Helmed by the iconic Akira Kurosawa, Ikiru (1952) is a Japanese drama film that follows a terminally sick Tokyo bureaucrat, as he strives to find purpose in the final days of his life. Leo Tolstoy’s 1886 story “The Death of Ivan Ilyich” served as inspiration for some aspects of the script. Having won Best Film at the Kinema Junpo and Mainichi Film Awards, the movie is regarded as one of the best movies ever made.
Here’s how you can watch and stream Ikiru (1952) via streaming services such as HBO Max.
Is Ikiru (1952) available to watch via streaming?
Yes, Ikiru (1952) is available to watch via streaming on HBO Max.
The film centers around Kanji Watanabe, who has been employed in the same tedious bureaucratic role for thirty years and is almost of retirement age. Following his diagnosis of stomach cancer with less than a year to live, he makes an effort to accept his imminent mortality.
Watanabe then attempts to escape by indulging in Tokyo’s nightlife under the guidance of a quirky novelist he has met. After one night immersed in the nightlife, it dawns on him that this is not the solution. Motivated by a youthful female subordinate, Watanabe realizes that there is still time for him to do something significant with his numbered days.
The film features Takashi Shimura as Kanji Watanabe, with Nobuo Kaneko as his son Mitsuo, and Shinichi Himori as Kimura. Other cast members include Haruo Tanaka as Sakai, Minoru Chiaki as Noguchi, Miki Odagiri as Toyo Odagiri, Bokuzen Hidari as Ohara, Kamatari Fujiwara as Sub-Section Chief Ono, Makoto Kobori as Kanji’s brother Kiichi Watanabe, and Kyôko Seki as Mitsuo’s wife Kazue Watanabe.
Watch Ikiru (1952) streaming via HBO Max
Ikiru (1952) is available to watch on HBO Max. It is a streaming service that provides a diverse selection of television series, movies, and original content. It is owned by Warner Bros.
You can watch via Max, formerly known as HBO Max, by following these steps:
- Go to HBOMax.com/subscribe
- Click ‘Sign Up Now’
- Choose your plan:
- $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year (with ads)
- $15.99 per month or $149.99 per year (ad-free)
- $19.99 per month or $199.99 per year (ultimate ad-free)
- Enter your personal information and password
- Select ‘Create Account’
Max With Ads provides the service’s streaming library at a Full HD resolution, allowing users to stream on up to two supported devices at once. Max Ad-Free removes the service’s commercials and allows streaming on two devices at once in Full HD. It also allows for 30 downloads at a time to allow users to watch content offline. On the other hand, Max Ultimate Ad-Free allows users to stream on four devices at once in a 4K Ultra HD resolution and provides Dolby Atmos audio and 100 downloads.
The Ikiru (1952) synopsis is as follows:
“Kanji Watanabe is a middle-aged man who has worked in the same monotonous bureaucratic position for decades. Learning he has cancer, he starts to look for the meaning of his life.”
NOTE: The streaming services listed above are subject to change. The information provided was correct at the time of writing.
