Do you want to know where to watch free movies based on Haruki Murakami books or stories on the Internet?
If you are one of those who still want to know where you can watch Murakami movies, or where can I watch Drive My Car Murakami?
They are right in this blog post.
Below is a list of Haruki Murakami film adaptations where you can watch these movies free online right away.
By the way, not all of the adaptations of Haruki Murakami’s work are feature-length films or movies, but a number of them are short films.
Among the movies based on Haruki Murakami books which are critically successful are: “Norwegian Wood“, “Tony Takitani” and the 2022 Best International Film Oscar winner “Drive My Car“.
There is no “Kafka On The Shore” movie as to date.
But there is a theatrical adaptation of this Murakami’s award-winning novel by Ninagawa Company.
Among the cast are Rie Miyazawa, Naohito Fujiki, Nino Furuhata, Anne Suzuki and Hayato Kakizawa.
Movies and short films based on Haruki Murakami books and short stories are:
- Hear The Wind Sing (風の歌を聴け)
- A Girl, She Is 100% (100%の女の子)
- Acoustic (어쿠스틱)
- Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman (Saules Aveugles, Femme Endormie)
- All God’s Children Can Dance (神の子どもたちはみな踊る)
- Burning (버닝)
- Norwegian Wood (ノルウェイの森)
- The Polar Bear (Der Eisbär)
- Attack On A Bakery (パン屋襲撃)
- The Second Bakery Attack
- Drive My Car (ドライブ・マイ・カー)
- Toni Takitani (トニー滝谷)
- Hanalei Bay (ハナレイ・ベイ)
Free Haruki Murakami novels, short stories, essays and travel writings
You can watch some of these free movies online, as they are readily available on the Internet.
You do not need to sign up any account, or install software to enjoy these free movies based on works by Haruki Murakami.
I have managed to locate all these movies and short films adapted from Haruki Murakami stories from the Internet, which you can view for free.
Free Movies Based On Haruki Murakami Books
Take your time to view this collection of feature movies and short films based on works by Haruki Murakami.
Hear The Wind Sing (風の歌を聴け, Kaze no uta o kike)
This is adapted from Murakami’s first novel of the same name.
It is about a student returning to his seaside hometown in Kobe for the summer school break.
The movie revolves around this student, his friend by the name of Rat, and also getting involved with a girl with a missing pinkie, who works in a record store.
Watch this Japanese movie: Hear The Wind Sing with English subtitle from any of these: Link 1, Link 2
Tony Takitani (トニー滝谷 ,Tonî Takitani)
It is based on Haruki Murakami’s short story about isolation, loneliness and obsession with expensive clothes.
This 2004 film cast are: Issei Ogata, Rie Miyazawa, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Takahumi Shinohara, and Miho Fujima.
It was directed by writer-director Jun Ichikawa.
The entire soundtrack of this Japanese movie is composed by the famous Ryuichi Sakamoto.
Ryuichi Sakamoto is the award-winning film score composer for other movies which include “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence“, “The Last Emperor“, “The Sheltering Sky“, “Little Buddha“, and “The Revenant“.
The story is about a guy called Tony Takitani, a mechanical illustrator.
He had a solitary childhood, as his mother died young and his father was always away with his jazz band.
He married Eiko, who is obsessed with shopping for expensive clothes and accessories.
Tony’s wife was killed in a car crash after returning the clothes to her favorite boutique.
In this Haruki Murakami film adaptation, former model-actress Rie Miyazawa acted two roles: Konuma Eiko and Hisako.
To watch Tony Takitani full movie online free with English subtitle, click on any of these: Link 1, Link 2
Here is another source which comes in five parts:
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
Here is a video clip of “The Making Of Tony Takitani“.
A Girl, She Is 100% (100%の女の子, 100% no onna no ko)
This 1983 short film is directed by Naoto Yamakawa, and stars Kassei Kumamoto, Shigeru Muroi and Kazunao Sakaguchi.
This is Yamakawa’s second adaptation of a Haruki Murakami story (following Attack On A Bakery).
