Yukio Mishima
Yukio MISHIMA (1925-1970, Japan) was the public name of Kimitake Hiraoka, a prolific writer, who is considered by many critics as the most important Japanese novelist of the 20th century. Mishima's works include 40 novels, poetry, essays, a libretto and modern Kabuki and Noh dramas. He was three times nominated for the Nobel Prize for literature. As a writer Mishima drew inspiration from pre-modern literature, both Japanese and Western.
Yûkoku remains Mishima's only film as a director, although he was involved in filmmaking in other capacities, most famously on his collaboration with Kinji Fukasaku on Black Lizard (Kurotokage, 1968) which he wrote. Mishima also made a cameo appearance in the film as a human doll. The making of the film Yukoku was also featured in dramatized form in Paul Schrader's 1984 biopic Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters, with Ken Ogata playing the author.
Yûkoku remains Mishima's only film as a director, although he was involved in filmmaking in other capacities, most famously on his collaboration with Kinji Fukasaku on Black Lizard (Kurotokage, 1968) which he wrote. Mishima also made a cameo appearance in the film as a human doll. The making of the film Yukoku was also featured in dramatized form in Paul Schrader's 1984 biopic Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters, with Ken Ogata playing the author.