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Poster for Kokuho

Kokuho

Seen it?

2025 | 174 min | Drama

Friday Night Flickearly rating

Why it’s a Friday Night Flick

Critics loved it (95% on Rotten Tomatoes), it drew serious awards attention, it made about 17 times its budget and it's still drawing plenty of interest. Make plans for this one.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for anyone who loves a strong drama. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Thoughtful and character-driven.
The pace
Unhurried and epic, at 2 hr 54 min.
What might put you off
  • It's long: 2 hr 54 min.
  • It's in Japanese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

Nagasaki, 1964: Following the death of his Yakuza father, 15-year-old Kikuo is taken under the wings of a famous Kabuki actor. Alongside Shunsuke, the actor’s only son, he decides to dedicate himself to this traditional form of theatre. For decades, the two young men grow and evolve together – and one will become the greatest Japanese master of the art of Kabuki.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    95% on Rotten Tomatoes, 80 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesSolid

    7.9 out of 10

  • AwardsStrong

    38 wins and 10 nominations from smaller awards and festivals

  • Box office & staying powerStrong

    $134 million worldwide on a $8 million budget

  • Buzz & cultural impactStrong

    About 568K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Sang-il Lee

  • Ryo YoshizawaKikuo Tachibana
  • Ryusei YokohamaShunsuke Ogaki
  • Mitsuki TakahataHarue Fukuda
  • Shinobu TerajimaSachiko Ogaki
  • Soya KurokawaKikuo (young)
  • Keitatsu KoshiyamaShunsuke (young)
  • Min TanakaMangiku Onogawa
  • Ken WatanabeHanjiro Hanai
  • Nana MoriAkiko
  • Takahiro MiuraTakeno