Skip to content
MovieCove

Yôzô Tanaka

Writer · Born May 17, 1939 (87) · Nihonbashi, Tokyo, Japan

Yōzō Tanaka is a Japanese screenwriter. He was born in Nihonbashi, Tokyo. After joining the production department of Nichigeki Music Hall, he started writing radio scripts. While he was a student at Waseda University, he met Atsushi Yamatoya and Kaname Kawachi. Before becoming a screenwriter, Tanaka worked as a reporter, conducting a series of interviews with eccentrics in the magazine Weekly Sankei. After joining Nikkatsu, he joined a screenwriting team led by director Seijun Suzuki. Individuals in this group such as Tanaka, Yamatoya, and Chūsei Sone also contributed to various projects at Wakamatsu Productions during this period of the 1960s. He is also a driving force behind the heyday of Nikkatsu Roman Porno, writing numerous screenplays. He continued to collaborate with fellow veterans of the aforementioned series such as Shinji Sōmai and Kichitaro Negishi. His disciples include Haruhiko Arai and Miho Nakazono. In 2005, he worked as an associate professor at the Graduate School of Film and New Media, Tokyo University of the Arts. In 2017, a book of Yōzō Tanaka's essays and other archival materials such as interviews and screenplays was published.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 17, 1939 (87)
From
Nihonbashi, Tokyo, Japan
Works as
Writer
Titles
7 on MovieCove · 73 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Up 9% in 30 days

What are Yôzô Tanaka's films like?

Across their 6 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
32%
Bonds
22%
Morality
14%
Society
14%
Power
9%
Ideas
5%
Survival
4%
Guilt2 titles, browse their movies with this themeObsession2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 6 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 2 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 1 · Charged 3 · Intense 2

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 1 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 2

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 0

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 1 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 1 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 2

Ambiguous: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their ambiguous movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 2 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
4
Contemplative
3
Absurd
2
Melancholic
2
Dread
1
Other
3

How their films linger

Haunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Bittersweet2
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Yôzô Tanaka's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 1 of their 7 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, on The Criterion Channel (1).

Subscription and free streaming for Yôzô Tanaka's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

73 credits, 7 with a MovieCove page.

  • Yasuko, Songs of Days Past (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Screenplay

  • The Last Ronin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Screenplay

  • Villon's Wife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Screenplay

  • Translucent Tree (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Screenplay

  • New Ghost Pub (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Screenplay

  • Ghost Pub (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Screenplay

  • The Friends(1994)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Yumeji (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Screenplay

  • Luminous Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Screenplay

  • The Lady in a Black Dress (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Screenplay

  • Maison Ikkoku - Apartment Fantasy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Writer

  • Cabaret (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Screenplay

  • Lost Chapter of Snow: Passion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Screenplay

  • Time of Wickedness(1985)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Shanghai Rhapsody (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Screenplay

  • Make-Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Screenplay

  • The Catch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Screenplay

  • Sailor Suit and Machine Gun(1981)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Kagero-za(1981)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Love Letter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Screenplay

  • Baian the Assassin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Screenplay

  • Female Teacher: Dirty Afternoon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Screenplay

  • Woman's Trail: Wet Path (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Screenplay

  • Zigeunerweisen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Screenplay

  • Detective Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • The Shogun Assassins (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Screenplay

  • Secret of One Summer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Screenplay

  • The Rivals (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Screenplay

  • Hell(1979)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • No Grave for Us (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Screenplay

  • Forbidden Ordeal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Screenplay

  • Young Beast: Secret Pleasures (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Screenplay

  • Harry and His Geisha Girls (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Story

  • Mrs. Muremure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Screenplay

  • Gate of Flesh (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Screenplay

  • Hell's Angels: Crimson Roar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Screenplay

  • In the Realm of Sex (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Screenplay

  • Ah! That Pep Squad 3 -Tears of a Man- (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Screenplay

  • Case of the Disjointed Murder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Screenplay

  • The General and His Empire of Joy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Writer

  • Ah! That Pep Squad 2 -Put on a Good Act- (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Screenplay

  • Ah! That Pep Squad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Screenplay

  • Tsumatachi no gogo wa yori: kannō no ori (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Screenplay

  • Violent Panic: The Big Crash (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Screenplay

  • Virgin Breaker Yuki II: Western Licensed District (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Screenplay

  • The Accident (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Writer

  • The Boss's Head(1975)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Story of a Nymphomaniac (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Screenplay

  • Virgin Breaker Yuki (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Screenplay

  • Housewife's Experience: Tenement (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Screenplay

  • Hanjiro, A Great Philanderer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Screenplay

  • Hihon: Sode to sode (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Screenplay

  • Wife to Be Sacrificed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Screenplay

  • Morning Frenzy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Screenplay

  • Flower & Snake (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Screenplay

  • Jitsuroku Erogotoshitachi: Jungyô Hanadensya (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Screenplay

  • Zoku tameiki (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Screenplay

  • Secret of the College Girls: Part-Time Sex Pros (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Screenplay

  • Trapped in Lust (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Screenplay

  • Sigh (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Screenplay

  • Secret Chronicle: Crimson Goddess in Paradise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Screenplay

  • Yakuza Justice: Erotic Code of Honor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Screenplay

  • Handbook on Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Screenplay

  • The Hell-Fated Courtesan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Screenplay

  • Naked Resume: True Story of Kazuko Shirakawa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Screenplay

  • College Girls: Sex Equation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Screenplay

  • Horror Theater Unbalance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • A Mummy’s Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Screenplay

  • Maruhi: Benten gokaichō (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Screenplay

  • Secret Chronicle: Prostitution Market (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Screenplay

  • Foreigner's Mistress Oman: Tempestuous Skin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Screenplay

  • Branded to Kill(1967)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Season of Betrayal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Assistant Director · Screenplay

Career shape

A full career of 73 titles from 1966 to 2025.

Biggest box office

The Friends (1994)

$92K worldwide

Highest rated

The Friends (1994)

Midcredits 94th

Most popular right now

Branded to Kill (1967)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Writing73 of 73: 72 only writing, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score77thOther crew1 of 73: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

By decade

1960s2 · crew1970s47 · crew1980s16 · crew1990s4 · crew2000s2 · crew2010s1 · crew2020s1 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Yôzô Tanaka's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 77th percentile, the median of all 7; across their 6 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 76th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

76thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Approval · how many liked their films

62ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Reach · how many have seen their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Midcredits score across 7 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up4
  • 50th to 74th2
  • 25th to 49th1

Shape of the crowd

4 of their 7 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Crowd Pleaser4
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed2

Most divisive · writer

Time of Wickedness (1985)

68th percentile spread · 23% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · writer

The Friends (1994)

Midcredits 94th · 79% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 45/100 and the plot and story 44/100 in their films, across 6 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Yôzô Tanaka work with?

People who share at least 2 of Yôzô Tanaka's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Akira Suzuki shares the most, 4.

Directors

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers