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Hiroki Yamaguchi's Gusha no Bindume is as Japanese as a movie can be. Utterly drenched in cyberpunk and manga influences, the film is a sprawling testament of what a young film maker can accomplish with a shoestring budget as long as he has the talent and vision to make something unique. It's a shame we haven't heard from Yamaguchi since, but at least he left us with a very special legacy indeed. If the name Gusha no Bindume doesn't ring a bell it might be because you know the film under a different title. As it dates back to a time when publishing companies were still very eager to bring Japanese films to the West (or at least, eager enough to pick up off-center titles...

I admit, I have a soft spot for films from first-time directors. That first chance to make something universal and lasting is often met with considerable amounts of enthusiasm and spirit. And more importantly, creativity. On the other hand these films often lack bursts of balance and continuity, though this hardly bothers me at all.

From time to time these freshmen attempts outgrow their initial potential and turn out to be simple gems of cinema. These cases are rather rare, but they do pop up from time to time. For most directors its the start of a successful career towards more commercial successes.

But for a select few, it's their only moment of fame. Some directors disappear as quickly as the arrived, leaving only one masterpiece and a void of unfulfilled potential. For this ToM I looked for directors who should be forced to make their sophomore feature film as quickly a possible.