OP Eiga
Encyclopedia
, also known as is the largest and one of the oldest independent Japanese studios which produce and distribute pink films. Along with Shintōhō, Kantō, Million Film
, and Kōji Wakamatsu
's production studio, Ōkura was one of the most influential studios on the pink film genre. Among the many notable pink films released by the studio are Satoru Kobayashi
's Flesh Market (1962), the first film in the pink film genre.
, from 1955 until the studio's bankruptcy in May 1961. In keeping with his carnival barker roots, Ōkura had moved Shintōhō into exploitation film
genres during his time at the studio. Among the genres in which the studio specialized under Ōkura were horror, science-fiction, war, crime and sex films. The same year of Shintōhō's demise, Ōkura founded the Ōkura Eiga studio. Ōkura established his new studio by setting up production in Shintōhō
's facilities in Setagaya, Tokyo
which he had purchased with his own company. Shintōhō employee Kouichi Gotō bought the studio's Kansai studio as well as the use of the studio name to start the second Shintōhō, which is, as of 2010, currently active. After Ōkura, this new Shintōhō is currently the second largest pink film studio.
The early titles produced at Ōkura Eiga indicate that the films from Ōkura's new studio continued the themes pioneered at Shintōhō. Director Satoru Kobayashi
's all-color 1963 film, The Mysterious Pearl of the Ama, for example, looks back to Shintōhō's boundary-pushing female pearl-diver films of the mid-1950s, starring Michiko Maeda
and Yōko Mihara
. Kobayashi also directed ghost stories in the style of the films of Shintōhō's Nobuo Nakagawa
, with titles like (1962), (1963), and (1964). Kobayashi continued to occasionally make films in this style for Ōkura as late as 1995 with starring actresses Nao Saejima
and Yumi Yoshiyuki
, who would become a prominent pink film director herself, releasing mainly through Ōkura.
Kobayashi had worked with Ōkura at Shintōhō since 1954 and came with him to the new studio. Kobayashi's name in the history of cinema was ensured when he directed the first pink film, Flesh Market, in 1962 at Ōkura Eiga. When the police confiscated the film, two days after its release, the studio quickly patched together another version from extra footage, and Flesh Market became a huge success.
The assistant director on Flesh Market, Kin'ya Ogawa who had come from an old Kabuki family, was one of Ōkura's most important directors during the 1960s. One of Ōkura's most experienced and prolific directors, he made his directorial debut in May 1965 with for Kokuei studio. This was the first film in the "Part color" format in which key scenes-- usually sex scenes-- were shot in color while the rest of the film was in monochrome. Most of Ogawa's output during the 1960s was released through Ōkura. Though Ōkura had established the pink film genre-- called "eroductions" until the late 1960s-- with the release of Kobayashi's Flesh Market in 1962, Ōkura would not devote its resources entirely to pink until after the failure of Kiyoshi Komori's big-budget war epic, (1962), and the tremendous success of Ogawa's (January 1965).
At Ōkura, Ogawa initiated one of the most popular themes in pink film, the "urban paranoia" story. His trilogy of films beginning with Conception and Venereal Disease (1968) was an example of this genre, in which an innocent country girl is corrupted by life in the big city. Ogawa also directed "pink kaidan" or erotic ghost stories for Ōkura, and it is with these titles for which he is best remembered. Ōkura was involved in the international distribution system involving softcore pornographic films beginning in the mid-1960s. A 1969 report from Kinema Jumpo indicated that some of Ogawa's films for Ōkura, including 1966-06 (June 1966) and (September 1967) had been exported and shown in England. Ogawa claims that his favorite of his films is (November 1968), but most critics name (June 1968) as his best film. Both films were made for Ōkura. Ogawa stayed with Ōkura for six years, joining Million Film
in 1970 and later working at Shintōhō and Nikkatsu
.
To help fill the double- or triple-bill programs in his own theatres, Ōkura imported yō-pin or "Western pink" into Japan. These were softcore sexploitation films of the type that were shown in western grindhouse
's and drive-in
s. Ōkura also claims to have produced the first pink film directed by a woman. Kyōko Ōgimachi, an actress in Shintōhō's ama films of the 1950s, directed Yakuza Geisha in 1965. However Jasper Sharp reports that several pink film insiders are skeptical of this claim, as Ōgimachi was Mitsugu Ōkura's mistress, and he was known to treat her with favoritism.
The Weissers write that standard Ōkura Eiga product of the 1960s was a low-budget affair with a forgettable plot which existed only to provide actresses to appear in the nude. One of Ōkura's most popular actresses in their late 1960s output was the shapely Mari Iwai. Iwai was especially known for her roles in coming of age
films. Pink film queen Noriko Tatsumi
appeared in films for Ōkura, including (December 1967), made between the shooting on Atsushi Yamatoya's cult pink film, Inflatable Sex Doll of the Wastelands
. After her career got off to a bad start with cult horror director Kinnosuke Fukada's disastrous foray into pink, Pleasure Trap (Kairaku no Wana, Kokuei, early 1967), actress Keiko Kayama took the unusual step for the time of initiating a publicity campaign. Following this successful move, she became one of the leading sex film actresses of the era, starring in such box-office hits for Ōkura as (April 1967). Ōkura gave future "SM Queen", actress Naomi Tani
her first taste of the SM genre in (May 1967), and her first role in a fully SM-themed film with (October, 1967).
took over the sexploitation genre in the early 1970s with its Roman Porno films, a distribution system for independent pink films had been established, with Ōkura and Shintōhō controlling most of the venues. Ōkura's production arm was eventually named OP Eiga, while the distribution retained the Ōkura name. Typical of the studio's output in the 1980s, director Kazuhisa Ogawa, with regular star Mayumi Sanjo specialized in a series of college girl films. This series had Ogawa seeking revenge for rape, but, unlike typical rape and revenge films
, the first offense was not entirely unwelcomed, and the resulting revenge tends to be light-weight acts of humiliation.
(February 1983) and (August 1983) were unusually artistically done, thought-provoking films by regular Ōkura director Dai Iizumi.
The Weissers write that Jō Ichimura's 1991 film is a "revolutionary" pink film which has acquired a cult following in the years since its initial release.
Along with the exclusively gay-themed ENK studio, OP Eiga is one of very few studios to regularly produce gay pink film, such as Kuninori Yamazaki's award-winning (October 1993). A former journalist, That's When Things Changed was Yamazaki's directorial debut. Praised by critics for its intellectual themes, it was not as heartily embraced by regular pink film audiences. Openly gay actor-screenwriter Kouichi Imaizumi has become a key figure in the emergence of gay pink film by writing several scripts directed by Yumi Yoshiyuki
for OP Eiga which help to bring a more realism to gay-themed pink films.
, Yumi Yoshiyuki
, Minoru Kunizawa
, and Tarō Araki
. Neither has OP Eiga attempted to court overseas audiences, though Jasper Sharp asserts that OP Eiga's films would be popular with foreign audiences. Nevertheless, OP Eiga continues to be a major force in the pink film genre, both because of its prolific output, and because its films are consistently named among the "Best Ten" of the year at the annual Pink Grand Prix
. At the 2007 ceremony covering the year 2006, for example. all three top films were from OP Eiga. Best Films of the year produced by OP Eiga include Sad and Painful Search: Office Lady Essay
(Tarō Araki
, 2000), A Saloon Wet with Beautiful Women
(Tatsuro Kashihara, 2002), Fascinating Young Hostess: Sexy Thighs
(Tetsuya Takehora
, 2006), Molester's Train: Sensitive Fingers
(Yoshikazu Katō
, 2007), and the most recent Best Film, director Yoshikazu Katō
's (2009). In recognition of its place in the pink film genre, the studio itself was given a special award in 1996.
(Satoru Kobayashi, 1962) (Masanao Sakao, 1967) (Yutaka Ikejima
, 2000) (Tarō Araki
, 2000) (Tarō Araki, 2001) (Minoru Kunizawa
, 2001) (Tarō Araki, 2001) (Yutaka Ikejima
, 2002) (Tarō Araki
, 2002) (Tatsurō Kashihara, 2002) (Yutaka Ikejima, 2003) (Minoru Kunizawa
, 2003) (Tarō Araki, 2003) (Minoru Kunizawa, 2003) (Yumi Yoshiyuki
, 2004) (Tarō Araki
, 2004) (Tetsuya Takehora
, 2004) (Shigeo Moriyama, 2004) (Yutaka Ikejima, 2004) (Minoru Kunizawa, 2005) (Tetsuya Takehora
, 2005) (Yumi Yoshiyuki, 2005) (Yumi Yoshiyuki, 2005) (Tetsuya Takehora, 2006) (Yumi Yoshiyuki, 2006) (Yutaka Ikejima, 2006) (Tetsuya Takehora, 2006) (Yutaka Ikejima, 2006) (Kuninori Yamazaki, 2007) (Yutaka Ikejima, 2007) (Shigeo Moriyama, 2007) (Yumi Yoshiyuki, 2007) (Yoshikazu Katō, 2007) (Yumi Yoshiyuki, 2007) Tetsuya Takehora, 2007) (Tetsuya Takehora, 2008) (Yutaka Ikejima, 2008) (Naoyuki Tomomatsu
, 2008) (Tetsuya Takehora
, 2009)
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 Kōji Wakamatsu
Koji Wakamatsu
is a Japanese film director who directed such pinku eiga films as and . He also produced Nagisa Ōshima's controversial film In the Realm of the Senses...
's production studio, Ōkura was one of the most influential studios on the pink film genre. Among the many notable pink films released by the studio are Satoru Kobayashi
Satoru Kobayashi (director)
was a Japanese film director most famous for directing the first pink film, the type of softcore pornographic films that became the most prolific film genre in Japan during the 1960s and 1970s...
's Flesh Market (1962), the first film in the pink film genre.
Ōkura Eiga in the 1960s
Mitsuru Ōkura was the president of the major film studio, ShintōhōShintoho
was a Japanese movie studio. It was one of the big-6 film studios during the Golden Age of Japanese cinema. It was founded by defectors from the original Tōhō Company...
, from 1955 until the studio's bankruptcy in May 1961. In keeping with his carnival barker roots, Ōkura had moved Shintōhō into exploitation film
Exploitation film
Exploitation film is a type of film that is promoted by "exploiting" often lurid subject matter. The term "exploitation" is common in film marketing, used for all types of films to mean promotion or advertising. These films then need something to exploit, such as a big star, special effects, sex,...
genres during his time at the studio. Among the genres in which the studio specialized under Ōkura were horror, science-fiction, war, crime and sex films. The same year of Shintōhō's demise, Ōkura founded the Ōkura Eiga studio. Ōkura established his new studio by setting up production in Shintōhō
Shintoho
was a Japanese movie studio. It was one of the big-6 film studios during the Golden Age of Japanese cinema. It was founded by defectors from the original Tōhō Company...
's facilities in Setagaya, Tokyo
Setagaya, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo in Japan. It is also the name of a neighborhood within the ward. The ward calls itself the City of Setagaya in English...
which he had purchased with his own company. Shintōhō employee Kouichi Gotō bought the studio's Kansai studio as well as the use of the studio name to start the second Shintōhō, which is, as of 2010, currently active. After Ōkura, this new Shintōhō is currently the second largest pink film studio.
The early titles produced at Ōkura Eiga indicate that the films from Ōkura's new studio continued the themes pioneered at Shintōhō. Director Satoru Kobayashi
Satoru Kobayashi (director)
was a Japanese film director most famous for directing the first pink film, the type of softcore pornographic films that became the most prolific film genre in Japan during the 1960s and 1970s...
's all-color 1963 film, The Mysterious Pearl of the Ama, for example, looks back to Shintōhō's boundary-pushing female pearl-diver films of the mid-1950s, starring Michiko Maeda
Michiko Maeda
is a Japanese film and television actress. After becoming known as the first Japanese actress to appear in a nude scene in a mainstream film, Maeda was banned from the Japanese cinema after an incident in which she refused to obey a director, and did not return to the Japanese screen until 42 years...
and Yōko Mihara
Yōko Mihara
- Filmography :* Nude Actress Murder Case: Five Criminals * Cannibal Ama * * Soldiers' Girls...
. Kobayashi also directed ghost stories in the style of the films of Shintōhō's Nobuo Nakagawa
Nobuo Nakagawa
was a Japanese film director, most famous for the stylized, folk tale-influenced horror films he made in the 1950s and 1960s.-Career:Born in Kyoto, Nakagawa was early on influenced by proletarian literature and wrote amateur film reviews to the Kinema Junpō film magazine. He joined Makino Film...
, with titles like (1962), (1963), and (1964). Kobayashi continued to occasionally make films in this style for Ōkura as late as 1995 with starring actresses Nao Saejima
Nao Saejima
is a Japanese AV idol and model of the 1980s and 1990s who also starred in photobooks, V-Cinema, and feature films, including Nikkatsu's Roman Porno series.-AV career:...
and Yumi Yoshiyuki
Yumi Yoshiyuki
is a Japanese film director, actress, and screenwriter best known for her work in the pink film genre.-Life and career:While studying economics at Dokkyo University, Yoshiyuki developed a love of film. She debuted as an actress in the pink film genre in 1993 in director Toshiki Satō's...
, who would become a prominent pink film director herself, releasing mainly through Ōkura.
Kobayashi had worked with Ōkura at Shintōhō since 1954 and came with him to the new studio. Kobayashi's name in the history of cinema was ensured when he directed the first pink film, Flesh Market, in 1962 at Ōkura Eiga. When the police confiscated the film, two days after its release, the studio quickly patched together another version from extra footage, and Flesh Market became a huge success.
The assistant director on Flesh Market, Kin'ya Ogawa who had come from an old Kabuki family, was one of Ōkura's most important directors during the 1960s. One of Ōkura's most experienced and prolific directors, he made his directorial debut in May 1965 with for Kokuei studio. This was the first film in the "Part color" format in which key scenes-- usually sex scenes-- were shot in color while the rest of the film was in monochrome. Most of Ogawa's output during the 1960s was released through Ōkura. Though Ōkura had established the pink film genre-- called "eroductions" until the late 1960s-- with the release of Kobayashi's Flesh Market in 1962, Ōkura would not devote its resources entirely to pink until after the failure of Kiyoshi Komori's big-budget war epic, (1962), and the tremendous success of Ogawa's (January 1965).
At Ōkura, Ogawa initiated one of the most popular themes in pink film, the "urban paranoia" story. His trilogy of films beginning with Conception and Venereal Disease (1968) was an example of this genre, in which an innocent country girl is corrupted by life in the big city. Ogawa also directed "pink kaidan" or erotic ghost stories for Ōkura, and it is with these titles for which he is best remembered. Ōkura was involved in the international distribution system involving softcore pornographic films beginning in the mid-1960s. A 1969 report from Kinema Jumpo indicated that some of Ogawa's films for Ōkura, including 1966-06 (June 1966) and (September 1967) had been exported and shown in England. Ogawa claims that his favorite of his films is (November 1968), but most critics name (June 1968) as his best film. Both films were made for Ōkura. Ogawa stayed with Ōkura for six years, joining 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...
in 1970 and later working at Shintōhō and 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:...
.
To help fill the double- or triple-bill programs in his own theatres, Ōkura imported yō-pin or "Western pink" into Japan. These were softcore sexploitation films of the type that were shown in western grindhouse
Grindhouse
A grindhouse is an American term for a theater that mainly shows exploitation films. It is named after the defunct burlesque theaters located on 42nd Street in New York City, where 'bump n' grind' dancing and striptease were featured.- History :...
's and drive-in
Drive-in theater
A drive-in theater is a form of cinema structure consisting of a large outdoor screen, a projection booth, a concession stand and a large parking area for automobiles. Within this enclosed area, customers can view movies from the privacy and comfort of their cars.The screen can be as simple as a...
s. Ōkura also claims to have produced the first pink film directed by a woman. Kyōko Ōgimachi, an actress in Shintōhō's ama films of the 1950s, directed Yakuza Geisha in 1965. However Jasper Sharp reports that several pink film insiders are skeptical of this claim, as Ōgimachi was Mitsugu Ōkura's mistress, and he was known to treat her with favoritism.
The Weissers write that standard Ōkura Eiga product of the 1960s was a low-budget affair with a forgettable plot which existed only to provide actresses to appear in the nude. One of Ōkura's most popular actresses in their late 1960s output was the shapely Mari Iwai. Iwai was especially known for her roles in coming of age
Coming of age
Coming of age is a young person's transition from childhood to adulthood. The age at which this transition takes place varies in society, as does the nature of the transition. It can be a simple legal convention or can be part of a ritual, as practiced by many societies...
films. Pink film queen Noriko Tatsumi
Noriko Tatsumi
is a Japanese actress known primarily for her appearances in pink films of the 1960s. During the "First Wave" of pink film, Tatsumi became known as the first "Queen" of Japanese softcore sex movies, a title which she held from 1967 through 1970...
appeared in films for Ōkura, including (December 1967), made between the shooting on Atsushi Yamatoya's cult pink film, Inflatable Sex Doll of the Wastelands
Inflatable Sex Doll of the Wastelands
aka Dutch Wife of the Wasteland and The Dutch Wives of the Wild, originally released as , is a 1967 Japanese pink film written and directed by cult filmmaker Atsushi Yamatoya, starring the first "Queen" of pink film, Noriko Tatsumi, and with music by the noted jazz pianist, Yōsuke...
. After her career got off to a bad start with cult horror director Kinnosuke Fukada's disastrous foray into pink, Pleasure Trap (Kairaku no Wana, Kokuei, early 1967), actress Keiko Kayama took the unusual step for the time of initiating a publicity campaign. Following this successful move, she became one of the leading sex film actresses of the era, starring in such box-office hits for Ōkura as (April 1967). Ōkura gave future "SM Queen", actress 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...
her first taste of the SM genre in (May 1967), and her first role in a fully SM-themed film with (October, 1967).
Ōkura and OP Eiga in the 1970s and 1980s
By the time the major studio, 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:...
took over the sexploitation genre in the early 1970s with its Roman Porno films, a distribution system for independent pink films had been established, with Ōkura and Shintōhō controlling most of the venues. Ōkura's production arm was eventually named OP Eiga, while the distribution retained the Ōkura name. Typical of the studio's output in the 1980s, director Kazuhisa Ogawa, with regular star Mayumi Sanjo specialized in a series of college girl films. This series had Ogawa seeking revenge for rape, but, unlike typical rape and revenge films
Rape and revenge films
Rape and revenge films are a subgenre of exploitation film that was particularly popular in the 1970s. Rape/revenge movies generally follow the same three act structure:...
, the first offense was not entirely unwelcomed, and the resulting revenge tends to be light-weight acts of humiliation.
(February 1983) and (August 1983) were unusually artistically done, thought-provoking films by regular Ōkura director Dai Iizumi.
The Weissers write that Jō Ichimura's 1991 film is a "revolutionary" pink film which has acquired a cult following in the years since its initial release.
Along with the exclusively gay-themed ENK studio, OP Eiga is one of very few studios to regularly produce gay pink film, such as Kuninori Yamazaki's award-winning (October 1993). A former journalist, That's When Things Changed was Yamazaki's directorial debut. Praised by critics for its intellectual themes, it was not as heartily embraced by regular pink film audiences. Openly gay actor-screenwriter Kouichi Imaizumi has become a key figure in the emergence of gay pink film by writing several scripts directed by Yumi Yoshiyuki
Yumi Yoshiyuki
is a Japanese film director, actress, and screenwriter best known for her work in the pink film genre.-Life and career:While studying economics at Dokkyo University, Yoshiyuki developed a love of film. She debuted as an actress in the pink film genre in 1993 in director Toshiki Satō's...
for OP Eiga which help to bring a more realism to gay-themed pink films.
OP Eiga today
OP Eiga has not attempted to foster a "movement" such as the or , though, at the beginning of the 21st century, four major pink film directors are associated with the company: Yutaka IkejimaYutaka Ikejima
is a Japanese film director, actor, and producer. Considered the most successful filmmaker in the pink film genre in the 2000s, his films are popular with traditional pink film audiences, fans of cinema, and with critics. Because of his prolific contributions to the pink film he has earned the...
, Yumi Yoshiyuki
Yumi Yoshiyuki
is a Japanese film director, actress, and screenwriter best known for her work in the pink film genre.-Life and career:While studying economics at Dokkyo University, Yoshiyuki developed a love of film. She debuted as an actress in the pink film genre in 1993 in director Toshiki Satō's...
, Minoru Kunizawa
Minoru Kunizawa
aka is a Japanese film director, screenwriter, and actor best known for his work in the pink film genre. Including Yutaka Ikejima, Yumi Yoshiyuki and Tarō Araki, Kunizawa is one of the four top directors of Ōkura Productions at the turn of the millennium, and the only one of the four who did not...
, and Tarō Araki
Tarō Araki
is a Japanese film director, screenwriter, and actor. Including Yutaka Ikejima, Yumi Yoshiyuki and Minoru Kunizawa, Araki is one of the four top pink film directors of Ōkura Productions at the turn of the millennium.-Life and career:...
. Neither has OP Eiga attempted to court overseas audiences, though Jasper Sharp asserts that OP Eiga's films would be popular with foreign audiences. Nevertheless, OP Eiga continues to be a major force in the pink film genre, both because of its prolific output, and because its films are consistently named among the "Best Ten" of the year at the annual Pink Grand Prix
Pink Grand Prix
The or is an annual Japanese film award ceremony which recognizes excellence in the pink film. Known as the "Academy Awards of the Pink Film", the ceremony attracts a diverse audience of industry personnel, film scholars and the general public....
. At the 2007 ceremony covering the year 2006, for example. all three top films were from OP Eiga. Best Films of the year produced by OP Eiga include Sad and Painful Search: Office Lady Essay
Sad and Painful Search: Office Lady Essay
is a 2000 Japanese Pink film directed by Tarō Araki. It was chosen as Best Film of the year at the Pink Grand Prix ceremony. Tomohiro Okada was given the Best Actor award and cinematographer Shōji Shimizu was also awarded for his work on the film at the ceremony....
(Tarō Araki
Tarō Araki
is a Japanese film director, screenwriter, and actor. Including Yutaka Ikejima, Yumi Yoshiyuki and Minoru Kunizawa, Araki is one of the four top pink film directors of Ōkura Productions at the turn of the millennium.-Life and career:...
, 2000), A Saloon Wet with Beautiful Women
A Saloon Wet with Beautiful Women
is a 2002 Japanese Pink film directed by Tatsurō Kashihara. It was chosen as Best Film of the year at the Pink Grand Prix ceremony. Screenwriter Tatsurō Kashihara's directorial debut, he was awarded at the Pink Grand Prix for his screenplay and as Best New Director...
(Tatsuro Kashihara, 2002), Fascinating Young Hostess: Sexy Thighs
Fascinating Young Hostess: Sexy Thighs
aka is a 2006 Japanese Pink film directed by Tetsuya Takehora. It was chosen as Best Film of the year at the Pink Grand Prix ceremony. Kiminori Komatsu also won Best Screenplay and Akiho Yoshizawa was chosen third Best Actress for their work in the film...
(Tetsuya Takehora
Tetsuya Takehora
is a Japanese film director and screenwriter.-Life and career:Tetsuya Takehora studied at the , founded by director Shōhei Imamura in 1975 as the Yokohama Vocational School of Broadcast and Film. He entered the film industry as an assistant director at Ōkura Pictures , in which capacity he worked...
, 2006), Molester's Train: Sensitive Fingers
Molester's Train: Sensitive Fingers
aka is a 2007 Japanese Pink film directed by Yoshikazu Katō. It was chosen as Best Film of the year at the Pink Grand Prix ceremony. Director Katō and screenwriter Hideo Jōjō were also given awards for the film, as was Miki Arakawa, for Best New Actress. The Kansai region Pinky Ribbon Awards also...
(Yoshikazu Katō
Yoshikazu Katō
is a Japanese film director and screenwriter.-Life and career:Yoshikazu Katō was born in Kyoto in 1972, and became a fan of the pink film while still in junior high school. He graduated from the Nikkatsu Visual Arts Academy in 1993, and began working in the film industry in 1995...
, 2007), and the most recent Best Film, director Yoshikazu Katō
Yoshikazu Katō
is a Japanese film director and screenwriter.-Life and career:Yoshikazu Katō was born in Kyoto in 1972, and became a fan of the pink film while still in junior high school. He graduated from the Nikkatsu Visual Arts Academy in 1993, and began working in the film industry in 1995...
's (2009). In recognition of its place in the pink film genre, the studio itself was given a special award in 1996.
Directors
Notable directors whose films have been produced or released by Ōkura Eiga / OP Eiga include:
|
|
Tetsuya Takehora is a Japanese film director and screenwriter.-Life and career:Tetsuya Takehora studied at the , founded by director Shōhei Imamura in 1975 as the Yokohama Vocational School of Broadcast and Film. He entered the film industry as an assistant director at Ōkura Pictures , in which capacity he worked... Naoyuki Tomomatsu is a Japanese film director and screenwriter who has worked in the pink film and horror genres.-Life and career:Tomomatsu was born in Osaka, Japan in 1967. He was interested in manga and film from high school and started working as an office assistant to manga artist Shungicu Uchida. In 1992, he... Yumi Yoshiyuki is a Japanese film director, actress, and screenwriter best known for her work in the pink film genre.-Life and career:While studying economics at Dokkyo University, Yoshiyuki developed a love of film. She debuted as an actress in the pink film genre in 1993 in director Toshiki Satō's... |
Actors and actresses
Notable actors and actresses who have performed at Ōkura Eiga / OP Eiga include:
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Sakurako Kaoru is a Japanese gravure model, AV idol and pink film actress. First coming to prominence as an award-winning AV actress, Kaoru successfully made the transition to the theatrically released softcore pink film genre... Tamaki Katori is a Japanese actress best known for her appearances in pink film during the 1960s and early 1970s. Katori was the star of Flesh Market , the first of these softcore pornographic films made in Japan... Kyōko Kazama is a Japanese AV idol and pink film actress. She has appeared in award-winning pink films, and was herself given a "Best Supporting Actress" award in two successive years for her work in this genre in 2006 and 2007.-Life and career:... Riri Kōda aka Riri Kouda, Kiri Kōda, and is a Japanese AV idol and pink film actress.-Life and career:Riri Kōda, who makes her home in Tokyo, was born on March 1, 1974. Kōda has had an extensive career as an adult video actress; the Japanese video outlet DMM lists 200 DVDs available under her name in... Sakura Sakurada is a Japanese actress, model and adult video star who has also used the name for still photo shoots. Her long and prolific career and international recognition mark her as an AV Idol.-Early career - "Uncensored Movies":... |
Motoko Sasaki is a Japanese pink film actress and striptease performer. She entered the pink film profession at the advanced age of 29, became a star in the field at 31, and won a Best Actress award for her work in this genre in 2003 at the age of 36.-Early life:... Yōko Satomi is a Japanese pink film actress who has also used the name . Variations on the spelling of her name include , , and . She has appeared in award-winning pink films, and was herself given a "Best Actress" award for her work in this genre in 1999 and 2001.... 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... Maki Tomoda is an award-winning Japanese actress who is best known for her appearances in adult videos where her long and varied career has cemented her status as an AV idol... Yumi Yoshiyuki is a Japanese film director, actress, and screenwriter best known for her work in the pink film genre.-Life and career:While studying economics at Dokkyo University, Yoshiyuki developed a love of film. She debuted as an actress in the pink film genre in 1993 in director Toshiki Satō's... Akiho Yoshizawa , often known simply as Acky , is a Japanese adult video and pink film actress.-AV debut - Alice Japan & Max-A:Yoshizawa was born in Tokyo, Japan on March 3, 1984 and after working as a gravure idol, made her AV debut in 2003 under contract to two studios, Alice Japan and Max-A... |
Films
Notable films produced and/or released by Ōkura Eiga / OP Eiga include:(Satoru Kobayashi, 1962) (Masanao Sakao, 1967) (Yutaka Ikejima
Yutaka Ikejima
is a Japanese film director, actor, and producer. Considered the most successful filmmaker in the pink film genre in the 2000s, his films are popular with traditional pink film audiences, fans of cinema, and with critics. Because of his prolific contributions to the pink film he has earned the...
, 2000) (Tarō Araki
Tarō Araki
is a Japanese film director, screenwriter, and actor. Including Yutaka Ikejima, Yumi Yoshiyuki and Minoru Kunizawa, Araki is one of the four top pink film directors of Ōkura Productions at the turn of the millennium.-Life and career:...
, 2000) (Tarō Araki, 2001) (Minoru Kunizawa
Minoru Kunizawa
aka is a Japanese film director, screenwriter, and actor best known for his work in the pink film genre. Including Yutaka Ikejima, Yumi Yoshiyuki and Tarō Araki, Kunizawa is one of the four top directors of Ōkura Productions at the turn of the millennium, and the only one of the four who did not...
, 2001) (Tarō Araki, 2001) (Yutaka Ikejima
Yutaka Ikejima
is a Japanese film director, actor, and producer. Considered the most successful filmmaker in the pink film genre in the 2000s, his films are popular with traditional pink film audiences, fans of cinema, and with critics. Because of his prolific contributions to the pink film he has earned the...
, 2002) (Tarō Araki
Tarō Araki
is a Japanese film director, screenwriter, and actor. Including Yutaka Ikejima, Yumi Yoshiyuki and Minoru Kunizawa, Araki is one of the four top pink film directors of Ōkura Productions at the turn of the millennium.-Life and career:...
, 2002) (Tatsurō Kashihara, 2002) (Yutaka Ikejima, 2003) (Minoru Kunizawa
Minoru Kunizawa
aka is a Japanese film director, screenwriter, and actor best known for his work in the pink film genre. Including Yutaka Ikejima, Yumi Yoshiyuki and Tarō Araki, Kunizawa is one of the four top directors of Ōkura Productions at the turn of the millennium, and the only one of the four who did not...
, 2003) (Tarō Araki, 2003) (Minoru Kunizawa, 2003) (Yumi Yoshiyuki
Yumi Yoshiyuki
is a Japanese film director, actress, and screenwriter best known for her work in the pink film genre.-Life and career:While studying economics at Dokkyo University, Yoshiyuki developed a love of film. She debuted as an actress in the pink film genre in 1993 in director Toshiki Satō's...
, 2004) (Tarō Araki
Tarō Araki
is a Japanese film director, screenwriter, and actor. Including Yutaka Ikejima, Yumi Yoshiyuki and Minoru Kunizawa, Araki is one of the four top pink film directors of Ōkura Productions at the turn of the millennium.-Life and career:...
, 2004) (Tetsuya Takehora
Tetsuya Takehora
is a Japanese film director and screenwriter.-Life and career:Tetsuya Takehora studied at the , founded by director Shōhei Imamura in 1975 as the Yokohama Vocational School of Broadcast and Film. He entered the film industry as an assistant director at Ōkura Pictures , in which capacity he worked...
, 2004) (Shigeo Moriyama, 2004) (Yutaka Ikejima, 2004) (Minoru Kunizawa, 2005) (Tetsuya Takehora
Tetsuya Takehora
is a Japanese film director and screenwriter.-Life and career:Tetsuya Takehora studied at the , founded by director Shōhei Imamura in 1975 as the Yokohama Vocational School of Broadcast and Film. He entered the film industry as an assistant director at Ōkura Pictures , in which capacity he worked...
, 2005) (Yumi Yoshiyuki, 2005) (Yumi Yoshiyuki, 2005) (Tetsuya Takehora, 2006) (Yumi Yoshiyuki, 2006) (Yutaka Ikejima, 2006) (Tetsuya Takehora, 2006) (Yutaka Ikejima, 2006) (Kuninori Yamazaki, 2007) (Yutaka Ikejima, 2007) (Shigeo Moriyama, 2007) (Yumi Yoshiyuki, 2007) (Yoshikazu Katō, 2007) (Yumi Yoshiyuki, 2007) Tetsuya Takehora, 2007) (Tetsuya Takehora, 2008) (Yutaka Ikejima, 2008) (Naoyuki Tomomatsu
Naoyuki Tomomatsu
is a Japanese film director and screenwriter who has worked in the pink film and horror genres.-Life and career:Tomomatsu was born in Osaka, Japan in 1967. He was interested in manga and film from high school and started working as an office assistant to manga artist Shungicu Uchida. In 1992, he...
, 2008) (Tetsuya Takehora
Tetsuya Takehora
is a Japanese film director and screenwriter.-Life and career:Tetsuya Takehora studied at the , founded by director Shōhei Imamura in 1975 as the Yokohama Vocational School of Broadcast and Film. He entered the film industry as an assistant director at Ōkura Pictures , in which capacity he worked...
, 2009)