1960s/1970s/1980s Japanese Genre Cinema - From Books and Magazine Articles (NSFW)

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

I thought I'd share some photos, articles and other content from Japanese books and magazines. I'll try my best to summarize and translate some gems as well, within the scope of my skills. Native or more advanced Japanese speakers, please point out if I make any mistakes.

Be noted that these posts will be very infrequent.

Girl Boss Guerilla (1972)

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

There's a nice little Reiko Ike biography in the Hotwax's Who's Who Book 和モノ事典1970's 人名編 (2006). English summary (scan below, please point out if I made any glaring mistakes)

Reiko Ike, a nude actress and the centre of the “Toei Porno” line from 1971 to 1974. Born June 25, 1954 in Tokyo. The real name is Reiko Ikeda. Did fashion and nude modelling under various aliases such as 眞木åœå and ケイ真紀 until fall 1971. Was scouted by director Norifumi Suzuki and producer Kanji Amao in May 1971 at the famous Aoi Heya club in Tokyo where both Ike and Miki Sugimoto used to hang out (note: in his book Suzuki says they had seen Ike's photos in a men's magazine and came to Tokyo to look for her). Body measurements were B98 W58 H90.

With the release of Onsen Mimizu Geisha in July 1971, Ike was billed “Porno Actress”, the first in Japan as the word “porno” had not been used in cinema context in Japan before. In October Toei had her attend and win a “Big Bust Pride” (バスト自慢コンクール) competition held at Hachijō-jima island. She continued to enjoy great success throughout 1971.

In 1972 Ike attempted a career chance to singing with the record releases World of Ecstasy (恍惚の世界) (1971/12), and 変身 (1972/7) which came out via Victor Records. She announced she'd no longer take pornographic roles and would pursue an idol career. “I want to succeed without taking my clothes off” she said. Miki Sugimoto was made the new Toei Porno star. However, Ike's record sales were not great and she returned to Toei later in 1972 to become the studio's top sex star once again, responding to the audiences' demand.

Following the decline of erotic films in 1974, Ike tried a new direction with the Nikkatsu Action film Black Panther Bitch M and the Hong Kong horror film The Bedevilled but the films were not particularly successful, and she'd go on to appear in jitsuroku yakuza films instead. Retired from the film biz in 1977 following the news of drug law violation, though she made one more film appearance in 1979 in Golden Dog.

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

Re-post from last year to organize content into the correct thread

Yumiko Katayama update!

She was telling some great stories about Toei and how she got into Inferno of Torture, where she plays the first girl tattoeed by both Asao Koike and Teruo Yoshida. She said she joined Toei via Toei's new faces competition (like Sonny Chiba and Ken Takakura before her). Toei brought the screenplay to her but she refused it on basis of the nudity and its extreme nature. The film later went into production with a different actress, who however quit in the middle of filming because she couldn't take it! Meanwhile Katayama had agreed to do a bikini shoot for Heibon Punch, but it turned out a nude photo shoot! She used a fake name, but Toei found out said now she has no excuse not to do (replace the missing actress in) Inferno of Torture.

Finally got this! Feb 10, 1969 issue!







No wonder Toei spotted her photos. The name she used was å¡” えいå/ To Eiko (= Toei-ko = Toei-girl))

(there's a few more photos in the magazine but I feel I shouldn't post them all. Fans ought to hunt down the magazine by themselves).

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

So, I bought Norifumi Suzuki's book Toei Guerilla Senki (東映ゲリラ戦記) and the 1st chapter is called “The 16 Year Old Enchantress” and it's about Reiko Ike and the making of Hot Springs Mimizu Geisha (温泉みみず芸者) (1971).

Suzuki says he and producer Kanji Amao were scouting for fresh faces for the film in Kyoto but weren't finding anyone. Finally they spotted a good looking girl in a magazine that was doing semi-nude photos of young women. But all the models had fake names. Suzuki went back to Tokyo to talk with the publisher and found out the model's real name: Reiko Ikeda. During production they decided to drop the “da” from Ikeda. Miki Sugimoto was found the same way, she was also doing modelling.

Suzuki describes his first impressions of Ike: “Strong eye shadow and heavy make-up, vibrant red lips, big bust, smoking a cigarette, and underage”.

