The Maker Speaks
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Japanese Adult Video Adult Video Director Yoyogi Tadashi < 14, Aug, 2016 > |
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This interview, for all of lost sensual pleasure ───
One Friday in 2016 April, it was so hot that I wiped sweat on my neck by a handkerchief. Walking down the Meiji Street in Shibuya, Tokyo, I found a lot of the aged who looked hard to be mobile at the entrance of a supermarket on the street.
Of course, I was there not for inspecting customers of the supermarket, but in order to interview with Yoyogi Tadashi, an adult video director. He is very well-known for his unique viewpoint and penetration, as called “Father of Japanese Adult Videos” & “the Great Master of Sex & Adult Videos.” Being 78 years old, Yoyogi has still constantly released his works. What can hold him onto the adult video field? What has he seen in the front line of Sex?
■ This is the first time to meet you. I beg your pardon, but it looks you wear your 78 years lightly.
Yoyogi Tadashi: I agree. Sometimes I have suddenly noticed that I am also one of the elderly, often hearing “the aged.” It is supposed that I can wear lightly because I work seriously facing the young.
■ Surroundings make you yourself. You work as an adult video director. How come you became?
Y: No intention to introduce myself as an AV director. That is since others call so. Being a director is correct itself. Recently, therefore, there is no title printed on my business cards.
■ I see.
Y: I was originally working in the field of Pink Films and the Roman Pornos. Early in 1970s, there were not any video cassette recorders for home and then, we used to load X-rated films into magnetic tapes. Naturally, there was no conception “Adult Video,” and they had to go to motels for watching those kinds at the time.
■ VHS appeared in the middle of 1970s, and it spread in early 1980s. Would not you mind if I ask you to talk about those days?
Y: No, no. I ran “Actress,” a management office for actors in the latter 1970s. We employed about 50 persons at most and Aizome Kyoko was among them. In her early career, she was Aoyama Ryoko. When she starred in “Daydream,” a 1981 film directed by Takechi Tetsuji, she changed her screen name to Aizome Kyoko.
Aizome performed actual sex at a scene of “Daydream.” It was unbelievable to do it really in a film, thinking about the then social situation. The movie was a big hit. A cameraman on good terms at the time advised me to make a film with her, then. I released “April of Lust” starring Aizome Kyoko in 1981. Distribution network was not established enough in those years, and the largest market was what would now be called “Adult Goods Shops.” Exactly that was the time when those who retired from Toei or Nikkatsu were about to build Video Production Companies because they said “Film is getting out of date. This is the period of videos.” There was, at the time, a videotape format war between VHS (Video Home System) and Betamax. I believe Aizome contributed a lot to spread of VHS.
■ What does it mean?
Y: Members of the VHS group like National (Panasonic at present) appended porno videos starring Aizome Kyoko to VHS recorders as sales promotion. Then, it made a great hit beyond our production increase. We can say most of the customers bought the recorders for watching Aizome by the videos. Somebody says VHS, not Beta, was spread for the promotion. An agency declared so. Betamax group did not do that. I suppose that they did not since they were proud of the technology. We, actually, guessed Beta was smaller and more high-quality on picture. However, sex appeal gains a victory.
■ Adult websites helped spread of internet in 1990s Japan. We cannot make fool of our ulterior motives. Now, it means Aizome Kyoko, an actress evoked spread of VHS and diffusion of the concept “Adult Videos.” What is considered to have been her overwhelming charm?
One Friday in 2016 April, it was so hot that I wiped sweat on my neck by a handkerchief. Walking down the Meiji Street in Shibuya, Tokyo, I found a lot of the aged who looked hard to be mobile at the entrance of a supermarket on the street.
Of course, I was there not for inspecting customers of the supermarket, but in order to interview with Yoyogi Tadashi, an adult video director. He is very well-known for his unique viewpoint and penetration, as called “Father of Japanese Adult Videos” & “the Great Master of Sex & Adult Videos.” Being 78 years old, Yoyogi has still constantly released his works. What can hold him onto the adult video field? What has he seen in the front line of Sex?
■ This is the first time to meet you. I beg your pardon, but it looks you wear your 78 years lightly.
Yoyogi Tadashi: I agree. Sometimes I have suddenly noticed that I am also one of the elderly, often hearing “the aged.” It is supposed that I can wear lightly because I work seriously facing the young.
■ Surroundings make you yourself. You work as an adult video director. How come you became?
Y: No intention to introduce myself as an AV director. That is since others call so. Being a director is correct itself. Recently, therefore, there is no title printed on my business cards.
■ I see.
Y: I was originally working in the field of Pink Films and the Roman Pornos. Early in 1970s, there were not any video cassette recorders for home and then, we used to load X-rated films into magnetic tapes. Naturally, there was no conception “Adult Video,” and they had to go to motels for watching those kinds at the time.
■ VHS appeared in the middle of 1970s, and it spread in early 1980s. Would not you mind if I ask you to talk about those days?
Y: No, no. I ran “Actress,” a management office for actors in the latter 1970s. We employed about 50 persons at most and Aizome Kyoko was among them. In her early career, she was Aoyama Ryoko. When she starred in “Daydream,” a 1981 film directed by Takechi Tetsuji, she changed her screen name to Aizome Kyoko.
"April of Lust" © Athena Eizo Starring: Aizome Kyoko |
■ What does it mean?
Y: Members of the VHS group like National (Panasonic at present) appended porno videos starring Aizome Kyoko to VHS recorders as sales promotion. Then, it made a great hit beyond our production increase. We can say most of the customers bought the recorders for watching Aizome by the videos. Somebody says VHS, not Beta, was spread for the promotion. An agency declared so. Betamax group did not do that. I suppose that they did not since they were proud of the technology. We, actually, guessed Beta was smaller and more high-quality on picture. However, sex appeal gains a victory.
■ Adult websites helped spread of internet in 1990s Japan. We cannot make fool of our ulterior motives. Now, it means Aizome Kyoko, an actress evoked spread of VHS and diffusion of the concept “Adult Videos.” What is considered to have been her overwhelming charm?