Jun Ichikawa

Directing

Jun Ichikawa

Born 1948-11-25 · Tokyo, Japan

Jun Ichikawa was a Japanese film director and screenwriter. He was first a director of television commercials before adding filmmaking to his creative activities. His most famous film outside of Japan was Tony Takitani, an adaptation of a short story by Haruki Murakami. He died of a cerebral hemorrhage after suddenly collapsing at a restaurant, shortly before his latest film, Buy a Suit, was to premier at the Tokyo International Film Festival.

Acting credits

Behind the camera

Goaisatsu poster
NR

An anthology exploring the meaning of the Japanese greeting goaisatsu.

Goaisatsu

1991

Goaisatsu poster
NR

An anthology exploring the meaning of the Japanese greeting goaisatsu.

Goaisatsu

1991

Aogeba Tôtoshi poster
5.9

Mortality and death seen through the eyes of a lonely student who has an morbid and albeit naive fascination with death. His teacher, Koichi is also grappling with the issue of mortality as he deals with the impending death of his ailing father, who has decided to spend his final days in the family home. As the story progresses, Koichi finds unexpected solace from his grief by letting his troubled student visit and meet with his father in the hopes that he will understand the meaning of life and death.

Aogeba Tôtoshi

2006

Aogeba Tôtoshi poster
5.9

Mortality and death seen through the eyes of a lonely student who has an morbid and albeit naive fascination with death. His teacher, Koichi is also grappling with the issue of mortality as he deals with the impending death of his ailing father, who has decided to spend his final days in the family home. As the story progresses, Koichi finds unexpected solace from his grief by letting his troubled student visit and meet with his father in the hopes that he will understand the meaning of life and death.

Aogeba Tôtoshi

2006

Osaka Story poster
6.0

Young Wakana is the daughter of a husband and wife comedy act, who have worked together for 20 years without any big success. Wakana’s parents quarrel constantly, and her mother often threatens to leave. When one day her father disappears, Wakana sets out to find him.

Osaka Story

1999

Tsugumi poster
7.5

Tsugumi, who lives in a small seaside town, has been in delicate health from birth. Her parents spoiled her and she is rough and selfish. However, a few people are attracted by her beauty and unique character.

Tsugumi

1990

Tsugumi poster
7.5

Tsugumi, who lives in a small seaside town, has been in delicate health from birth. Her parents spoiled her and she is rough and selfish. However, a few people are attracted by her beauty and unique character.

Tsugumi

1990

Tony Takitani poster
6.8

A reclusive illustrator falls in love with a young woman who addictively shops for clothing.

Tony Takitani

2004

Tony Takitani poster
6.8

A reclusive illustrator falls in love with a young woman who addictively shops for clothing.

Tony Takitani

2004

Tokyo Lullaby poster
6.7

When Koichi Hamanaka returns after his mysterious disappearance years earlier, journalist Asakura who befriended Hamanaka's wife during his absence, tries to piece together the reasons for his departure.

Tokyo Lullaby

1997

The Tokyo Siblings poster
5.0

Living in an old Tokyo district, Kenichi works at a second-hand bookshop to support his sister, Yoko, a high school student. When Yoko graduates, she starts work at a photo shop. By the time, Kenichi's girlfriend has decided to marry someone else as she is tired of waiting for him. When Yoko starts dating Kenichi's best friend, Makoto , he is strangely resentful, but when Makoto is involved in a fatal accident, brother and sister resume their routine life.

The Tokyo Siblings

1995

BU・SU poster
6.2

Mugiko, an 18-year-old attempts to escape her unhappiness with village life by going to Tokyo to live and work in the geisha house run by her aunt. The daughter of a once great geisha, Mugiko is entitled by blood to train in the geishas' ancient art of classical Japanese song and dance.

BU・SU

1987

The Whispered City poster
9.0

Director Jun Ichikawa spins this affectionate portrait of the people who populate Shimokitazawa, a bohemian corner of Tokyo filled with small theater companies and smoky coffeehouses.

The Whispered City

2000

How to Become Myself poster
5.4

Juri, an elementary school girl, loses sight of her true self while acting out a false self to play along with her friends. Kanako, a classmate who used to be the popular girl but has been bullied lately, tells Juri that the girl she is now is not her true self, and Juri sympathizes.

How to Become Myself

2007

Dying at a Hospital poster
6.8

Filmed in a documentary style, six patients in six wards of different ages and circumstances await death at a hospital in Japan. The sterile and dismal environment is contrasted against the emotional being of the patients, their visitors and relatives and the outside world, which they will never again survey.

Dying at a Hospital

1993

Dying at a Hospital poster
6.8

Filmed in a documentary style, six patients in six wards of different ages and circumstances await death at a hospital in Japan. The sterile and dismal environment is contrasted against the emotional being of the patients, their visitors and relatives and the outside world, which they will never again survey.

Dying at a Hospital

1993

Kin chan no Cinema Jack poster
NR

Kin chan no Cinema Jack is an anthology film starring Yuen Biao and produced by Jackie Chan

Kin chan no Cinema Jack

1993

Kaisha monogatari: Memories of You poster
6.0

A hard-working section chief, fast approaching retirement and beset by stress from all directions, joins a jazz band and reignites his youthful passion for the music, giving him a chance to set things right in his life.

Kaisha monogatari: Memories of You

1988

Kaisha monogatari: Memories of You poster
6.0

A hard-working section chief, fast approaching retirement and beset by stress from all directions, joins a jazz band and reignites his youthful passion for the music, giving him a chance to set things right in his life.

Kaisha monogatari: Memories of You

1988

Tokiwa: The Manga Apartment poster
6.3

There once stood a famous apartment building where such prominent manga artists as Tezuka Osamu, Shotaro Ishinomori and Fujio Akatsuka all lived, worked, and shared experiences. The name of the complex was Tokiwa-so, and these were the early days of artists who would later be revered as legends.

Tokiwa: The Manga Apartment

1996

Tokiwa: The Manga Apartment poster
6.3

There once stood a famous apartment building where such prominent manga artists as Tezuka Osamu, Shotaro Ishinomori and Fujio Akatsuka all lived, worked, and shared experiences. The name of the complex was Tokiwa-so, and these were the early days of artists who would later be revered as legends.

Tokiwa: The Manga Apartment

1996

Tokyo rendering kashu poster
NR

Taking his camera and microphone to the heart of the megalopolis of Japan, the director combines scenes of the Tokyo with on-screen commentary and questions to articulate his vision of a city or to ask questions about it in spite of an audience which may think the questions are already answered and need not be asked or commented on.

Tokyo rendering kashu

2009

Tokyo rendering kashu poster
NR

Taking his camera and microphone to the heart of the megalopolis of Japan, the director combines scenes of the Tokyo with on-screen commentary and questions to articulate his vision of a city or to ask questions about it in spite of an audience which may think the questions are already answered and need not be asked or commented on.

Tokyo rendering kashu

2009

Kiss off poster
NR

A promotional video starring Rikako Murakami.

Kiss off

1991