<span class="SFPTagline">
From SCIFIPEDIA
</span>
Shusuke Kaneko (b. June 8, 1955, Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese director and screenwriter. Kaneko became interested in film as a child, drawn to giant monster movies like Godzilla and Gamera. He also fell in love with American imports like Star Trek, Lost in Space and The Outer Limits.
He drew his favorite characters and created a manga series for his friends. It wasn't until his teens, after seeing the movie The Strawberry Statement that he was inspired to take up a camera. With an 8mm camera in hand, he and friends made their version of the film. Though interested in film, Kaneko had doubts about success in the industry given the state of Japanese film at the time. He majored in education at Tokyo Gakugei University, intending to become an elementary school teacher.
Still drawn to film, he took the entrance exam for Nikatsu Studios and was one of two applicants to be hired as an assistant director. Though one of Japan's oldest studios, Nikatsu was struggling to keep up with viewing trends. To stay afloat, the studio produced romance pornographic films. Kaneko worked on thirty-five romano prono productions as an assistant director and also moonlighted as a script writer for anime films. His anime films Urusei Yatsura and Creamy Mami proved hugely popular.
Kaneko made his directorial debut in 1984 with the sex comedy Uno Koichiro No Nurete Utsu based on the work of erotic novelist Koichiro Uno. The film, which focused on a young girl's quest for love and losing her virginity was Nikatsu's first main stream production in five years. The film, combined with his previous anime work gained him a reputation for successfully capturing Japanese manga sensibility. He further cemented his reputation with the films Summer Vacation: 1999, his first film to be released outside Japan, and the romano porno film Last Cabaret.
In 1993, Daiei Studios decided to revive their series Gamera and awarded the pKaneko with directorial duties. Gamera: The Guardian of the Universe opened in 1995, and was hailed for its realism and special effects. Three sequels followed, Gamera 2: Assault of the Legion and Gamera 3: The Awakening of Iris. In 2000, Kaneko's film Cross Fire, known internationally as Pyrokinesis was released. The film was produced and lensed at Toho Studios, Japan's largest film studio.
Kaneko's other notable work includes Necronomicon, School Ghost Story 3, Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters, To Sing of Love, Death Note, God's Left Hand, Devil's Right Hand, and Death Note: The Last Name.
External Links
To see specific information, such as individual movies, please click the Shusuke Kaneko category link at the bottom of this article. To see other articles that reference Shusuke Kaneko, please click the What Links Here tool in the toolbox at the bottom of this page.
2008, SCI FI. All rights reserved.
