“No Borders, No Limits: Nikkatsu Action Cinema,” focusing on the “borderless action” genre of films created by the Nikkatsu studio in ‘50s and ‘60s, grows out of the program notes journalist and film historian Mark Schilling prepared for the Nikkatsu retrospective in Udine, Italy in 2002. As a result, while Schilling has included a relatively brief history of the studio and the “Nikkatsu Borderless Action” genre in general, this book functions primarily as an overview of the actors, actresses and directors who made Nikkatsu what it was.

Nikkatsu’s action films at the time encompassed a number of subgenres – “mood action” – nouvelle vague influenced atmospheric thrillers, youth-oriented films, Yakuza flicks and action-comedies. In this book, Schilling describes how all fell into the “borderless action” paradigm, set in a westernized “floating world” of port cities and anonymous towns separated from traditional Japanese values and mores. Some even existed in a more explicit fantasy world, such as the films of the “Wanderer” (Wataridori) series of eastern-westerns complete with horses and cowboy hats – a concept wholly unlike Juzo Itami’s subtler ramen western Tampopo, but recently revived by Takashi Miike in Sukiyaki Western Django.

Schilling’s focus is on the individuals who worked for the studio, both in front of and behind the camera, not on analysis of the individual films themselves or the studio. Reviews of films are incidental to the context of the featured actor, actress, or director. This structure results in a book that is more reference guide than definitive story of Nikkatsu, or even of the Nikkatsu action genre (moreover those looking for tell-alls and inside dirt should look elsewhere).

For each featured individual, Schilling has provided a selected filmography, along with biographical details, an analysis of their work, and information on their most significant films. A number of these individuals - including actors Tetsuya Watari (Tokyo Drifter, Yakuza Graveyard), Akira Kobayashi (Battles Without Honor and Humanity), and Jo Shishido (Branded to Kill, Gate of Flesh), actress Meiko Kaji (Lady Snowblood, Female Convict Scorpion) and directors Seijun Suzuki (Branded to Kill, Fighting Elegy) and Yasuharu Hasebe (Black Tight Killers, Bloody Territories) - are somewhat familiar to foreign audiences, at least those well-versed in Japanese cinema (all of the above films are available on Region 1 DVD), whether for their Nikkatsu work or not. However, more are fairly obscure outside of their native country, like actors Yujiro Ishihara and Keiichiro “Tony” Akagi or director Toshio Masuda.

Consequently, “No Borders, No Limits” should prove invaluable in increasing reputations outside Japan. For example, Yujiro Ishihara is little-known to the wider world, despite reaching the very peak of celebrity in his home country as leading banner-holder of the Sun-Tribe, actor, singer and producer, as well as brother to the notorious nationalist writer and Governor of Tokyo Shintaro Ishihara. In the United States, he is known only for his role as the older brother in the seminal Sun Tribe film Crazed Fruit, but Ishihara had a long career in straight action, mood action and other genres after his initial youthful run. In addition to coverage of stars like Ishihara and Akagi, Schilling offers up additional treats, like a brief chapter on one of my favorite Japanese character actors, Nobuo Kaneko, perhaps best known for his role as Bunta Sugawara’s weaselly boss in the Battles without Honor and Humanity series.

Aside from the profiles and brief studio history, the book’s value lies in two additional features. First, Schilling has reprinted a large number of stills, posters and promotional art, many in full color. Second, Schilling has included two lengthy interviews, with actor Jo Shishido and director Toshio Masuda. Chipmunk-cheeked Shishido is definitely still a character - he gleefully dismisses Akira Kobayashi’s autobiography as ghost-written tripe, talks about his earliest sexual experiences, and explains why he got his infamous cheek implants. It’s not clear how much of what he says can be believed, but he’s a fascinating guy to spend some time with. Masuda, on the other hand, is long overdue for a career re-evaluation, and “No Borders, No Limits” is sure to send readers scrambling for his back catalogue (to the extent it is available).

With this book, Mark Schilling, Japanese film critic for Variety and The Japan Times and author of “The Yakuza Movie Book,” has written an extremely helpful introduction to a genre and studio whose fame has lagged behind the quality of its productions. Expect Nikkatsu’s reputation to grow with the ever-increasing waves of classic DVD releases and the current touring retrospective.

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Additional Links
::: The Japan Society website
::: Mark Schilling’s Tokyo Ramen