Takashi Shimizu facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Takashi Shimizu 清水 崇
Born	(1972-07-27) 27 July 1972 (age 52) Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
Alma mater	Nihon University
Occupation	Director producer screenwriter
Years active	1994-present

Takashi Shimizu (清水 崇 Shimizu Takashi, born on July 27, 1972) is a famous Japanese filmmaker. He is best known for creating the scary Ju-On movie series. He directed four of these films, both in Japan and the U.S. Film expert Wheeler Winston Dixon says that Shimizu is a new kind of Japanese horror director. He likes to hint at scary things rather than show them directly.

Early Life and Education

Takashi Shimizu was born in Maebashi, Tokyo, on July 27, 1972. He went to Wakamiya Elementary School and Maebashi City Fourth Junior High School. Later, he graduated from Gunma Prefectural Chuo High School. He first started at Kindai University but then left. He then joined Nihon University, where he met Takashige Ichise. Ichise later became a film producer and worked with Shimizu to create the Ju-On series.

Shimizu's Filmmaking Journey

After finishing university, Shimizu got a chance to direct a short film. This happened because writer and director Kiyoshi Kurosawa was impressed by a three-minute short film Shimizu had made. Shimizu was working as an assistant director at the time and was in Kurosawa's filmmaking class. The short films he directed were called Katasumi and 4444444444. These films later became early ideas for the Ju-On movie series.

Starting the Ju-On Series

Soon after, Shimizu directed his first full-length movie, a supernatural horror film called Ju-On: The Curse (2000). It starred Takashi Matsuyama, Takako Fuji, Yūrei Yanagi, and Chiaki Kuriyama. He then made its sequel, Ju-On: The Curse 2. These movies were released directly to video, but they were very popular with critics.

Because of their success, the films were remade for cinemas. These were Ju-On: The Grudge (2002) and Ju-On: The Grudge 2 (2003). Both movies did very well and helped make J-Horror (Japanese horror) popular around the world. This led to American remakes, The Grudge (2004) and The Grudge 2 (2006). Shimizu returned to direct and write these American versions.

Later Career and Return to Japan

The English remakes received mixed reviews, meaning some people liked them and some didn't. However, they still made a lot of money. The studio quickly planned a sequel, The Grudge 3. Shimizu was asked to direct it again, but he chose to be a producer instead. Toby Wilkins took over as director. This film received mostly negative reviews, even though it also made money. After this, Shimizu went back to making movies in Japan and has focused his work there ever since.

Filmography

Here is a list of some of the films Takashi Shimizu has worked on:

• Blue Tiger (Movie, 1994, Script)
• Last Bronx ~Tokyo Bangaichi~ (ラストブロンクス -東京番外地-) (1997) (Video)
• Katasumi and 4444444444, stories from Gakkou no kaidan G (学校の怪談G) (lit, "School Ghost Story G") (1998) (TV)
• Ju-on: The Curse (呪怨) (2000) (Video)
• Ju-on: The Curse 2 (呪怨2) (2000) (Video)
• 首吊り気球　伊藤潤二恐怖Collection (Video)
• 心霊ビデオV　本当にあった怖い話　恐怖心霊写真館 (Shin rei bideo V: Honto ni atta kowai hanashi - kyoufushin rei shashin-kan) (2000) (Video)
• 心霊ビデオVI　本当にあった怖い話　恐怖タレント体験談 (Shin rei bideo VI: Honto ni atta kowai hanashi - kyoufu tarento taikendan) (2000) (Video)
• Tomie: Re-birth (富江 rebirth) (2001)
• Ju-on: The Grudge (呪怨) (2002)
• Ju-on: The Grudge 2 (呪怨2) (2003)
• The Grudge (2004)
• Marebito (2004)
• Dark Tales of Japan, episode Blonde Kwaidan, (2004) (TV)
• The Great Horror Family, TV Series (2004–2005)
• Reincarnation, (輪廻 Rinne) (2005)
• The Grudge 2 (2006)
• Ghost vs. Alien 03 (2007)
• Ten Nights of Dream (2006)
• The Shock Labyrinth 3D (戦慄迷宮3D) (2009)
• Tormented (2011)
• Scared of the Dark (2013)
• Flight 7500 (2014)
• Kiki's Delivery Service (2014), a live-action movie based on the book of the same name
• NightCry (2015), a live-action trailer for the video game NightCry, which was once called Project Scissors
• Resident Evil: Vendetta (Biohazard: Vendetta) (2017, executive producer)
• Innocent Curse (こどもつかい) (2017)
• Howling Village (犬鳴村) (2019)
• ... Forest Village (樹海村) (2021)
• Homunculus (2021)
• Ox-Head Village (牛首村) (2022)
• Immersion (忌怪島) (2023)
• Sana (ミンナのウタ) (2023)
• Sana: Let Me Hear (2024)

Awards and Recognition

• 2022 — Takashi Shimizu received the Star Asia Lifetime Achievement Award at the 21st New York Asian Film Festival.

See also

In Spanish: Takashi Shimizu para niños