Tokyo Gore Police Director Yoshihiro Nishimura Dead at 59

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Yoshihiro Nishimura, the director of Tokyo Gore Police and a well-known figure in the horror genre, has died at the age of 59.

Robert Rhine of Girls and Corpses Films confirmed the sad news. His company was working with Nishimura’s Eixo Films to produce his final movie, Geisha War. Rhine told Bloody Disgusting that he plans to complete Geisha War as a tribute to Nishimura and will find a distributor to share the film with audiences worldwide.

Rhine shared his deep sadness over the unexpected passing of his friend, Yoshihiro Nishimura. Just two weeks ago, Nishimura had joined them for a Zoom discussion after a screening of their film, Geisha War. Rhine had long hoped to collaborate with Nishimura, and they traveled to Kyoto last October – with actor Costas Mandylor – to film at Hikone Studios. Nishimura was a remarkably talented and inspiring filmmaker, admired by many, including Quentin Tarantino. His death is a significant loss for independent horror cinema and his fans everywhere.

Nishimura was born in Tokyo in 1967 and started making films as a teenager. He briefly studied law in college, but continued to create short films and independent features in between. He returned to filmmaking in 1995 with Anatomia Extinction, which later inspired his most famous work, 2008’s Tokyo Gore Police.

Nishimura directed Tokyo Gore Police, which he co-wrote with Kengo Kaji and Sayako Nakoshi. The film takes place in a ruined, futuristic Japan where a virus turns people into horrifying, mechanical creatures called Engineers. When it was released, Tokyo Gore Police quickly gained a cult following, and critics praised it, often comparing it favorably to films like Machine Girl and The Guyver.

With Tokyo Gore Police, Nishimura became a recognized name in the horror genre. The film received several Best Film nominations the year it came out, and Nishimura won the 2008 Tom Savini Award for his makeup work. Importantly, Tokyo Gore Police launched a successful career for him, leading to directing opportunities for numerous films, television series, anthologies, and even music videos.

After hearing about the death of Kiyoshi Nishimura, actress Eihi Shiina, known for her roles in Tokyo Gore Police and Audition, shared a touching statement. She said she had so many memories of Nishimura, both positive and negative, that it was impossible to share them all. They first met while filming Tokyo Gore Police and went on to work together on projects around the world. Shiina also noted that while they often disagreed over the years, they always reconciled.

Shiina explained that he always had faith in her and loved her very much, feeling their connection was almost like a family bond. Sadly, they never resolved their last disagreement. She finished by saying goodbye to Nishimura, expressing a hope that if they met again, they could share their experiences and rebuild their friendship.

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2026-05-26 23:52