2026 Must-Watch Japanese Movies and TV Shows on Netflix

Netflix has become a popular source for streaming movies and TV shows from all over the world. One country that has continued to produce entertaining content for the army of weebs, J-drama, and cinema lovers to enjoy is Japan. With its unique culture and captivating storytelling, Japanese movies and TV shows have become increasingly popular on streaming platforms. In this video, we will explore some of the best Japanese movies and TV shows you can find on Netflix. All these shows are available on either Netflix America, Netflix UK, or both!

Movies

Baka's identity

A crime drama thriller directed by Koto Nagata and based on Jun Nishio’s novel Orokamono no Mibun (A Fool’s Identity). Baka’s Identity follows the downward spiral of young men caught in Japan’s criminal underworld, where poverty, desperation, and the search for belonging push them into illegal activities.

As matters continue to get worse for the duo, Takuya enlists the help of Kajitani — an older underworld mentor who first introduced them to this world — the trio shares moments of friendship and rare lightheartedness outside their schemes. But as their criminal work deepens, they find themselves increasingly trapped, facing escalating violence, betrayals, and the constant threat of the law catching up with them.

After the quake

After the Quake weaves together four interlinked tales set across three decades in the aftermath of the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. The film follows different characters — from a disoriented salesman searching for meaning after his wife leaves him, to a young woman and an older man bonding on a beach, to a man grappling with family and faith, and finally to a down-on-his-luck security guard visited by a surreal giant talking frog — each confronting loss, loneliness, and the emotional tremors left by disaster. Through these dreamlike and sometimes surreal vignettes, the movie explores how life, trauma, hope, and human connection persist long after catastrophe strikes.

This is I

This Is I is a Japanese drama on Netflix about Kenji, a young person who has long dreamed of becoming an idol but struggles with feeling different and judged by others. Over time, Kenji begins performing at a cabaret bar under the name Ai, where they find a sense of acceptance and community. Along the way, Ai meets Dr. Koji Wada, a compassionate doctor who, despite his own past guilt, supports Ai’s journey through gender-affirming surgery and self-acceptance. As Ai pursues an entertainment career and confronts societal prejudice, the film follows their deepening bond with Wada and the challenges they face in choosing to live as their true self.

Netflix offers a wide range of Japanese movies, from critically acclaimed dramas to action-packed thrillers. Here are my picks for Japanese movies that you should check out!

TV shows/series

In addition to movies, Netflix also offers an ever-growing catalog of Japanese TV shows that seems to be expanding week by week at this point. Here are some that you should definitely check out in 2026!

Dead or Love

Dead or Love is a 2025 Japanese crime-drama thriller about Mio, a woman who initially adores her seemingly perfect husband, Masato. Their calm life begins to unravel when a local murder occurs, and police start asking questions — leading Mio to suspect that Masato has been lying about his work trips and may be hiding a dark, dangerous past. As detectives dig deeper and disturbing truths emerge about Masato’s connections to crime and past relationships, Mio is forced to confront whether the man she loves is capable of far more than she ever imagined.

The Greatest Teacher

The Greatest Teacher is a suspenseful school drama about Rina Kujo, a high school chemistry teacher who is mysteriously pushed from the school’s 4th floor on graduation day by one of her students.

Instead of dying, she suddenly wakes up one year earlier, back on the first day of that school year, and realizes that one of her 30 students will try to kill her in the future.

Determined to change her fate, Rina reconnects with her class, confronting their individual struggles and secrets as she seeks to uncover the identity of her future attacker and prevent her murder — all while trying to build genuine trust with students who once felt distant or hostile.

Miss King

Miss King is an intense human drama about Asuka Kunimi, a woman whose life is shattered when her genius shogi-player father abandons her and her mother — leaving Asuka to grow up in hardship and lose her only family. Consumed by resentment, she channels her pain into mastering shogi not just to succeed, but to confront and take revenge on the father who forsook her. Asuka’s journey to become a professional shogi player

Sounds of Winter

Sounds of Winter (冬のなんかさ、春のなんかね) is a thoughtful, introspective romance drama following Ayana Tsuchida, a 27-year-old novelist whose past relationships and heartbreaks have left her emotionally cautious and unsure about love. Living a modest life—balancing writing with a part-time job at a vintage clothing shop—Ayana finds herself questioning when she last truly felt genuine affection and whether she’s capable of fully opening her heart again.

Your Turn to Kill

Your Turn to Kill (あなたの番です, Anata no Ban Desu) is a gripping Japanese mystery-crime drama centered on Nana and Shota Tezuka, a newly-married couple who move into a large apartment building thinking they’re starting a peaceful new life together. Nana is older and more experienced, Shota is cheerful and easygoing, and they both share a love of puzzles and mysteries—which soon becomes chillingly relevant to their real world.

Shortly after arriving, the residents at their building innocently agree to play a “swap murder game,” where each person writes down the name of someone they secretly want to kill and draws someone else’s name at random. What starts as a flippant joke quickly escalates into deadly reality when those names begin to come true.

Scandal Eve

Scandal Eve is a suspenseful Japanese drama set in the high-stakes world of entertainment and media, where Saki Ioka, the president of a boutique talent agency, faces a sudden career-threatening crisis when a weekly magazine reporter informs her that an explosive scandal about her agency’s top actor is about to be published. With just 72 hours to act, Saki must scramble to protect her client’s reputation and her company’s future, navigating industry politics, public perception, and her own moral boundaries along the way.

As the countdown to publication ticks down, the conflict between the agency and the magazine’s reporter exposes hidden truths behind the scandal, drawing both women deeper into the dark underbelly of show business. The series explores how ambition, loyalty, and the relentless pursuit of headlines can blur the lines between truth and manipulation, revealing the personal costs of life in the spotlight.

Silent Truth

Silent Truth (Japanese title: 再会〜Silent Truth〜) is a tense mystery-crime drama that weaves together past secrets, unresolved guilt, and a present-day murder investigation. Twenty-three years earlier, Junichi Tobina and three classmates shared a dangerous secret when they buried a handgun used in an unknown incident beneath a cherry tree at their elementary school and vowed never to speak of it again.

Now a police detective, Junichi returns to his hometown to investigate a shocking murder case — and the person most closely connected to the crime is Makiko Iwamoto, one of the friends who once buried that gun and also his first love. Even more chilling, the murder weapon turns out to be the same gun they hid decades ago.

Anime

There is no way I could leave out Anime when talking about the best Japanese content on Netflix! Netflix has a great selection of anime series and films. One of the most popular anime series to drop on Netflix.

Shiboyugi

Netflix has a vast selection of Japanese movies, TV shows, anime, and documentaries that cater to different interests and tastes. More and more Japanese television broadcasters are now releasing their shows and movies to a wider international audience, which only adds to the already incredible catalog of great Japanese content for audiences abroad. Whether you're a fan of classic cinema, contemporary anime, or heartwarming dramas, there's something for everyone. By watching Japanese entertainment on Netflix, viewers can gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of Japanese culture and its people. So, next time you're looking for something to watch, consider exploring the world of Japanese cinema and television on Netflix.