Yoshihiro Nishimura
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
film director, special effects and makeup effects artist, and a screenwriter who has worked predominantly in the horror genre. Nishimura has been described as "a legendary director and effects artist" and "the Tom Savini
of Japan" with "talent to burn". He has been credited with establishing a new type of visual film presentation, the "gore effect".
with distorted human bodies that he saw when in elementary school. He majored in law in college. Nishimura has said that he doesn't watch much television or movies but reads horror magazines and gets much of his inspiration from his dreams.
He started making films from his junior high school days teaching himself about filming, lighting, special effects and modeling. In 1995 with a small crew he made the independently produced movie Anatomia Extinction (Genkai jinkō keisū). Nishimura wrote the screenplay, directed, and did the special effects. The film was shown at the Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival
in February 1995 where it won a Special Jury Award. The film would later form the basis for Tokyo Gore Police
.
For several years, Nishimura did special effects and special makeup effects for a number of movies including the controversial thriller from Sion Sono
, Suicide Club
, and Noboru Iguchi
's 2003 comedy-romance-horror . In 2005, he did the special effects for the science fiction horror film directed by Yūdai Yamaguchi
and Jun'ichi Yamamoto. One review of the film says "the makeup and special effects that the film is sold on are solid. Produced on a very meager budget, the make-up appliances look great."
Nishimura teamed with Noboru Iguchi
again in 2008 when he did the special effects and makeup effects for the low-budget action and gore film The Machine Girl
. When he finished The Machine Girl, Media Blasters, the USA distributors of the DVD, asked if he wanted to do another movie. He decided to do a re-make of his earlier short film Anatomia Extinction from 1995 and created the science fiction horror movie Tokyo Gore Police
. Nishimura co-wrote the screenplay, directed the movie, did the special make-up effects and modeling, and had a small cameo role as well. Nishimura said that one difference was that as director, he could no longer take naps during breaks as he could when he was only concerned with special effects.
In 2009, he did the makeup effects on Samurai Princess
(also called Samurai Princess: Devil Princess) for director Kengo Kaji, and also on director Kōsuke Suzuki's Stop the Bitch Campaign. For the 2009 production of , Nishimura teamed with Naoyuki Tomomatsu
as co-director and with fight choreographer Taku Sakaguchi who had previously worked with Nishimura on Tokyo Gore Police and Meatball Machine. The movie had its world premier at the New York Asian Film Festival
on June 26 and opened in Japan August 15, 2009.
Nishimura started his own effects company based in Tokyo, Nishimura Eizo Co., Ltd. Partnering with visual effects company Studio Buckhorn and Studio HigeMigane in 2010, it became part of Pabaan: The Image Production Group.
In 2010, Nishimura co-directed Mutant Girls Squad
with Noboru Iguchi
and Tak Sakaguchi
, as well as directing the action/horror film Helldriver
, his first solo directing duty since "Tokyo Gore Police." The same year, he created the special effects for Horny House of Horror
, starring AV starlets Asami
, Mint Suzuki, and Saori Hara
.
In 2011, Nishimura directed the "Killer" music video for Osaka rock band
.
Fant-Asia Film Festival
Cyber Horror Awards
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
film director, special effects and makeup effects artist, and a screenwriter who has worked predominantly in the horror genre. Nishimura has been described as "a legendary director and effects artist" and "the Tom Savini
Tom Savini
Thomas Vincent "Tom" Savini is an American actor, stuntman, director, award-winning special effects and makeup artist. He is known for his work on the Living Dead films directed by George A. Romero, as well as Creepshow, The Burning, Friday the 13th, The Prowler, and Maniac. He directed the 1990...
of Japan" with "talent to burn". He has been credited with establishing a new type of visual film presentation, the "gore effect".
Life and career
Nishimura, born on April 1, 1967, had been interested in film from childhood but a major influence on his career was a painting by Salvador DaliSalvador Dalí
Salvador Domènec Felip Jacint Dalí i Domènech, Marquis de Púbol , commonly known as Salvador Dalí , was a prominent Spanish Catalan surrealist painter born in Figueres,Spain....
with distorted human bodies that he saw when in elementary school. He majored in law in college. Nishimura has said that he doesn't watch much television or movies but reads horror magazines and gets much of his inspiration from his dreams.
He started making films from his junior high school days teaching himself about filming, lighting, special effects and modeling. In 1995 with a small crew he made the independently produced movie Anatomia Extinction (Genkai jinkō keisū). Nishimura wrote the screenplay, directed, and did the special effects. The film was shown at the Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival
Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival
The , also sometimes called YIFFF, is held in a resort-like environment in the small town of Yūbari on the northernmost Japanese island of Hokkaidō. From 1990 to 1999, the festival was known as the Yubari International Fantastic Adventure Film Festival.-History:...
in February 1995 where it won a Special Jury Award. The film would later form the basis for Tokyo Gore Police
Tokyo Gore Police
is a 2008 Japanese gore film co-written, edited, and directed by Yoshihiro Nishimura and stars Eihi Shiina as Ruka, a vengeful police officer.Tokyo Gore Police was released to several film festivals in North America...
.
For several years, Nishimura did special effects and special makeup effects for a number of movies including the controversial thriller from Sion Sono
Sion Sono
is a controversial Japanese filmmaker and poet. He was born in Toyokawa, Aichi, Japan, and is best known for his films as well as avant-garde poetry performances.-Early career:...
, Suicide Club
Suicide Club (film)
Suicide Club, known in Japan as is a 2002 Japanese independent horror film that gained a considerable amount of notoriety in film festivals around the world for its controversial subject matter and gory presentation, and has since developed a significant cult following. It won the Jury Prize for...
, and Noboru Iguchi
Noboru Iguchi
is a Japanese film director, screenwriter and actor. He has worked as a director in adult video as well as in the horror and gore genres.-Life and career:Iguchi was born on June 28, 1969...
's 2003 comedy-romance-horror . In 2005, he did the special effects for the science fiction horror film directed by Yūdai Yamaguchi
Yūdai Yamaguchi
is a Japanese film director who has worked mainly in the comedy and horror genres. He has "made a name for himself by mixing goofy gore with manga-esque escapades and plain utter weirdness".-Life and career:...
and Jun'ichi Yamamoto. One review of the film says "the makeup and special effects that the film is sold on are solid. Produced on a very meager budget, the make-up appliances look great."
Nishimura teamed with Noboru Iguchi
Noboru Iguchi
is a Japanese film director, screenwriter and actor. He has worked as a director in adult video as well as in the horror and gore genres.-Life and career:Iguchi was born on June 28, 1969...
again in 2008 when he did the special effects and makeup effects for the low-budget action and gore film The Machine Girl
The Machine Girl
is a 2008 Japanese action shock/gore film written and directed by Noboru Iguchi with special effects by Yoshihiro Nishimura . The film stars Minase Yashiro in the lead role as Ami, Asami in the role of Miki, Kentarō Shimazu as the yakuza leader Ryūgi Kimura and Honoka as his wife, Mrs. Kimura...
. When he finished The Machine Girl, Media Blasters, the USA distributors of the DVD, asked if he wanted to do another movie. He decided to do a re-make of his earlier short film Anatomia Extinction from 1995 and created the science fiction horror movie Tokyo Gore Police
Tokyo Gore Police
is a 2008 Japanese gore film co-written, edited, and directed by Yoshihiro Nishimura and stars Eihi Shiina as Ruka, a vengeful police officer.Tokyo Gore Police was released to several film festivals in North America...
. Nishimura co-wrote the screenplay, directed the movie, did the special make-up effects and modeling, and had a small cameo role as well. Nishimura said that one difference was that as director, he could no longer take naps during breaks as he could when he was only concerned with special effects.
