Was Great Teacher Onizuka Right? [A Personal Perspective]

 

We cannot go back to the past, no matter how hard we try. No matter how wonderful it was. The past is nothing but the past. ~ Eikichi Onizuka

 
Hello and welcome to my first blog post of 2024 after a long-ish, six week break. First of all, I feel that I need to explain my absence. Evidently, I wanted to continue writing right after Christmas but a set of personal circumstances forced me to adjust my schedule. In addition, I did not have time (and I was not in the mood) to watch absolutely anything. In fact, throughout January, I managed to see some random stuff on TV and only one(!) movie, which was Amadeus (1984).
     What is more, there is one more important factor responsible for my absence that is connected with the topic of today’s editorial. That is to say, I have made a New Year’s Resolution to become a better teacher for my students. Yes, some of the readers may already know this from the context of my previous reviews and articles. I have been working as a high school teacher for two years now (previously I worked at a university), and it is a very challenging profession at times. Of course, everybody has a different perception of it, depending on their place of birth, but where I live, it is not a line of employment held in high esteem by society (but more on that later).

     The beginning of the current school year was particularly challenging for me. Apart from regular teaching, I got an increase in work hours, I became a homeroom teacher to a class of first graders, and I also had to oversee a team of new teachers in terms of bureaucratic paperwork. The period between September and November was very exhausting for me, and I didn’t feel like a teacher at all, but more like an administrative official who had to mediate his way between students, teachers, and principals.
     Thankfully, things did calm down towards the end of December and I had some time to recharge my batteries and think clearly. It was at that time when I made a firm decision to limit the overbearing paperwork to an absolute minimum and focus primarily on regaining that teaching spark. I even began to re-educate myself, looking for the latest information on classroom management techniques and learning/acquisition strategies other than traditional textbook cramming.

     This is where GTO comes in. For those of you who do not know, Great Teacher Onizuka is a popular Japanese franchise created by manga artist Tooru Fujisawa in 1997. It initially started with a 25-volume manga series that received subsequent continuations and iterations in other media. In 1998, it was turned into a J-Drama. In 1999, there was a theatrical movie as well as a 43-episode anime series. In 2012, GTO was remade again as a J-Drama by Fuji TV. The series tells the story of an ex-bosozoku gang member Eikichi Onizuka who barely finishes studies allowing him to become a teacher. He finds a job at a private middle school in Tokyo, and he is assigned to the most troublesome class. Nevertheless, Onizuka’s unconventional techniques quickly lead to changes in the mentalities of unruly students.
     To be honest, I am a fan of the whole franchise, but the 1998 series with Takashi Sorimachi stole my heart, and to date remains my favourite interpretation of GTO. I have been meaning to write about this drama on the blog for years, but I never felt I had anything innovative to say about this all-time classic. However, in this article, I would like to put it in perspective with regard to my work.

     Consequently, when I was scavenging the abyss of the internet in search of information that might help me on my teaching journey, I stumbled upon a reddit discussion about the validity of techniques used by Onizuka-sensei. This discussion really got me thinking. Evidently, Onizuka is this larger-than-life, too-cool-for-school character with a deep sense of morality overshadowed by typical manga wackiness. However, it is difficult to see him do any actual teaching in the series(!) Yes, sometimes in the drama we see him holding a coursebook for social sciences, so at least we know what subject he is supposed to teach, but that is it!
     Ultimately, Onizuka’s teaching purpose is about conveying life wisdom to his students. He is not teaching them hard theory, but how to live a life. In this manner, Onizuka is yet another fictional teacher in the pantheon of mentor characters like John Keating, Mark Thackeray, and William Hundert who always strived to inspire their students and often treated them like adults. Perhaps this is the most uplifting takeaway from GTO for any struggling teacher: Onizuka persistently broke the stale teacher/student power dynamic, going out of his way to show his students that he does not look down on them.

