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Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda

Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda

A portrait of genius music composer Ryuichi Sakamoto.

2017100 minNot RatedMidcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
Director
Stephen Nomura Schible
Starring
Ryūichi Sakamoto

Oscar-winning composer Ryuichi Sakamoto weaves man-made and natural sounds together in his works. His anti-nuclear activism grew after the 2011 Fukushima disaster, and his career only paused after a 2014 cancer diagnosis.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda streaming on MUBI and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda?

Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda earns 5 badges, led by Top 5% of films and Universally Loved.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda worth watching?

Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda's Midcredits score is the 97th percentile of all films, from 16K ratings across 6 sources. 85% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

97th percentile

Better received than 97% of films

93rd percentile among Documentary97th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)95th
Approval (how many liked it)95th

78 /100

95th percentile of all films

85th percentile among Documentary95th percentile among 2010s

Critics 78 · Audience 78

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

85% liked it

95th percentile of all films

90th percentile among Documentary95th percentile among 2010s
85% rated it 7–1015% rated it 1–6

Critics 98% · Audience 82%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 2 wins / 5 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

86th percentile

16K ratings across platforms

97th percentile among Documentary87th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 20% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$13K
Domestic gross$117K
Worldwide gross$985K

86th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a quiet, reflective, and respectful portrait focused on Sakamoto's artistic process rather than a comprehensive biography.

Fans praised

  • Intimate portrait of the creative process
  • Captures Sakamoto's unique sound-seeking and nature-inspired approach
  • Humane and reflective without being melodramatic

Detractors panned

  • Middleweight content feels insufficient for the artist's stature
  • Lacks depth on personal life and early career

What stands out

Sound and music95

Sakamoto's compositions and field recordings are central and praised

Atmosphere85

Gentle, poetic, and understated tone pervades

Emotional impact80

Mournful yet inspiring reflection on mortality and creativity

Characters80

Sakamoto's personality comes through as gentle, thoughtful, and dedicated

Cinematography75

Handsomely crafted footage of nature and studio

Pacing75

Calm and patient; some find it plodding

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • US vs non-US 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Food for thought: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something to think about afterwards.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you thinking. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Food for thought.

Moods
ContemplativeMelancholicWarm
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Tender · 13% of films
Told as
Episodic · 13% of films: Loosely connected incidents rather than one driving plot.
ToneThe film holds its subject with quiet, respectful intimacy, letting music and silence speak rather than imposing dramatic structure.
The rideThe film maintains a meditative, quiet tone throughout, reflecting both the beauty and the weight of Sakamoto's situation.
StructureThe film moves through a series of scenes and reflections on Sakamoto's life, work, and artistic practice, rather than following a single narrative arc.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

The answer rests on this: Thought-provokingWistful · 8% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the viewer reflecting on mortality, the meaning of one's work, and the quiet beauty of creative persistence, with a gentle melancholy.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22% (this title)

No archetype fits — true of 22% of films: ensemble pieces, satire, slice-of-life.

Why this archetypeThis is a documentary portrait of an artist's creative process and life reflection, not a narrative with a plot archetype.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfPurposeSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% (this title) · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% (this title) · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Purpose · 9% of filmsMortality · 2% of filmsNature · 2% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on Sakamoto's drive to create meaningful work in the face of his cancer diagnosis and mortality, while his deep engagement with nature and sound shapes his artistic purpose.
StanceThe documentary observes Sakamoto's life and art without sensationalism or judgment, allowing his story to unfold naturally.

The world

ContemporaryRuralInstitutionalDomesticRealistic
AmbientMinimal or silentForeground music · hybrid
SettingJapan after the 2011 Fukushima disaster, including Sakamoto's studio and natural locations
MusicSakamoto's own compositions and field recordings are central to the film, reflecting his integration of nature and technology.

Content guide

Is Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda okay for kids?

Ratings in 6 other countries
  • UKPG
  • IrelandPG
  • JapanG
  • South KoreaALL
  • NetherlandsAL
  • PortugalM/12

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda?

Cast

Ryūichi Sakamoto
as Self

Crew

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2.9K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: music documentary. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.