It is about a young man passes a young woman in a Harajuku side street.
Thinking that she is the 100% perfect girl for him. He contemplates on how he should have approached her. To be certain they are meant for each other, they part ways and let destiny takes its course.
You can watch this free movie from any of these:
Link 1, Link 2, Link 3
Attack On A Bakery (パン屋襲撃, Pan ya shūgeki)
The title of this Japanese short story is translated in English as either “Bakery Attack” or “Attack On A Bakery“.
This 16-minute 1982 short film directed is by Naoto Yamakawa.
The story about two desperate hungry youths who rob a bakery run by a Wagner-enthusiast communist.
Before they can carry out their their attack, they have to wait for an a young lady customer; still in the bakery, indecisively choosing between a Japanese pastry and French croissants.
The casts are: Cho Ban-Ho, Shigeru Muroi (indecisive lady customer) , Koen Okumura (baker) and Taro Suwa.
Watch the free Japanese short film “Attack On A Bakery” from any of these: Link 1, Link 2
Acoustic” (어쿠스틱, Eo-ku-seu-tik)
This is another adaptation of the “Bakery Attack“.
It is found in the episode two of the three-part South Korean omnibus film titled “Acoustic” (어쿠스틱, Eo-ku-seu-tik) .
It is about a group of young twenty-somethings Koreans getting involved in love, hope, and music.
The movie is set within the Hongdae area of Seoul.
The film comes in two parts as available on YouTube.
To watch this adaptation of “Bakery Attack”, click on the two links below:
Part One, Part Two
Here is another source of this free movies:
Part One, Part Two
The Second Bakery Attack (パン屋再襲撃, Pan’ya saishūgeki)
The Second Bakery Attack is a short story was originally published in the August 1985 issue of Marie Claire Japan.
It is a sequel to Murakami’s short story “Bakery Attack“, which was published in 1981.
So far I cannot find the free full 2010 Mexican-American version directed by Carlos Cuarón.
It stars Kirsten Dunst and Brian Geraghty.
But I managed to get hold of two other adaptations.
The Second Bakery Attack
This version is in English together with subtitle, and directed by Zhenzhong Zhu is found in YouTube.
The Second Bakery Attack Chinese Adaptation
The second version is a Chinese production (再袭面包店) in Mandarin language.
To watch this short film, click on this:
Link
All God’s Children Can Dance (神の子どもたちはみな踊る, Kami no kodomotachi wa mina odoru)
This 2007 film adaptation of a Haruki Murakami story is directed by Robert Logevall.
This is one of the six short stories found in “After The Quake“.
This Murakami’s tale is about a guy called Kengo and his quest for his real father, set in Los Angeles’ Korea Town.
Interestingly, Kengo believes that his real father is God!
The cast include: Joan Chen, Jason Lew (as Kengo), Sonja Kinski, Tzi Ma, John Fleck, Darlene Kardon, Eden Rountree, Tara Brook and Yuriana Kim.
Watch this free feature film “All God’s Children Can Dance” from any of these: Link 1, Link 2
Norwegian wood (ノルウェイの森, Noruwei no mori)
This 2010 Japanese romantic drama film directed by Tran Anh Hung.
It is about Toru Watanabe who recalls his life in the 1960s, when his friend Kizuki killed himself and he grew close to Naoko, Kizuki’s depressive girlfriend.
Then he also fell for another girl, Midori, who is a wilful free-spirit.
The cast are: Kenichi Matsuyama (as Toru Watanabe), Kiko Mizuhara (as Midori), Rinko Kikuchi (as Naoko), Kengo Kora (as Kizuki),Tetsuji Tamayama (as Nagasawa), Eriko Hatsune (as Hatsumi) and Reika Kirishima (as Reiko Ishida)
To watch this free full feature film Norwegian Wood with English subtitle, click on any of these: Link 1, Link 2 (Chinese Subtitle)
Note: The second link has no English subtitle.
Hanalei Bay (ハナレイ・ベイ,Hanarei Bei)
This 2018 Japanese film is adapted from short story of the same title by Haruki Murakami.
