Ken Sato's 15 recommended movies! From super action to moving drama

Recommended movies starring Ken Sato (2017~2020)

9. “Ajin” (17) Director: Katsuyuki Motohiro 109 minutes

An action masterpiece about a young man who discovers that he is a new immortal creature called a demi-human, and fights against terrorists. This is a live-action adaptation of a popular manga that was also made into an anime.In the movie, Sato engages in intense action with a terrorist played by Go Ayano, and also shows off his well-trained physique.

The selling point is the novel setting of getting injured, committing suicide, regenerating, and restarting the battle, with fast-paced hand-to-hand combat and gunfights unfolding non-stop. Katsuyuki Motohiro, director of the ``Odoru Daisousasen'' series, has created a battle movie with a sense of drive, with action parts making up most of the film.

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10. “The 8-Year Bride: A Miraculous True Story” (17) Director: Takahisa Zeze 119 minutes

Director Takahisa Zeze of the ``64 Rokuyon'' series has turned the true story of a man who continued to support his fiancée, who fell into a coma due to an incurable disease, into a film. Sato and Tao Tsuchiya, who co-starred in ``Rurouni Kenshin,'' played lovers who are at the mercy of a cruel fate.

Sato played the role of a simple car mechanic. He plays the role of an ``ordinary man'' with boundless love who struggles to fulfill his promise to marry his fiancée no matter what happens. You can fully enjoy Sato's high level of acting ability, which is a bit different from action movies that make use of his physical ability that rivals that of an athlete.

Sato and director Zeze will also team up for the movie ``To Those Who Were Not Protected'' (2020), which is scheduled to be released in 2020.

11. “Inuyashiki” (17) Director: Shinsuke Sato 127 minutes

A sci-fi action drama in which Sato, who has often played the role of a righteous man, portrays a young man who falls to the "dark side" with a fierce look. A young man and an elderly man (played by Noritake Kinashi), whose entire bodies have been transformed into mechanical bodies by a mysterious being, perform large-scale stunts in the streets and skies of Shinjuku, Tokyo.

Director Shinsuke Sato of ``Kingdom'' (19) creates a large-scale battle action that unfolds regardless of heaven or earth. The 360-degree rotating camera and speedy camera work will immerse you in the immersive atmosphere.

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12. “Hyakuman” (18) Director: Keishi Otomo 116 minutes

A human drama with the theme of "money" created by director Otomo and Sato of the "Rurouni Kenshin" series. The original story is by Genki Kawamura, who wrote ``If Cats Disappeared from the World''.

A man who is 30 million yen in debt and whose family has left him wins 300 million yen in a lottery. However, what awaited them there was not a smooth future...

The protagonist, whose best friend (played by Issei Takahashi) runs away with his winnings, comes into contact with the values ​​of various millionaires as he searches for his future, and begins to think about ``what is money?'' Sato realistically expressed the gradation of a man exhausted from paying off his debts, regaining his vitality during his journey.

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13. “Hard Core” (18) Director: Atsuhiro Yamashita 124 minutes

Directors Atsuhiro Yamashita and Takayuki Yamada, who have worked together on many works including the TV drama ``Takayuki Yamada's Akabane, Kita-ku, Tokyo'' (2015), have turned the cult-popular manga into a live-action film. The film tells the story of an Jack Reacher who doesn't fit in with the world and spends his days feeling depressed, finding purpose in life through a fantastical story about ``discovering a robot.''

“Bakuman. Sato received a direct offer from his friend Yamada, who played an editor and a manga artist in ``Nansha,'' and a senior and junior in ``Nansha.'' In this work, Sato passionately plays the role of an elite salaryman who is the younger brother of the main character played by Yamada.

In the scene where the brothers get into a fight in a bar and show off a violent fight, you can enjoy the clash between these two talented actors.

In addition to this work, Sato also actively appeared in TV dramas in 2018. “Serial TV Novel Half, Blue. ” (2018) and “Stepmother and Daughter's Blues” (18) were followed by popular works.

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14. “One Nigh” (19) Director: Kazuya Shiraishi 123 minutes

(c)2019 “One Nigh” Production Committee

Kazuya Shiraishi, who has continued to depict the extremes of humanity in works such as ``Akutsu'' (2013) and ``Lone Wolf's Blood'' (2018), stars in this strong human drama starring the great actress Yuko Tanaka. A wife who killed her husband to protect her children has returned home after 15 years in prison. However, it was not a ``touching reunion'' with the children...

Sato is the second son who, although he truly loves his mother deeply, is paralyzed by love and hatred, mixed with anger towards his past self for not being able to save his mother and for his present self for not being able to fulfill his dream of becoming a novelist. , expressed in a painfully vivid way.

The atmosphere created by Ryohei Suzuki, who co-starred in ``The Emperor's Cooking'' and Mayu Matsuoka, who received further acclaim for ``Shoplifters'' (18), is also excellent, giving the impression of a ``blood connection.''

Also read: ``One Nigh'' Violence of silence, warmth of love - Kazuya Shiraishi's new frontier revolutionizes ``family movies''

15. “Rurouni Kenshin: Final Chapter Part I - The Final/ The Beginning” (20) Director: Keishi Otomo

The first new work in the ``Rurouni Kenshin'' series in about 6 years. The ``Past Chapter'', which is a popular episode among fans of the original work and has been long awaited for its live-action adaptation, will be released as a two-part series.

In addition to all the cast and staff from the past, Mackenyu Arata will play the role of Tomoe, Kenshin's old enemy who knows about his past, and Kasumi Arimura, who co-starred with Sato in ``Who's Who'', will play the role of Tomoe, the woman Kenshin once loved. .

It is expected that the main focus will be on Kenshin's ``Hitokiri Battousai'' era, which has only been depicted in fragments so far, and expectations are high for Sato's increasingly skilled performance.

In 2020, Sato had a huge hit with the TV drama ``Koi wa Tsutsukuyo Dokomo'', and in about 14 years as an entertainer, he has risen to become an indispensable presence in the Japanese film and drama world.

Let's wait and see what kind of "actor's path" he will show in the future as he has "mind, skill, and body."

Text: SYO

Born in 1987. After The Graduate from Tokyo Gakugei University, he worked at a film magazine editorial production site and a film information site before becoming a film writer/editor. Works on a wide range of topics including interviews, reviews, columns, event appearances, and recommendation comments. Contributed to ``CINEMORE'', ``FRIDAY Digital'', ``Fan's Voice'', ``Eiga.com'', ``Cinema Cafe'', ``BRUTUS'', ``DVD & Video Distribution'', etc. Twitter「 syocinema 」