Japan Society is currently wrapping up its Akio Jissoji programme presenting some of his post-Ultraman works. These include his celebrated Buddhist Trilogy (courtesy of Arrow Films) from the 1960s, with screenings starting as if last Friday, and rounding out the series this Saturday on February 22.
After making a name for himself in the late sixties as a boundary-pushing writer and director for the sci-fi television series Ultraman, Akio Jissoji went on to emerge as an equally innovative independent filmmaker. These four highly experimental and visually daring narrative features—all of which were released through the Art Theater Guild and scripted by Toshiro Ishido—offer transgressive interpretations of Buddhist philosophy and the existential problem of impermanence. Long unavailable on home video outside of Japan, the complete Buddhist Trilogy (1970-72) alongside It Was a Faint Dream (1974) make their overdue debut at Japan Society with brand-new digital remasters.
More info on the trilogy can be found here where tickets are also available.