Maiko Kazama
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese actress known especially for her roles in Nikkatsu
's Roman Porno series of films in the early 1980s.
, Japan on May 25, 1956. She began her acting career at least as early as December 1979 with the Shintōhō pink film directed by Kaoru Umezawa. During the first half of 1980 she made several more pink films for Shintōhō, Million Film
and other studios including , directed by Itsumichi Isomura
and co-starring Shirō Shimomoto
released by Shintōhō in March 1980.
She appeared in her first film for Nikkatsu
in July 1980, the Roman Porno release directed by Shōgorō Nishimura. Pink film critics Thomas & Yuko Mihara Weisser credit Nishimura, who wrote and directed several of her features, with discovering and nuturing Kazama as a Nikkatsu actress and claim that though not a beautiful woman, she "smells of sex." Two months after this film, Nishimura directed Kazama in a vehicle suited to her talents in an attempt to give Nikkatsu a new star to replace Naomi Tani
who had retired in 1979. The film, , was the first of the four-part "Woman Who ..." series all starring Kazama. The second film in the series, , directed by Akira Katō, was released in November 1980. The third entry in the series Woman Who Exposes Herself
came out in January 1981. Kazama's acting in this film won her the award for Best Actress at the 3rd Yokohama Film Festival
. The final film in the series, the June 1981 , was directed by Masaru Konuma
, who had also directed Woman Who Exposes Herself. The Weissers comment that throughout the series "Kazama's acting ability always shines through."
By this time, according to the Weissers, Kazama had become Nikkatsu's "biggest actress of the '80s." In September 1981, Kazama was paired with Nikkatsu director Takashi Sugano in another film tailor-made for her, , where she plays a sexually agressive woman who finds ecstasy in witnessing a murder. Kazama worked with director Sugano once more in April 1982 in in which she again plays a wayward wife. The Weissers consider this film and the earlier Poaching Wife: Frustrated Inside to be two of her best efforts. The Japanese Movie Database
lists the July 1982 release as Kazama's last film for Nikkatsu, a movie in which she plays only a minor role.
Kazama also had small parts in two 1982 mainstream movies, Tattoo Ari
and Weekend Shuffle. In April 1987, Kazama married comedian Susumu Kimura and settled in Osaka
.
) (Sept. 1980, Nikkatsu) (Nov. 1980, Nikkatsu)
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese actress known especially for her roles in Nikkatsu
Nikkatsu
is a Japanese entertainment company well known for its film and television productions. It is Japan's oldest major movie studio. The name Nikkatsu is an abbreviation of Nippon Katsudō Shashin, literally "Japan Cinematograph Company".-History:...
's Roman Porno series of films in the early 1980s.
Life and career
Kazama was born in Nagasaki PrefectureNagasaki Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. The capital is the city of Nagasaki.- History :Nagasaki Prefecture was created by merging of the western half of the former province of Hizen with the island provinces of Tsushima and Iki...
, Japan on May 25, 1956. She began her acting career at least as early as December 1979 with the Shintōhō pink film directed by Kaoru Umezawa. During the first half of 1980 she made several more pink films for Shintōhō, Million Film
Million Film
was one of the early independent studios which produced pink films. Along with OP Eiga, Shintōhō, Kantō and Kōji Wakamatsu's production studio, Million Film was one of the most influential on the genre during its first decade...
and other studios including , directed by Itsumichi Isomura
Itsumichi Isomura
is a Japanese film director. He won the award for Best Director at the 20th Yokohama Film Festival for Ganbatte Ikimasshoi....
and co-starring Shirō Shimomoto
Shirō Shimomoto
is a Japanese pink film actor and director from Osaka, Japan. He has been called "one of the most individual actors" in the world of pink film.-Life and career:...
released by Shintōhō in March 1980.
She appeared in her first film for Nikkatsu
Nikkatsu
is a Japanese entertainment company well known for its film and television productions. It is Japan's oldest major movie studio. The name Nikkatsu is an abbreviation of Nippon Katsudō Shashin, literally "Japan Cinematograph Company".-History:...
in July 1980, the Roman Porno release directed by Shōgorō Nishimura. Pink film critics Thomas & Yuko Mihara Weisser credit Nishimura, who wrote and directed several of her features, with discovering and nuturing Kazama as a Nikkatsu actress and claim that though not a beautiful woman, she "smells of sex." Two months after this film, Nishimura directed Kazama in a vehicle suited to her talents in an attempt to give Nikkatsu a new star to replace Naomi Tani
Naomi Tani
is a Japanese actress who is best known for her appearances in Nikkatsu's Roman Porno films with an S&M theme during the 1970s.-Early career:Born October 20, 1948, in the Hakata ward of Fukuoka, Naomi Tani moved to Tokyo at the age of 18. After arrival in Tokyo, she was featured in a photo layout...
who had retired in 1979. The film, , was the first of the four-part "Woman Who ..." series all starring Kazama. The second film in the series, , directed by Akira Katō, was released in November 1980. The third entry in the series Woman Who Exposes Herself
Woman Who Exposes Herself
is a 1981 Japanese film directed by Masaru Konuma and starring Maiko Kazama. It is the third film in the four part "The Woman Who ..." series which Nikkatsu produced in 1981-1982 as part of their Roman porno series to showcase the talents of Maiko Kazama as a successor to Naomi Tani who had retired...
came out in January 1981. Kazama's acting in this film won her the award for Best Actress at the 3rd Yokohama Film Festival
Yokohama Film Festival
The is a noticed yearly awards ceremony held in Japan. The festival was started as a small affair by fans and film critics, and first held on February 3, 1980. Ten films are chosen as the best of the year, and various awards are given to personnel...
. The final film in the series, the June 1981 , was directed by Masaru Konuma
Masaru Konuma
is a Japanese director most famous for his Roman Porno films for Nikkatsu during the 1970s.-Early life:Masaru Konuma was born in Otaru, Hokkaidō, on December 30, 1937. Konuma retains no memories of his father who was a teacher...
, who had also directed Woman Who Exposes Herself. The Weissers comment that throughout the series "Kazama's acting ability always shines through."
By this time, according to the Weissers, Kazama had become Nikkatsu's "biggest actress of the '80s." In September 1981, Kazama was paired with Nikkatsu director Takashi Sugano in another film tailor-made for her, , where she plays a sexually agressive woman who finds ecstasy in witnessing a murder. Kazama worked with director Sugano once more in April 1982 in in which she again plays a wayward wife. The Weissers consider this film and the earlier Poaching Wife: Frustrated Inside to be two of her best efforts. The Japanese Movie Database
Japanese Movie Database
The , commonly referred to as JMDB, is an online database of information about Japanese movies, actors, and production crew personnel. It is similar to the Internet Movie Database, but lists only those films originally released in Japan. The site was started in 1997, and contains movies from Meiji...
lists the July 1982 release as Kazama's last film for Nikkatsu, a movie in which she plays only a minor role.
Kazama also had small parts in two 1982 mainstream movies, Tattoo Ari
Tattoo Ari
is a 1982 Japanese film directed by Banmei Takahashi. The film was based on the life of Akiyoshi Umekawa.-Cast:* Ryūdō Uzaki as Akio Takeda* Keiko Sekine as Michiyo* Misako Watanabe as Sadako Takeda* Ayako Ōta as Miyoko...
and Weekend Shuffle. In April 1987, Kazama married comedian Susumu Kimura and settled in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
.
Filmography
(Dec. 1979, Shintōhō)' (Mar. 1980, Shintōhō) (July 1980, NikkatsuNikkatsu
is a Japanese entertainment company well known for its film and television productions. It is Japan's oldest major movie studio. The name Nikkatsu is an abbreviation of Nippon Katsudō Shashin, literally "Japan Cinematograph Company".-History:...
) (Sept. 1980, Nikkatsu) (Nov. 1980, Nikkatsu)
- Woman Who Exposes HerselfWoman Who Exposes Herselfis a 1981 Japanese film directed by Masaru Konuma and starring Maiko Kazama. It is the third film in the four part "The Woman Who ..." series which Nikkatsu produced in 1981-1982 as part of their Roman porno series to showcase the talents of Maiko Kazama as a successor to Naomi Tani who had retired...
(Jan. 1981, Nikkatsu) (Mar. 1981, Nikkatsu) (May 1981, Nikkatsu) (June 1981, Nikkatsu) (Sept. 1981, Nikkatsu) (Nov. 1981, Nikkatsu) (Dec. 1981, Nikkatsu) (Feb. 1982, Nikkatsu) (Feb. 1982, Nikkatsu) (Apr. 1982, Nikkatsu) (June 1982, Takahashi Prod.) (July 1982, Nikkatsu) (Oct. 1982, Joypack)