This authoritative volume examines the work of major directors in the history of Japanese live-action film. It contains profiles of over 150 filmmakers, from Yutaka Abe to Takahisa Zeze, including established masters such as Akira Kurosawa, Kenji Mizoguchi, and Yasujirô Ozu and cult names like Kinji Fukasaku, Jûzô Itami, and Takashi Miike, along with emerging younger talents. Each entry includes a critical summary that discusses the director’s work and its importance, followed by a year-by-year filmography with titles in romanized Japanese and English.

The handbook is supported by an introduction to the history of the development of film in Japan, from the early twentieth century to today; an overview of Japanese film companies and their roles in financing and production; a guide to Japanese historical periods, so frequently dramatized in film; 67 photographs; and an extensive bibliography for students and researchers. Also provided is an index to names.

No other publication in recent years even approaches this work in its thoroughness of coverage and its meticulous preparation. Long-awaited, A Critical Handbook of Japanese Film Directors is an essential addition to the collections of film lovers, scholars, and libraries throughout the world.

Alexander Jacoby is a writer and researcher on Japanese film. His work has appeared in Senses of Cinema, The Japan Times, The Times Higher Education Supplement, Sight and Sound, and the book Japanese Cinema: Texts and Contexts.