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Kokuho

Kokuho

Drama · 2025

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.

Movie details

Kokuho

2025 Drama 2h 54m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.9 / 10

Community rating

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.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Kokuho?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Sang-il Lee

Written by

Satoko Okudera

Ryo Yoshizawa

Ryo Yoshizawa

Kikuo Tachibana

Ryusei Yokohama

Ryusei Yokohama

Shunsuke Ogaki

Mitsuki Takahata

Mitsuki Takahata

Harue Fukuda

Shinobu Terajima

Shinobu Terajima

Sachiko Ogaki

Soya Kurokawa

Soya Kurokawa

Kikuo (young)

Keitatsu Koshiyama

Keitatsu Koshiyama

Shunsuke (young)

Min Tanaka

Min Tanaka

Mangiku Onogawa

Court is in session

Put Kokuho on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.