     Still again, “educational” techniques used by Onizuka to achieve his goal leave a lot to be desired. If I were to repeat them, I would certainly end up in jail for jeopardising the health and safety of my students by jumping off a roof, getting into a fight with bikers, busting into a student’s home with a sledgehammer, or playing chicken with a speeding truck. However, I wouldn’t mind wrecking the vice-principal's Toyota Cresta every week.
     Point of the matter is that you will not learn anything about classroom management techniques from GTO (you are better off watching Dragon Zakura instead); however, GTO teaches you about employing a different approach towards your students. Onizuka, in contrast to fellow peers in the teacher’s lounge, understands that teaching is actually a relationship game. Hating your students will not get you anywhere. You should make an effort and familiarise yourself with them, even when they are troublemakers. Remember their names, ask them about their interests. greet them at the beginning of every lesson, and say goodbye when they leave.

     Kindness doesn't cost much, but for many teachers in my country it is an impossible feat. I know from experience that many (not all) teachers here are just in it for the money. They often lack necessary knowledge to conduct a subject, let alone conduct a proper class with beginning, middle, and end. This situation only fuels students’ unwillingness to learn. I know I can’t change the world, but at least I can work on bettering myself.
     All things considered, the past six weeks of teaching were extremely rewarding for me. This is not the time and not the place to get into personal specifics, but my adjusted approach resulted in many unexpected, kind-hearted situations with my students, and I feel really proud because of that. My thanks go to my dear friend @penel from MDL who was willing to patiently hear my stories.

     So, coming back to the question of this editorial: Was Great Teacher Onizuka right? Well, he was definitely right about changing your perspective and attitude to your students. And this made me like the character even more. Thank you for sticking by, I did not think this editorial would be so long. Next week, I will try to write something related to Cowboy Bebop (hopefully)!

«Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us»

The Days (2023) [Drama Review]

The Days; or, Anatomy of a Disaster
     March 11th, 2011. What happened in those days after that fateful date?
Japanese filmmakers are not backing down when it comes to creating international content for the Netflix platform. This year saw the release of The Days, the drama that serves as yet another retelling of the Fukushima Daiichi incident after the Fukushima 50 movie which was made just three years ago.

Release Info

Developed by: Jun Masumoto Starring: Koji Yakusho, Yutaka Takenouchi, Fumiyo Kohinata

Language: Japanese Original Title: THE DAYS No. of eps.: 8

Synopsis
On the 11th of March, 2011, the Tohoku earthquake suddenly occurred which led to the emergency shutdown of the Fukushima Daiichi Power Plant. Afterwards, a massive tsunami generated by the earthquake hits the shoreline and cuts off auxiliary power in the station. The crew is unable to monitor the reactors which are getting out of control. The station manager Masao Yoshida (Koji Yakusho) and his men do everything they can to prevent a nationwide disaster.

Boiling Point
The 8-episode drama, similarly as the feature film, was inspired by Ryūshō Kadota's book - On the Brink: The Inside Story of Fukushima Daiichi, but it also used official reports and Masao Yoshida's testimony as the source materials.

Well, if you have seen the aforementioned feature film, then you basically know the core of the story and you may even spot similar moments in both dramatisations of the event. The main difference is that Fuksuhima 50 rushes at breakneck pace to summarise everything within the two-hour runtime, whereas the drama takes the whole affair very slowly and lays out everything for you, step by step, point by point throughout eight episodes.

If you want to get to know what exactly happened at the power plant in detail, then watching the drama is the best option. Obviously, the character of Masao Yoshida is the main protagonist, but the show also provides a variety of different perspectives from other active players of the event, such as the control room operators, distraught family members, TOEPCO officials, and the Prime Minister of Japan.

I am also very surprised that the drama was shot on location in the Fukushima prefecture, which adds an additional layer of credibility. Evidently, the power plant itself does not look as it did back in 2011, so a lot of CGI compositing must have been done in the post-production process of the episodes. All in all, the nature/disaster sequences were done really well.

With regard to performances, evidently Koji Yakusho carries the emotional weight of the drama on his shoulders, and his portrayal of the station manager is more convincing than that of Ken Watanbe’s in the 2020 film. Words of additional praise also go to the legendary Fumiyo Kohinata for playing the distressed character of the Prime Minister. What is more, Ken Mitsuishi also has a memorable part as the TOEPCO’s deputy manager. Yutaka Takenouchi was also awesome as the control room team leader. You can also spot many great performers in the supporting roles, such as Kaoru Kobayashi, Kenichi Endo, and Yuriko Ishida.

