Buichi Saitō

Buichi Saitō (斎藤武市, Saitō Buichi; 27 January 1925 – January 2011) was a Japanese film director^[1][2] from Saitama Prefecture.^[3] His representative works included Wataridori series starring Akira Kobayashi, Farewell to Southern Tosa(1959) and Gazing at Love and Death(1964).^[4] Saitō often worked with Akira Kobayashi, Joe Shishido and Sayuri Yoshinaga.

Buichi Saitō
Born	(1925-01-27)27 January 1925 Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture, Japan
Died	January 2011 (aged 86) Tokyo, Japan
Occupation	Film director
Years active	1948-1999

After graduating Waseda University, he joined Shochiku Film and started working as an assistant director under Yasujirō Ozu^[5] and Kōzaburō Yoshimura etc.^[6] In 1954, he transferred to Nikkatsu Film^[6] and made his director debut in the 1956 film Anesan no Oyomeiri.^[4]

Selected filmography

Film

• Early Summer (1951) (Assistant director)^[4]
• The Flavor of Green Tea over Rice (1952) (Assistant director)^[4]
• Tokyo Story (1953) (Assistant director)^[4]
• Early Spring (1956) (Assistant director)^[4]
• They Came of Age (1958)
• Waterfront Outlaws (1959)
• Farewell to Southern Tosa (1959)
• The Wandering Guitarist (1959)
• The Blue Beast (1960)
• Naked Youth -A Story of Cruelty (1960)
• Sword and Devotion (1960)
• Joe of Aces-Gambling for a Living aka Rokudenashi Kagyo (1961)
• Joe of Aces-Give and Take'7 (1961)
• Tekaba Yaburi (1964)
• Gazing at Love and Death (1964)
• The Song of Love (1965)
• Honemade Aishite (1967)
• Hippie Love (1967)
• The Sweet Interns (1968)
• Akuoyabun tai Daitai (1971)
• Kantō Kyōdai Jingi (1971)
• The Valiant Red Peony Pt.8 (1972)
• Sannin no Onna Yoru no Chō aka Night Butterflies (1972)
• Yakuza Wolf 2: Extend My Condolences (1972)
• Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in Peril (1972)
• Ruten no umi (1990)

Television

• Lone Wolf and Cub series
• Oshizamurai Kiichihōgan (1973-74)
• Unmeitōge (1974)
• Amigasa Jūbei (1975)