Best movies like March Comes in Like a Lion
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
Rei Kiriyama is a 17-years-old shogi (Japanese chess) player. He debuted as a professional shogi player when he was in middle school. He lives by himself in Tokyo, because his parents and younger sister died in an traffic accident when he was little. One day, Rei Kiriyama meets three sisters who are his neighbors. The three sisters are Akari Kawamoto, Hinata Kawamoto and Momo Kawamoto. This is his first meeting with someone outside of the shogi world in many years. Having meals with the Kawamoto family brings warm feelings to Rei Kiriyama. As Rei Kiriyama continues his shogi career, his interactions with his neighbors allows him to grow as a shogi player and as a person.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 369
Genere: Drama, Sport
Country: Japan
Duration: 138 min
Plot tags: captivating, anime, entertaining
Best tv shows and movies like March Comes in Like a Lion (2017):
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Girl's Step (2015)
Plot Summary:
Azusa (Anna Ishii) and Narumi (Fuka Koshiba) are 2nd grade high school students. They lack confidence and also any kind of ambitions. Hazuki (Karin Ono), Tamaki (Mika Akizuki) and Mika (Miku Uehara) are also unnoticed students at the same high school. These five girls form a dance club and begin to dance to get credits. They soon learn the joys of dancing and also learn to express themselves.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 57
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: Japan
Duration: 117 min
Plot tags: funny, captivating, entertaining, disturbing
Similar in 75%
Yell for the Blue Sky (2016)
Plot Summary:
As a child, Ono Tsubasa saw a Shirato baseball game on TV and was amazed at the Trumpet player in the band playing. Now, in order to play the Trumpet, she enters Shirato High School. There, she meets Yamada Daisuke, a catcher for the baseball team. With each others support, they go towards their dream of playing at Koushien.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 220
Genere: Drama, Family, Romance, Sport
Country: Japan
Duration: 126 min
Plot tags: shoujo
Similar in 75%
Someone (2016)
Plot Summary:
5 university students gather to exchange information on their job search activities. They encourage each other and post their thoughts & worries on Twitter, but behind that they have a lot on their minds. Takuto Ninomiya observes those around him. His roommate Kotaro Kamiya has a bright personality and communicates well with others. Mizuki Tanabe is Kotaro Kamiya’s ex-girlfriend. Takuto Ninomiya has feelings for his roommate's ex-girlfriend. Rika Kobayakawa is determined to land a job. Takayoshi Miyamoto is critical of job-seeking activities, but he later tries to get a job.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 743
Genere: Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags:
Similar in 77%
Our Departures (2018)
Plot Summary:
Akira is widowed and left with a pre-teen stepson. Travelling with him to her late husband's hometown, she meets her odd father-in-law and yet decides to make a go of living and working there. She attends training and joins the railway company where her father-in-law works and her late man dreamt of ending up as a child.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 250
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: Japan
Duration: 120 min
Plot tags: sexy, crying
Similar in 87%
Let's Go, Jets! (2017)
Plot Summary:
Female students, including Hikari Tomonaga, from a high school cheerdance club follow strict instructions from their teacher Kaoruko Saotome. They compete at the USA Cheerdance Championship.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 829
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Sport
Country: Japan
Duration: 121 min
Plot tags:
Similar in 83%
We Made a Beautiful Bouquet (2021)
Plot Summary:
Two people meet each other after missing the last train home, leading to a beautiful relationship over five years.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 124 min
Plot tags: romantic, captivating, entertaining, romantic drama, psychotronic
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Chihayafuru Part II (2016)
Plot Summary:
After successfully won the Tokyo qualifying tournament, Chihaya and her friends are set to go on to the nationals. As they prepare, Chihaya is faced with new personal issues as her childhood friend and inspiration, Arata, has announced that he has quit competitive karuta. Not only that, but a new rival emerges in the reigning female champion karuta player, Shinobu Wakamiya, a karuta prodigy who became the nation's and the world's greatest female karuta player as a 9th grader. All of this forces Chihaya to reexamine her love of the game in the midst of preparing for one of the biggest tournaments of the year.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 928
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Sport
Country: Japan
Duration: 102 min
Plot tags: psychological, captivating, disturbing, shoujo, anime
Similar in 80%
After the Rain (2018)
Plot Summary:
Akira Tachibana is a 17-year-old high school student. She was once a promising athlete, but an injury has prevented her from taking part in track and field. One day, Akira Tachibana goes to a family restaurant and the manager talks to her in a tender voice. This makes Akira Tachibana begin working part-time at the restaurant. The manager is 45-year-old Masami Kondo and he is divorced with a child. Akira Tachibana falls in love with him. --asianwiki.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama, Romance, Sport
Country: Japan
Duration: 112 min
Plot tags: sexy, sincere, touching, captivating, disturbing, manga, crying, seinen, romantic drama
Similar in 75%
Chihayafuru Part I (2016)
Plot Summary:
When Chihaya Ayase was in the 6th grade of elementary school, she met Arata Wataya. Arata Wataya transferred from Fukui Prefecture. Taichi Mashima was Chihaya Ayase's friend since they were little. Arata got close to Chihaya and Taichi from the card game karuta. Four years later, Chihaya is a high school student. Chihaya learns that Arata, who went back to Fukui Prefecture, doesn't play karuta anymore. Believing they will meet Arata again, Chihaya and Taichi starts a karuta club at their high school.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Sport
Country: Japan
Duration: 111 min
Plot tags: humorous, captivating, entertaining, manga, shoujo
Similar in 76%
Rookies the Movie: Graduation (2009)
Plot Summary:
Futakotamagawa High School had a Baseball Club, but because of a fight during one of their games, they were suspended for a year from all games. Composed of student delinquents, Futakotamagawa High's new Literature teacher Kawato Koichi inspires the Baseball Club to believe in a dream goal once again. For them, it is to play at the Koshien - Japan's National High School Baseball Championship. But, Kawato Koichi and the newly reformed baseball team run into plenty of obstacles along the way.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 213
Genere: Drama, Sport
Country: Japan
Duration: 137 min
Plot tags: tense, captivating
Similar in 88%
Hibiki (2018)
Plot Summary:
One day, literature magazine “Mokuren” receives a manuscript script for novel “Otogi no Niwa” by Hibiki Aku, a sensitive 15-year-old girl with a talent for writing.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 488
Genere: Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 105 min
Plot tags: psychological, unusual plot structure, melancholic, semi serious, whimsical, weird
Similar in 80%
From Me To You (2010)
Plot Summary:
Sawako Kuronuma, called Sadako by her classmates for her resemblance to the character from Ring, has always been feared and misunderstood because of her appearance. There are rumors that Sawako can see ghosts and curse people. However, despite her appearances, she is a sweet and timid girl who longs to be able to make friends with everyone and be liked by everyone else. When her idol, popular boy Kazehaya, begins talking with her, everything changes. She finds herself in a new world, trying to make friends and talking to different people and she can't thank Kazehaya enough for giving her these opportunities. Slowly, but surely, a sweet love is blossoming between the two as they will overtake any circumstance or clear obstacles in their way.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 128 min
Plot tags: shoujo, sentimental, psychological, sweet, captivating, romantic, dorama, manga, anime, romantic drama
Similar in 89%
Strobe Edge (2015)
Plot Summary:
Ninako Kinoshita has never been in love until an encounter with the school's most popular boy, Ren Ichinose, leads the two to befriending each other. Ren's patient and kind personality is a far cry from his unapproachable idol status at school, and soon Ninako falls in love with him. However, she must cope with the fact that he already has a long-time girlfriend.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 952
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 115 min
Plot tags: shoujo, psychological, captivating, disturbing, romantic, romantic drama
Similar in 84%
Slamma Jamma (2017)
Plot Summary:
Wrongfully accused and sent to prison, a former basketball star prepares for the national slam dunk competition while finding redemption in himself and in those he loves.
IMDB Rating: 5.8
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 104 min
Plot tags: psychological, captivating, disturbing, christian film
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Chihayafuru Part III (2018)
Plot Summary:
The third installment of the Chihayafuru trilogy.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 665
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Sport
Country: Japan
Duration: 128 min
Plot tags: captivating, satirical, disturbing, shoujo
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Until the Break of Dawn (2012)
Plot Summary:
High school student Ayumi is trained by his grandmother to act as a "tsunagu," an intermediary for people who want to reach the dead.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 266
Genere: Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 129 min
Plot tags:
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March Comes in Like a Lion 2 (2017)
Plot Summary:
The time spent between professional Shogi player Kiriyama and his three stories helps to heal his wounds. As he prepares to secure another win in an upcoming tournament, the father who left the three sisters appears and disturbs the peace.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 261
Genere: Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 140 min
Plot tags: captivating, crying, weeping, entertaining
Similar in 89%
Say 'I Love You' (2014)
Plot Summary:
Mei Tachibana is a high school student. Due to a traumatic incident when she was a kid, Mei has been unable to make friends or have boyfriends. By mistake, Mei then injures the most popular male student named Yamato Kurosawa. Somehow, Yamato Kurosawa likes Mei Tachibana and tells everyone unilaterally that Mei is his friend. One day, Yamato Kurosawa saves Mei Tachibana from a stalker by kissing her. From that kiss, their love story begins.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 102 min
Plot tags: sexy, anime, light, sincere, shoujo, touching, captivating, romantic, romantic drama
Similar in 79%
Dear Friends (2007)
Plot Summary:
High school student Rina has a bad attitude and thinks that friends are something that you use when you need them. She doesn't have any real relationships and is not even on good terms with her parents. Rina is the clubbing queen and could get any guy she wants with her stunning looks. One day, Rina suddenly collapses and her world falls apart. She finds out that she has cancer. The only one who starts to support her is her classmate Maki. Maki tells that they were friends in primary school even though Rina doesn't remember. Maki wants to get close to Rina and help her like Rina had helped Maki when she had hard times.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 438
Genere: Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 115 min
Plot tags: captivating, sexy
Similar in 77%
Tokyo Shutter Girl (2013)
Plot Summary:
The movie Tokyo Shutter Girl, based on the comic series by Kenichi Kiriki, consists of three separate works by three separate directors, each set in Tokyo. It is about three Japanese schoolgirls in a photo club.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 39
Genere: Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 92 min
Plot tags: anthology, sexual
Similar in 77%
Run! T High School Basketball Club (2018)
Plot Summary:
Yoichi plays basketball at his junior high and is capable. He is granted a scholarship and attends a high school with a superlative basket team. Instead of welcoming the boy the students there decide to bully and harass the new player leading Yoichi to a new high school and basketball team. Expectedly, the basketball team is not the best. The team will have to soon play against the team from the school Yoichi was in before.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 41
Genere: Drama, Sport
Country: Japan
Duration: 115 min
Plot tags: tense, unusual plot structure, captivating, suspense, contemplative
Similar in 88%
Drucker in the Dug-Out (2011)
Plot Summary:
The movie is about Minami Kawashima, a high school girl who becomes the manager of her school's baseball team in place of her hospitalized friend, Yuki Miyata. She tries to lead the team to the National High School Baseball Championship by learning strategies from the business book Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices by Peter Drucker, which she mistakenly bought.
IMDB Rating: 5.6
IMDB Votes: 72
Genere: Drama
Country: Japan
Duration:
Plot tags: sincere, captivating, psychological, uplifting
Similar in 82%
Hyouka: Forbidden Secrets (2017)
Plot Summary:
Energy-conservative high school student Houtarou Oreki ends up with more than he bargained for when he signs up for the Classics Club at his sister's behest—especially when he realizes how deep-rooted the club's history really is. Begrudgingly, Oreki is dragged into an investigation concerning the 45-year-old mystery that surrounds the club room. Accompanied by his fellow club members, the knowledgeable Satoshi Fukube, the stern but benign Mayaka Ibara, and the ever-curious Eru Chitanda, Oreki must combat deadlines and lack of information with resourcefulness and hidden talent, in order to not only find the truth buried beneath the dust of works created years before them, but of other small side cases as well.
IMDB Rating: 5.7
IMDB Votes: 248
Genere: Drama, Mystery
Country: Japan
Duration: 114 min
Plot tags: tense, captivating, disturbing, anime
Similar in 89%
Tomorrow's Joe (2011)
Plot Summary:
Set in the 1960's, Joe Yabuki (Tomohisa Yamashita) lives in a run-down low income ara. There, alcholic ex-boxer Danpei Tange (Teruyuki Kagawa) notices Joe Yabuki's talents as a boxer. But then, Joe gets into trouble and is sentenced into the youth detention center. In the youth detention center, Joe gets into a brawl and then is knocked out by Toru Rikiishi (Yusuke Iseya) who is a champion caliber professional boxer. While incarcerated, Joe gets special training from Danpei Tange through letters. Upon Joe's release, he quickly becomes an elite boxer and famous for a devastating cross counter. Meanwhile, Toru Rikiishi is also released from prison and quickly resumes his boxing career. Toru finally gets his shot at the world championship belt, but before that, Toru wants a match with Joe Yabuki. The two men enter the ring.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama, Sport
Country: Japan
Duration: 131 min
Plot tags: suspense, tense, captivating, disturbing
Similar in 83%
Paradise Kiss (2011)
Plot Summary:
Hyasaka Yukari only wants one thing: to enter the college that her mom wants. One day, she meets an extravagant group that loves fashion. They were searching for a model and Yukari fits their ideal model. From now Yukari will know the world of fashion and modeling, and what she really wants.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 115 min
Plot tags: sentimental, romantic, shoujo, captivating, anime, realistic, crying, hot
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The Kirishima Thing (2012)
Plot Summary:
A story about the disappearance of Kirishima, a star athlete of the volleyball club, and how his disappearance affects every person in school.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 103 min
Plot tags: atmospheric, realistic, touching, semi serious, psychological, captivating, clever, humorous, stylized
Similar in 83%
Ping Pong (2002)
Plot Summary:
As children, the introverted Smile was being bullied by a gang of kids until the brash Peco comes by and chases all of them them away. Peco then takes Smile under his wings and teaches him how to play the game of ping pong. From there a life long best friend relationship comes into existence between these two polar opposite kids. Fast forward a decade later, these two best friends try to deal with their own inner turmoils, as they move further and further into the regional ping pong tournament. Peco has to overcome a knee injury while trying to rediscover the fun aspects of the game of Ping Pong. Meanwhile, Smile now seems to have gained the killer instinct by going through a rigorous training regiment instilled by his high school coach. As the tournament progresses it becomes more likely that these two best friends will face off against each in the final match.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Sport
Country: Japan
Duration: 114 min
Plot tags: semi serious, touching, humorous, uplifting, disturbing, manga, anime, weird
Similar in 87%
Kids on the Slope (2018)
Plot Summary:
Two different students—a successful but aloof academic and a rebellious but kindhearted delinquent—form a friendship through their love of jazz music.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 797
Genere: Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 120 min
Plot tags: emotional, light, captivating, realistic, anime
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Saki Achiga-hen: Episode of Side-A (2018)
Plot Summary:
Sequel movie to the live-action Saki TV series.
IMDB Rating: 5.6
IMDB Votes: 33
Genere: Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 112 min
Plot tags: captivating, tense, sincere, unusual plot structure, suspense, contemplative
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Kaiji 2: The Ultimate Gambler (2011)
Plot Summary:
3 years after the ultimate life-or-death game with Teiai Group, Kaiji was entrapped by Teiai and again back in the underground, forced to do hard labour. One day, Kaiji wins a bet to get out of the underground with 1 million yen, and promises the other workers that he will save them. But to do so, he only has 14 days and needs 200 million yen! Kaiji meets his former rival Tonegawa and learns that there is a chance to turn the tables in the game. It was a monster casino machine that will make 1 billion yen if you win.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 133 min
Plot tags: anime, tense, captivating, suspense, disturbing