Nobuhiko Obayashi

Biography

Nobuhiko Obayashi (January 9, 1938 – April 10, 2020) was a Japanese director, screenwriter and editor of films and television advertisements who is well known for his surreal visual style. He began his career as a pioneering figure in Japanese experimental film during the 1960s before transitioning to directing more mainstream works such as television and feature films. Though he remains mostly unknown outside of Japan, he has made a prolific number of films in his 50 years of working with the medium.

Known for

The Adventures of Kosuke Kindaichi

July 14, 1979

Confession

January 1, 1968

The Girl in the Picture

January 1, 1958

The Visitor in the Eye

November 26, 1977

Extro

April 20, 2019

The Unspoiled Diamond

May 15, 1982

MOMENT

April 3, 1981

Acting roles

Year	Movie / TV show / Other	Role
2020	Labyrinth of Cinema	The Mysterious Old Pianist / The Director John
2019	Extro	Self
2019	Seijo Story: 60 Years of Making Films	Self
2019	Film Director Nobuhiko Obayashi: His Promise	Self
2010	Constructing a House	Self
2006	What's a Director?
2001	From the theme of Mahoroba "Doi Koinouta"
2001	Obayashi Nobuhiko's Special Message
2000	The Stupid Teacher	The Director John
1994	Kane nara kaesen!
1993	Russian Lullabies	Self
1990	Making of 'Dreams'	Self
1982	Cute Devil
1982	The Unspoiled Diamond	Meeting Host
1982	Zokubutsu zukan
1981	MOMENT
1980	Making of いい旅チャレンジ20,000 km 清水港線・旅の表情
1979	The Adventures of Kosuke Kindaichi	Film Director
1977	House	Husband (uncredited)
1977	The Visitor in the Eye	Tennis Referee
1968	Confession
1968	Foreign Correspondent - The Case of a Filmmaker	Himself
1958	The Girl in the Picture

