A list of films released in Japan in 1978 (see 1978 in film).
| Title | Director | Cast | Genre | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | ||||
| Bandits vs. Samurai Squadron | ||||
| Dainamaito dondon | ||||
| Dynamite Dondon | ||||
| The Demon | Drama | |||
| Empire of Passion | Nagisa Oshima | Won Best Director at the 1978 Cannes Film Festival | ||
| The Incident | Yoshitaro Nomura | Keiko Matsuzaka | Japan Academy Prize for Best Film | |
| Isao Hayashi | Izumi Shima | Roman porno | ||
| JAKQ Dengeki Tai vs. Goranger | First Super Sentai crossover. | |||
| Lady Black Rose | Shōgorō Nishimura | Naomi Tani | Roman porno | |
| Lupin III: The Mystery of Mamo | Anime | |||
| Mottomo Kiken na Yūgi | ||||
| Panic High School | Sōgo Ishii, | Suspense, action | ||
| Ringing Bell | Anime | |||
| Satsujin Yūgi | ||||
| Shogun's Samurai | Samurai | |||
| Rope Cosmetology | Roman porno | |||
| Rope Hell | Roman porno | |||
| Stage-Struck Tora-san | Yoji Yamada | Kiyoshi Atsumi | 21st in the Otoko wa Tsurai yo series | |
| Talk of the Town Tora-san | Yoji Yamada | Kiyoshi Atsumi | 22nd in the Otoko wa Tsurai yo series | |
| Winter's Flower | Yasuo Furuhata | Susumu Fujita Mitsuko Baisho | ||