Recommendations
All things considered, The Days is an extremely insightful examination of the Fukushima Daiichi disaster. My only (nitpicky) complaint is the generic title that always makes me think of Yurie Kokubu’s Counting Down the Days song. Apart from that, The Days functions as a decent stylistic companion piece to HBO’s Chernobyl (2019). Big thanks to @SumiTheCat for recommending the drama on MDL. If you’re interested, you can check out her review here.
Overall score: 9/10

«Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us»

The Journalist (2022) [Drama Review]

The Journalist; or, Checks and Balances
     After seeing how Ms Matsuda strives to give a voice to the voiceless no matter how difficult it may be, I became interested in becoming a journalist.
The Journalist a.k.a. Shinbun Kisha is a 2022 Netflix JDrama directed by Michihito Fujii and based on the director’s previous movie of the same title. The original story was inspired by a nonfiction book by Isoko Mochizuki, which centered on the Moritomo Gakuen scandal. I am always a sucker for political thrillers, so let’s see how this particular drama manages to penetrate through the red tape of corporate greed and media censorship.

Release Info

Directed by: Michihito Fujii Starring: Ryoko Yonekura, Go Ayano, Ryusei Yokohama

Langauge: Japanese Original Title: 新聞記者 No. of eps.: 6

Synopsis
Tokyo, 2019. The government prepares for the upcoming Olympic games. Anna Matsuda (Ryoko Yonekura) is a nonconformist reporter working for the Touto News network. Driven by personal tragedy, she is determined to expose corrupt officials and their shady deals. Matsuda investigates the case concerning a certain Eishin Academy. In the course of her work, the journalist discovers how IRS agents were framed by the government which desperately wants to protect the Prime Minister.

A Few Good Men
When I heard about the drama for the first time on social media, I mistakenly thought that it was going to be released in 2023, so I was pleasantly surprised when the show premiered in January, 2022. I am always up for a drama with the wonderful Ryoko Yonekura in the lead, but this role marks a departure from her iconic performances in Doctor X, Legal V, and The Negotiator.

What I mean is that The Journalist is not an over-the-top entertainment with epic moments and scenes played for laughs. This is a realistic story about a real tragedy. In the present-day political climate, when we see ultra nationalists and oligarchs accumulating power, it is important to stress the independence of free media and the right of ordinary voters to know the truth.

The first episode of the drama is very dire, to be honest. The viewers are presented with a lot of information, names, and characters. It is really hard to get into the thick of the intrigue, but it gets easier in episode 2. Ryoko Yonekura plays a fallen character. Anna Matsuda is by no means heroic or infallible. In fact, I would not even say that she is the main protagonist. The newspaper reporter relentlessly tracks down the people involved in the scandal and the narrative unfolds through their perspectives.

Hidetaka Yoshioka is freaking amazing as Mr Suzuki throughout the first three episodes, then the focus shifts to Shinbou Terajima as Mrs Suzuki, Go Ayano as Shinichi Murakami, and Ryusei Yokohama as Ryo Kinoshita. It is all about the determination of these few good people (their guilt and struggles) that makes this drama an interesting watch.

With regard to the supporting parts, it was great to see such veteran actors as Shiro Sano, Yusuke Santamaria, Tetsushi Tanaka, and Go Riju as the baddies. In my opinion, Yusuke Santamaria stole the show with his villainous performance. Although working mainly as a comedian, he proves once again (after Cold Case drama) how great a dramatic actor he can actually be. In addition, it was great to spot Satoshi Miki’s regulars: Ryo Iwamatsu and Eri Fuse in small roles.

Recommendations
All in all, The Journalist is an enjoyable slow burner. It manages to capture the greatness of several newspaper-oriented thrillers like Zodiac (2007) or Spotlight (2016), but the resolution in the final episode is a bit underwhelming. Personally, I believe that there is no potential to make a second season unless the writing team has some good ideas about developing the real estate/Eishin Academy intrigue further. I recommend The Journalist primarily because of the aforementioned performances and outstanding cinematography. Overall score: 7/10

«Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us»

Mama wa Idol (1987) [Drama Review]

Mama wa Idol; or, Woman of the House
     It’s tough being a mother!
Well, I guess we could say that Miho Nakayama went meta way before John Malkovich or Nicolas Cage! From the times when she was primarily an idol rather than an established actress, comes a heartwarming drama in which Miho plays a fictionalised version of herself, a popular TBS star and singer who tries to divide her time between career in showbiz and… being a mom! Let’s take a closer look at Mama wa Idol.