Credits

Year	Movie / TV show / Other	Role
2020	Labyrinth of Cinema	Producer
2020	Labyrinth of Cinema	Director
2020	Labyrinth of Cinema	Screenplay
2020	Labyrinth of Cinema	Editor
2017	Hanagatami	Director
2017	Hanagatami	Editor
2017	Hanagatami	Screenplay
2014	Seven Weeks	Director
2014	Seven Weeks	Screenplay
2014	Seven Weeks	Editor
2014	Casting Blossoms to the Sky: A Movie Document	Director
2014	Casting Blossoms to the Sky: A Movie Document	Editor
2012	Casting Blossoms to the Sky	Director
2012	Casting Blossoms to the Sky	Editor
2012	Casting Blossoms to the Sky	Screenplay
2008	Scenery to Remember	Director
2008	Scenery to Remember	Editor
2007	Switching – Goodbye Me	Director
2007	Switching – Goodbye Me	Screenplay
2007	Switching – Goodbye Me	Editor
2007	Song of Goodbye	Director
2007	Song of Goodbye	Writer
2004	The Motive	Director
2004	The Motive	Writer
2002	The Last Snow	Writer
2002	The Last Snow	Editor
2002	The Last Snow	Director
2001	Farewell	Director
2001	Farewell	Writer
2001	From the theme of Mahoroba "Doi Koinouta"	Director
2001	Obayashi Nobuhiko's Special Message	Director
2000	Shinobugawa	Director
2000	The Stupid Teacher	Director
2000	The Stupid Teacher	Writer
2000	The Stupid Teacher	Editor
1999	One Summer's Day	Director
1999	One Summer's Day	Writer
1999	The Nagaharu Yodogawa Story: A Cineaste's Life in Kobe	Director
1999	The Nagaharu Yodogawa Story: A Cineaste's Life in Kobe	Screenplay
1999	The Nagaharu Yodogawa Story: A Cineaste's Life in Kobe	Editor
1998	Sada	Director
1998	Sada	Writer
1998	Sada	Editor
1998	Tom Cat Holmes and the Twilight Hotel	Director
1998	Tom Cat Holmes and the Twilight Hotel	Screenplay
1998	I Want to Hear the Wind's Song	Director
1998	I Want to Hear the Wind's Song	Writer
1998	I Want to Hear the Wind's Song	Editor
1998	Legend of the Cat Monster	Director
1998	Legend of the Cat Monster	Editor
1998	Legend of the Cat Monster	Original Music Composer
1997	Time Leap	Executive Producer
1996	Tom Cat Holmes' Deduction	Editor
1996	Tom Cat Holmes' Deduction	Director
1995	Goodbye for Tomorrow	Director
1994	Turning Point	Director
1994	Turning Point	Screenplay
1993	Haruka, Nostalgia	Director
1993	Haruka, Nostalgia	Writer
1993	Haruka, Nostalgia	Editor
1993	Samurai Kids	Director
1993	Samurai Kids	Editor
1993	Russian Lullabies	Director
1992	The Rocking Horsemen	Director
1992	The Rocking Horsemen	Editor
1991	Chizuko's Younger Sister	Director
1991	Chizuko's Younger Sister	Editor
1991	Chizuko's Younger Sister	Theme Song Performance
1990	Making of 'Dreams'	Editor
1990	Making of 'Dreams'	Director
1990	Why She Won't Marry	Director
1989	Beijing Watermelon	Director
1988	The Discarnates	Director
1988	The Strange Pair	Editor
1988	The Strange Pair	Screenplay
1988	The Strange Pair	Director
1988	My Heart Belongs to Daddy	Director
1988	My Heart Belongs to Daddy	Editor
1987	The Drifting Classroom	Director
1987	The Drifting Classroom	Adaptation
1987	The Drifting Classroom	Editor
1986	His Motorbike, Her Island	Director
1986	His Motorbike, Her Island	Editor
1986	Bound for the Fields, the Mountains, and the Seacoast	Director
1986	Bound for the Fields, the Mountains, and the Seacoast	Editor
1986	Bound for the Fields, the Mountains, and the Seacoast	Original Music Composer
1986	April Fish	Director
1986	April Fish	Screenplay
1986	April Fish	Editor
1985	Miss Lonely	Director
1985	Miss Lonely	Screenplay
1985	Four Sisters	Director
1984	The Deserted City	Director
1984	The Deserted City	Original Music Composer
1984	Kenya Boy	Director
1984	The Island Closest to Heaven	Director
1984	The Island Closest to Heaven	Editor
1983	The Little Girl Who Conquered Time	Director
1983	The Little Girl Who Conquered Time	Editor
1983	The Little Girl Who Conquered Time	Dialogue
1983	Lover, Come Back to Me	Director
1983	Aiko 16-sai	Executive Producer
1982	I Are You, You Am Me	Director
1982	Cute Devil	Director
1981	School in the Crosshairs	Director
1979	The Adventures of Kosuke Kindaichi	Director
1979	Temptation of Angel	Producer
1978	Take Me Away!	Director
1977	House	Director
1977	House	Special Effects
1977	House	Producer
1977	The Mouse and His Child	Lyricist
1977	The Visitor in the Eye	Director
1975	Death at an Old Mansion	Original Music Composer
1972	Stampede Country	Director
1972	Happy Dinosaur's Album	Director
1971	Orere orara	Director
1970	Evil Spirits of Japan	Original Music Composer
1970	Memories of the Sea = Sabishinbo, Introduction	Director
1969	Cheers in the Palm!	Director
1968	Confession	Director
1968	Confession	Writer
1968	Confession	Director of Photography
1968	Confession	Editor
1968	Foreign Correspondent - The Case of a Filmmaker	Director
1967	Japanese Erotica: Five Films on Love and Sex from the Japanese Underground of the Experimental Cinema	Director
1966	Emotion	Director
1966	Emotion	Camera Operator
1966	Emotion	Writer
1966	Emotion	Director of Photography
1966	Emotion	Editor
1964	Complexe	Director
1964	Complexe	Editor
1964	Complexe	Director of Photography
1964	Complexe	Writer
1963	An Eater	Director
1963	An Eater	Director of Photography
1963	Remembrance	Director
1963	Remembrance	Editor
1963	Remembrance	Original Music Composer
1963	Onomichi	Director
1963	Nakasendo	Director
1963	Nakasendo	Screenplay
1963	Nakasendo	Original Music Composer
1963	Nakasendo	Director of Photography
1963	Nakasendo	Editor
1962	T-shi no gogo	Director
1961	Thursday	Director
1961	Thursday	Screenplay
1961	Thursday	Director of Photography
1961	Thursday	Editor
1958	The Girl in the Picture	Director
1958	The Girl in the Picture	Screenplay
1958	The Girl in the Picture	Editor
1958	The Girl in the Picture	Director of Photography
1958	The Girl in the Picture	Original Music Composer
1957	Dandanko	Director
1957	Dandanko	Editor
1957	Youth・Cloud	Director
1952	King Kong	Director
1945	The Stupid Teacher	Director
1944	Popeye's Treasure Island	Director