DatabaseScriptwriters Database
Kikushima Ryuzo
- Profile
- He was born in Kofu City, Yamanashi Prefecture, in 1914. In 1945, the textile wholesaler his family owned was destroyed in air raids. Determined to start over and follow his passion for theater and film, he moved to Tokyo to study under Toshio Yasumi. In 1947, he joined the scriptwriting department at Toho Studios. He went freelance in 1949 and made his debut in the film Stray Dog, directed by Akira Kurosawa. He subsequently wrote many scripts for Kurosawa’s films. In 1950, his legs were permanently impaired due to illness, but he continued to work extensively, writing scripts for films, plays, and television dramas. He also served as an executive at Kurosawa Productions and CAL, as well as a professor at Nihon University’s College of Art. His television scripts include Dotanba (Critical Moment, 1956, NHK), which won the Art Festival Award, The Human Zoo (1958, NHK), Senkyo Sanbō (Election Strategist, 1961, Kansai TV), Tsurugi (Sword, 1967–1968, NTV), and Onna ga Kaidan wo Noboru Toki (When a Woman Climbs the Stairs, 1970, NTV). He continued to write until shortly before his passing. He died in March 1989 at the age of 75. Between 1998 and 2016, the Ryūzō Kikushima Award was presented 19 times by the Writers Association of Japan.
- Masterpieces
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どたんば
人間動物園
選挙参謀