Yōjirō Takita (滝田洋二郎 ''Takita Yōjirō'', born December 4, 1955) is a Japanese

filmmaker Filmmaking (film production) is the process by which a motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, starting with an initial story, idea, or commission. It then continues through screenwriting, castin ...

. Takita received an

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology) ...

for

Best Foreign Language Film This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...

for his 2008 drama '' Departures''. It marked the first time a Japanese film won the award after the category first became competitive in 1957.

Career

Yōjirō Takita entered the film industry through Mukai Productions, where he served as an

assistant director The role of an assistant director on a film includes tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, and maintaining order on the set. They also have to tak ...

. Takita first came to prominence with the long-running, popular light-comic ''

pink film in its broadest sense includes almost any Japanese theatrical film that includes nudity (hence 'pink') or deals with sexual content. This encompasses everything from dramas to action thrillers and exploitation film features. The Western equi ...

'' series, started by Shin'ya Yamamoto in 1975, and which Takita began directing in 1982 at

Shintōhō Eiga is a Japanese pink film production company and film distributor located in Tokyo, Japan which has been among the most influential studios in the pink film genre since its beginnings. Foundation The first Shintōhō, or "New Toho", also known a ...

. Later, for the

Nikkatsu is a Japanese entertainment company known for its film and television productions. It is Japan's oldest major movie studio, founded in 1912 during the silent film era. The name ''Nikkatsu'' amalgamates the words Nippon Katsudō Shashin, literally ...

studio, Takita filmed similar ''Molester's'' films as part of that studio's ''Roman Porno'' line. ''Molester's School Infirmary'' (1984), ''Molester's Tour Bus'' (1985) and ''Molester's Delivery Service'' (1986) are some of these titles. Takita's 1986 mainstream comedy, ''No More Comic Magazines!'' received critical praise, and he has produced several popular films since then. ''

Yomiuri Shimbun The (lit. ''Reading-selling Newspaper'' or ''Selling by Reading Newspaper'') is a Japanese newspaper published in Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, and other major Japanese cities. It is one of the five major newspapers in Japan; the other four are ...

'' writes that Takita's films usually have, "a warm tenderness, reflecting his bright and upbeat personality." In 2001, he directed '' Onmyoji'', an original work by

Baku Yumemakura is a Japanese science fiction and adventure writer. His works have sold more than 20 million copies in Japan spread across more than 280 titles. He is published in a variety of formats including feature films, television shows, movies and comic b ...

. It became an international hit and received a prize at The

Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival The Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF) is a Swiss film festival dedicated to fantastic movies. It was created in 2000 and is now renowned internationally as one of the foremost film festivals in the world for genre cinema. Th ...

in 2002. He directed '' Onmyoji 2'' in 2003. His 2008 film won the

at the U.S.

81st Academy Awards The 81st Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2008 and took place on February 22, 2009, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 ...

. He also won the 2009

Japan Academy Prize for Director of the Year The of the Japan Academy Film Prize is one of the annual Awards given by the Japan Academy Film Prize Association. List of winners External links Japan Academy Film Prize official website- {{Japan Academy Film Prize for Director of the Yea ...

, among other accolades, for the film.

Filmography as director

* ''

Comic Magazine Comic magazine may refer to: * Comics anthology * '' Comic Magazine'', a 1986 Japanese film * Comic Magazines, the parent company of Quality Comics * Franco-Belgian comics magazines * Japanese manga magazines * A periodical containing comic strip ...

'' (コミック雑誌なんかいらない！ - ''Komikku zasshi nanka iranai!'') (1986) * ''

Itoshino Half Moon ''Itoshino Half Moon'' () is a 1987 Japanese film directed by Yōjirō Takita. Based on a novel by actress Mieko Harada, screenwriter Hiroshi Saito won the "Best Screenplay" award at the Yokohama Film Festival for this film. Cast * Maiko Itō: ...

'' (愛しのハーフ・ムーン) (1987) * '' The Yen Family'' (木村家の人々 - ''Kimurake no hitobito'') (1988) * ''Let's Go to the Hospital'' (病院へ行こう - ''Byōin e ikō'') (1990) * ''Love Never Dies (Sickness is in the Mind: Let's go to the Hospital 2)" (病は気から　病院へ行こう２ - ''Yamai Wa Kikara: Byōin e ikō 2'') (1992) * '' We Are Not Alone (''Made in Japan'') (僕らはみんな生きている - Bokura wa minna ikite iru) (1993) * '' The City That Never Sleeps: Shinjuku Shark'' (眠らない街　新宿鮫 - ''Nemuranai machi: Shinjuku Same'') (1993) * ''The Tropical People'' (熱帯楽園倶楽部 - Nettai rakuen kurabu) (1994) * '' Sharan Q no enka no hanamichi'' (シャ乱Ｑの演歌の花道) (1997) * ''The Exam'' (お受験 - ''O-juken'') (1999) * ''Secret'' (秘密 - ''Himitsu'') (1999) * '' The Yin-Yang Master'' (陰陽師 - ''Onmyōji'') (2001) * ''

When the Last Sword Is Drawn is a 2002 historical drama film directed by Yōjirō Takita loosely based on real historical events. ''When the Last Sword Is Drawn'' won the Best Film award at the 2004 Japanese Academy Awards, as well as the prizes for Best Actor (Kiichi Nakai ...

