Masahiro Shinoda

Masahiro Shinoda (1931–2025) was a Japanese director associated with the Japanese New Wave at Shochiku studios. Trained in Japanese literature at Waseda, he began as an assistant director before establishing himself with stylized, often elliptical features that fused traditional Japanese performance forms — puppet theatre, Noh, kabuki — with modernist editing and design. After leaving Shochiku he co-founded an independent production company to retain creative control. His acclaimed films include Pale Flower, Assassination, Double Suicide, Demon Pond, MacArthur's Children, and Owl's Castle.

Films in the catalogue

• Pale Flower 1964 · Japan · Japanese New Wave
• With Beauty and Sorrow 1965 · Japan · Japanese New Wave
• Captive's Island 1966 · Japan · Japanese New Wave
• Double Suicide 1969 · Japan · Japanese New Wave
• The Scandalous Adventures of Buraikan 1970 · Japan · Japanese New Wave
• Silence 1971 · Japan · Japanese New Wave
• Himiko 1974 · Japan · Japanese New Wave
• Demon Pond 1979 · Japan · Japanese New Wave