I've been making movies for a long time. The Japanese way of making movies has become second nature to me. To get away from that, I really try to sur….

At some moments, you feel attracted to someone of the same sex, even if it's not sexual. You just want to be like him..

You can't really change somebody completely, deep inside your nature. But I think what I did was admit to myself what kind of a person I was, and sor….

When you are completely satisfied with what you have made, you're pretty much done as a director. So when that happens, that'll sort of be the end..

If you're trying to be realistic and bring real life to the screen, you are going to have different elements. That's what I'm trying to do. As I make….

Everyone has complexes about their body or their ability and skills and dream of a rebirth into something different. I myself have always had that se….

I believe that every director's films reflect their lifestyle..

In Japan, violence isn't as controversial as it is in the West. Pornography is more restricted, but it's not hard to make a crazy, extremely violent ….

Bigger-budgeted films have more restrictions and less freedom to create. Because of this, I try to find freedom in the people I work with. I often wo….

Filmmaking is not a balancing act, although some directors think it is. I don't believe in it. I like ups and downs. They're the best way to translat….

The reason I like incorporating the Yakuza into my movies - all their actions, everything they do, you can say 'It's ok because he's a Yakuza'. Chang….

I don't think about the audience, I don't think about what makes them happy, because there's no way for me to know. To try to think of what makes for….

I believe that when people try to live their life at the fullest, there's a certain laughter that comes out of it. The more they try to live their li….

I think the reason why I have so many movies to my credit is that I never say no to any project, I never veto anything. I sort of challenge myself to….

And if I'm running away from something, I try to make myself face it and overcome that initial fear. As a director, I don't think it's possible to ma….

As a filmmaker, you've got to have a nose for what's going on culturally. You have to feel it. It doesn't have to be manga or music, but you need som….

I don't know if I would call it therapy, but filmmaking is really the only thing I know how to do. For me, making movies is a way to bring on change ….

It's not really important to make skillful movies. I think expressing yourself really well, skill-wise, is not as important. I want it to be sort of ….

You can't really make something or make a movie and feel all through the process that it's a painful thing. It's not possible to do that..

For me, trying to expand the energy to make one movie in Hollywood would be the equivalent in terms of energy to making 10 movies in Japan..

I go to the dentist, not a shrink..