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Norio Tsuruta

Norio Tsuruta

Director and writer, also actor

Norio Tsuruta is a Japanese film director. He directed Premonition, Dream Cruise, and Orochi: Blood.

Biography from TMDB.

Works as
Director and writer, also actor
Titles
5 on MovieCove · 58 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Up 30% in 30 days

What are Norio Tsuruta's films like?

Across a limited sample of 4 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Society.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
28%
Society
21%
Survival
20%
Self
19%
Ideas
12%
Grief2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 4 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 1 · Serious 1 · Dark 2

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

Grounded 3 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 0

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 1 · Charged 0 · Intense 3

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

Steady 1 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 1

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

Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 0 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 1

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

A split, not a type: Easy watch 1 · Affecting 1 · Heavy 2

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

Resolved 1 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings shown from 5 titles

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Dread
3
Tense
2
Contemplative
1
Melancholic
1
Warm
1
Other
1

How their films linger

Thought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

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 Norio Tsuruta's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 4 of their 5 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (3).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Norio Tsuruta'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

58 credits, 5 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • HORROR COLLECTOR (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Show 12 episodes · Original Story

  • The J-Horror Virus(2023)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Honto ni Atta Kowai Hanashi: Summer Special 2022 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Director

  • Honto ni Atta Kowai Hanashi: Autumn 2021 Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Director

  • The Perilous Internet Ring (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Director

  • Honto Ni Atta Kowai Hanashi 2018 SP (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Director

  • Honto Ni Atta Kowai Hanashi: Summer Special 2017 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Director

  • Honto Ni Atta Kowai Hanashi: Summer Special 2016 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Director

  • Honto Ni Atta Kowai Hanashi Natsu Hen 2015 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Director

  • Hontô ni Atta Kowai Hanashi: 15th Anniversary Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director

  • Z (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Z: Endless Hope (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 4 episodes · Director · Creator

  • Madame Marmalade's Mysterious Puzzle - Answer Version (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Director · Writer

  • Madame Marmalade's Mysterious Puzzle - Question Version (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Kaiki Daisakusen: Mystery File (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Talk to the Dead (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Director · Writer

  • Demon Ward (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 9 episodes · Director · Writer

  • Honto Ni Atta Kowai Hanashi: Summer Special 2012 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director · Writer

  • P.O.V. - A Cursed Film(2012)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Ousama Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Director

  • Honto ni Atta Kowai Hanashi: Summer Special 2011 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Director

  • Honto ni Atta Kowai Hanashi ~ 2010 Summer Special: AKB48 Marugoto Jourei Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Director · Writer

  • Orochi - Blood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Director

  • Honto Ni Atta Kowai Hanashi: 2008 Summer Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Director

  • Dream Cruise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Director · Writer

  • Preparing For the Picnic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Director

  • Masters of Horror(2005)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Premonition(2004)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Dark Tales of Japan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Director

  • Ultra Q: Dark Fantasy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Tales of Terror from Tokyo and All Over Japan Volume 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Director

  • Kaidan Shin Mimibukuro: Dai Ni Ya (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Director

  • Tales of Terror from Tokyo and All Over Japan Volume 1 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Director

  • Kakashi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Director · Writer

  • School Ghost Story: Mononoke Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Director

  • Honto ni Atta Kowai Hanashi - Special 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Director

  • School Ghost Story: Curse Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Actor

  • Ring 0: Birthday(2000)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Honto ni Atta Kowai Hanashi - Special 1 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Director

  • Shin rei bideo III: Kyôfu shinrei shashin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Director

  • Shin rei bideo IV: Kyôfu taikendan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Director

  • School Ghost Story: Spring Haunting Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Director

  • A Haunted School (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Shin rei bideo I: Shinrei shashin-shuu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Director

  • Shin rei bideo II: Kyôfu taikendan-shuu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Director

  • Cursed Beauties: Ghost Stories of Evil Spirits (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Director

  • Super-Horror Experience 1: Death and Make-up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Director · Supervising Producer

  • Super-Horror Experience 2: Vampire Spirit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Director · Supervising Producer

  • Super-Horror Experience 3: Zombie Voices (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Director · Supervising Producer

  • Super-Horror Experience 4: Psychic Video (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Director · Supervising Producer

  • Super-Horror Experience 5: Four Priestess Hell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Director · Supervising Producer

  • Gotoshi Co. Ltd. II (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Director

  • The Shivering Mu Experience (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Director

  • Goto shi kabushiki gaisha (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Director

  • Scary True Stories: Realm of Spectres (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Director

  • Scary True Stories: Night Two (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Director

  • Scary True Stories (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Ash (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Director · Writer

Career shape

A full career of 58 titles from 1985 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Premonition (2004)

$653K worldwide

Highest rated

Premonition (2004)

Midcredits 50th

Most popular right now

Ring 0: Birthday (2000)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting2 of 58: 2 only acting, 0 with another roleDirecting55 of 58: 35 only directing, 20 with another roleWriting15 of 58: 1 only writing, 14 with another roleProducing5 of 58: 0 only producing, 5 with another roleOther crew1 of 58: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

58 titles, 20 with more than one role — directing and writing overlap on 14 of them.

By decade

1980s1 · crew1990s19 · crew2000s16 · 1 acting · 15 crew2010s17 · crew2020s5 · 1 acting · 4 crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it.

How do Norio Tsuruta's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 45th percentile, the median of all 4; across a limited sample of 4 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 50th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

50thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Approval · how many liked their films

43rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Reach · how many have seen their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Midcredits score across 5 titles, by percentile

  • 50th to 74th3
  • 25th to 49th2

Shape of the crowd

None of their 5 titles divides audiences: 3 are Broadly Agreed.

  • Crowd Pleaser1
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed1

Most loved · director

Masters of Horror (2005)

Midcredits 67th · 78% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 68/100 and the pacing 45/100 in their films, across 4 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.

Who does Norio Tsuruta work with?

People who share at least 2 of Norio Tsuruta's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Daisuke Ban shares the most, 2.

Actors

Editors

Producers

Mixed roles