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Mari Asato

Mari Asato

Director, writer and actor · Born March 14, 1976 (50) · Okinawa, Japan

Mari Asato is a Japanese film director who primarily directs horror films. She was born on March 14th, 1976, in Okinawa, Japan.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 14, 1976 (50)
From
Okinawa, Japan
Works as
Director, writer and actor
Titles
9 on MovieCove · 38 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 39 days to Oct 28Up 21% in 30 days

What are Mari Asato's films like?

Across their 9 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Survival and Morality.

Genres

Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 44th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Horror3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 44th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Horror 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
39%
Morality
17%
Self
14%
Society
8%
Ideas
8%
Power
8%
Bonds
6%
Revenge3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma3 titles, browse their movies with this themeViolence3 titles, browse their movies with this themeTechnology2 titles, browse their movies with this themeOppression2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 8 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 1 · Dark 6

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

Grounded 3 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 1 · Charged 1 · Intense 6

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

Steady 3 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 1

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

Straight-faced 7 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 0

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

A split, not a type: Slow burn 5 · 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 0 · Engaged 7 · 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 3 · Heavy 4

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 5 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Dread
8
Tense
7
Melancholic
4
Contemplative
2
Absurd
2
Other
1

How their films linger

Unsettling6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Bittersweet3
  • Tragic1
  • 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 Mari Asato's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 4 of their 9 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (2).

Subscription and free streaming for Mari Asato'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

38 credits, 9 with a MovieCove page.

  • It Is My Husband (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Show 12 episodes · Director

  • House of Sayuri(2024)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • From the Dust. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Show 12 episodes · Director · Screenplay

  • Land of Tanabata(2024)

    Show Writer

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows

  • Muddy Dining Table (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Show 9 episodes · Director · Writer

  • The J-Horror Virus(2023)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Kôkando jôshô sapuri (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

  • Under Your Bed(2023)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Hoshi Shinichi no Fushigina Fushigina Tanpen Dorama (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 20 episodes · Director

  • We Are Just Not Divorced (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Show 8 episodes · Director

  • Under Your Bed(2019)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • I"s (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Show 6 episodes · Director

  • Hyouka: Forbidden Secrets (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Director · Screenplay

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

    Director · Writer

  • Fatal Frame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director · Writer

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

    Director · Screenplay

  • The Chasing World 5 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director · Writer

  • The Chasing World 4 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director · Writer

  • The Chasing World 3 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director · Writer

  • Ring of Curse(2011)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Cellular Girlfriend (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Director · Writer

  • X Game(2010)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Girls College Terror (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Director

  • Death Tube: Broadcast Murder Show(2010)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Ju-on: Black Ghost(2009)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • 1 Month Like Summer Vacation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Screenplay

  • Twilight Syndrome: Deadly Theme Park (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Tales of Terror from Tokyo and All Over Japan Volume 3, Part 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Director

  • Have a Nice Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Director

  • Keitai Deka Zenigata Rai (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 40 episodes · Director

  • Kaidan Shin Mimibukuro: Dai Yon Ya (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Director

  • Sodom the Killer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Actor

  • The Boy from Hell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Director

  • Samurai Chicks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Tales Of Terror: Only the Two of Us (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Director

  • Kaettekita! Deka Matsuri (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Director

  • Deka Matsuri (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Actor

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

    Actor

Career shape

A full career of 36 titles from 2001 to 2026.

Biggest box office

House of Sayuri (2024)

$89K worldwide

Highest rated

House of Sayuri (2024)

Midcredits 44th

Most popular right now

Land of Tanabata (2024)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting4 of 36: 4 only acting, 0 with another roleDirecting28 of 36: 13 only directing, 15 with another roleWriting19 of 36: 4 only writing, 15 with another role · typical Midcredits score32nd

36 titles, 15 with more than one role — directing and writing overlap on 15 of them.

By decade

2000s14 · 3 acting · 11 crew2010s14 · crew2020s8 · 1 acting · 7 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 Mari Asato's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 44th percentile, the median of all 8; across their 8 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 45th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Approval · how many liked their films

40thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Reach · how many have seen their films

51stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Midcredits score across 9 titles, by percentile

  • 50th to 74th2
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

7 of their 9 titles are Mixed.

  • Crowd Pleaser1
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · writer

Under Your Bed (2023)

69th percentile spread · 17% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director, writer

Ring of Curse (2011)

Midcredits 59th · 54% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 64/100 and the pacing 53/100 in their films, across 8 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 Mari Asato work with?

People who share at least 2 of Mari Asato's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Yôhei Fukuda shares the most, 2.

Directors

Writers

Producers

Mixed roles