Release Info

Developed by: Yoshimoto Masahiro Starring: Miho Nakayama, Kunihiko Mitamura, Kumiko Goto

Language: Japanese Original Title: ママはアイドル! No. of eps.: 10 + SP

Synopsis
Mr Shuichi Mizusawa (Kunihiko Mitamura) is a school teacher and a widower who single-handedly looks after his three children. One day, when the children come back home, they discover Miho Nakayama cooking in the kitchen. Miho greets them and explains that from this moment on she is going to act as their mother. This situation infuriates the daughter, Akira Mizusawa (Kumiko Goto), who refuses to accept Miho as a new family member. What is more, Shuichi and Miho actually married in secret and try to hide this fact from the public spotlight so as not to burden the children with paparazzi and unnecessary scandal. Will the secret remain under wraps? Is Akira going to warm up to Miho?

Being Miporin
Watching the first episode was definitely a weird experience. It made me wonder how much crack the screenwriters smoked to come up with an idea of a 17-year-old(!) idol marrying her former homeroom teacher and becoming a mom to kids who are barely younger than her. This may be too much to sink in for certain viewers, but the drama is by no means NSFW. On the contrary, it's a feel-good Miho Nakayama vehicle similar in spirit to an old Disney family comedy called Man of the House (1995).

Once you get over the initial shock triggered by the premise, the show becomes very enjoyable. There are lots of funny as well as touching moments when Miho desperately tries to be a mother while hiding her idol identity in front of the Mizusawa’s pesky neighbour, Ms Tokita (hilariously played by Jun Fubuki). In addition, the drama also provides an insight into the everyday challenges of an idol such as rehearsals, photo sessions, location shooting, and concerts. A lot of real TBS crewmembers and even other idols (Risa Tachibana, Aiko Morishita, Naoko Amihama) have either guest or cameo appearances as well.

Nevertheless, the real heart of the show is the complicated relationship between Miho and Akira. The daughter has her own romantic life which serves as a nice subplot throughout the series. In my opinion, the best episode of the drama is the ninth one, where Akira actually tries to become an idol herself and Miho is cheering for her.

Needless to say, the finale of episode 10 is extremely touching and idealistic. It really makes you wonder if an idol is capable of having a family and being active as a star. The obvious answer is that it’s not possible. Consequently, the SP episode very much underlines this message in its own finale.

Apart from the brilliant performances of Miho Nakayama and Kumiko Goto, I have also enjoyed seeing Kunihiko Mitamura as the dad and Masatoshi Nagase as one of the sons. Apart from Jun Fubuki, also Shigeru Muroi has a hilarious supporting part as Miho’s co-worker. Last but not least, I have to stress that I totally dig the main theme Hade!, which is sung by Miho in the opening credits.

 Recommendations
All things considered, Mama wa Idol is a neat, good ol’ JDrama which strikes the right chord. It comes as no surprise that it had influenced Hoshikuzu Paradise (1991) anime and Papadol! movie from 2006. Definitely worth checking out, if not for Miho herself, then at least 80s vibes of bubble era Japan.
Overall score: 8/10

«Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us»

Doctor X 7 (2021) [Drama Review]

Doctor X 7; or, Michiko to the Rescue
     I can only save a patient who is in front of me.
When I heard about the seventh series of Doctor X being in development, I just could not believe it. I absolutely love this drama and regard the previous six seasons as sheer epicness. However, I got a little worried when I read that this time round the events are indeed going to be set within the Covid-19 pandemic. Here are my thoughts on the latest (mis)adventures of the infallible surgeon Daimon Michiko:

Release Info

Developed by: Miho Nakazono Starring: Ryoko Yonekura, Yuki Uchida, Ittoku Kishibe

Language: Japanese Original Title: ドクターX～外科医・大門未知子～ No. of eps.: 10

Synopsis
It’s the year 2021. Obviously, the Covid-19 pandemic has spread across the globe and impacted (negatively) each and every single human being out there. The infamous Totei University Hospital has somehow managed to withstand the crisis in the field of healthcare. Doctor Shigekatsu Hiruma (Toshiyuki Nishida) has been removed yet again from his directorial position at Totei. The new manager of the hospital is Doctor Ryotaro Hachisuka (Mansai Nomura), a specialist in virology and internal medicine. This man believes in treating patients as efficiently and as non-aggressively as possible. Nevertheless, some extreme cases require extraordinary intervention. In order to ensure the “100%-flawless” surgery, Hachisuka starts cooperating with Daimon Michiko (Ryoko Yonekura), a freelance surgeon who is always against authority, crowds, and herd mentality, a physician who is also known as… Doctor X.

All Quiet on the Totei Front
For years I have been meaning to review Doctor X, but I waited for the show to end. Nevertheless, it is never really certain if the show is going to end someday. It’s basically a flagship property of TV Asahi now. In addition, I already wrote an MDL article about the show with my friend ReikaBleu, so I will just share my opinion only on Series 7 here.

Well, after watching the first episode, I was convinced that this season is going to be something special. Doctor X is not only about the brilliant female lead and gripping medical cases, it is also a commentary on medicine and how the figure of Doctor-Hero is portrayed in the media. Episode 1 promises to viewers that the series is going to tackle and expose the pandemic with all the negative baggage of pathologies that developed in the course of its duration. Nevertheless, after episode 2, the whole concept is thrown out the window and we are back to the “good old” conventional episodes we have seen 60 times already!

I could forgive the writing team the shameless attempt to bait the viewers with the pandemic had they actually had something meaningful to convey in these 10 new episodes. Up until this point, each season surpassed the previous one with the level of excitement and unexpected twists. Season 6 ended on such a high note, that (I’m sorry) it makes Season 7 pale in comparison, especially when the writers repeatedly dismiss the supporting characters in order to provide comic relief.

This is my biggest issue with this outing. The supporting characters such as Kaji (Masanobu Katsumura), Ebina (Kenichi Endo), Hara (Kosuke Suzuki), and even Morimoto (Kei Tanaka), although good at heart, are unable to redeem themselves in the operating room. Daimon in action inspires them to do good, they want to save lives, but always in the moment of greatest crisis, they are unable to overcome the challenge, and Daimon has to step in to save the day…

Doctor X is no longer just centred on Daimon. The screenwriters should recognise and address that. It’s been 10 years since the show began and we have some many recurring, colourful characters who can have their own story arcs. For instance, episode 7 had the potential of developing Morimoto’s story and ending it on a grand scale. After all, through this character’s perspective, we met Daimon in Series 1 (2011). But no, everyone has to be incompetent and irredemable because we need at least five scenes of Hiruma and Ebina scheming about shady stuff.

Still, I appreciate this season for what it is. I love the Hara-centred story (episode 6), and the bromance level between him and Kaji is just amazing. Episode 8 was simply perfect for Jounouchi. Episode 9 focusing on Hiruma’s wife (played brilliantly by Mariko Fuji) is top notch across the board. The new characters are great as well, such as Masako Oma (Mio Imada), assistant Mikuni (Kaoru Sugita), and Doctor Kuwagata (Kazutoyo Koyabu). The absolute show stealer of the finale is Mansai Nomura as “Hachi”. The chemistry between his character and Daimon is off the freaking charts! Normally, you would not think that there is something like “a male love interest” for Daimon, but he manages to pull it off so well. Yeah, I’m not in Daimon/Jounouchi camp anymore. Now I ship Hachimon pairing all the way.

Recommendations
All in all, this is the first Doctor X season, I have had major problems with. Still, it was by no means a bad ride. The scripts may be wonky, but the actors and actresses really care about the legacy of this show and give their best performances. Now, I am hoping for Season 8 where (fingers crossed) we will see Daimon at her very own hospital! On a side note, please support the hard work of fansubbers and download subtitles directly from them. Do not rely on sites that shamelessly steal their work and capitalise on that through ads. My thanks go to MadmanSubs for translating Doctor X 7.

