About

Known credits:
43
Birthday:
1897-06-03
Place of birth:
Tokyo, Japan
Website:
N/A

Yasujirō Shimazu

Overview

Yasujirō Shimazu (島津 保次郎, Shimazu Yasujirō, 3 June 1897 – 18 September 1945) was a Japanese film director and screenwriter, and a pioneer of the shōshimin-eiga (common people drama) genre at the Shōchiku studios in pre-World War II Japan.

Shimazu was born in Tokyo, the second son of merchant Otojirō Shimazu. His father owned a long-established seaweed business named Kōshū-ya directly in front of the main Mitsukoshi department store in Nihonbashi.

Shimazu entered Shōchiku in 1920 after answering an advertisement and began training under Kaoru Osanai. He gave his debut as director in 1921 at Shōchiku's recently established Kamata studio, directing both comedy and melodrama films, often depicting the everyday life of the lower middle classes. Our Neighbor, Miss Yae (1934) and A Brother and His Younger Sister (1939) are regarded as his most exemplary and best films.

By the end of the 1930s, he moved to Tōhō studios, where he made some films in cooperation with the Manchuria Film Association. He died of cancer just after the war ended. Many famous directors, such as Heinosuke Gosho, Shirō Toyoda, Kōzaburō Yoshimura, and Keisuke Kinoshita, started their careers as his assistant.

Known for

Directing
1944 Nichijô no tatakai Directing Director N/A
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1944 My Nightingale Directing Director 58
Average
1942 Green Earth Directing Director N/A
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1941 White Heron Directing Director N/A
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1940 Wedding Day Directing Director N/A
N/A
1940 Hikari to kage (Kōhen) Directing Director N/A
N/A
1940 Hikari to kage (Zenpen) Directing Director N/A
N/A
1939 A Brother and His Younger Sister Directing Director 58
Average
1939 Okayo's Preparedness Directing Director 59
Average
1938 So Goes My Love Directing Director 59
Average
1937 The Lights of Asakusa Directing Director 59
Average
1937 The Trio's Engagements Directing Director 59
Average
1937 Vermilion and Green Directing Director 59
Average
1936 Men vs. Women Directing Director N/A
N/A
1936 Family Meeting Directing Director N/A
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1935 Okoto and Sasuke Directing Director 59
Average
1934 My Elder Brother Directing Director 59
Average
1934 That Night's Woman Directing Director N/A
N/A
1934 Osayo koisugata Directing Director N/A
N/A
1934 Our Neighbor, Miss Yae Directing Director 59
Average
1932 Arashi no naka no shojo Directing Director N/A
N/A
1932 First Steps Ashore Directing Director 59
Average
1931 ABC Lifeline Directing Director 59
Average
1931 Love, Be with Humanity: Part 1 Directing Director N/A
N/A
1931 Love, Be with Humanity: Part 2 Directing Director N/A
N/A
1930 Reijin Directing Director N/A
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1927 Umi mo yusha Directing Director N/A
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1923 Yama no senroban Directing Director N/A
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1923 Father Directing Director N/A
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Writing
1944 My Nightingale Writing Writer 58
Average
1942 Green Earth Writing Story N/A
N/A
1940 Wedding Day Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1940 Hikari to kage (Kōhen) Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1940 Hikari to kage (Zenpen) Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1939 Okayo's Preparedness Writing Writer 59
Average
1939 A Brother and His Younger Sister Writing Writer 58
Average
1937 The Trio's Engagements Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1935 Okoto and Sasuke Writing Writer 59
Average
1934 My Elder Brother Writing Writer 59
Average
1934 That Night's Woman Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1934 Our Neighbor, Miss Yae Writing Writer 59
Average
1932 Arashi no naka no shojo Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A

Crew
1939 Fisherman's Fire Crew Supervisor of Production Resources 59
Average