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Japanese author Haruki Murakami is a celebrated writer of essays, short stories, and novels that have enchanted readers around the world, and the work of Murakami has inspired not only avid bookworms but filmmakers as well. Since the 1980s, both shorts and featured films have been made from his books. Titles like Norwegian Wood, The Elephant Vanishes, and the three novels that make up the Trilogy of the Rat have had such a big influence on Japanese literature that it seems only right these humanist stories would be brought to life on the screen.
With 10 adaptations so far, the best Murakami movies have succeeded in captivating even the most die-hard fans of the acclaimed author. Of course, being notoriously difficult to make, some movie adaptations are better than others. Murakami’s work in particular can be a challenge, with its use of abstract themes and often poetic prose. While some directors are equipped with the necessary understanding to adapt these kinds of texts, others tend to fall short.
10 All God’s Children Can Dance (2008)
Directed By Robert Logevall
Based on Murakami’s short story, the feature film All God’s Children Can Dance centers around Kengo, a teen living in L.A.’s Korea Town with his mother, Evelyn. Kengo’s girlfriend, Sandra, is frustrated with both his lack of direction in life and his inappropriate obsession with his mother. For whatever reason, Evelyn believes that Kengo is literally the son of God, which has the young man tied up in knots with an obsessive need to understand his origins.
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Directed by Robert Logevall, All God’s Children Can Dance was the first of Murakami’s works to be filmed in English. Though the original story is distinctly Japanese in culture and setting, this film is unapologetically American — which, perhaps, is its downfall. Without the somber tone of the Kobe earthquake of 1995 present in the short story, All God’s Children Can Dance becomes about yet another American twenty-something feeling disillusioned with his lot in life. Critics also argued that the movie focuses more on sex than the deeper message of Murakami’s tale — the search for meaning and spirituality.
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Runtime 85 minutes
Cast Joan Chen , Jason Lew , Sonja Kinski , Tzi Ma , John Fleck
9 Hear the Song of the Wind (1981)
Directed By Kazuki Ômori
Also known as Hear the Wind Sing, this feature film based on Murakami’s first published novel was directed by Kazuki Ômori. The story features an unnamed narrator (credited as Me) who spends his vacation drinking in a Kobe bar with his friend, Rat, an aspiring filmmaker, while waxing nostalgic about his past and lost loves. Later, the narrator meets and connects with a mysterious woman with a dark past who looks remarkably like someone he once knew.
The biggest problem with the film isn’t its execution, per se, but rather its lack of a forward-moving plot.
While it adapts the novel pretty closely, Hear the Song of the Wind is a bit of a slog to watch. The biggest problem with the film isn’t its execution, per se, but rather its lack of a forward-moving plot. Reading a novel that focuses on characters rather than story can be a profound yet thrilling experience, but watching a movie that follows that same formula doesn’t really work.
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Hear the Wind Sing is a Japanese film released in 1981, directed by Kazuki Omori. The story follows a university student returning to Kobe for the summer, where he reconnects with his friend Rat and spends time at their usual hangout. He encounters a mysterious woman, adding intrigue to his summer experiences.
Release Date December 19, 1981
Runtime 98 minutes
Cast Kaoru Kobayashi , Kimie Shingyoji , Koichi Makigami , Akira Sakata , Shigeru Muroi , Kazuo Kuroki , Masato Furuoya , Kai Ato , Tessyo Genda , Masasuke Hirose , Tsutomu Kariba , Hajime Nishizuka
Character(s) Me , Woman , Nezumi (Rat) , Jay , Third Woman , Shrink , Punk , DJ , Police Officer (voice) , Uncredited , Winning Student
Director Kazuki Ōmori
Writers Kazuki Ōmori , Haruki Murakami
8 Hanalei Bay (2018)
Directed By Daishi Matsunaga
This feature adaptation of Murakami’s short story tells the tale of a single mother coming to terms with the sudden death of her son. When Sachi learns that her son, Takashi, was killed in a shark attack while surfing, she travels to Hanalei Bay in Kauaʻi to identify his body. After affirming that the body found is Takashi’s, Sachi falls into a deep state of mourning. Sachi returns to Hanalei Bay every year on the anniversary of her son’s death, where she befriends two young men who also surf.
