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Kôji Shiraishi

Kôji Shiraishi

Director, writer, actor, cinematographer and editor · Born June 1, 1973 (53) · Fukuoka, Japan

Koji Shiraishi (白石 晃士 Shiraishi Kōji) was born and raised in Fukuoka, Japan. After graduating from Kyushu Sangyo University with a degree in film making, he went on to work as an assistant director on such films as Gakuryū Ishii's August in the Water and Shinobu Yaguchi's WATER BOYS. He cites Gakuryū Ishii as his favorite Japanese director, and Ishii's 1980 Crazy Thunder Road as his favorite film. Other directors he admires include John Carpenter, Brian De Palma, Abbas Kiarostami, and Sam Raimi, and films he enjoy include the original Dawn of the Dead (1978), The Evil Dead (1981), Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn (1987), The Thing (1982), and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
June 1, 1973 (53)
From
Fukuoka, Japan
Works as
Director, writer, actor, cinematographer and editor
Titles
13 on MovieCove · 115 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 38 days to Oct 27Up 31% in 30 days

What are Kôji Shiraishi's films like?

Across their 13 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Survival and Morality.

Genres

Horror9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 37th percentile
: browse their Horror movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 46th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama 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
Survival
35%
Morality
21%
Ideas
14%
Self
14%
Power
9%
Bonds
7%
Survival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma5 titles, browse their movies with this themeTruth3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRevenge2 titles, browse their movies with this themePower2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 13 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 0 · Serious 5 · Dark 8

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 9 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 2

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

Gentle 0 · Charged 3 · Intense 10

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

Steady 5 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 2

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

Straight-faced 10 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 0

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

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 8 · 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 2 · Engaged 6 · Full focus 5

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 2 · Affecting 5 · Heavy 6

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

Resolved 4 · Open-ended 6 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

1 analyzed role
  • Heroas Director in Occult (2009)

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
12
Dread
12
Melancholic
3
Absurd
2
Cathartic
1
Other
2

How their films linger

Unsettling10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 8 with a twist

  • Bittersweet3
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous9

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 Kôji Shiraishi's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 6 of their 13 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (3).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Kôji Shiraishi'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

115 credits, 13 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • About a Place in the Kinki Region(2025)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Found Again: Koji Shiraishi Talks Fake Documentary (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Thanks · as Self

  • 白石晃士監督が呪術のように実践してきた恐怖の方程式 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    as 自己

  • Man With a Movie Camera: The Found Footage Legacy of 'Man Bites Dog' (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Thanks · as Self

  • The Dogs of Karma (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Show 12 episodes · Director · Creator · Series Director

  • Red Spider Lilies: The Ascension (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Director · Editor · Writer

  • How to Protect Yourself Against Curses (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Director

  • Noroi: The Curse - Deleted Scenes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Director

  • Urgent report! Pursuing the Truth about Kagutaba!! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Actor

  • Director's POV Koji Shiraishi on NOROl: The Curse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as 自己

  • House of Sayuri(2024)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Koji Shiraishi's Never Send Me, Please Vol.1 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Director · Editor · Writer · as Koji Shiraishi

  • Koji Shiraishi's Never Send Me, Please Vol.2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Director · Editor · Writer · as Koji Shiraishi

  • Koji Shiraishi's Never Send Me, Please (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Director · Editor · Writer · Actor

  • Senritsu Kaiki World Kowasugi! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Director · Cinematographer · Sound Effects · Writer · as Masatsugu Tashiro

  • The Ghost Station(2022)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Midsummer Witch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Director · Editor · Writer

  • Safe Word(2022)

    Director · Editor · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Knife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Director · Cinematographer · Colorist · Editor · Writer

  • Window (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Director · Cinematographer · Colorist · Editor · Sound · Writer

  • Visitor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Director · Cinematographer · Screenplay · as Kôji Kuroishi

  • Welcome to the Occult Forest: The Movie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Director · Cinematographer · Editor · Writer · as Kôji Kuroishi

  • Who? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Director · Cinematographer · Colorist · Editor · Sound · Writer · Actor

  • Welcome to the Occult Forest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 6 episodes · Director · Creator · as Kuroishi Koji

  • Namade Kowasugi! 2.5 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Director · Cinematographer · Writer · as Masatsugu Tashiro

