Japan's Oscar entry Kokuho has become a surprise blockbuster, grossing over $120 million and revitalizing theater attendance post-Covid. Director Lee Sang-il and star Ken Watanabe discussed the film's resonance during a recent screening event. The story explores ambition in Kabuki theater through complex characters.
Kokuho, directed by Lee Sang-il and selected as Japan's entry for the International Feature Film Oscar, has achieved remarkable commercial success at home. The film, which premiered in the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, earned more than $120 million in Japan, marking it as the highest-grossing local live-action title in the past 22 years.
The narrative centers on Kikuo, portrayed by Ryo Yoshizawa, an ambitious young Kabuki actor orphaned after his Yakuza father's murder. He is mentored by the esteemed yet sharp-tongued master Hanjiro Hanai, played by Ken Watanabe. Driven by obsession with fame, Kikuo pursues the status of kokuho, or "national treasure," in a tale spanning decades of glory and heartbreak.
At a Deadline Screening Series event held Friday night at Hollywood’s London Hotel, Watanabe, who received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 2004’s The Last Samurai, highlighted the film's broader impact. “The film means something more than box office. Since Covid, many people stopped going to movie theaters in Japan. This film reminds the audience of the joy of watching a movie on the big screen. After this film, attendance for other films have increased. It’s been a big influence on the film industry in Japan.”
Lee attributed the connection to character depth, stating, “People watch people in film, and that could be animated or action films. People see and feel the heart of other people in film... audiences are able to see their own lives reflected in the character.” The film's three-hour runtime draws parallels to protagonists in Oscar winners like The Godfather and The Last Emperor.
Preparation was intensive: Yoshizawa trained for 18 months in Kabuki art and history, while Watanabe collaborated with experts including Kyoko Toyokawa for hair and makeup, Naomi Hibino for Kabuki makeup, and Tadashi Nishimatus for hairdressing.
Kokuho is shortlisted for Oscars in Makeup & Hairstyling and International Feature Film categories. Gkids will release it limited in New York, Los Angeles, and key Canadian markets on February 6, 2026, with wider North American rollout starting February 20.