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Written and directed by Daishi Matsunaga, Hanalei Bay is a tear-jerker that encapsulates the emotional weight and depth of its source material. Yoh Yoshida gives a top-notch performance as Sachi, the grieving mother who seeks meaning after a lifetime of tragedy, although the film does have an issue with pacing. It tries to correct with inter-stitched flashbacks of Sachi’s past, yet these scenes tend to feel out of place and somewhat forced.
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Hanalei Bay follows a single mother who annually visits the Hawaiian location where her son died from a shark attack. During one visit, she encounters two young Japanese surfers who recount tales of a one-legged Japanese surfer.
Release Date October 19, 2018
Runtime 97 minutes
Cast Yoh Yoshida , Reo Sano , Nijiro Murakami , Louis Kurihara , Gai Sato
Character(s) Sachi , Takashi , Takahashi , Ryo , Miyake
Director Daishi Matsunaga
Writers Daishi Matsunaga
7 The Second Bakery Attack (2010)
Directed By Carlos Cuarón
Starring Kirsten Dunst and Brian Geraghty, this short film adaptation of Murakami’s short story of the same name is an absurdist comedy with a truly unique premise. When bickering newlyweds Nat and Dan wake up hungry with nothing in the house to eat, Dan recounts a time when he and his friend once robbed a bakery. Believing that Dan’s past actions have brought a curse on their marriage, Nat insists that they rob another bakery to break said curse.
Directed by the acclaimed Mexican filmmaker, Carlos Cuarón, The Second Bakery Attack is a charming adaptation of the original short story. Although it features an American couple living in the States rather than a Japanese couple, the short film does a stellar job of retelling a hilariously quirky tale, highlighted by excellent performances by Dunst and Geraghty.
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The Second Bakery Attack is a 2010 film that follows a newlywed couple who, in a bid to revitalize their marriage, embark on a quest to recreate a minor crime from the husband's past. Directed by Carlos Cuarón, the film explores themes of nostalgia and relationship dynamics in a dramatic context.
Release Date October 17, 2010
Runtime 10 minutes
Cast Kirsten Dunst , Brian Geraghty , Lucas Akoskin , Sherry Gordon
Character(s) Nat , Dan , Demitrio , Cherry
Director Carlos Cuarón
Writers Carlos Cuarón , Haruki Murakami
6 A Girl, She Is 100% (1983)
Directed By Naoto Yamakawa
Adapted from the short story originally titled “On Seeing the 100% Perfect Girl One Beautiful April Morning,” this 10-minute film directed by Naoto Yamakawa is a short and sweet “what if” tale. While walking down a busy city street, a man notices a woman and is convinced that she is 100% the girl for him. The trouble is that he has no idea how to speak to her, or if he will ever see her again. So instead, he imagines what might have been in a series of abstract fantasies.
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Yamakawa takes Murakami’s sparse tale and makes it into an intelligent and thought-provoking art film. Through the use of abstract colors, stop-motion animation, and still photos, A Girl, She is 100% encapsulates the bittersweet themes of the source material while being a visual feast for the eyes.
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A Girl, She Is 100% is a 1983 film exploring themes of chance and idealism. It follows a man who encounters a woman he perceives as perfect for him on a street. His reflection on a missed opportunity to approach her forms the crux of the narrative.
Release Date January 2, 1983
Runtime 11 minutes
Cast Shigeru Muroi , Kassei Kumamoto , Kazunao Sakaguchi , Akifumi Yamaguchi
Character(s) Heroine , Hero , Hero's Friend
Director Naoto Yamakawa
Writers Haruki Murakami
5 Norwegian Wood (2010)
Directed By Tran Anh Hung
Directed by Tran Anh Hung, Norwegian Wood stars Kenichi Matsuyama as Toru, a young man grieving for his best friend, Kizuki, who took his own life. In a Tokyo park, Toru meets a woman named Naoko, and soon learns that she was the Kizuki's girlfriend. The two bond over their mutual grief and develop feelings for each other, but Naoko’s mental health soon breaks down and causes a rift between the two lovers.