  • Shibuya2036 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Director

  • 未来世紀SHIBUYA (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Show Creator

  • A Beast in Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Director · Writer

  • Top Secret Job 24 Hours (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

  • Hell Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Crazy Road of Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Director

  • Impossibility Defense(2017)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Cho Edogakeishi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Director · Camera Operator · as Self

  • Simokita 2014 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Director · Writer

  • Museum: Introduction(2016)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Koji Shiraishi's Textbook of Fake Documentary - Editing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Actor

  • Koji Shiraishi's Textbook of Fake Documentary - Filming (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Director · Actor

  • Sadako vs. Kayako(2016)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Kidan Piece of Darkness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Director · Writer

  • Vauxhall Rideshow - Escape from Dead School (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Director · Cinematographer · Writer · as Tashiro

  • Koji Shiraishi's Declaration of World Domination (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Director · Cinematographer · Screenplay · Actor

  • Seishun Gunjyoiro no Natsu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Actor

  • Please (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Director · Editor · Screenplay

  • Senritsu Kaiki File Super Kowa Too! Dark Mystery: Snake Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Director · Cinematographer · Visual Effects · Writer · as Masatsugu Tashiro

  • Rest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Namade Kowasugi! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Director · Cinematographer · Visual Effects · Writer · as Masatsugu Tashiro

  • NEET of the Living Dead (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Actor

  • Senritsu Kaiki File Super Kowa Too! Fear Adventure: Kokkuri-san (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Director · Cinematographer · Writer · as Masatsugu Tashiro

  • Message From Beyond (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Director · as Masatsugu Tashiro

  • Senritsu Kaiki File Kowasugi! Final Chapter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Director · Cinematographer · Writer · as Masatsugu Tashiro

  • Murder Workshop (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director · Cinematographer · Editor · Writer

  • A Record of Sweet Murder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director · Cinematographer · Writer · as Tashiro

  • Zetsuosore Taikan Kimodameshi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director · Writer

  • Senritsu Kaiki File Kowasugi! The Most Terrifying Movie in History (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director · Cinematographer · Writer · as Masatsugu Tashiro

  • Senritsu Kaiki File Kowasugi! Preface: True Story of the Ghost of Yotsuya (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director · Cinematographer · Writer · as Masatsugu Tashiro

  • Ultra Violent People - Deluxe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director · Cinematographer · Editor · Producer · Writer · Actor

  • Kudo's Secret (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director · Writer · as Tashiro

  • Her Brother (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director · Cinematographer · Editor · Visual Effects · Writer

  • Mystery Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director · Cinematographer · Editor · Effects Supervisor · Writer

  • NMB48 - Omowase Kousen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Director

  • Cult (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Ada 2: Zetsubô hen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Director · Writer

  • Ada: Senritsu-hen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Director · Writer

  • Senritsu Kaiki File Kowasugi! File 04: The Truth! Hanako-san in the Toilet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Director · Cinematographer · Writer · as Masatsugu Tashiro

  • Senritsu Kaiki File Kowasugi! File 03: Legend of a Human-Eating Kappa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Director · Cinematographer · Writer · as Masatsugu Tashiro

  • Anna Ishibashi: The Missing Actress (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director · Editor · Effects Supervisor · Writer

  • Senritsu Kaiki File Kowasugi! File 02: Shivering Ghost (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director · Cinematographer · Editor · Writer · as Masatsugu Tashiro

  • To The Other Side (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director · Writer

  • Gakkô no Kaidan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director

  • Senritsu Kaiki File Kowasugi! File 01: Operation Capture the Slit-Mouthed Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director · Cinematographer · Screenplay · as Masatsugu Tashiro

  • Yuri Takami's ○○ Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director

  • Good-Bye (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director · Cinematographer · Editor · Effects Supervisor · Writer

  • Ultra Violent People (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Director · Cinematographer · Editor · Producer · Screenplay · Actor

  • Nemosu Idol Sosenkyo Battle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Director · Editor · Screenplay

  • Villain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Director · Screenplay · as Koji Shiraishi

  • Paranormal Phenomenon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Director · Cinematographer · Writer · Actor

  • Cursed Violent People (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Director · Editor · Writer · Actor

  • Shirome (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Director · Editor · Producer · Screenplay · as Self

