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Shōhei Imamura

Shōhei Imamura

Director, writer and producer, also actor · Died May 30, 2006, aged 79 · Tokyo, Japan

Shōhei Imamura (15 September 1926 – 30 May 2006) was a Japanese film director. He was the first Japanese director to win two Palme d'Or awards, but was never Oscar-nominated in any category.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 15, 1926
Died
May 30, 2006 (aged 79)
From
Tokyo, Japan
Works as
Director, writer and producer, also actor
Titles
17 on MovieCove · 49 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 17% in 30 days

What are Shōhei Imamura's films like?

Across their 14 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Survival.

Genres

Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 85th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 92nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 91st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
23%
Survival
19%
Power
16%
Morality
15%
Society
15%
Ideas
7%
Bonds
5%
Obsession2 titles, browse their movies with this themeClass3 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief2 titles, browse their movies with this themeTruth2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption2 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty2 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 14 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 1 · Serious 3 · Dark 10

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 6 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 3

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 2 · Charged 3 · Intense 9

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 3 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 5

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 10 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 0

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 11 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 1 · Engaged 10 · Full focus 3

Heavy: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their heavy movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 0 · Affecting 3 · Heavy 11

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 4 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 6

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
8
Melancholic
8
Contemplative
7
Dread
4
Absurd
3
Other
4

How their films linger

Thought-provoking10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Bittersweet7
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous5

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Shōhei Imamura's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 13 of their 17 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Criterion Channel (11).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Shōhei Imamura's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

49 credits, 17 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Wives in 30's to 50's (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Second Assistant Director

  • September 11(2002)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • 2009: Lost Memories(2002)

    as Historian

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Warm Water Under a Red Bridge(2001)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Dr. Akagi(1998)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • The Eel(1997)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Black Rain(1989)

    Director · Executive Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On(1987)

    Associate Producer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Zegen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Director · Writer

  • Have You Seen the Barefoot God? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Producer

  • The Ballad of Narayama(1983)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Eijanaika (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

  • Vengeance Is Mine(1979)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • The Youth Killer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Producer

  • Karayuki-San, the Making of a Prostitute (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Director · as Himself

  • Outlaw-Matsu Comes Home (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Director · as Himself

  • My Shimokita (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Director · as Self

  • The Pirates of Buban (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Director · Writer · as Himself

  • Following the Unreturned Soldier: Thailand (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Director

  • History of Postwar Japan as Told by a Bar Hostess (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Director · Writer

  • Following the Unreturned Soldiers: Malaysia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Director

  • Profound Desires of the Gods(1968)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • East China Sea (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Producer · Writer

  • The Neon Taiheiki (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Writer

  • A Man Vanishes(1967)

    Director · Producer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • The Pornographers(1966)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Intentions of Murder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Director · Screenplay

  • The Insect Woman(1963)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Gambling Monk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Screenplay

  • A Modern Samurai Village (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Screenplay

  • Foundry Town (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Screenplay

  • Pigs and Battleships(1961)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • My Second Brother (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Endless Desire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Nishi Ginza Station (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Stolen Desire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Director

  • Mountain Pass (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Assistant Director

  • A Sun-Tribe Myth from the Bakumatsu Era (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Assistant Director · Screenplay

  • Hungry Soul (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Assistant Director

  • Our Town (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Second Assistant Director

  • Suzaki Paradise: Red Light District (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Assistant Director

  • The Balloon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Assistant Director · Screenplay

  • Tales of Ginza (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Assistant Director

  • Till We Meet Again (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    First Assistant Director

  • Burden of Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    First Assistant Director

  • The Moon Has Risen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Assistant Director

  • Tokyo Story(1953)

    Second Assistant Director

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice(1952)

    Assistant Director

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Early Summer(1951)

    Assistant Director

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 49 titles from 1951 to 2002.

Biggest box office

2009: Lost Memories (2002)

$12M worldwide

Highest rated

The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On (1987)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

The Ballad of Narayama (1983)

Film career

  • 2002Screen debut· 2009: Lost Memories

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting1 of 49: 1 only acting, 0 with another roleDirecting26 of 49: 9 only directing, 17 with another role · typical Midcredits score90thWriting23 of 49: 4 only writing, 19 with another role · typical Midcredits score90thProducing8 of 49: 3 only producing, 5 with another roleOther crew14 of 49: 12 only other crew, 2 with another role

49 titles, 20 with more than one role — directing and writing overlap on 16 of them.

By decade

1950s17 · crew1960s11 · crew1970s9 · crew1980s6 · crew1990s2 · crew2000s4 · 1 acting · 3 crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Shōhei Imamura's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 92nd percentile, the median of all 17; across their 14 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 89th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

89thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Approval · how many liked their films

88thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Reach · how many have seen their films

78thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Midcredits score across 17 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up14
  • 50th to 74th2
  • 25th to 49th1

Shape of the crowd

None of their 17 titles divides audiences: 8 are Universally Loved.

  • Universally Loved8
  • Crowd Pleaser8
  • Mixed1

Most loved · producer

The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On (1987)

Midcredits 98th · 89% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 76/100 and the pacing 45/100 in their films, across 14 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Shōhei Imamura's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 79 · intenseMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Shōhei Imamura work with?

People who share at least 2 of Shōhei Imamura's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Mitsuko Baishō shares the most, 5.

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles