10 must-watch Japanese thriller movies on Netflix

"The scariest monsters are the ones that look completely ordinary."

Whether it's a psychological mystery, a crime rooted in reality, or a Yakuza drama packed with betrayal, these Netflix picks have earned cult status among movie fans.

1. Monster (2023)

Director Hirokazu Kore-eda delivers one of the most emotionally devastating thrillers in recent years. Starring Sakura Ando, Eita Nagayama, and Soya Kurokawa, the story begins as a mystery surrounding a schoolteacher accused of abusing a child. But the truth gradually reveals how misunderstanding, prejudice, and perspective shape reality.

2. Hell Dogs (2022)

Junichi Okada stars as an undercover cop who infiltrates one of Japan's deadliest Yakuza gangs. As he climbs the ranks alongside a ruthless gangster, the line between duty and loyalty begins to disappear.

3. Ride or Die (2021)

Based on Ching Nakamura's manga, the film follows Rei, who murders an abusive husband to save the woman she's loved since high school. Their escape quickly becomes a journey through guilt, trauma, and obsession.

4. A Family (Yakuza and the Family) (2021)

Go Ayano stars as Kenji, a young man who finds purpose within a Yakuza family before spending years behind bars. Upon release, he discovers a Japan where organized crime has almost disappeared and his old loyalties no longer fit.

5. The Forest of Love (2019)

Legendary director Sion Sono presents one of his darkest works, following amateur filmmakers who become entangled with a manipulative serial killer inspired by real-life criminal Futoshi Matsunaga.

6. Re/Member (2022)

Six high school students find themselves trapped in a deadly time loop, forced to hunt for dismembered body parts while avoiding a supernatural killer known as the Red Person.

7. Call Me Chihiro (2023)

Although primarily a drama, this quiet Netflix original carries subtle psychological tension as it follows a former sex worker whose chance encounters slowly uncover the hidden loneliness of people around her.

8. In Love and Deep Water (2023)

Set aboard a luxury cruise ship, this mystery-comedy follows a clever butler and a mysterious passenger who become caught in a murder investigation involving wealthy guests.

9. Bullet Train Explosion (2025)   

Netflix's modern reimagining of the classic Japanese disaster thriller follows authorities racing against time after a high-speed train is rigged to explode if it slows below a critical speed.

10. The Days (2023)

Though technically a miniseries rather than a film, The Days deserves mention for thriller fans. It dramatizes the Fukushima nuclear disaster through the eyes of government officials, plant workers, and emergency responders.

-Compiled by Liya