  • Coming Future (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Actor

  • Occult(2009)

    Director · Cinematographer · Editor · Screenplay · as Self

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Teketeke(2009)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Teketeke 2(2009)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Grotesque(2009)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Ura Horror (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Director · Writer

  • Takada Wataru Teki: Zero (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Director

  • Ghost Zombie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Carved: The Slit-Mouthed Woman(2007)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Uwasa no Shinsô! Kuchisake-onna (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Stories of Apparitions (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Director

  • Dark Tales of Japan - Special Edition: 10 Most Terrifying Things in History that Really Happened (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Director

  • Noroi(2005)

    Director · Screenplay · Writer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Dead Girl Walking (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Director · Screenplay

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

    Director · Teleplay

  • Honto ni Atta! Noroi no Video: Ver. X: 3 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Director · Cinematographer · Writer

  • Honto ni Atta! Noroi no Video: Ver. X: 4 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Director · Writer

  • Ju-rei: The Uncanny (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Director

  • Honto ni Atta! Noroi no Video: Dreadful Post - BEST20 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Director

  • Suicide Pneuma (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Thanks

  • Really! Cursed Video: The Movie 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Director · Cinematographer · Writer · Actor

  • Really! Cursed Video: The Movie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Director · Cinematographer · Actor

  • Onmyoji Real Record! Hyakuki Annihilation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Director · Cinematographer · Writer

  • Suicide Net (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Director · Cinematographer · Actor

  • Japan's Map of Grudges 2!! Investigation: Curse of the Sea of Trees (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Director · Editor

  • Exorcist 2: Human Exorcism (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Director

  • The Life of Bangaku (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 10 episodes · Original Concept

  • Mysterious! Unbelievable 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Director

  • Japan's Map of Grudges!! Investigation: The Curse of Sugisawa Village (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Director

  • The Exorcist's Vengeful Curse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Director

  • Kaze wa Fukudarou (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Director · Editor · Producer · Screenplay

  • She's Above the Clouds (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Director · Cinematographer · Editor · Writer · Actor

  • Violence Men (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Director · Editor · Writer · Actor

  • August in the Water (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Assistant Director · Production Supervisor

  • Man in the Shop (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Director · Actor

  • Red Spyder Liles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

  • Super Man Eater (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Writer

Career shape

A full career of 115 titles, 113 of them dated from 1991 to 2025.

Biggest box office

About a Place in the Kinki Region (2025)

$11M worldwide

Highest rated

Noroi (2005)

Midcredits 77th

Most popular right now

About a Place in the Kinki Region (2025)

Film career

  • 2012Screen debut· Senritsu Kaiki File Kowasugi! File 01: Operation Capture the Slit-Mouthed Woman

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting43 of 115: 7 only acting, 36 with another roleDirecting101 of 115: 20 only directing, 81 with another role · typical Midcredits score36thWriting74 of 115: 2 only writing, 72 with another role · typical Midcredits score37thProducing4 of 115: 0 only producing, 4 with another roleCinematography34 of 115: 0 only cinematography, 34 with another roleEditing27 of 115: 0 only editing, 27 with another roleOther crew18 of 115: 5 only other crew, 13 with another role

115 titles, 81 with more than one role — directing and writing overlap on 72 of them.

By decade

1990s5 · 3 acting · 5 crew2000s29 · 3 acting · 29 crew2010s50 · 25 acting · 46 crew2020s29 · 12 acting · 26 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 Kôji Shiraishi's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 34th percentile, the median of all 13; across their 13 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 48th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Approval · how many liked their films

23rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Reach · how many have seen their films

80thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Midcredits score across 13 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up1
  • 50th to 74th3
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

9 of their 13 titles are Mixed.

  • Crowd Pleaser3
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed9

Most divisive · director, writer

Grotesque (2009)

62nd percentile spread · 41% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director, writer

Noroi (2005)

Midcredits 77th · 65% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 63/100 and the pacing 40/100 in their films, across 12 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 Kôji Shiraishi's work okay for kids?

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

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 88 · severeMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 19 · mildMedian of all films: 32

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

Who does Kôji Shiraishi work with?

People who share at least 2 of Kôji Shiraishi's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Takeki Akimoto shares the most, 2.

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers