Toru Muranishi
Encyclopedia
is an innovative and controversial director of Japanese adult videos (AV) who, in a 1992 Tokyo Journal article by Kjell Fornander, was called "the dirtiest of the industry’s dirty old men". He has been credited as one of the creators of the quasi-documentary style found in Japanese AVs, a genre which has remained popular throughout the history of the adult industry in Japan.
, Japan in 1948. After graduating high school, Muranishi moved to Tokyo
where he sold encyclopedias. He subsequently became involved in book publishing and the entertainment industry.
in late 1984 and began directing films with them soon afterwards. Muranishi is given credit for launching the career of one of the first AV superstars, Kaoru Kuroki
who made her debut at Crystal-Eizou in October 1986. Among Muranishi's pioneering developments at Crystal-Eizou were his series which culminated in a facial, the series which satirized contemporary food-oriented TV programs, and the videos where the actress would blow into a conch shell (as in some Buddhist rituals) to signify that she had reached an orgasm.
Muranishi has had numerous problems with the law in his career, having been convicted seven times of criminal violations. While at Crystal-Eizou, in June 1986, Muranishi was arrested for violating the Japanese by using an underage actress in videos. Later that same year Muranishi brought a staff to Hawaii
in a "legendary session" where he filmed 30 videos in 30 days. Muranishi flew in 15 or so actresses in turn from Japan for the shooting and in December 1986 was arrested in Hawaii for passport violations and was indicted under the Mann Act
. He was released in July of the next year. Muranishi was once again arrested and fined for using a 17 year old actress in August 1988.
to form his own company, . According to Kjell Fornander, Diamond Visual was "a video giant which took porn to new limits and often beyond them". His Crystal-Eizou star Kaoru Kuroki
also worked with him at Diamond Visual and in February 1989, a new star, Kimiko Matsuzaka
, debuted with the company. Matsuzaka and her large bust led to a "Big Bust" boom in Japanese AV and helped assure the success of Diamond Visual. In the early 1990s Diamond Visual was "AV’s largest production company" and Muranishi has said that the company had annual sales of 10 billion yen (about $80 million). Muranishi also ventured into the softcore field of pink film and directed the December 1990 release Daikyonyuu: Noshikakaru for Xces featuring his two stars from Diamond Visual, Kaoru Kuroki
and Kimiko Matsuzaka
. The next year, he wrote the screenplay for another Matsuzaka vehicle, Daikyonyuu: Kaikan Shibori , released in March 1991 by Xces. Despite its popularity, Diamond Visual went bankrupt in 1992 with debts of 5 billion yen (about $40 million) and Muranishi had to greatly alter his style of living, going from a luxury home and Rolls-Royce
to barely being able to afford an apartment.
Muranishi was the subject of a British Channel 4
TV documentary The Sex Shogun of Shinjuku, part of the 1995 Without Walls Special series. The program explored "the exploits of leading Japanese pornographer Touru Muranishi" and looked at the documentary porn genre with "real sex with real women in real places". The program was later released (in 1997) in VHS format with another program as Red Light Zone.
As an actor, Muranishi appeared in the 2000 Soft On Demand
(SOD) produced V-Cinema
Renshin Joshikousei Patty (} which starred SOD's leading actress Kurumi Morishita
.
Muranishi is also is a prolific writer both online and in print. He has contributed to a blog on Japanese AV supplier DMM's website, http://blog.dmm.co.jp/kouhou/muranishi_tohru/, another blog, http://blog.muranishi-ch.com/new/news/blog.cgi, on his own website, and a series of articles going back to 2005 at http://www.policejapan.com/contents/list_muranishi.html. He has also published a number of books including Toru Muranishi's Grade Book (村西とおるの閻魔帳), a 400 page collection of material from his blogs published by Cosmos Books (コスモの本) in March 2010 (ISBN 4906380905).
In February and March 2007, Takara Visual issued a four volume collection of Muranishi's works from 1999-2001.
Life and career
Toro Muranishi was born in Fukushima PrefectureFukushima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region on the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Fukushima.-History:Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Fukushima prefecture was known as Mutsu Province....
, Japan in 1948. After graduating high school, Muranishi moved to Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
where he sold encyclopedias. He subsequently became involved in book publishing and the entertainment industry.
Crystal-Eizou
Muranishi joined the newly formed AV studio Crystal-EizouCrystal-Eizou
, known in English as Crystal Image or Crystal Video, is a Japanese corporation involved in the production and distribution of adult videos.-Company history:...
in late 1984 and began directing films with them soon afterwards. Muranishi is given credit for launching the career of one of the first AV superstars, Kaoru Kuroki
Kaoru Kuroki
, is a former adult video performer and a multi-media personality whose role as a media counselor expressing outspoken views on sex and society have drawn comparisons to La Cicciolina and Dr. Ruth.- Early life :...
who made her debut at Crystal-Eizou in October 1986. Among Muranishi's pioneering developments at Crystal-Eizou were his series which culminated in a facial, the series which satirized contemporary food-oriented TV programs, and the videos where the actress would blow into a conch shell (as in some Buddhist rituals) to signify that she had reached an orgasm.
Muranishi has had numerous problems with the law in his career, having been convicted seven times of criminal violations. While at Crystal-Eizou, in June 1986, Muranishi was arrested for violating the Japanese by using an underage actress in videos. Later that same year Muranishi brought a staff to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
in a "legendary session" where he filmed 30 videos in 30 days. Muranishi flew in 15 or so actresses in turn from Japan for the shooting and in December 1986 was arrested in Hawaii for passport violations and was indicted under the Mann Act
Mann Act
The White-Slave Traffic Act, better known as the Mann Act, is a United States law, passed June 25, 1910 . It is named after Congressman James Robert Mann, and in its original form prohibited white slavery and the interstate transport of females for “immoral purposes”...
. He was released in July of the next year. Muranishi was once again arrested and fined for using a 17 year old actress in August 1988.
Diamond Visual
In September 1988 Muranishi left Crystal-EizouCrystal-Eizou
, known in English as Crystal Image or Crystal Video, is a Japanese corporation involved in the production and distribution of adult videos.-Company history:...
to form his own company, . According to Kjell Fornander, Diamond Visual was "a video giant which took porn to new limits and often beyond them". His Crystal-Eizou star Kaoru Kuroki
Kaoru Kuroki
, is a former adult video performer and a multi-media personality whose role as a media counselor expressing outspoken views on sex and society have drawn comparisons to La Cicciolina and Dr. Ruth.- Early life :...
also worked with him at Diamond Visual and in February 1989, a new star, Kimiko Matsuzaka
Kimiko Matsuzaka
is a Japanese AV idol who was prominent during the late-1980s and early-1990s noted for her large breasts. An authority on the AV industry points to Matsuzaka's career as the beginning of the "Big Bust Boom" in Japan.- AV Debut :...
, debuted with the company. Matsuzaka and her large bust led to a "Big Bust" boom in Japanese AV and helped assure the success of Diamond Visual. In the early 1990s Diamond Visual was "AV’s largest production company" and Muranishi has said that the company had annual sales of 10 billion yen (about $80 million). Muranishi also ventured into the softcore field of pink film and directed the December 1990 release Daikyonyuu: Noshikakaru for Xces featuring his two stars from Diamond Visual, Kaoru Kuroki
Kaoru Kuroki
, is a former adult video performer and a multi-media personality whose role as a media counselor expressing outspoken views on sex and society have drawn comparisons to La Cicciolina and Dr. Ruth.- Early life :...
and Kimiko Matsuzaka
Kimiko Matsuzaka
is a Japanese AV idol who was prominent during the late-1980s and early-1990s noted for her large breasts. An authority on the AV industry points to Matsuzaka's career as the beginning of the "Big Bust Boom" in Japan.- AV Debut :...
. The next year, he wrote the screenplay for another Matsuzaka vehicle, Daikyonyuu: Kaikan Shibori , released in March 1991 by Xces. Despite its popularity, Diamond Visual went bankrupt in 1992 with debts of 5 billion yen (about $40 million) and Muranishi had to greatly alter his style of living, going from a luxury home and Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce (car)
This a list of Rolls-Royce motor cars and includes vehicles produced by:*Rolls-Royce Limited *Rolls-Royce Motors , which was owned by Vickers between 1980 and 1998, and after that by Volkswagen...
to barely being able to afford an apartment.
Later career
Muranishi, who claims to have experienced 7000 women and produced some 3000 adult videos, remained in the adult entertainment industry after the collapse of Diamond Visual and soon was broadcasting on his own satellite TV channel, producing about 15 movies a month with himself as producer, director, cameraman and star.Muranishi was the subject of a British Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
TV documentary The Sex Shogun of Shinjuku, part of the 1995 Without Walls Special series. The program explored "the exploits of leading Japanese pornographer Touru Muranishi" and looked at the documentary porn genre with "real sex with real women in real places". The program was later released (in 1997) in VHS format with another program as Red Light Zone.
As an actor, Muranishi appeared in the 2000 Soft On Demand
Soft on Demand
, often known as SOD, is a Japanese adult video group of companies which has its headquarters in the Nakano ward of Tokyo. SOD was founded in December 1995 by Ganari Takahashi, who retired from the company in March 2005 and is currently working in agriculture...
(SOD) produced V-Cinema
V-Cinema
Japanese is the direct-to-video industry that appeared in Japan in the 1980s. The term is a trademark of Toei Company but is widely used in the West to describe any Japanese direct-to-video release. In Japan the term used is...
Renshin Joshikousei Patty (} which starred SOD's leading actress Kurumi Morishita
Kurumi Morishita
is a well-known adult video actress who had a long and prolific career. As of late 2010, Amazon listed 148 DVD titles for her, reflecting her status as a prominent AV Idol. She retired from the adult entertainment industry in 2009.-Life and career:...
.
Muranishi is also is a prolific writer both online and in print. He has contributed to a blog on Japanese AV supplier DMM's website, http://blog.dmm.co.jp/kouhou/muranishi_tohru/, another blog, http://blog.muranishi-ch.com/new/news/blog.cgi, on his own website, and a series of articles going back to 2005 at http://www.policejapan.com/contents/list_muranishi.html. He has also published a number of books including Toru Muranishi's Grade Book (村西とおるの閻魔帳), a 400 page collection of material from his blogs published by Cosmos Books (コスモの本) in March 2010 (ISBN 4906380905).
In February and March 2007, Takara Visual issued a four volume collection of Muranishi's works from 1999-2001.
Selected filmography (Director)
| Film title | Release date | Studio | Cast | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| It's Nice |
1987 | Crystal-Eizou Crystal-Eizou , known in English as Crystal Image or Crystal Video, is a Japanese corporation involved in the production and distribution of adult videos.-Company history:... CK-74 |
Marian (マリアン) |
||
| Teacher Sara |
1990 | Diamond Visual DAIR-023 |
Itsuki Sara | Re-released 2008-06-27 on DVD | |
| Revival |
2006-10-05 | Takara Visual RVAL-01 |
Itsuki Sara | ||
| Celebrity Itsuki Sara |
2006-12-07 | Hibino Directors DRS-002 |
Itsuki Sara | ||
| Toru Muranishi Collected Works Volume 1 |
2007-02-08 | Takara Visual Revival NICE-01 |
|||
| Toru Muranishi Collected Works Volume 2 |
2007-02-08 | Takara Visual Revival NICE-02 |
|||
| Toru Muranishi Collected Works Volume 3 |
2007-03-08 | Takara Visual Revival NICE-03 |
|||
| Toru Muranishi Collected Works Volume 4 |
2007-03-08 | Takara Visual Revival NICE-04 |
|||
| A Wife of Prestigious Family of 17 Generations |
2007-03-08 | Hibino Directors DRS-005 |
Hitomi Kuroki | ||
| |
2007-05-07 | Attackers Attackers is a Japanese adult video production company located in Tokyo, Japan.-Company information:Attackers started as an independent studio but is now one of the companies that make up the large AV group, the Hokuto Corporation, which distributes Attackers video products through their DMM website... Inmad ATID-121 |
Miyuki Kobayashi & Ringo Aoyama | ||
| Married Woman Mourning Dress Cruelty |
2007-10-07 | Attackers Attackers is a Japanese adult video production company located in Tokyo, Japan.-Company information:Attackers started as an independent studio but is now one of the companies that make up the large AV group, the Hokuto Corporation, which distributes Attackers video products through their DMM website... Ryubaku RBD-094 |
Itsuki Sara & Megumi Oishi | ||