Overall score: 7/10

«Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us»

The State of JAV Industry: Analysing The Naked Director Drama [Editorial]

Disclaimer: Although the article discusses a NSFW show, it does not contain any kind of NSFW images or videos. It is not the author’s intention to glorify or criticise the Japanese Adult Video industry. If adult themes are something that puts you off, then feel free to skip this text.

 
     JAV has a very different atmosphere. It’s not very sophisticated, in fact it’s primitive. It’s a bit like eating and menus in restaurants: you’re hungry and you have a sudden craving for noodles, so you go and eat noodles. Your appetite is towards porno videos, so you go and rent whatever turns you on. And as with food, viewers can use basic ingredients to ‘cook’ the desired stimulation from the video themselves. ~ Kaoru Kuroki

 
I realise that I have already shared my thoughts on The Naked Director drama a couple of months ago, but after rewatching the first episode recently, I realised that there is more ground to cover with regard to this show. Specifically, how it intertextually references the idiosyncratic nature of JAV videos and comments on the industry in general.

     For the readers who have not read my old review, here is how the story in the drama goes: Hokkaido, 1980. Toru Muranishi (Takayuki Yamada) is a typical salaryman who lives in an ordinary home together with his mother, wife, and two children. In order to avoid being fired by his company, he learns from the best co-worker the art of salesmanship. When things finally start going in the right direction for Toru, he discovers that his wife is cheating on him. On top of that, his company went bust. Frustrated and depressed, Toru accidentally gets himself entangled in the adult industry. From illegal audio tapes through uncensored magazines to feature-length movies, Toru embarks on a journey to break the conservative boundaries and become the Showa era’s “King of Porn”.
     The first episode presents us with Muranishi working as a salaryman on the services of a company that sells English encyclopedias. In the very first scene, we see him pleasuring himself in a shabby toilet and then proceeding to play a video game in a restaurant. He is a quiet, withdrawn man who only pretends that he is working. Only when he is given an ultimatum by his boss do we see Toru on the path to become a true businessman with trading shtick. The parallel that his mentor draws between closing a deal and trying to charm a beautiful woman is not without importance. When Toru finally produces results for the company, we see his performance chart (presented as a red line in a vertical position) going up to a ceiling and beyond. Together with professional confidence, our protagonist also acquires masculinity and libido.

     However, the blissful period does not last forever. His former mentor figure robbed the company from its savings. Little did Toru know back then that he would commit a similar misdeed years later. That is to say, he will use the payments of his actresses to cover the fees for his satellite channel. The sequence at the publishing office serves as a foreshadowing of who Muranishi will eventually become.
     Directly after this sequence, we come back with Toru to his household where he discovers that his wife is cheating on him with a postman. The way this scene (and a similar one at a love hotel towards the end of the episode) is presented emphasises the factor that differentiates JAV productions from its Western counterparts.

     Former JAV actress Shibuya Kaho, in an extremely detailed and comprehensive YouTube interview from 2021, explained that the difference between Japanese kinky videos and Western ones lies in the fact that JAV flicks always strive to ground the NSFW stuff within a certain narrative framework (source). In other words, they try to tell a story, whereas this is not the case with American and European productions which often throw a screenplay out the window and cut to the hanky panky visuals.
     Indeed, Kaho is right with her reasoning. Japanese pornographic videos, even though they are not technically high art or pinku movies, actually contain storytelling elements. For instance, a young girl engages in a passionate relationship with her homeroom teacher (who is a female) because she can’t bear the fact that her education is reaching an end and the two will soon be apart, or an exemplary husband falls for the charms of his mother-in-law but the wife/daughter figure catches them in the act, shocked and mortified. The examples are numerous.

