| Invisible Man: Rape! | |
| Director: | Isao Hayashi[1] |
| Producer: | Akihiko Yamaki |
| Starring: | Izumi Shima |
| Music: | Shin Takada |
| Cinematography: | Kuratarō Takamura |
| Distributor: | Nikkatsu |
| Runtime: | 65 min. |
| Country: | Japan |
| Language: | Japanese |
aka Lusty Transparent Man is a 1978 Japanese film in Nikkatsu's Roman porno series, directed by Isao Hayashi and starring Izumi Shima.
Ippei, a college student, finds a formula that can render him invisible. He uses it to spy on women's bathhouses, and have sex with female students. A professor becomes aware of his activities and punishes him.[2] [3]
In their Japanese Cinema Encyclopedia: The Sex Films, the Weissers give Invisible Man: Rape! a rating of two points out of four. Judging Isai Hayashi to be an "apathetic" and "by-the-numbers" director, they note that this film is one of his best. Besides the interesting theme, they write that the film is helped by a good-looking and competent cast.[3]
Allmovie writes that Invisible Man: Rape! more closely resembles later U.S. teen wish-fulfillment fantasies like Zapped! (1982) and Invisible Maniac (1990) than contemporary rape-themed Roman porno films.[2]
Director Isao Hayashi worked with Nikkatsu from the beginning of the Roman porno era, directing Castle Orgies, one of the first two releases of the series.[5] The Weissers note that it may be Hayashi's work with historical dramas that gives his directorial style a pedantic feel.[3] Along with Lady Kamakura: Cherry Boy Club (1975) Invisible Man: Rape! was one of Hayashi's most successful films.[6]
The lead actress in Invisible Man: Rape!, Izumi Shima, had been promoted as "Nikkatsu's most beautiful actress", and was debuted in Lady Chatterley In Tokyo (1977), a project tailored for her.[7] When that film failed to gain much approval, Shima was given a string of lower-profile projects. Her career was revived in 1982 when SM-author Oniroku Dan chose her to star in his first film production, Dark Hair, Velvet Soul. After that, Shima made a name for herself in the S&M genre, especially with films based on works by Dan, and became regarded as one of Nikkatsu's leading actresses of the 1980s.[8]
Invisible Man: Rape! was released theatrically in Japan on December 23, 1978.[1] It was released on home video in Japan in VHS format on June 7, 1996.[9]