Shadows on the Silver Screen: Desire and Censorship (Early 1970s)

Shadows on the Silver Screen: Desire and Censorship (Early 1970s)

In the early 1970s, Japan was enjoying the afterglow of its rapid economic growth, but pollution problems and political mistrust were casting a shadow over society, and culturally, new expressions were emerging that shook established values. In the film industry, Nikkatsu Roman Porno and pink films, which included sexually explicit material, attracted audiences, and local strip theaters were also thriving. At the same time, however, the "boundary between art and obscenity" was constantly being questioned, with a succession of exposures and correctional guidance based on the charge of displaying obscene material. For audiences, it was both a stimulating pastime and a place to experience how far the regulatory net would spread, and the creators continued to resist, upholding freedom of expression. In the background, there were lingering effects of the student movement and counterculture, as well as a widespread distrust of authority. Sexual expression was more than mere enterta
inment; it was also an attempt to push the limits of social norms and authority. The tug-of-war between cinema and censorship was a vivid reflection of the society of the time, an event that symbolized the tension between cultural expansion and control.