      The betrayal scene from The Naked Director plays out in the same style. It is not a NSFW moment just for the shock value, but it furthers Muranishi’s character development. His own wife regards him as unfit to be a husband. Jobless and wifeless at the same time, Muranishi seeks to reaffirm his masculinity which pushes him into the whirlwind of the porn industry. In the final scene at a hotel, he and Toshi record an audio of a random couple in the midst of an intercourse. Muranishi, driven by his horrible experience, entitles the tape “Encyclopedia Salesman’s Wife and Unknown Man,” which again reaffirms the nature of JAV industry. He is selling not just a kinky audio filled with moans, but a conceptual story as well which the listeners imagine while reading the tape’s title.
     With a doubt, Toru Muranishi became one of the key filmmakers in the JAV showbiz in the 1980s. His company Diamond Image was raking in one trillion yen in annual revenue (Wong & Yau 2018: 62). This was caused mostly due to the fact that he initiated the trend of the so-called honban AV; that is, movies which had real sex scenes (Wong & Yau 2018: 61). Still, he continued to push the storytelling angle in his productions as reflected in the drama: a film about a trip guide, a film about female spies in Hawaii, etc.

     Nevertheless, the most profitable picture for Diamond Image turned out to be Kaoru Kuroki’s debut called “I Like It SM-ish” (SM Poi no suki). Researchers claim that this feature has documentary style, but it gained popularity because of Kuroki’s onscreen rebellious attitude. She did not assume an image of an innocent girl, but she displayed extreme assertiveness or even downright lunacy in front of a camera, which was a new experience for JAV audience at that time (Wong & Yau 2018: 61). This led Muranishi to state the following years later: “I had to do unprecedented things to succeed. But reality verified this. Whether it’s in a French palace or the beautiful sea of Tahiti. The viewers are not impressed. The most liked setting is still the uneventful apartment bed” (source: mini-documentary).
     Indeed, The Naked Director goes at lengths to faithfully portray the life of Toru Muranishi but truth still remains stranger than fiction. In fact, during his stay in Hawaii, Muranishi shot not one but 30 different movies with approximately 15 actresses who were flown out from Tokyo in turns. In addition, he and the whole crew were arrested which resulted in Toru paying the bail money for 17 people in total (source).

     Creative liberties with regard to the character of Kaoru Kuroki are also questionable. There is no evidence that Kaoru had a messed-up childhood as presented in the drama. Actually, she had a steady and supportive family, which stands in even greater contrast with her decision to go into the JAV business. It is said that she wanted money to study in Italy, but Kaoru herself stated that she treated appearances in these videos purely as performance art because she admired such great filmmakers as Nagisa Oshima, Bernardo Bertolucci, and Ingmar Bergman (source). It was later when she started viewing her JAV status as a social mission. Muranishi said about Kaoru: “Kuroki Kaoru’s films were the best ones I have ever made. In view of female liberation and feminism, she was mostly criticized by women, but she laughed at it, still showing her armpit hair and asking them what they think.” (source: mini-documentary).

     So these were my brief thoughts on The Naked Director drama and the real story of the JAV industry behind it. I hope that the text was not too boring. I only wish we could get an official English release of the Zenra Kantoku Muranishi Toru Den novel someday. Please refer to the list of sources if you want to seek out more information about Muranishi and the JAV history. Allow me to end the article with a quote from the director himself: “What is the most important thing in life? It’s not yourself at your best, but yourself when you lose everything. Despair will accompany you most of the time, and then I want you to think about me. When you feel like quitting, please think of me. ‘Compared to that Japanese guy, I’m doing just fine!’ This may give you strength to carry on. Nice desu ne!”

Sources: The Japanese Adult Video Industry (2018) by Heung-wah Wong and Hoi-yan Yau * Pornography, Ideology, and the Internet: A Japanese Adult Video Actress in Mainland China (2019) by Mei Zhang * Shibuya Kaho Interview * Wikipedia * Web Archive * Japan Times * Tokyo Reporter * The Life of the Japanese King of Adult Video (mini-documentary no longer available on YouTube, thanks for nothing PRC).

«Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us»

The Naked Director (2019-2021) [Drama Review]

The Naked Director; or, The World is Yours
     People have seen my asshole, but I’m not embarrassed. To be human is to live as who you really are. In other words, adult videos show humanity itself.
This week’s review is going to be a bit different. First off, I have to explain that I am not a fervent fan of pornography. Obviously, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so I am not going to shun anyone who is into that type of stuff, but to me, this is not a form of “entertainment” at all. Still, I could not resist the temptation to check out The Naked Director as soon as I heard about Netflix’s release of the second season at the end of June, 2021. The aspect which attracted me so much to this drama is not the NSFW content, but rather the historical outline of a forbidden branch of Japanese cinema. This is my review of The Naked Director.

