I Want to Meet Yoko Shimada

An entry in a series focused on "love" and "erotica," in which six creators from multiple fields - from film and TV to direct-to-video and manga - compete. The actress who plays the main part, Shimada Yoko, plays herself in a comic role. The director is Imaoka Shinji, a genius of the "pink film" industry. Actress Shimada Yoko (as herself) is tired of playing roles she has no interest in, and runs away during filming. She jumps into a taxi carrying Goro (Komoto Masahiro), who has just come out of hospital close to where she was filming, and ends up living off him.

Directed by Shinji Imaoka, I Want to Meet Yoko Shimada leans on a strong ensemble — Yoko Shimada, Masahiro Komoto, Saki Kagami — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2010.