'' (壬生義士伝 - ''Mibu gishi den'') (2003) (Won

Best Film This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...

at the 27th Japan Academy Film Prize) * '' Onmyoji: The Yin Yang Master II'' (陰陽師II) (2003) * '' Ashurajō no Hitomi'' (2005) * ''The Battery'' (バッテリー) (2007) * '' Departures'' (おくりびと - ''Okuribito'') (2008) (Won

at the

32nd Japan Academy Film Prize The ceremony was held by the ''Japan Academy Film Prize, Japan Academy Prize'' Association to honor its selection of the best films of 2008 on February 20, 2009. Nippon Television, NTV broadcast the event, which took place at the Grand Prince Hot ...

and

at the

) * ''

Fisherman Sanpei is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Takao Yaguchi. The manga was serialised in Kodansha's ''Weekly Shōnen Magazine'' from 1973 to 1983. Kodansha has published the manga's 57 '' bound volumes'' between July 5, 2003 and October 5, ...

'' (釣りキチ三平 - Tsurikichi Sanpei) (2009) * '' Tenchi: The Samurai Astronomer'' (天地明察) (2012) * ''The Last Recipe'' (ラストレシピ) (2017) * ''

Sakura Guardian in the North is a 2018 Japanese Drama (film and television), drama film, directed by Yōjirō Takita and written by Machiko Nasu. Stage Production was by Keralino Sandrovich, Director of Photography is Takeshi Hamada and the music was by Kei Ogura and Katsu ...

'' (北の桜守) (2018)

Pink Films

* ''Molester and the Female Teacher'' (痴漢女教師 - ''Chikan onna kyoshi'') (1981) * (官能団地　上つき下つき刺激つき - ''Kanno danchi: Uetsuki shitatsuki shigekitsuki'') (1982) * ''Molester's Train: Please Continue'' (痴漢電車　もっと続けて - ''Chikan densha: motto tsuzukete'') (1982) * ''Molester's Train: Hunting In A Full Crowd'' (痴漢電車　満員豆さがし - ''Chikan densha: Man'in mamesagashi'') (1982) * ''Molester's Train: Momoe's Tush'' (痴漢電車　百恵のお尻 - ''Chikan densha: Momoe no oshiri'') (1983) * ''Serial Rape'' (連続暴姦 - ''Renzoku bokan'') (1983) * ''Molester's Train: Rumiko's Tush'' (痴漢電車ルミ子のお尻 - ''Chikan densha: Rumiko no oshiri'') (1983) * ''Molester's Train: Keiko's Tush'' (痴漢電車　けい子のヒップ - ''Chikan densha: Keiko no hip'') * ''ＯＬ２４ ji: Bishoujo'' - (''OL 24 時　媚娼女'') (1984) * ''High Noon Ripper'' (真昼の切り裂き魔 - ''Mahiru no kirisakima'') (1984) * ''Goodbye Boy'' (グッバイボーイ) (1984) * ''Molester's School Infirmary'' (痴漢保険室 - ''Chikan hokenshitsu'') (1984) * ''Groper Train: Search for the Black Pearl'' (痴漢電車　下着検札 - ''Chikan densha: shitagi kensatsu'') (1984) * ''Groper Train: Wedding Capriccio'' (痴漢電車　ちんちん発車 - ''Chikan densha: chinchin hassya'') (1984) * ''Molester's Train: Best Kept Secret Live Act'' (痴漢電車極秘本番 - ''Chikan densha: gokuhi honban'') (1984) * ''Molester's Train: Blast Off'' (痴漢電車　ちんちん発車 - ''Chikan densha: chin chin hassha'') (1984) * (絶倫ギャル　やる気ムンムン - ''Zetsurin gal: Yaruki mun mun'') (1985) * ''Pink Physical Examination'' (桃色身体検査 - ''Momoiro shintai kensa'') (1985) * ''Molester's Tour Bus'' (痴漢通勤バス - ''Chikan tsukin bus'') (1985) * ''Molester's Train: One Shot Per Train'' (痴漢電車　車内で一発 - ''Chikan densha: shanai de ippatsu'') (1985) * ''Molester's Train: Seiko's Tush'' (痴漢電車　聖子のお尻 - ''Chikan densha: Seiko no oshiri'') (1985) * ''Molester's Train: 1 Centimeter From The Wall'' (痴漢電車　あと奥まで１ｃｍ - ''Chikan densha: ato oku made 1cm'') (1985) * ザ・緊縛 (1986) * ''Za Mania: Kaikan seitai jikken'' (ザ・マニア　快感生体実験) (1986) * '' Time Escapade: 5 Seconds Til Climax'' (タイム・アバンチュール　絶頂５秒前 - ''Time adventure: zeccho 5-byo Mae'') (1986) * ''Hamidashi School Mizugi'' (はみ出しスクール水着) (1986) * ''Molester's Delivery Service'' (痴漢宅配便 - ''Chikan takuhaibin'') (1986)

Filmography as assistant director

# 実録　痴漢教師 (1983) # 猟奇薔薇化粧 (1979) # 下落合焼とりムービー (1979) # デパート・ガール　恍惚三姉妹 (1978)

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Takita, Yojiro 1955 births Living people Directors of Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award winners Japan Academy Prize for Director of the Year winners Japanese film directors Pink film directors Samurai film directors People from Toyama Prefecture Recipients of the Medal with Purple Ribbon