Release Info

Directed by: Masaharu Take, Eiji Uchida, Hayato Kawai Starring: Takayuki Yamada, Shinnosuke Mitsushima

Language: Japanese Original Title: 全裸監督 No. of eps.: 16 (two seasons)

Synopsis
Hokkaido, 1980. Toru Muranishi (Takayuki Yamada) is a typical salaryman who lives in an ordinary home together with his mother, wife, and two children. In order to avoid being fired by his company, he learns from the best co-worker the art of salesmanship. When things finally start going in the right direction for Toru, he discovers that his wife is cheating on him. On top of that, his company went bust. Frustrated and depressed, Toru accidentally gets himself entangled in the adult industry. From illegal audio tapes through uncensored magazines to feature-length movies, Toru embarks on a journey to break the conservative boundaries and become the Showa era’s “King of Porn”.

Nice Desu Ne!!!

The very first piece of information which you get from Netflix trailers is that this drama is actually based on real events. Yes, Toru Muranishi is a real guy and what you see on the screen happened in reality. The writers team mainly relied on the non-fiction book Zenra Kantoku Muranishi Toru Den by Nobuhiro Motohashi, and I have to say that the attention to detail in this drama is impressive. We get interview/reality show clips recreated to a t, and you can cross-check that with YouTube. This emphasis on truthfulness makes the story of Toru Muranishi all the more insane for the viewers.

I think the best way to describe this drama is to call it a crossover between Scarface (1983) and Boogie Nights (1997). Obviously, Toru is not Tony Montana and NSFW scenes are not included just for the sake of explicitness. Instead, the drama essentially shows us the rise and fall of one man within a society which is so secretive about its approach towards sexuality.

Season 1 presents us with Toru’s ascension to stardom as he battles a JAV industry mogul (Ryo Ishibashi), yakuza mobster (Jun Kunimura), and a corrupt police officer (Lily Franky). Yet, this season also focuses on another character: a shy girl Megumi (Misato Morita) who eventually becomes Kaoru Kuroki, the undisputable legend of adult movies who cements Toru’s reputation as a naked director.

Interestingly, season 2 tones down the explicit sequences but ramps up the action aspect (chases, shootouts, yakuza confrontations, etc.). Toru becomes obsessed with the idea of satellite television which eventually becomes his undoing. In this series, he is a sort of a douchebag, a Don Quixote-like character with delusions of grandeur. Yet, the supporting characters come into the spotlight with their gripping arcs: Toshi (Shinnosuke Mitsushima) falls in love with a yakuza lady, Kawada (Tetsuji Tamayama) regains faith in himself, whereas Kaoru Kuroki (Misato Morita) finally discovers her true identity.

To be honest, apart from the wonderful narrative, I have to praise the crazy awesome production design which is filled with late 80s/early 90s aesthetics. In addition, the music score composed by Taisei Iwasaki is absolutely epic. From the main theme through incidental music to the usage of popular English songs, I couldn’t help but feel constantly excited. The editing is yet another thing not to be forgotten. At times, the drama has the production quality of a big budget motion picture.

With regard to performances, the cast is just top notch across the board. Takayuki Yamada steals the show as Toru Muranishi. Misato Morita is brilliant as Kaoru Kuroki, and Shinnosuke Mitsushima heartbreakingly awesome as Toshi. My personal favourite character is Junko the make-up artist, wonderfully played by Sairi Ito. I also appreciate that veteran actors and actresses appear in supporting roles.

Recommendations
Evidently, The Naked Director is a drama for mature audiences. If the adult theme does not put you off, then give this show a chance. Its ultimate message is that no matter how many times you lose, there’s always hope for a better tomorrow. Toru Muranishi himself reiterates this in an excellent interview he gave recently. I know it is wishful thinking, but I would love to see the third season exploring Toru’s misadventures with the DVD market in the 2000s. Overall score: 8/10

«Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us»