Detective Story (1983 film)

Detective Story (探偵物語) is a 1983 Japanese film directed by Kichitaro Negishi.

Synopsis
Naomi is a rich university student about to leave on a trip to America. Her father hires detective Shuichi Tsujiyama to watch over her, a situation that pleases neither Naomi or Shuichi. Things get complicated when Shuichi's ex-wife is suspected in the murder of a love hotel manager. Naomi and Shuichi join up to investigate the murder which may involve yakuza gangsters.

Cast

 * Hiroko Yakushimaru as Naomi Arai
 * Yūsaku Matsuda as Shuichi Tsujiyama
 * Risa Akikawa (秋川リサ) as Yukiko Naoki
 * Kyōko Kishida as Kimie Hasenuma
 * Yuki Kitazume (北詰友樹) as Yutaka Nagai
 * Miwa Sakagami (坂上味和) as Masako Shindo
 * Strong Kongō (ストロング金剛) as Wada
 * Noboru Mitani (三谷昇) as the Love hotel manager
 * Susumu Fujita as Gozo Kunizaki

Background
Detective Story, director Negishi's third mainstream film, was based on a novel by mystery writer Jirō Akagawa. Lead actor Yūsaku Matsuda also played the role of a detective (Shunsaku Kudo) in the 1979-1980 TV series Tantei Monogatari (Detective Story) but the film is unrelated to the TV series. The film was released in Japan on VHS tape in December 1989, and as a DVD in December 2000.

Reception
It became the number two Japanese film on the domestic market in 1983, earning ¥2.8 billion in distributor rental income, behind Antarctica, and also the second highest-grossing Japanese film of all time.

Awards and nominations
8th Hochi Film Award
 * Won: Best Actor – Yūsaku Matsuda