi are a young couple about to get married. Meanwhile Kimura can't tell his girlfriend Tashiro that he got laid off her of his job. One day, Tashiro dumps Kimura and Sekiguchi meets his ex-girlfriend to inform her of his upcoming marriage...

TUESDAYGIRL

2011

I Catch a Terrible Cat poster
7.0

Mr. Takada is a successful mature writer who falls into a creative blockade following the death of her wife. Incapable of finishing the novel his fans demand anxiously, and about to turn seventy, he starts wandering several pubs in the city, until he meets Sayo, a beautiful young waitress with sentimental issues she doesn’t hesitate to share with her clients.

I Catch a Terrible Cat

2011

I Catch a Terrible Cat poster
7.0

Mr. Takada is a successful mature writer who falls into a creative blockade following the death of her wife. Incapable of finishing the novel his fans demand anxiously, and about to turn seventy, he starts wandering several pubs in the city, until he meets Sayo, a beautiful young waitress with sentimental issues she doesn’t hesitate to share with her clients.

I Catch a Terrible Cat

2011

Sad Tea poster
6.8

The romantic ensemble piece revolves around a filmmaker who wants to stop cheating on his girlfriends, a fan who continues to pine for an idol, and a former idol who goes to meet him, while also contemplating the true meaning of 'proper love.'

Sad Tea

2013

Sad Tea poster
6.8

The romantic ensemble piece revolves around a filmmaker who wants to stop cheating on his girlfriends, a fan who continues to pine for an idol, and a former idol who goes to meet him, while also contemplating the true meaning of 'proper love.'

Sad Tea

2013

冬の朝 poster
NR

A short film written and directed by Rikiya Imaizumi, based on the song "Tomodachi no Uta" by ZOOKARADERU.

冬の朝

2025

冬の朝 poster
NR

A short film written and directed by Rikiya Imaizumi, based on the song "Tomodachi no Uta" by ZOOKARADERU.

冬の朝

2025

Owatteru poster
8.0

No synopsis available yet.

Owatteru

2011

Owatteru poster
8.0

No synopsis available yet.

Owatteru

2011