About

Known credits:
71
Birthday:
1939-05-17
Place of birth:
Nihonbashi, Tokyo, Japan
Website:
N/A

Yōzō Tanaka

Overview

Yōzō Tanaka is a Japanese screenwriter. He was born in Nihonbashi, Tokyo. After joining the production department of Nichigeki Music Hall, he started writing radio scripts. While he was a student at Waseda University, he met Atsushi Yamatoya and Kaname Kawachi. Before becoming a screenwriter, Tanaka worked as a reporter, conducting a series of interviews with eccentrics in the magazine Weekly Sankei. After joining Nikkatsu, he joined a screenwriting team led by director Seijun Suzuki. Individuals in this group such as Tanaka, Yamatoya, and Chūsei Sone also contributed to various projects at Wakamatsu Productions during this period of the 1960s.

He is also a driving force behind the heyday of Nikkatsu Roman Porno, writing numerous screenplays. He continued to collaborate with fellow veterans of the aforementioned series such as Shinji Sōmai and Kichitaro Negishi.

His disciples include Haruhiko Arai and Miho Nakazono.

In 2005, he worked as an associate professor at the Graduate School of Film and New Media, Tokyo University of the Arts.

In 2017, a book of Yōzō Tanaka's essays and other archival materials such as interviews and screenplays was published.

Known for

Directing
1966 Season of Betrayal Directing Assistant Director N/A
N/A

Writing
2025 Yasuko, Songs of Days Past Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
2010 The Last Ronin Writing Screenplay 59
Average
2009 Villon's Wife Writing Screenplay 59
Average
2004 Translucent Tree Writing Writer 58
Average
1996 New Ghost Pub Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1994 Ghost Pub Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1994 The Friends Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1991 Yumeji Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1987 Luminous Woman Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1987 The Lady in a Black Dress Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1986 Maison Ikkoku - Apartment Fantasy Writing Writer 59
Average
1986 Cabaret Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1985 Lost Chapter of Snow: Passion Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1985 Moment of Demon Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1984 Shanghai Rhapsody Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1984 Make-Up Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1983 The Catch Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1981 Sailor Suit and Machine Gun Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1981 Kagero-za Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1981 Love Letter Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1981 Baian the Assassin Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1981 Female Teacher: Dirty Afternoon Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1980 Woman's Trail: Wet Path Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1980 Zigeunerweisen Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1979 The Shogun Assassins Writing Writer 58
Average
1979 Secret of One Summer Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1979 The Rivals Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1979 The Inferno Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1979 No Grave for Us Writing Writer 59
Average
1979 Forbidden Ordeal Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1978 Young Beast: Secret Pleasures Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1978 Harry and His Geisha Girls Writing Story 58
Average
1977 Gate of Flesh Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1977 Hell's Angels: Crimson Roar Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1977 In the Realm of Sex Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1977 Ah! That Pep Squad 3 -Tears of a Man- Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1977 Case of the Disjointed Murder Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1977 The General and His Empire of Joy Writing Writer 59
Average
1976 Ah! That Pep Squad 2 -Put on a Good Act- Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1976 Ah! That Pep Squad Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1976 Tsumatachi no gogo wa yori: kannō no ori Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1976 Violent Panic: The Big Crash Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1976 Virgin Breaker Yuki II: Western Licensed District Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1975 New Battles Without Honor and Humanity 2: Head of the Boss Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1975 Story of a Nymphomaniac Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1975 Virgin Breaker Yuki Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1975 Housewife's Experience: Tenement Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1975 Hanjiro, A Great Philanderer Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1974 Wife to Be Sacrificed Writing Writer 58
Average
1974 Hihon: Sode to sode Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1974 Morning Frenzy Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1974 Flower & Snake Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1974 Jitsuroku Erogotoshitachi: Jungyô Hanadensya Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1974 Zoku tameiki Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1974 Secret of the College Girls: Part-Time Sex Pros Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1973 Trapped in Lust Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1973 Sigh Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1973 Secret Chronicle: Crimson Goddess in Paradise Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1973 A Mummy's Love Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1973 Yakuza Justice: Erotic Code of Honor Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1973 Handbook on Love Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1973 The Hell-Fated Courtesan Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1973 Naked Resume: True Story of Kazuko Shirakawa Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1973 College Girls: Sex Equation Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1973 A Mummy’s Love Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1972 Maruhi: Benten gokaichō Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1972 Secret Chronicle: Prostitution Market Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1972 Foreigner's Mistress Oman: Tempestuous Skin Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A
1967 Branded to Kill Writing Screenplay 63
Fair
1966 Season of Betrayal Writing Screenplay N/A
N/A