On January 26th, film magazine Eiga Geijutsu revealed their list of the top 10 best and worst Japanese movies that were released in the year 2022. “Small, Slow but Steady” starring Yukino Kishii was selected as the best, while “The Wandering Moon” starring Suzu Hirose and Tori Matsuzaka took the top spot as the worst.
Eiga Geijutsu’s annual Best and Worst of Japanese Films list is selected not only by film critics, but also by a wide range of film professionals such as directors, screenwriters, producers, theater staff, and general office workers, creating a unique lineup of movies each time the list is published. Details about why each film was included on the list will be published in the 482nd issue of Eiga Geijutsu which will be released on the 30th.
Small, Slow but Steady (2022) cr: oricon
Best Ten
1st place: Small, Slow but Steady (ケイコ 目を澄ませて) Director: Sho Miyake
2nd place: At the Bus Stop Until Dawn (夜明けまでバス停で) Director: Banmei Takahashi
3rd place: Tenjou no Hana (天上の花) Director: Ikki Katashima
4th place: Winter Rose (冬薔薇 ) Director: Junji Sakamoto
5th place: Yugata no o Tomodachi (夕方のおともだち) Director: Ryuichi Hiroki
6th place: This is Amiko (こちらあみ子) Director: Yusuke Morii
7th place: My Small Land (マイスモールランド) Director: Emma Kawada
8th place: Love Nonetheless ( 愛なのに) Director: Hideo Jojo
9th place: The World of Youth (麻希のいる世界) Director: Akihiko Shiota
10th place: The Nighthawk’s First Love (よだかの片想い) Director: Yuka Yasukawa
cr: The Wandering Moon (2022) production committee
Worst Ten
1st place: The Wandering Moon (流浪の月) Director: Lee Sang Il
2nd place: Shin Ultraman (シン・ウルトラマン) Director: Shinji Higuchi
3rd place: A Man (ある男) Director: Kei Ishikawa
4th place: Fragments of the Last Will and A Man (ラーゲリより愛を込めて) Director: Takahisa Zeze
5th place: Motherhood (母性) Director: Ryuichi Hiroki
6th place: Lesson in Murder (死刑にいたる病) Director: Kazuya Shiraishi
7th place: LOVE LIFE Director: Koji Fukada
8th place: Small, Slow but Steady (ケイコ 目を澄ませて) Director: Sho Miyake
9th place: Official Film of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 SIDE B (東京2020オリンピック SIDE:B) Director: Naomi Kawase
9th place: Hyakka (百花) Director: Genki Kawamura
*9th place was a tie
Oddly enough, six of the films that were named the worst are also competing for the main awards at the 46th annual Japan Academy Awards in March. Small, Slow but Steady also takes up a spot in both the Best and Worst lists respectively. What did you think of the Japanese movies released in 2022? Let us know in the comments!
