Kokuho

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Kokuho

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2h 54m

Drama

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92%

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39 Reviews

95%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

Nagasaki, 1964 -- After the death of his father, the leader of a yakuza gang, 14-year-old Kikuo is taken under the wing 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--from acting school to the grandest stages--amid scandals and glory, brotherhood and betrayals.... One of them will become the greatest Japanese master of the art of Kabuki.

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Critics Consensus

A visual knockout that patiently explores the price that artists pay for their craft, Kokuho's astonishing technical virtues are only rivaled by Ryô Yoshizawa and Ryûsei Yokohama's superb performances.

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Keith Uhlich

(All (Parentheses)) (Substack)

1d

Koan-ically: If a movie compels in the moment but fades in recollect, does it make a sound?

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Thelma Adams

AARP Movies for Grownups

1d

5/5

The average response to seeing a nearly three-hour Japanese movie about the art of Kabuki may be that it’s not your cup of (green) tea. But, you’d be sacrificing one of the awards season’s most gorgeous and stirring movies.

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Randy Myers

San Jose Mercury News

1d

3.5/4

The film’s final act is an unexpected heartbreaker, which makes the story all the more compelling and satisfying.

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Janet Reinschmidt

MovieJawn

1d

Lee Sang-il lavishly explores the dedication, pain, and sacrifice it takes to become the titular Kokuho, or national treasure.

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Todd Jorgenson

Cinemalogue

1d

... deliberately paced yet visually striking and emotionally intense, bolstered by committed portrayals from the two leads.

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Daniel Barnes

Dare Daniel

1d

4/5

Just one stunning sequence, shot and aesthetic detail after another. Even if Kokuho overdoses on backstage melodrama in the latter half, the sumptuous visuals, passionate performances and epic scope of the story sweep you up.

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t W

9h

Beautiful makeup and costumes, great stagecraft. Really loved the scope of the story and the look into Kabuki culture. I do wish the central protagonist was a bit more compelling.

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Maria

2d

Amazing!! Like no other film!!

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Roam

6d

Incredibly well done. Incredible cinematography, music, and acting.

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Mariela C

Feb 8

Spectacular. Must watch.

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ChrisNY

Feb 6

Stunning visual sensation with the Japanese finesse

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Alexander K

Jan 22

I just got back from an early preview of this film, and I cant remember the last time a movie moved me this deeply—or looked this breathtaking. Despite running nearly three hours and being entirely in Japanese with subtitles, I couldve easily stayed in my seat for several more without budging. The performances were exceptional, and the story was told with such beauty and restraint that I felt completely immersed from beginning to end. I didnt realize it was based on a novel, but now Im determined to find it and read it. Visually, the film is stunning—so much so that I caught myself holding my breath more than once, especially during the final scenes. And judging by the atmosphere in the theater, I doubt there was a single dry eye by the end, mine included. As far as Im concerned, it deserves every award it can possibly win. I truly hope it gets a wide release in the U.S., because I would absolutely travel to another city just to experience it again.

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Lee Sang-il

Director

Ryô Yoshizawa

Kikuo Tachibana

Ryûsei Yokohama

Shunsuke Ogaki

Soya Kurokawa

Young Kikuo

Keitatsu Koshiyama

Young Shunsuke

Mitsuki Takahata

Harue Fukuda

Kokuho: Exclusive Featurette - Kabuki Training

2:22

Kokuho: Trailer 2

2:10

Kokuho: Trailer 1

1:29

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Synopsis

Nagasaki, 1964 -- After the death of his father, the leader of a yakuza gang, 14-year-old Kikuo is taken under the wing 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--from acting school to the grandest stages--amid scandals and glory, brotherhood and betrayals.... One of them will become the greatest Japanese master of the art of Kabuki.

Director: Lee Sang-il
Producer: Chieko Murata, Shinzô Matsuhashi
Screenwriter: Satoko Okudera
Distributor: GKIDS
Production Co: Aniplex
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Japanese
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 14, 2025, Limited
Box Office (Gross USA): $183.9K
Runtime: 2h 54m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Digital 2.39:1