Shinji Imaoka
Encyclopedia
aka is a Japanese film director
, screenwriter
, and actor
. He is one of a group of pink film directors of the 2000s known collectively as the .
, but dropped out in 1990 in order to pursue a film career. He entered the film industry as an assistant director at pink film pioneer Satoru Kobayashi
's Shishi Productions. There he worked principally under Hisayasu Satō
, and also with such directors at Takahisa Zeze
and Mototsugu Watanabe. In December 1994 he worked as assistant director to the esteemed Nikkatsu
Roman Porno director Tatsumi Kumashiro
on his last film, . Imaoka's directorial debut film was aka Waiting for the Comet (1995).
In his Behind the Pink Curtain: The Complete History of Japanese Sex Cinema Jasper Sharp writes that Imaoka's style is quite different from that of his mentor, Hisayasu Satō, and that his approach to the pink film is much closer to Toshiki Satō
. Like Toshiki Satō, Imaoka's sex scenes are often sparser than the norm for a pink film, and not given much emphasis. According to Sharp, "[Imaoka's] films possess the same deadpan comic touch that masks a painfully honest emotional core, although Imaoka's peculiar brand of pathos is less wry and more sentimental." Further, he writes, "Imaoka's particular strength is his understated depiction of characters trapped in a rut, desperately reaching out for something they secretly know they can't have."
While Imaoka's approach to the sex scenes has not won him favor with the traditional pink film audience and theater owners, his films have been praised by critics. He has been awarded Best Director at the Pink Grand Prix
, and two of his films have been voted the Best Film of the year at the ceremony. In 2000, the Tokyo Athénée Français gave Imaoka a career retrospective tribute which broke the institution's record for attendance.
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. He is one of a group of pink film directors of the 2000s known collectively as the .
Life and career
Shinji Imaoka was born in Osaka in 1965. He attended Yokohama City UniversityYokohama City University
is a public university in Japan. The main campus is located in Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama.- History :An origin of YCU was founded in 1882 as . At first this school was maintained by the society of local merchants. In 1888 the school was renamed Yokohama Commercial School , a five-year school for boys...
, but dropped out in 1990 in order to pursue a film career. He entered the film industry as an assistant director at pink film pioneer 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 Shishi Productions. There he worked principally under Hisayasu Satō
Hisayasu Sato
is a Japanese exploitation film director. He has worked prolifically in the pinku eiga genre. His best known works are the pink film The Bedroom , and the V-Cinema splatter film Splatter: Naked Blood . He is known for his "sledgehammer" filmmaking style, and using his exploitation career to tackle...
, and also with such directors at Takahisa Zeze
Takahisa Zeze
is a Japanese film director and screenwriter best known for his soft-core pornographic pink films of the 1990s. Along with fellow directors, Kazuhiro Sano, Toshiki Satō, and Hisayasu Sato, he is known as one of the .-Life and career:...
and Mototsugu Watanabe. In December 1994 he worked as assistant director to the esteemed 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:...
Roman Porno director Tatsumi Kumashiro
Tatsumi Kumashiro
was a Japanese film director best known for his critically acclaimed, award-winning Roman Porno films, such as Ichijo's Wet Lust and The Woman with Red Hair...
on his last film, . Imaoka's directorial debut film was aka Waiting for the Comet (1995).
In his Behind the Pink Curtain: The Complete History of Japanese Sex Cinema Jasper Sharp writes that Imaoka's style is quite different from that of his mentor, Hisayasu Satō, and that his approach to the pink film is much closer to Toshiki Satō
Toshiki Sato
aka , , and is a Japanese film director and screenwriter best known for his pink films of the 1990s. Along with fellow directors, Takahisa Zeze, Kazuhiro Sano and Hisayasu Satō, he is known as one of the .-Life and career:...
. Like Toshiki Satō, Imaoka's sex scenes are often sparser than the norm for a pink film, and not given much emphasis. According to Sharp, "[Imaoka's] films possess the same deadpan comic touch that masks a painfully honest emotional core, although Imaoka's peculiar brand of pathos is less wry and more sentimental." Further, he writes, "Imaoka's particular strength is his understated depiction of characters trapped in a rut, desperately reaching out for something they secretly know they can't have."
While Imaoka's approach to the sex scenes has not won him favor with the traditional pink film audience and theater owners, his films have been praised by critics. He has been awarded Best Director at the 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....
, and two of his films have been voted the Best Film of the year at the ceremony. In 2000, the Tokyo Athénée Français gave Imaoka a career retrospective tribute which broke the institution's record for attendance.
Top-ten films, Pink Grand Prix
- 1996 Honorable Mention:
- 1999 Honorable Mention:
- 1999 1st place:
- 2005 1st place:
- 2005 8th place: aka
Pinky Ribbon Awards
- 2006 Silver Prize: aka