V-Cinema
Encyclopedia
Japan
ese 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 . Unlike its Western counterpart, this industry has a considerably better reputation, with directors sometimes making V-Cinema movies by choice, due to the creative freedom afforded by the less stringent censorship
of the format, and the riskier content the producers
will allow. The more common term OVA (Original Video Animation) is applied when the film in question is anime
.
Notable examples are director Takashi Miike
, who has released several direct-to-video films after his theatrical debut, and Takashi Shimizu
, whose Ju-on
series of films started out as V-Cinema, becoming surprise hits as the result of favorable word of mouth
.
The former television performer Masashi Tashiro
has directed V-Cinema since his dismissal from the entertainment world.
Japanese murder victim Azumi Muto
appeared on the 2006 V-Cinema adapting Cream Lemon
before being murdered by her brother.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese is the direct-to-video
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
industry that appeared in Japan in the 1980s. The term is a trademark of Toei Company
Toei Company
is a Japanese film, television production, and distribution corporation. Based in Tokyo, Toei owns and operates thirty-four movie theaters across Japan, a modest vertically-integrated studio system by the standards of the 1930s United States; operates studios at Tokyo and Kyoto; and is a...
but is widely used in the West to describe any Japanese direct-to-video release. In Japan the term used is . Unlike its Western counterpart, this industry has a considerably better reputation, with directors sometimes making V-Cinema movies by choice, due to the creative freedom afforded by the less stringent censorship
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
of the format, and the riskier content the producers
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
will allow. The more common term OVA (Original Video Animation) is applied when the film in question is anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
.
Notable examples are director Takashi Miike
Takashi Miike
is a highly prolific and controversial Japanese filmmaker. He has directed over seventy theatrical, video, and television productions since his debut in 1991. In the years 2001 and 2002 alone, Miike is credited with directing fifteen productions...
, who has released several direct-to-video films after his theatrical debut, and Takashi Shimizu
Takashi Shimizu
Takashi Shimizu is a Japanese film director, best known for the Ju-on series of horror films.-Filmography:...
, whose Ju-on
Ju-on
is the title of a series of horror films by Japanese director Takashi Shimizu. Shimizu attended the Film School of Tokyo, where he studied under Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Kurosawa helped Shimizu shepherd the Ju-on projects to fruition.-History:...
series of films started out as V-Cinema, becoming surprise hits as the result of favorable word of mouth
Word of mouth
Word of mouth, or viva voce, is the passing of information from person to person by oral communication. Storytelling is the oldest form of word-of-mouth communication where one person tells others of something, whether a real event or something made up. Oral tradition is cultural material and...
.
The former television performer Masashi Tashiro
Masashi Tashiro
is a former Japanese television performer and the founding member of the band Rats & Star. Tashiro was a tenor vocalist for Rats & Star, and later on made himself a name as a TV entertainer in Japan...
has directed V-Cinema since his dismissal from the entertainment world.
Japanese murder victim Azumi Muto
Azumi Muto
was a pin-up model and aspiring actress for an agency in Tokyo, Japan. She was murdered by her 21-year-old brother on December 30, 2006. Her death aroused the Tabloids' notice for the circumstances surrounding the crime.- Life and career :...
appeared on the 2006 V-Cinema adapting Cream Lemon
Cream Lemon
is an erotic anime series with some in-depth storylines and classic artwork. The first Cream Lemon OVA was released in 1984, though Cream Lemon was not the first hentai OVA...
before being murdered by her brother.