A tale of love and loss, Norwegian Wood draws viewers in with its quiet melancholy, thanks to the masterful direction of Hung and the heartfelt performances of Matsuyama and Rinko Kikuchi as Naoko. Admittedly, some fans of the original novel by Murakami were disappointed with the adaptation, because the movie leaves out a lot of details from the book. Still, Norwegian Wood deserves credit for being a palatable movie that introduces newcomers to the work of Murakami.
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Norwegian Wood, directed by Tran Anh Hung, adapts Haruki Murakami's novel, following Toru Watanabe in 1960s Japan. After his friend's suicide, Toru navigates complex relationships with Kizuki's girlfriend, Naoko, and the spirited Midori, set against the backdrop of social and political upheaval.
Release Date December 11, 2010
Runtime 133 minutes
Cast Kenichi Matsuyama , Rinko Kikuchi , Kiko Mizuhara , Reika Kirishima , Eriko Hatsune , Tetsuji Tamayama , Tokio Emoto , Kengo Kora , Takao Handa , Shigesato Itoi , Haruomi Hosono , Yukihiro Takahashi , Yuki Ito , Kentaro Tamura , Makoto Sugisawa , Kohei Yoshino , Yusuke , Sawako Okuma , Yui Higashiyama , Izumi Hirasawa , Mariko Yamanaka , Shinichi Hara , Wataru Ohshige , Tomoako Miyake
Character(s) Toru Watanabe , Naoko , Midori , Reiko Ishida , Hatsumi , Nagasawa , Storm Trooper , Kizuki , Midori's Father , Professor , Record Shop Manager , Gatekeeper , Student Activist
Director Trần Anh Hùng
Writers Trần Anh Hùng , Haruki Murakami
4 Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman (2022)
Directed By Pierre Földes
The animated Japanese movie Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman is an anthology of surreal stories that surround the real-life disaster of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Tōhoku, Japan. One story is about a man attempting to come to terms with his wife leaving him. Another tells the tale of a woman who makes a wish on her 20th birthday. Perhaps one of the most bizarre is about a banker who encounters a man-sized talking frog, who warns him of an impending disaster.
Director Pierre Földes — composer, artist, and filmmaker — utilized his many talents to create an unforgettable experience with the movie Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman. His unique vision blends masterfully with the fables of Murakami by combining human stories with fantastic elements. The movie was awarded a Jury Distinction at the 2022 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, and earned a nomination for Best Animated Film at the 2024 Lumières Awards.
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Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman is an animated film that follows a bank employee, his wife, and a schizophrenic accountant as they navigate a surreal Tokyo. They encounter a lost cat, a talkative frog, and a tsunami, which help them find meaning in their lives amid an impending earthquake.
Release Date February 24, 2023
Runtime 105 minutes
Cast Katharine King So , Shoshana Wilder , Jesse Noah Gruman , John Vamvas , Zag Dorison , Amaury de Crayencour , Mathilde Auneveux , Arnaud Maillard , Bruno Paviot , Féodor Atkine , Pierre Földes , Théophile Baquet , Julien Crampon , Damien Zanoly , Laurent Stocker , Jean-Pierre Malignon , Jean-Pierre Kalfon , Isabelle Vitari , Géraldine Schitter , Ingrid Donnadieu , Marie-Christine Barrault , Noée Abita
Character(s) Shimao (voice) , Kyoko (voice) , Junpei (voice) , Manager (voice) , Ken (voice) , Komura (voice) , Katagiri (voice) , Sasaki (voice) , M. Suzuki (voice) , Frog (voice) , Hiroshi (voice) , Shiraoka (voice) , Restaurant Owner (voice) , Old Man (voice) , Keiko (voice) , Nurse (voice) , Komura's Mother (voice) , Lass (voice)
Director Pierre Földes
Writers Pierre Földes
3 Tony Takitani (2004)
Directed By Jun Ichikawa
Tony Takitani is one of Murakami's most famous short stories, and this adaptation certainly does it justice. A man working as a technical illustrator meets and falls in love with a client, a woman named Eiko. After they are married, Tony becomes concerned with Eiko’s extravagant spending on clothing. Eiko agrees to return some of the clothes, but is killed in a car accident while doing so. Devastated by her death, Tony hires an assistant named Hisako on the condition that she wears his wife’s clothes to work.
