Two in the Pinku – Details, episodes & analysis

We cover Pink Line Vol. 1 (out now from Vinegar Syndrome & Melusine):

• "Re-Wind" aka "Celluloid Nightmares"
• "Lustmord" aka "Pleasure Kill"
• "Love Letter in the Sand" aka "Pervert Ward: Torturing the White Uniform"

We also recommend:

• Our commentary track for the "Sex and Fury" Blu-ray (now available on Terracotta).
• Our new episode on the Sin Syndicate about "The Bite"
• Kani's release of "Pink Cut" & "Top Stripper"

Other notes:

• Shigetoshi Ishikawa (Eiji in Lustmord) is now a kimono designer (see @iroca.jp)
• Maya Shiraki (Love Letter) stars in Nikkatsu's "Dirty Pilgrimage to the West" (see DVD on Tower Records)

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We cover two takes on Sada Abe: "A Woman Called Sada Abe" (1975) by Noboru Tanaka for Nikkatsu and "In the Realm of the Senses" (1976) by Nagisa Ōshima. 

Find us on:

• Our "Sex & Fury" audio commentary for Klubb Super 8.
• The screening of "Shinjuku Midnight Story: Man and Woman" (Oct. 19)

Other links:

• The Film Movement trailer for "A Woman Called Sada Abe"
• A 1968 clip of Sada Abe (YouTube)
• "Love and Crime" (Blu-ray), which includes Sada Abe and her story.

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We watch (or ride) the "Groper Train" (痴漢電車) series in a triple bill. Two are directed by Sachi Hamano. All three star the legendary Ryuji Yamamoto. 

• "Groper Train: I Like the Inside" (1989) [痴漢電車　中がいいわ]
• "Groper Train: Beware of Miniskirts" (1988) [痴漢電車 ミニスカートに御用心]
• "Groper Train: Full of Sex" (1988) [痴漢電車 エッチがいっぱい]

Links:

• Groper Train series (List)
• The extensive Japanese Wikipedia article on "Chikan."
• We cover "Sexy Timetrip Ninjas" ("Groper Train: Top Secret Production" in this episode.

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We cover 2 wrestling-themed pinku:

• Nikkatsu's "Beautiful Wrestler: Down for the Count" (1984)
• Gay Pinku: "Wrestle Mania" (1999)

Links:

• Chino Sato (佐藤ちの) acted in and choreographed "Beautiful Wrestler." Watch her 1980 match against teammate Mimi Hagiwara.
• Music by Beauty Pair, the tag team and music duo.
• Kuninori Yamazaki's 18 Gay Pinku (List)

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For this episode, we cover 4 of Nikkatsu's "Live Shooting" titles for home video:

• "Izumi Shima's Swapping (Secret) Reipu Lesson" (1982)
• "Devil's Body" (1987) and HIV/AIDS metaphors
• "Kaori Aso: The Orgasm" (1987): mermaid?
• "Dream's Labyrinth" (1988), which riffs on "Nightmare on Elm Street."

Links:

• Nikkatsu "Live Shooting series" (Letterboxd list)
• Nikkatsu's upcoming DVD of "Devil's Body" (Tower Records)
• Show Me Something Wrong's episode on "Red Account: My Bloody Angel" (1988). Made by the same crew as "Dream's Labyrinth," this film is the most-watched Live Shooting title and was exported.

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We cover three unhinged lesbian / yuri films: 

• "Sayaka VS Chiyo-kun: Abnormal Lesbian (1989) by Sachi Hamano
• "Man and Woman" (1972) by Kōyū Ohara [新宿真夜中物語 男と女]
• "Lesbian ... Sweet Honey Juice" aka "Silencer Made of Glass" (1991) by Hisayasu Satô [レズビアンレイプ 甘い蜜汁]

The first two films also feature trans characters. The third (and most offensive) features cross-dressing. 

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We cover two gay pinku by Kuninori Yamazaki: "The Ultimate Masturbation" (2016) and "Monochrome" (1996). Called the "David Lynch of pink film," Yamazaki is a writer-turned-director, who considers his gay pinku ("barazoku" or "rose tribe") films to be his greatest work.

Links:

• "The Ultimate Masturbation" is officially licensed & subtitled for the streaming service GagaOOLala.
• List: "Gay Pinku: Kuninori Yamazaki" (his 18 films as director). For his 10 films as a writer for Sachi Hamano, see her list.

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We cover three birth/pregnancy-themed pinku: "Abortion" (1966) by Masao Adachi, the Roman X title, "The Birth" (1986), and Shintoho's "The Pregnant Woman" (1992). Is anyone truly ready to become a parent?

Links:

• "They have lost their license" (Chris' list of doctors and nurses)
• Roman X list 

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We cover three "time-travel" pinku: 

• "Sexy Timetrip Ninjas" (1984) [痴漢電車 極秘本番]
• "Time Adventure: 5 Seconds Til Climax" (1986) [タイム・アバンチュール 絶頂5秒前]
• "Blow Away AIDS, Pink Crazy Girl" (1987) [エイズをぶっ飛ばせ　桃色プッツン娘], which tackles the AIDS crisis through zombies. 

The first two films were directed by the Oscar-winning Yōjirō Takita and the third by his "successor" Mototsugu Watanabe.

Links:

• Sexytime Timetrip Ninjas on DVD: UK (Salvation) and US (Pink Eiga).
• "Southpaw" by Pink Lady (the song parodied in "Sexy Timetrip Ninjas")

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We cover Naomi Tani's films, "Rope Cosmetology" (1978) and "Wet Vase" (1976). We give context to the directors (Shōgorō Nishimura, Masaru Konuma) and Nikkatsu's BDSM line (by writer Oniroku Dan). 

Links:

• BDSM Nikkatsu (Letterboxd list of 120+ films)
• Split Your Head - Ep. 26: "Naomi Tani/Pink films"
• "Season of Infidelity" (Oniroku Dan's book with a chapter about Tani)
• Naomi Tani: To Suffer Beautifully (List of films we have watched)

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