unpublished slide lecture for the Urbanism lecture series, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 2016
originally presented for the Cult Japan film programme, Australian Cinematheque, Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane, 2015

Hitoshi Matsumoto

Downtown

(1982 ongoing)

Symbol

(2005)

Big Man Japan




(2007)

Kaiju Eiga

Godzilla (1954 - ongoing)

Tsuburaya Productions


Ultra Man (1966 - 2015)

Pro Wrestling

Grudge match-ups (1951 - ongoing)

Sumo

Grand tournaments (c.1650 - ongoing)

R100




(2013)

Sono Shion

Why Don’t You Play In Hell?





(2013)

Game Of Death

(1972/8)

Kill Bill

(2003)

Whispering Star

(2015)

Tokyo GaGaGa

(1993)

Hi Red Centre

Untitled performances (1964)

Wim Wenders

Tokyo Ga (1985)

More examples

Hentai Kamen: Forbidden Superhero (2013); Nuigurumaa-Z (2013); The Apology King (2013)
Thermae Romae (2012); Yakuza Apocalypse (2015); Detroit Metal City (2008)
Text © Philip Brophy. Images © respective copyright holders.