Shungo Kaji
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese film director, screenwriter, producer and company executive active primarily in the adult video (AV) field.
, Japan in 1961. He says he was interested in film from his early youth and made 8mm movies as a student. After graduating from high school, he entered the , a film school which was established in 1975 within the Nikkatsu studio. Afterwards he joined the Nikkatsu company in a managerial role producing original films and videos. He eventually left Nikkatsu to pursue a career as an independent director. By at least late 1990 he was directing adult videos for the HRC Cher label including The Female Teacher's Nightmare Trap 4 and in November 1991 he also directed Riria Yoshikawa
's retirement video, Making love with my husband (her retirement), for HRC.
In March 1991, Kaji formed his own adult video (AV) studio, Hot Entertainment
, and by 2000 was "a veteran director of over 150 adult films and videos." In addition to adult videos, Kaji directed the Hot Pictures V-Cinema
production which was released in October 1996 The next year, in July 1997, Kaji produced and Hot Entertainment released another V-Cinema title, , starring Yumi Yoshiyuki
and directed by Gunji Kawasaki, with a story based on a real murder case. A further V-Cinema work was the July 1999 horror video which Kaji wrote and directed.
Kaji received a measure of international celebrity with his 1999 partly autobiographical mock documentary Ekiben
. The Variety
review of the film called it "Consistently inventive, sometimes very funny and finally rather touching" while AllRovi comments that it is a "funny and oddly poignant film." He was also the executive producer for the Hot Entertainment March 2000 production of screenwriter Toshiyuki Morioka's debut as a director, .
In 2008 Kaji made news by being arrested by Tokyo police and charged with indecent exposure in a public place for filming an adult video in public on July 20, 2007. Actress Asahi Miura and five other staff members from Hot Entertainment
were also arrested. The filming was being done in the back of a dump truck and police said that although the truck was partially covered, it could be seen into from surrounding buildings in Tokyo's Shibuya
district.
s Miki Mizuasa
and Hime Tsukino
.
He has also worked as a photographer and stylist and in January 2009, he published his first novel (ISBN 4286045196).
Nikkatsu & Hot Entertainment
Kaji was born in TokyoTokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan in 1961. He says he was interested in film from his early youth and made 8mm movies as a student. After graduating from high school, he entered the , a film school which was established in 1975 within the Nikkatsu studio. Afterwards he joined the Nikkatsu company in a managerial role producing original films and videos. He eventually left Nikkatsu to pursue a career as an independent director. By at least late 1990 he was directing adult videos for the HRC Cher label including The Female Teacher's Nightmare Trap 4 and in November 1991 he also directed Riria Yoshikawa
Riria Yoshikawa
is a Japanese actress, AV Idol, and gravure idol.-Life and career:Riria Yoshikawa was born on July 11, 1970 in Tokyo, Japan and made her adult video debut at age twenty in the November 1990 Alice Japan release, . Yoshikawa was the star of director Sachi Hamano's pink film, released by Exces in...
's retirement video, Making love with my husband (her retirement), for HRC.
In March 1991, Kaji formed his own adult video (AV) studio, Hot Entertainment
Hot Entertainment
is a Japanese adult video production company which has its headquarters in Tokyo, Japan and specializes in works featuring amateur actresses in "reality" videos.-Company information:...
, and by 2000 was "a veteran director of over 150 adult films and videos." In addition to adult videos, Kaji directed the Hot Pictures V-Cinema
V-Cinema
Japanese is the direct-to-video industry that appeared in Japan in the 1980s. The term is a trademark of Toei Company but is widely used in the West to describe any Japanese direct-to-video release. In Japan the term used is...
production which was released in October 1996 The next year, in July 1997, Kaji produced and Hot Entertainment released another V-Cinema title, , starring Yumi Yoshiyuki
Yumi Yoshiyuki
is a Japanese film director, actress, and screenwriter best known for her work in the pink film genre.-Life and career:While studying economics at Dokkyo University, Yoshiyuki developed a love of film. She debuted as an actress in the pink film genre in 1993 in director Toshiki Satō's...
and directed by Gunji Kawasaki, with a story based on a real murder case. A further V-Cinema work was the July 1999 horror video which Kaji wrote and directed.
Kaji received a measure of international celebrity with his 1999 partly autobiographical mock documentary Ekiben
Ekiben (film)
is a 1999 Japanese mock documentary film centering on the adult video industry which was written and directed by Shungo Kaji. Ekiben refers to a box lunch sold at train stations in Japan and it is also a slang term referring to a sexual position where the man remains standing while supporting the...
. The Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
review of the film called it "Consistently inventive, sometimes very funny and finally rather touching" while AllRovi comments that it is a "funny and oddly poignant film." He was also the executive producer for the Hot Entertainment March 2000 production of screenwriter Toshiyuki Morioka's debut as a director, .
In 2008 Kaji made news by being arrested by Tokyo police and charged with indecent exposure in a public place for filming an adult video in public on July 20, 2007. Actress Asahi Miura and five other staff members from Hot Entertainment
Hot Entertainment
is a Japanese adult video production company which has its headquarters in Tokyo, Japan and specializes in works featuring amateur actresses in "reality" videos.-Company information:...
were also arrested. The filming was being done in the back of a dump truck and police said that although the truck was partially covered, it could be seen into from surrounding buildings in Tokyo's Shibuya
Shibuya, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 2008, it has an estimated population of 208,371 and a population density of 13,540 persons per km². The total area is 15.11 km²....
district.
Other activities
Kaji has also been involved in other business ventures including the video production company , the retailer , with shops and a website selling adult toys and sex aids, and In 2005 he established , a production company which specializes in adult videos featuring transsexual actresses including AV IdolAV Idol
An AV idol is a Japanese idol who works in the pornographic business, often both as an actress as well as a model as the video performances have a wide range, from just the idol strolling around their house doing chores in bikinis to hardcore porn...
s Miki Mizuasa
Miki Mizuasa
AKA Miki Miasa is a transsexual Japanese adult video actress.-Life and career:Miki Mizuasa was born June 11, 1980 and has been active in adult video work in Japan since 2004. The box covers from several of her videos have her name as Miki Miasa and she did at least one video early in her career as...
and Hime Tsukino
Hime Tsukino
is an award-winning transsexual Japanese model and former adult video actress.-Life and career:Hime Tsukino was born in Osaka, Japan on March 25, 1985. Her stage name "Hime" translates to "princess" and derives from her childhood nickname...
.
He has also worked as a photographer and stylist and in January 2009, he published his first novel (ISBN 4286045196).