Tomotaka Tasaka

Directing

Tomotaka Tasaka

Born — Died

1901-04-14 — 1974-10-17

Place of birth

Hiroshima, Japan

Known for

Directing

Credits

40 titles

Born in Hiroshima Prefecture, he began working at Nikkatsu's Kyoto studio in 1924 and eventually came to prominence for a series of realist, humanist films made at Nikkatsu's Tamagawa studio in the late 1930s such as Robō no ishi and Mud and Soldiers, both of which starred Isamu Kosugi.

Known for

A Slope in the Sun poster
5.9

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.

A Slope in the Sun

1958

A House in the Quarter poster
6.4

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.

A House in the Quarter

1963

The Baby Carriage poster
8.0

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.

The Baby Carriage

1956

Shinran poster
10.0

A biographical movie about Shinran

Shinran

1960

The Sharks poster
9.0

A film adaptation of Masatsugu Nobuhiko's novel of the same name, directed by Tasaka Tomotaka and starring Nakamura Kinnosuke. This literary epic tells the story of how the protagonist, who has become mired in evil due to his poverty and low position, eventually awakens to humanity through an encounter with a nun. Shark was born without a father in a fishing village where the main occupation is catching sharks. In his poor and humiliating life, his only source of comfort is the tender love of his mother. However, on the night of a festival, the village burns to the ground and his mother dies. Left alone, Shark sets off for Kyoto with an old caster.

The Sharks

1964

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Mother and Child Grass

1942

Behind the camera

A Slope in the Sun poster
5.9

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.

A Slope in the Sun

1958

A Slope in the Sun poster
5.9

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.

A Slope in the Sun

1958

A House in the Quarter poster
6.4

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.

A House in the Quarter

1963

A House in the Quarter poster
6.4

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.

A House in the Quarter

1963

The Baby Carriage poster
8.0

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.

The Baby Carriage

1956

Shinran poster
10.0

A biographical movie about Shinran

Shinran

1960

The Sharks poster
9.0

A film adaptation of Masatsugu Nobuhiko's novel of the same name, directed by Tasaka Tomotaka and starring Nakamura Kinnosuke. This literary epic tells the story of how the protagonist, who has become mired in evil due to his poverty and low position, eventually awakens to humanity through an encounter with a nun. Shark was born without a father in a fishing village where the main occupation is catching sharks. In his poor and humiliating life, his only source of comfort is the tender love of his mother. However, on the night of a festival, the village burns to the ground and his mother dies. Left alone, Shark sets off for Kyoto with an old caster.

The Sharks

1964

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Mother and Child Grass

1942

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Mother and Child Grass

1942

Doburoku no Tatsu poster
NR

Tomoraka Tasaka's first postwar work.

Doburoku no Tatsu

1949

Cold Rice, Osan, Chan poster
7.0

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

Cold Rice, Osan, Chan

1965

Kekkon nijuso: zenpen poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Kekkon nijuso: zenpen

1928

Eternal Song of Nagasaki poster
NR

A Japanese soldier who died in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp in Hawaii entrusted Henry Gray with an unfinished score and promised to complete it.

Eternal Song of Nagasaki

1952

Eternal Song of Nagasaki poster
NR

A Japanese soldier who died in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp in Hawaii entrusted Henry Gray with an unfinished score and promised to complete it.

Eternal Song of Nagasaki

1952

A Carpenter and Children poster
7.5

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.

A Carpenter and Children

1962

A Carpenter and Children poster
7.5

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.

A Carpenter and Children

1962

Koto—The Lake of Tears poster
7.2

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.

Koto—The Lake of Tears

1966

The Stream of Youth poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

The Stream of Youth

1959

The Stream of Youth poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

The Stream of Youth

1959

Shinran, Part II poster
9.0

Continuation of the biographical film about the monk Shinran, based on the novel by Eiji Yoshikawa. Shinran, born of the fading aristocratic class, was placed in a monastary on Mount Hiei when still a child. He did not come down for twenty years, when his wanderings begin as he spreads his ideas for achieving enlightenment through the Pure Land sutra. Because his teachings contradict the powerful Tendai sect, he comes to grief with the government, his followers persecuted, himself exiled to far coastal Echigo where he married & began raising a family but soonafter was wandering & teaching again. He lived to be ninety.

Shinran, Part II

1960

Victory Song poster
5.7

An anthology of thirteen patriotic stories about Japanese citizens contributing to the war effort.

Victory Song

1945

This Day's Life poster
8.0

No synopsis available yet.

This Day's Life

1957

This Day's Life poster
8.0

No synopsis available yet.

This Day's Life

1957

The Maid's Kid poster
8.3

In order to pay back Mrs. Kajiki for her good deed in the past, Hatsu moves from her village in Akita to Tokyo to start working as a maid for her family. She grows close to their youngest son Katsumi, experiencing things that will change her view on life.

The Maid's Kid

1955

The Maid's Kid poster
8.3

In order to pay back Mrs. Kajiki for her good deed in the past, Hatsu moves from her village in Akita to Tokyo to start working as a maid for her family. She grows close to their youngest son Katsumi, experiencing things that will change her view on life.

The Maid's Kid

1955

Run, Genta, Run! poster
8.3

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.

Run, Genta, Run!

1961

A Pebble by the Wayside poster
6.3

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.

A Pebble by the Wayside

1938

Navy poster
8.0

Japanese war film.

Navy

1943

Navy poster
8.0

Japanese war film.

Navy

1943

Five Scouts poster
6.0

During the Second Sino-Japanese War, a five-man reconnaissance unit is dispatched to scout enemy positions in a volatile territory. After a sudden and intense firefight, the group is separated, leaving the survivors to wait in agonizing suspense at their outpost.

Five Scouts

1938

Yukiwarisō poster
NR

A film by Tomotaka Tasaka.

Yukiwarisō

1951

Scrap Collectors poster
8.0

Based on a story by Akiyuki Nosaka.

Scrap Collectors

1968

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Hatobue wo Fuku Onna

1932

Tsuki yori no shisha poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Tsuki yori no shisha

1934

You and I poster
7.0

No synopsis available yet.

You and I

1941

Mud and Soldiers poster
7.0

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...

Mud and Soldiers

1939

Daughter and Springtime poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Daughter and Springtime

1932

No artwork available
10.0

Tomotaka Tasaka's earliest surviving surviving film is a powerful adaptation of Hector Malot's "Nobody's Girl".

Town of Love

1928

No artwork available
NR

This 1927 film from Tomotaka Tasaka was shot in Taiwan and features an indigenous youth. Produced for Nikkatsu.

Hero of Alishan

1927

Behold This Mother poster
9.0

Directed by Tomotaka Tasaka.

Behold This Mother

1930