Tomotaka Tasaka

Run, Genta, Run!

Tomotaka Tasaka

Ineko Arima, Michiyo Kogure

A touching story about a young boy, Genta, who bravely takes on life's challenges in hopes of finding a better life for himself and his sickly mother.

女中ッ子

Tomotaka Tasaka

Sachiko Hidari, Teruo Iba

ちいさこべ

Tomotaka Tasaka

Kinnosuke Nakamura, Chiemi Eri

A carpenter, Shigetsugu, learns a lesson of love and humanity from five orphaned children and an affectionate woman named Oritsu. It's a winning combination of drama and humor. The warm friendship that grows between the carpenter, the woman and the children making this into a true masterpiece.

乳母車

Tomotaka Tasaka

Izumi Ashikawa, Yûjirô Ishihara

Upon discovering that her father has a mistress, a young girl befriends the "other woman" and her child. Realizing that her half-sister is doomed to being regarded as an outcast, the heroine sets about to spiritually legitimize the girl.

湖の琴

Tomotaka Tasaka

Yoshiko Sakuma, Katsuo Nakamura

A touching story following young shamisen string maker, Saku. Beautiful Saku moves to Lake Yogo, known for its production of quality shamisen strings, only to find her peaceful life turned upside down when a master musician takes personal interest in her.

鳩笛を吹く女

Tomotaka Tasaka

Shizue Natsukawa, Hisako Takihana

陽のあたる坂道

Tomotaka Tasaka

Yûjirô Ishihara, Mie Kitahara

The young Takako Kuramoto has come to Tokyo to study and starts working for the rich Tashiro family as tutor of the daughter, Kumiko, while she receives attention from her two older brothers, Yukichi and Shinji. Meanwhile, the exact parentage of Shinji comes to light.

土と兵隊

Tomotaka Tasaka

Yûji Azuma, Reizaburô Yamamoto

A group of Japanese soldiers land in Chinese territory. They advance on a village ; one soldier, Norimoto, is killed in the attack, but the village is captured. Norimoto’s body is recovered and buried. Over the next two days, the soldiers advance inland. Two more soldiers, Naito and Takahashi, are injured. They remain behind to recover, but vow to catch up. Their comrades march on...

五番町夕霧楼

Tomotaka Tasaka

Yoshiko Sakuma, Chōichirō Kawarasaki

With her family suffering from extreme poverty, Yuko, as the eldest daughter, is sold to a successful brothel in Kyoto. There she is assigned to serve Takamatsu, one of the brothel’s top customers. But while Takamatsu falls madly in love with Yuko, she finds herself attracted to a young priest named Kunugida. Torn by jealousy, Takamatsu hatches an evil plan to tear them apart.

路傍の石

Tomotaka Tasaka

Akihiko Katayama, Reizaburô Yamamoto

Tomotaka Tasaka's A Pebble by the Wayside (Robo no Ishi), made in 1938 and taken from a Yuzo Yamamoto novel, takes place around 1902, was about a young boy brought up entirely by his mother since his drunken father is never home. An intelligent teacher wants to send him to middle school, but instead the father apprentices him to a clothing store to which he is in debt. The mother dies and the boy is forced to quit work when his father insults the store owner. Later the boy goes to Tokyo, but only to continue his hardships. First he is forced to do a maid's job at a boarding house and later is used by an old woman to steal at funerals. Finally he is rescued by the teacher, whom he meets in Tokyo.

この母を見よ

Tomotaka Tasaka

Hisako Takihana, Takako Irie

Directed by Tomotaka Tasaka.

Cold Rice, Osan, Chan

Tomotaka Tasaka

Kinnosuke Nakamura, Yoshiko Mita

Three stories revolve around independence, a man searching for his wife, and a poor craftsman trying to make money.

若い川の流れ

Tomotaka Tasaka

Tamio Kawachi, Yûjirô Ishihara

爆音

Tomotaka Tasaka

Ryo Akaboshi, Noboru Asahi

"Around the time he made such remarkably ambivalent war films as Mud and Soldiers and Five Scouts, Tasaka directed this 'home front' comedy-drama which is too bizarre to be serious propaganda. [The plot revolves around a public contribution campaign to buy airplanes.] The mayor's aviator son promises to fly over the village in salute, and much of the narrative concerns the preparations for this great event. Tasaka throws in a few songs, some village humor and satire, and tremendous camera mobility, finally wringing every possible effect from his climax." John Gillett, British Film Institute

Tsuki yori no shisha

Tomotaka Tasaka

Takako Irie, Minoru Takada

五人の斥候兵

Tomotaka Tasaka

Isamu Kosugi, Bontarō Miake

An early example of the Japanese war film, closer to documentary realism than the kind of propaganda produced at the height of the Pacific War. "A company commander calls on five men. They are to reconnoiter, but on their way they are attacked. Only four of them return. While his companions mourn the fifth straggles back. Soon after comes the order to move out for a general attack. The men know that this time there will be no returning." (Donald Richie)