Tony Takitani is a fantastic representation of one of the best of Murakami’s works.
Starring Issey Ogata as the titular lead, Tony Takitani is a fantastic representation of one of the best of Murakami’s works. With a haunting musical score by Ryuchi Sakamoto, the movie pulls audiences into Tony’s loneliness and despair through a sympathetic lens that leaves a lingering effect.
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Tony Takitani explores the solitary life of a technical illustrator whose marriage takes a tragic turn due to his wife's overwhelming obsession with designer clothing. The film, released in 2005, is directed by Jun Ichikawa and stars Issey Ogata and Rie Miyazawa.
Release Date January 27, 2005
Runtime 77 minutes
Cast Issey Ogata , Rie Miyazawa , Hidetoshi Nishijima , Takahumi Shinohara , Miho Fujima
Character(s) Tony Takitani / Shozaburo Takitani , Konuma Eiko / Hisako , Narrator , Young Tony Takitani , Hisako's Sister
Director Jun Ichikawa
Writers Jun Ichikawa
2 Drive My Car (2021)
Directed By Ryusuke Hamaguchi
A theater actor and director in Tokyo, Yūsuke Kafuku is devastated when his wife, Oto, dies from a brain hemorrhage. Years later, Yūsuke is asked to direct a production of the play Uncle Vanya in Hiroshima. For insurance reasons, the producers insist that Yūsuke has a personal driver, a young woman named Misaki Watari. As the two spend time together, they bond over individual losses and sympathize with each other’s grief.
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Although its three-hour runtime may be a bit daunting for some viewers, Drive My Car’s emotional journey is worth the ride. With a 97% approval on Rotten Tomatoes, critics had nothing but high praise for the film. The Guardian hailed it as an “engrossing and exalting experience,” while Time described it as “tender like a rainstorm.” Drive My Car won the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film in 2022, and was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Picture, and Best Director.
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Directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Drive My Car is a Japanese drama movie that won three awards at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival. Released in Japan in August of 2012, the film follows a director and stage actor as he must come to terms with the sudden passing of his wife.
Runtime 179 minutes
Cast Toko Miura , Park Yurim , Hidetoshi Nishijima , Reika Kirishima , Masaki Okada , Jin Daeyeon
Director Ryusuke Hamaguchi
1 Burning (2018)
Directed By Chang-dong Lee
A South Korean film by Lee Chang-dong, Burning stars Yoo Ah-in and The Walking Dead’s Steven Yuen in an intense psychological thriller. A young man aspiring to become a writer, Jong-su runs into his childhood friend, Hae-mi, and the two begin a sexual relationship. Hae-mi later introduces Jong-su to her friend, Ben, an enigmatic young man with a dark secret. When Hae-mi mysteriously disappears, Jong-su goes on a desperate search for answers that leads him down a dark and dangerous road.
Loosely based on the Murakami short story, “Barn Burning,” Burning is a tension-filled film that fleshes out a simplistic tale with suspense and trepidation. Going against type, Yuen gives a chilling performance as Ben, and director Chang-dong Lee spins a web of uneasiness that slowly builds into a sense of dread and foreboding. Universally acclaimed by critics, Burning accomplishes what few adaptations ever do — improving upon its source material even as it stays true to its themes and perceptions.
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Burning is a South Korean psychological drama directed by Lee Chang-dong. Based on Haruki Murakami's short story "Barn Burning," the film stars Yoo Ah-in, Steven Yeun, and Jeon Jong-seo. Set in contemporary Seoul, it follows an aspiring writer who becomes entangled in a mysterious relationship with an enigmatic man claiming to have a penchant for burning greenhouses. The narrative examines themes of socioeconomic disparity, obsession, and existential ennui.
Runtime 148 Minutes
Director Chang-dong Lee
Release Date May 17, 2018
English (US) ·