Yūdai Yamaguchi
Encyclopedia
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".
) the action-horror film Versus
(VERSUS ヴァーサス) starring Tak Sakaguchi
. Yamaguchi was also a second-unit director on the movie.
He made his debut as a feature film director with Battlefield Baseball
released theatrically in July 2003. This horror-sports-comedy again starred Tak Sakaguchi and the film won the Grand Prize at the 14th Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival
held in February 2003. Yamaguchi was a guest at the festival. He followed this in 2004 with Babaa Zone, a compilation of five short skits in collaboration with manga
artist Gatarō Man. In late 2004, Yamaguchi was one of the directors of Takashi Shimizu
's comedy-horror TV series .
As with Battlefield Baseball, his next feature, Cromartie High - The Movie
from July 2005, was based on a manga
series (Cromartie High School
). This episodic comedy, which made its New York premiere at the 2006 New York Asian Film Festival
, revolves around the hapless Cromartie High with a student body composed of thugs, yakuza
look-alikes, a giant, a gorilla and an obnoxious robot. Kamiyama, seemingly the only normal student, tries to improve things - but then the aliens invade.
Yamaguchi's September 2006 film Meatball Machine
, which he co-directed with Jun'ichi Yamamoto based on an earlier film by Yamamoto, has aliens taking over human bodies and turning them into bio-mechanical monsters. In August 2008, Yamaguchi released Tamami: The Baby's Curse
, a horror story about a monster-baby which is a more subdued work than his previous manic comedy efforts. Along with Noboru Iguchi
, Yamaguchi directed the fake TV commercials for good friend Yoshihiro Nishimura
's cult horror film Tokyo Gore Police
after Yamaguchi suggested that it might balance out the dark tone of the movie.
In a change of pace, Yamaguchi left the horror aspects behind to direct a straight comedy in the February 2009 release Elite Yankee Saburo with special makeup effects by Yoshihiro Nishimura
. The film followed a Japanese TV comedy shown on TV Tokyo
in 2007 which was itself based on a manga by Shuji Abe about a nerdy boy entering high school who because his older brothers were delinquents is also labeled a troublemaker - an "elite yankee
". The movie retained the original cast from the TV series including lead actor Hideo Ishiguro.
(2003) (2004) - directed 1 of 4 parts (2004) (2005) (2005) (2006) (2006) - 10th night episode (2008) (2009) (2011) (2011)
Writer (2000) (2002) (2003) (2003) (2011)
Life and career
Yamaguchi was born in 1971 and attended the . After graduation he won a number of awards at independent film festivals. In 2000 he co-wrote (with director Ryuhei KitamuraRyuhei Kitamura
-External links:*...
) the action-horror film Versus
Versus (film)
is a 2000 Japanese action/horror film directed by Ryuhei Kitamura.-Synopsis:After escaping from police custody, Prisoner KSC2-303 and a fellow escapee join with a group of mobsters in a forest that is one of the 666 portals that act as a connection between this world and the next, called "The...
(VERSUS ヴァーサス) starring 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...
. Yamaguchi was also a second-unit director on the movie.
He made his debut as a feature film director with Battlefield Baseball
Battlefield Baseball
is a 2003 Japanese film directed by Yūdai Yamaguchi. The film is written by Gatarō Man, based on his manga series of the same name, and stars Tak Sakaguchi, Atsushi Itō, and Hideo Sakaki...
released theatrically in July 2003. This horror-sports-comedy again starred Tak Sakaguchi and the film won the Grand Prize at the 14th 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:...
held in February 2003. Yamaguchi was a guest at the festival. He followed this in 2004 with Babaa Zone, a compilation of five short skits in collaboration with manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
artist Gatarō Man. In late 2004, Yamaguchi was one of the directors of Takashi Shimizu
Takashi Shimizu
Takashi Shimizu is a Japanese film director, best known for the Ju-on series of horror films.-Filmography:...
's comedy-horror TV series .
As with Battlefield Baseball, his next feature, Cromartie High - The Movie
Cromartie High - The Movie
is a 2005 Japanese live-action film directed by Yūdai Yamaguchi and starring Takamasa Suga. The film is based on the manga Cromartie High School by Eiji Nonaka which had also been previously adapted as an anime series.-Plot synopsis:The film opens with a black-and-white documentary-like section...
from July 2005, was based on a manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series (Cromartie High School
Cromartie High School
by Eiji Nonaka, is a Japanese comedy manga, which was subsequently adapted into an anime and a 2005 live-action movie titled Cromartie High - The Movie directed by Yūdai Yamaguchi. It follows the everyday life of Takashi Kamiyama and his odd classmates at Cromartie High School, an infamous school...
). This episodic comedy, which made its New York premiere at the 2006 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...
, revolves around the hapless Cromartie High with a student body composed of thugs, yakuza
Yakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
look-alikes, a giant, a gorilla and an obnoxious robot. Kamiyama, seemingly the only normal student, tries to improve things - but then the aliens invade.
Yamaguchi's September 2006 film Meatball Machine
Meatball Machine
is a 2005 Japanese science fiction horror and gore film directed by Yūdai Yamaguchi and Jun'ichi Yamamoto based on a film by Yamamoto from 1999. Special effects and makeup effects were by Yoshihiro Nishimura.-Plot:...
, which he co-directed with Jun'ichi Yamamoto based on an earlier film by Yamamoto, has aliens taking over human bodies and turning them into bio-mechanical monsters. In August 2008, Yamaguchi released Tamami: The Baby's Curse
Tamami: The Baby's Curse
is a 2008 Japanese horror movie based on a Kazuo Umezu manga directed by Yūdai Yamaguchi....
, a horror story about a monster-baby which is a more subdued work than his previous manic comedy efforts. Along 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...
, Yamaguchi directed the fake TV commercials for good friend Yoshihiro Nishimura
Yoshihiro Nishimura
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"...
's cult horror film 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...
after Yamaguchi suggested that it might balance out the dark tone of the movie.
In a change of pace, Yamaguchi left the horror aspects behind to direct a straight comedy in the February 2009 release Elite Yankee Saburo with special makeup effects by Yoshihiro Nishimura
Yoshihiro Nishimura
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"...
. The film followed a Japanese TV comedy shown on TV Tokyo
TV Tokyo
is a television station headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a blend of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...
in 2007 which was itself based on a manga by Shuji Abe about a nerdy boy entering high school who because his older brothers were delinquents is also labeled a troublemaker - an "elite yankee
Yankee
The term Yankee has several interrelated and often pejorative meanings, usually referring to people originating in the northeastern United States, or still more narrowly New England, where application of the term is largely restricted to descendants of the English settlers of the region.The...
". The movie retained the original cast from the TV series including lead actor Hideo Ishiguro.
Filmography
Director(2003) (2004) - directed 1 of 4 parts (2004) (2005) (2005) (2006) (2006) - 10th night episode (2008) (2009) (2011) (2011)
Writer (2000) (2002) (2003) (2003) (2011)