And there was the problem. According to Suzuki, Ike was 16. Suzuki says he and Amao had a serious talk with Ike and told her she was never to reveal her real age. They were especially worried that if someone casually asked Ike's animal zodiac and she replied truthfully, that would give away her real birth year. To which she replied “don't worry, don't worry, I've had big boobs since 6th year elementary school and I knew how to dress [like an adult] since junior high 3rd year. Women can lie with make-up, can't they?”. And she said all that while holding teen magazine Seventeen in her hand!

It's not specifically stated, but I think the “official birth date” of May 25, 1953 that you see in some sources was fabricated by Suzuki and Amao. I think June 25, 1954 is her real birth date. Hotwax's 和モノ事典1970's 人名編 (2006) book says June 25, 1954. The liner notes on Nikkatsu's Black Panther Bitch M (黒い牝豹ï¼) (1974) DVD likewise state "born 1954". I also have a Jan 15, 1972 issue of Heibon Punch that comes with a Ike pin up poster which states Ike's age as 17, which would also make it 1954.


Cinematographer Shin Furuya, Norifumi Suzuki and Reiko Ike.

[RDP Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RDP]

Interesting, any further explanation on why they dropped the 'da' off the 'Ikeda'?

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

Interesting, any further explanation on why they dropped the 'da' off the 'Ikeda'?

I don't think there was. Maybe Ike just sounded more "dynamic" than Ikeda (which is a pretty common name)?

Changing names wasn't uncommon I think, e.g. Shinichi Chiba was really Sadaho Maeda but Shinichi Chiba sure sounds cooler.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

I've got a couple of those Hot Wax books, they're great. I've no idea what the articles say but they're always full of great pictures and art.

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

I've got a couple of those Hot Wax books, they're great. I've no idea what the articles say but they're always full of great pictures and art.

Which ones have you got? I have the one above + these two (edit: three)


(these reside on the old continent, though. I should have a couple of scans on my computer though).

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

These are the 2 I have.

[47lab Guest Find all posts View Profile Close 47lab]

I bought 3 or 4 of these Hotwax books at half price when my local Kinokuniya shut down.There were a couple more I wanted but someone bought them or hid them when I came back the next day.

[Jason C Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jason C]

Thank you for sharing. Awesome stuff.

[tetrapak Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close tetrapak]

great idea for a thread...:up:

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

Here's a great little story I wanted to share from Norifumi Suzuki's book Toei Guerilla Senki (東映ゲリラ戦記) (page 51-52). This takes place sometime in early 1972, after Reiko Ike had become a big star and Suzuki was preparing for his 5th film with Ike. Summary and rough translation:

“One of my favourite movies is The Barefoot Contessa, which depicts the turbulent life of a girl played by Ava Gardner, who becomes a star with the help of a third rate Hollywood director played by Humphrey Bogart. Thinking about it, maybe I was a third rate director who did his best to bring up a nameless delinquent Reiko Ike.”

“I was staying in a guest house in Meguro when producer Kanji Amao barged in with a newspaper in his hand. “Reiko Ike to become a singer, refuses to take nude roles anymore. Quits Toei, joins the same music company as (idol) Saori Minami” the scoop said.

“Japan's Humphrey Bogart stood in silence.”

Suzuki and Ike filming Girl Boss Blues: Queen Bee's Challenge

[willpak Member Find all posts View Profile Close willpak]

I really wish I could read this book. My Japanese is non existent.....unfortunately.

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

An advertisement for Modern Yakuza: Outlaw's Code (現代やくざ　与太者の掟) (1969) in Feb 10, 1969 issue of Heibon Punch, with a message from Bunta Sugawara. The damn thing reads almost like a yakuza greeting, and was quite difficult for me to translate, but I tried my best. My translation doesn't do full justice to the original, though.

"My name is Sugawara Bunta, pleased to meet you.

I am hereby writing with regards to Modern Yakuza: Outlaw's Honor and Humanity, in which I have been granted the lead role. It's been less than a year since I joined Toei, but I have been making films for about 10 years now. I was surprised by this assignment and have given my utmost to live up to the honour. Wakayama Tomisaburo, Fuji Junko, Machida Kyosuke and many other senior colleagues have honoured my first starring role by appearing in this picture, and made a deep impression on me with their lively performances. I've put all my strength into it, and it may be but a novice's enthusiasm, but I would like to take this opportunity to ask for the support of all your Punch fans.

Sugawara Bunta"