Shigeru Komatsubara
Cinematographer · Born January 1, 1949 (77)
Shigeru Komatsubara (小松原 茂, Komatsubara Shigeru, born 1949) is a Japanese cinematographer.
Biography from TMDB.
- January 1, 1949 (77)
- Cinematographer
- 7 on MovieCove · 30 credits in all
What are Shigeru Komatsubara's films like?
Across their 7 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Morality.
Genres
Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 0 · Wry 0 · Earnest 6
Light 2 · Serious 2 · Dark 2
Grounded 2 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 0
Gentle 2 · Charged 2 · Intense 2
A split, not a type: Steady 3 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 2
A split, not a type: Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 1
Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 1 · Relentless 0
Casual 1 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 0
A split, not a type: Easy watch 1 · Affecting 2 · Heavy 3
Resolved 2 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 2
Moods and endings
- Happy1
- Bittersweet3
- Ambiguous3
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Shigeru Komatsubara's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 5 of their 7 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Criterion Channel (2).
Subscription and free streaming for Shigeru Komatsubara's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
30 credits, 7 with a MovieCove page.
Neko Ninja(2017)
Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
じんじん (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)
Neko zamurai(2013)
Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows
Days with You (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)
Oka wo koete (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
Aoi Hitomi to Nuage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
The Graduates (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
Love Tomato (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
New Hiroshima Yakuza War: Chronicles of The Martial Factions (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)
Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
A True Record: The Last Sōkaiya (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)
The True Story of The Hiroshima Yakuza War: Final Chapter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
The True Story of The Hiroshima Yakuza War (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
Jorogumo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
Moonlight Whispers(1999)
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
Chaka 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
Dr. Akagi(1998)
Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
Another Lonely Hitman 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
The Eel(1997)
Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films
The Territory of Beasts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
Police Branch 82: Rebirth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)
Zero Woman: Assassin Lovers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)
Captive TORIKO The Body (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
Captive Toriko Confinement Island (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
Toriko: Eyes of a Rapist (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
Kyouju Luger P08 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)
Lady Hunter: Prelude to Murder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)
Eyecatch Junction (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)
The Ballad of Narayama(1983)
Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
Mrs. Muremure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)
Career shape
A full career of 28 titles from 1978 to 2013.
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it.
How do Shigeru Komatsubara's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 79th percentile, the median of all 6; across their 6 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 75th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up3
- 50th to 74th3
- 25th to 49th1
Shape of the crowd
5 of their 7 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved1
- Crowd Pleaser5
- Mixed1
Reviewers score the cinematography 75/100 in their films, across 5 reviewed titles; fans 78, detractors 65. The element that speaks to their work as a cinematographer.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Who does Shigeru Komatsubara work with?
People who share at least 2 of Shigeru Komatsubara's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Shōhei Imamura shares the most, 4.
Directors
- Shōhei ImamuraShared titles: Warm Water Under a Red Bridge (2001), Dr. Akagi (1998), The Eel (1997), The Ballad of Narayama (1983)See all 4 shared titles with Shōhei Imamura
- Takeshi WatanabeShared titles: Neko Ninja (2017), Neko zamurai (2013)See all 2 shared titles with Takeshi Watanabe
Writers
- Daisuke TenganShared titles: Warm Water Under a Red Bridge (2001), Dr. Akagi (1998), The Eel (1997)See all 3 shared titles with Daisuke Tengan
- Hisakatsu KurokiShared titles: Neko Ninja (2017), Neko zamurai (2013)See all 2 shared titles with Hisakatsu Kuroki
- Motofumi TomikawaShared titles: Warm Water Under a Red Bridge (2001), The Eel (1997)See all 2 shared titles with Motofumi Tomikawa
Actors
- Akira EmotoShared titles: Neko Ninja (2017), Dr. Akagi (1998), The Eel (1997)See all 3 shared titles with Akira Emoto
- Misa ShimizuShared titles: Warm Water Under a Red Bridge (2001), Dr. Akagi (1998), The Eel (1997)See all 3 shared titles with Misa Shimizu
- Mitsuko BaishōShared titles: Warm Water Under a Red Bridge (2001), The Eel (1997), The Ballad of Narayama (1983)See all 3 shared titles with Mitsuko Baishō
- Kōji YakushoShared titles: Warm Water Under a Red Bridge (2001), The Eel (1997)See all 2 shared titles with Kōji Yakusho
Composers and editors
- Hajime OkayasuShared titles: Warm Water Under a Red Bridge (2001), Dr. Akagi (1998), The Eel (1997), The Ballad of Narayama (1983)See all 4 shared titles with Hajime Okayasu
- Shinichirô IkebeShared titles: Warm Water Under a Red Bridge (2001), The Eel (1997), The Ballad of Narayama (1983)See all 3 shared titles with Shinichirô Ikebe
- Chikako NambaShared titles: Neko Ninja (2017), Neko zamurai (2013)See all 2 shared titles with Chikako Namba
Producers
- Yasushi MatsudaShared titles: Warm Water Under a Red Bridge (2001), Dr. Akagi (1998), The Eel (1997)See all 3 shared titles with Yasushi Matsuda
- Masaya NakamuraShared titles: Warm Water Under a Red Bridge (2001), Moonlight Whispers (1999)See all 2 shared titles with Masaya Nakamura
- Hisashi IinoShared titles: Dr. Akagi (1998), The Eel (1997)See all 2 shared titles with Hisashi Iino