KÅ ji Seki (é–¢å 二, Seki KÅ ji) aka Takashi Seki (é–¢å å ¸ or
é–¢å å¿—, Seki Takashi) (born September 20, 1911, date of death
unknown) was a Japanese film director known for his pioneering work in
the pink film genre. Among the accomplishments of Seki's career: he
directed the first pink films for Kokuei, the oldest pink film
company, Japan's first 3-D film, the world's first 3-D sex film, and
Japan's first "invisible man" pink film.Seki was born on September 20,
1911 near Kaminarimon in the Asakusa neighborhood of Tokyo, Japan. His
father was in the construction business. After graduating from high
school in 1930, Seki attended the Tokyo School of Fine Arts (merged
into Tokyo University of the Arts in 1949), dropping out after one
year. In 1937 he joined his father in working in the prop department
of ÅŒizumi Films, a studio which was purchased by Toei Company in
1951. He eventually became Deputy Director for large props at the
studio. He moved to Beijing where he worked with the North China
Electric Co. before he was drafted into the army.Returning to Japan
after the war, Seki joined Radio Film Company(ãƒ©ã‚¸ã‚ªæ˜ ç"»)). His
career as a director began here, where he filmed children's television
documentaries focusing on nature and animals. Seki's films of this
time bore such titles as Animal Story (㠩㠆㠶㠤物語), The World
of Little Monsters (å° ã •ã ªæ€ªç‰©ã ®ä¸–ç•Œ) and Japanese Aesop's
Fables (ニッムン・イソップ物語).Kokuei, currently the
oldest existing pink film studio, was founded in 1955 by Teruo Yamoto.
The company began concentrating on sex filmsâ€"imported films and
filmed strip showsâ€"in 1957. With the advent of the pink film genre
in 1962, the studio decided to make a series of films which would
exploit the nudity now possible in theatrical features by featuring
semi-nude actresses in natural settings. With Seki's experience in
nature and animal photography, he was hired as the director of these
"Female Tarzan" films, the studio's first films in the pink genre.
Seki's directorial debut was with Valley of Lust (情欲㠮谷é–",
JÅ yoku no tanima) filmed in 1962â€"the year of Satoru Kobayashi's
Flesh Market, the first film in the pink genreâ€"and released in 1963.
Through Valley of Lust, Seki was indirectly responsible for the name
pinku eiga applied to Japanese theatrical softcore films. The films
were called eroductions during most of the 1960s. In a review of
Valley of Lust in the sports paper Naigai Times, writer Minoru Murai
suggested that the genre should have a "Pink Ribbon Award" as an
equivalent of the mainstream "Blue Ribbon" award given to films by the
paper. The color pink was meant to suggest the blushing that the films
induced in viewers. Seki filmed a sequel the year of the first film's
release, Cave of Lust (情欲㠮洞窟, JŠyoku no dŠkutsu) (1963).
é–¢å å¿—, Seki Takashi) (born September 20, 1911, date of death
unknown) was a Japanese film director known for his pioneering work in
the pink film genre. Among the accomplishments of Seki's career: he
directed the first pink films for Kokuei, the oldest pink film
company, Japan's first 3-D film, the world's first 3-D sex film, and
Japan's first "invisible man" pink film.Seki was born on September 20,
1911 near Kaminarimon in the Asakusa neighborhood of Tokyo, Japan. His
father was in the construction business. After graduating from high
school in 1930, Seki attended the Tokyo School of Fine Arts (merged
into Tokyo University of the Arts in 1949), dropping out after one
year. In 1937 he joined his father in working in the prop department
of ÅŒizumi Films, a studio which was purchased by Toei Company in
1951. He eventually became Deputy Director for large props at the
studio. He moved to Beijing where he worked with the North China
Electric Co. before he was drafted into the army.Returning to Japan
after the war, Seki joined Radio Film Company(ãƒ©ã‚¸ã‚ªæ˜ ç"»)). His
career as a director began here, where he filmed children's television
documentaries focusing on nature and animals. Seki's films of this
time bore such titles as Animal Story (㠩㠆㠶㠤物語), The World
of Little Monsters (å° ã •ã ªæ€ªç‰©ã ®ä¸–ç•Œ) and Japanese Aesop's
Fables (ニッムン・イソップ物語).Kokuei, currently the
oldest existing pink film studio, was founded in 1955 by Teruo Yamoto.
The company began concentrating on sex filmsâ€"imported films and
filmed strip showsâ€"in 1957. With the advent of the pink film genre
in 1962, the studio decided to make a series of films which would
exploit the nudity now possible in theatrical features by featuring
semi-nude actresses in natural settings. With Seki's experience in
nature and animal photography, he was hired as the director of these
"Female Tarzan" films, the studio's first films in the pink genre.
Seki's directorial debut was with Valley of Lust (情欲㠮谷é–",
JÅ yoku no tanima) filmed in 1962â€"the year of Satoru Kobayashi's
Flesh Market, the first film in the pink genreâ€"and released in 1963.
Through Valley of Lust, Seki was indirectly responsible for the name
pinku eiga applied to Japanese theatrical softcore films. The films
were called eroductions during most of the 1960s. In a review of
Valley of Lust in the sports paper Naigai Times, writer Minoru Murai
suggested that the genre should have a "Pink Ribbon Award" as an
equivalent of the mainstream "Blue Ribbon" award given to films by the
paper. The color pink was meant to suggest the blushing that the films
induced in viewers. Seki filmed a sequel the year of the first film's
release, Cave of Lust (情欲㠮洞窟, JŠyoku no dŠkutsu) (1963).
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