This Murukami short story is from his 2005 Japanese publication “Strange Tales From Tokyo” (東京奇譚集, Tokyo Ki Tan Syu).
Hanalei Bay is also included in the 2006 short story collection “Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman” (めくらやなぎと眠る女).
It is about Sachi who is a single mother and the owner of a piano bar.
One day Sachi receives a tragic phone call about her son, Takashi who died from a shark attack while surfing in Hanalei Bay, Hawaii.
Since then Sachi has been visiting Hanalei Bay every year on her son’s death anniversary date.
On the 10th anniversary of her son’s death, Sachi meets two Japanese surfers who tell her about a young mysterious surfer with one leg, who goes by the name Takashi.
To watch “Hanalei Bay” movie, click on any of these: Link 1, Link 2, Link 3, Link 4
Note: Link 3 is with Chinese subtitle. Link 4 is with Malay subtitle.
Drive My Car (ドライブ・マイ・カー, Doraibu Mai Kā)
This 2021 award-winning Japanese drama film is based on Haruki Murakami’s short story of the same title “Drive My Car” (ドライブ・マイ・カー) and his other two short stories “Scheherazade” (木野) and “Kino” (シェエラザード).
These three stories are included Murakami’s 2014 collection of short stories “Men Without Women” (女のいない 男たち).
This film adaptation of Haruki Murakami’s story directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi has received many international awards, since it premiered at the 74th Cannes Film Festival in July, 2021.
The film “Drive My Car” won the Best International Feature Film and received three other nominations: Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay at the 94th Academy Awards.
It is about a stage actor and director Yusuke Kafuku (Hidetoshi Nishijima) who is still coping with the demise of his wife Oto (Reika Kirishima).
Yusuke accepts an invitation to direct an experimental multilingual production of Anton Chekhov’s play “Uncle Vanya“.
They engaged a female chauffeur, a quiet 20-something woman named Misaki (Tôko Miura).
Both of them become friends, sharing the same regret for the past and life’s missed opportunities.
To sum it up, “Drive My Car” is about grief, pain, guilt, shame, and the interface between art and life.
Watch the free full film “Drive My Car” by clicking on this: Link
Note: Link 1 has no English subtitle.
Burning (버닝, Beoning)
This 2018 South Korean psychological thriller film is loosely based on the short story “Barn Burning” by Haruki Murakami.
It is about Lee Jong-su, an aspiring young novelist, who does odd jobs in Paju. He meets his childhood female friend, Shin Hae-mi and starts a relationship.
Then she asks him to look after her cat while she’s on a trip to Africa. When back, she introduces Ben, a mysterious guy who confesses every two months, he burns an abandoned greenhouse.
It stars Yoo Ah-in, Steven Yeun, and Jeon Jong-seo.
You can watch Burning full movie free online by clicking on this: Link
Note: There is another short story with the same name “Barn Burning” by American William Faulkner.
It is about class conflicts, the influence of fathers and vengeance.
To read this free short story “Barn Burning” by William Faulkner, click on this: Link
In 1980, this Faulkner’s story was adapted into a short film of the same name by director Peter Werner.
It starred Tommy Lee Jones as Abner Snopes.
Sorry, there is no free film available online.
In fact, back in 1958, Martin Ritt directed a film called “The Long, Hot Summer” featuring the screen legend Paul Newman.
It is also based on three of Faulkner’s works including “Barn Burning.”
To watch this free full film”The Long, Hot Summer” with English subtitle, click on this: Link
There is also a 1995 Malaysian adaptation titled “The Arsonist” (Malay: Kaki Bakar) directed by U-Wei Haji Saari.
To watch the free Malay film “The Arsonist (Kaki Bakar) with English subtitle, click on this: Link
Hope you enjoy viewing all these free movies based on Haruki Murakami books or stories.and the other films as well.
Disclaimer: I do not host any of the movies here. They are copyrighted to their respective owners. All content cited is derived from their respective sources.