In 2009, he did the makeup effects on Samurai Princess
Samurai Princess
is a 2009 Japanese film directed by Kengo Kaji, described as ero guro action film. Special effects were produced by Yoshihiro Nishimura, who previously directed and created effects and makeup for Tokyo Gore Police, which Kengo Kaji wrote....
(also called Samurai Princess: Devil Princess) for director Kengo Kaji, and also on director Kōsuke Suzuki's Stop the Bitch Campaign. For the 2009 production of , Nishimura teamed with 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...
as co-director and with fight choreographer Taku Sakaguchi who had previously worked with Nishimura on Tokyo Gore Police and Meatball Machine. The movie had its world premier at the New York Asian Film Festival
New York Asian Film Festival
The New York Asian Film Festival was first held in 2002, growing out of the previous year's New York Korean Film Festival...
on June 26 and opened in Japan August 15, 2009.
Nishimura started his own effects company based in Tokyo, Nishimura Eizo Co., Ltd. Partnering with visual effects company Studio Buckhorn and Studio HigeMigane in 2010, it became part of Pabaan: The Image Production Group.
In 2010, Nishimura co-directed Mutant Girls Squad
Mutant Girls Squad
is a Japanese film by Noboru Iguchi, Yoshihiro Nishimura and Tak Sakaguchi. The film is about Rin, a sixteen-year-old mutant girl who meets a gang of rebel mutants who aim to take revenge on humans for persecuting their race...
with Noboru Iguchi
Noboru Iguchi
is a Japanese film director, screenwriter and actor. He has worked as a director in adult video as well as in the horror and gore genres.-Life and career:Iguchi was born on June 28, 1969...
and Tak Sakaguchi
Tak Sakaguchi
is a Japanese actor, director, fight choreorapher, and stuntman. He is best known for his lead role in Ryuhei Kitamura's cult film, Versus. Sakaguchi is a talented martial artist, and as such, stars in films featuring copious fight scenes and performs all of his own stunts. He is known to be...
, as well as directing the action/horror film Helldriver
Helldriver
is a 2010 Japanese splatter film directed by Yoshihiro Nishimura. It stars Yumiko Hara and Eihi Shiina, and was written by Nishimura and Daichi Nagisa.-Plot:...
, his first solo directing duty since "Tokyo Gore Police." The same year, he created the special effects for Horny House of Horror
Horny House of Horror
is a 2010 Japanese horror parody film directed and written by Jun Tsugita. The film is about three men, Nakazu , Toshida and Uno who enter a brothel in Japan to allow Nakazu to have the experience paying for sex before his upcoming marriage...
, starring AV starlets Asami
Asami Sugiura
, who has also performed under the name is an award-winning Japanese model, actress and former AV Idol.-Life and career:Asami was born in Tokyo, Japan on September 19, 1985. At age 19, she appeared in the theatrical film , directed by Naoyuki Tomomatsu and released March 12, 2005 by TMC...
, Mint Suzuki, and Saori Hara
Saori Hara
is a former Japanese AV idol, model and actress who has also used the name .-Life and career:Saori Hara was born in Hiroshima Prefecture to a Japanese mother and a father of mixed German-Japanese parentage.-Mai Nanami:...
.
In 2011, Nishimura directed the "Killer" music video for Osaka rock band
.
Awards
Yubari International Fantastic Film FestivalYubari International Fantastic Film Festival
The , also sometimes called YIFFF, is held in a resort-like environment in the small town of Yūbari on the northernmost Japanese island of Hokkaidō. From 1990 to 1999, the festival was known as the Yubari International Fantastic Adventure Film Festival.-History:...
- 1995 Special Jury Award Off Theatre Competition: Anatomia Extinction (Genkai jinkō keisū)
Fant-Asia Film Festival
- 2008 Best Asian Film: Tokyo Gore Police
Cyber Horror Awards
- 2008 Nominee for Best Film: Tokyo Gore Police
- 2008 Nominee for Tom Savini Award for Best Makeup: Yoshihiro Nishimura
Sources
- Wong, Martin (2009). "Wizards of Gore." Giant Robot Magazine issue 61.