Ballad

Based on the plot of an award-winning Crayon Shin-chan animated movie from 2002, a boy named Shinichi (Takei) does the time-traveling and meets a feared general named Ijiri Matabei (Kusanagi). Ijiri is in love with Princess Ren (Aragaki) who subsequently rejects an arranged marriage to Okura Itakatora (Osawa), a powerful daimyo of northern Kanto. Enraged by the rejection, Okura sends a large army to Ijiri's smaller state and it's up to Shinichi to change their destiny.

Directed by Takashi Yamazaki, Ballad leans on a strong ensemble — Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, Yui Aragaki, Takao Osawa — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2009.