The Eel
A businessman kills his adulterous wife and is sent to prison. After his release, he opens a barbershop and meets new people, talking to almost no one except for an eel he befriended while in prison.
Where to watch The Eel in United States
No streaming info for your region.
Click a service to open The Eel there. Availability last verified on June 20, 2026.
Where is The Eel streaming around the world?
| Country | Streaming on | Rent / Buy |
|---|---|---|
| Spain | Filmin, Acontra Plus, Acontra Plus Amazon Channel, Tivify | Acontra Plus |
| South Korea | Watcha | Google Play Movies |
About The Eel
The Eel is a 1997 Japanese-language drama and crime film directed by Shōhei Imamura. The cast is led by Koji Yakusho, Misa Shimizu, Akira Emoto. It has a runtime of 1h 57m. Viewers rate it 6.9/10 across 100 ratings.
The Eel was produced by Eisei Gekijo, Groove Corporation, and Imamura Productions and made in Japan. It was released on May 12, 1997.
- Director
- Shōhei Imamura
- Writers
- Shōhei Imamura, Motofumi Tomikawa, Daisuke Tengan
- Release date
- May 12, 1997
- Original language
- Japanese
- Status
- Released
- Country
- Japan
- Production
- Eisei Gekijo, Groove Corporation, Imamura Productions
The Eel cast & crew
The Eel was directed by Shōhei Imamura and written by Shōhei Imamura, Motofumi Tomikawa, and Daisuke Tengan.
The cast features Koji Yakusho as Takuro Yamashita, Misa Shimizu as Keiko Hattori, Akira Emoto as Tamotsu Takasaki, Fujio Tokita as Jiro Nakajima, Mitsuko Baisho as Misako Nakajima, and Show Aikawa as Yuji Nozawa.
Behind the camera, the score was composed by Shinichiro Ikebe, cinematography is by Shigeru Komatsubara, and it was produced by Hisashi Iino.
Is The Eel worth watching?
The Eel holds an audience score of 6.9/10 from 129 ratings, a solidly received drama films.
At 1h 57m, it's a standard feature-length watch.
If you enjoy drama and crime, The Eel is worth a place on your watchlist.
How and where to watch The Eel
The Eel isn't currently available on major streaming services in United States. We track availability continuously — add it to your watchlist and we'll keep an eye out.
Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.
Rate & review
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Cast of The Eel
Koji Yakusho
Takuro Yamashita
Misa Shimizu
Keiko Hattori
Akira Emoto
Tamotsu Takasaki
Fujio Tokita
Jiro Nakajima
Mitsuko Baisho
Misako Nakajima
Show Aikawa
Yuji Nozawa
Ken Kobayashi
Masaki Saito
Sabu Kawahara
Seitaro Misato
Etsuko Ichihara
Fumie Hattori
Tomorowo Taguchi
Eiji Dojima
Chiho Terada
Emiko Yamashita
Sanshō Shinsui
Doctor
The Eel — FAQs
▸Where can I watch The Eel in United States?
The Eel is not currently available on major streaming services in United States. Availability changes often — check back soon.
▸What language is The Eel in?
The Eel is originally in Japanese. Subtitle and dub options vary by streaming service.
▸How long is The Eel?
The Eel runs 1 hours 57 minutes (117 minutes).
▸What is The Eel rated?
It holds a 6.9/10 audience score from 129 ratings.
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