Voices from an Unusual Archive - University Film Circle Writings, 1945-1960

Aug 24, 2026

This article explores an unusual archive of student-authored film journals written between 1945 and 1960 to clarify the ideals, motivations, and expectations of a young, relatively elite, and ambitious segment of postwar Japan’s population. Using materials held in the Makino Mamoru Collection at the CV Starr East Asian Library in the University of Columbia, it examines how self-organized “film circles” produced amateur publications for smaller audiences. The study contrasts amateur freedom with professional censorship under Allied occupation media control.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages23

Reading Time58 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Film circles and student-authored film journals

Amateur publications versus professional censorship

[eprints@whiterose.ac.uk](eprints@whiterose.ac.uk)[ ](eprints@whiterose.ac.uk)[https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk](https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk) Universities of Leeds, Sheffield and York Deposited via The University of Sheffield. White Rose Research Online URL for this paper: [https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/id/eprint/200984/](https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/id/eprint/200984/) Version: Published Version Article: Coates, J. (2023) Voices from an unusual archive: university film circle writings, 1945- 1960. Asia-Pacific Journal : Japan Focus, 21 (6) . e3 . ISSN: 1557-4660 [https://doi.org/10.1017/S1557466023028504](https://doi.org/10.1017/S1557466023028504) © 2023 The Author. Reproduced in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. Article available under the terms of the CC-BY-NC-ND licence ( [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Permission is granted to forward](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Permission is granted to forward)[ ](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Permission is granted to forward)[electronically to others and to post Asia-Pacific Journal texts for non-commercial purposes](electronically to others and to post Asia-Pacific Journal texts for non-commercial purposes)[ ](electronically to others and to post Asia-Pacific Journal texts for non-commercial purposes)following Creative Commons guidelines, provided they are reproduced intact and the source indicated and linked. Reuse This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND) licence. This licence only allows you to download this work and share it with others as long as you credit the authors, but you can’t change the article in any way or use it commercially. More information and the full terms of the licence here: [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/) Takedown If you consider content in White Rose Research Online to be in breach of UK law, please notify us by emailing [eprints@whiterose.ac.uk](eprints@whiterose.ac.uk) including the URL of the record and the reason for the withdrawal request. The Asia-Pacific Journal | Japan Focus Volume 21 | Issue 6 | Number 3 | Article ID 5777 | Jun 03, 2023 Voices from an Unusual Archive: University Film Circle Writings, 1945-1960 Jennifer Coates Abstract: This article explores an unusual archive of student-authored film journals written between 1945-1960 in order to better understand the ideals, motivations, and expectations of a young, relatively elite, and ambitious section of postwar Japan’s population who would go on to shape the direction of the country after defeat in 1945. These writings, archived in The Makino Mamoru Collection atthe CV Starr East Asian Library in the University of Columbia contains, were generated by self-organized student groups known as film ‘circles’ (sākuru) or ‘film study groups’(eiga kenkyūkai) based at universities around Japan. Many circles authored amateur publications, often modeled on commercial magazines or journals. However, there was one important difference between amateur and professional publications in the early postwar period: commercial publications were subject to censorship, whereas amateur publications were created for a smaller audience and under freer conditions. Student writings featured in university film circle journals therefore offer a unique view of early postwar attitudes during a period when professional media communications were censored by the Allied forces in charge of the Occupation of Japan (1945-1952) . Keywords: cinema, audience, circle, sākuru, student Student-organized film activities continue today. Kyoto, 2016, photograph taken by author. Introduction Imagine finding a diary by your student self, years later . Maybe you don’t have to imagine—perhaps your parents kept your school-age writings, preserving your voice, opinions, and feelings

FAQs

What sources does the article use to study postwar youth expectations?

It draws on student-authored film journals from 1945–1960 preserved in the Makino Mamoru Collection at the CV Starr East Asian Library, University of Columbia.

How do “film circles” relate to university culture in the period?

The article explains that film circles were part of a broader postwar culture of informal, self-organized group activities within Japanese schools and universities.

Why are amateur film-journal publications especially valuable for this research?

Because, in the early postwar period, commercial publications were subject to censorship while amateur publications were produced for smaller audiences under freer conditions, offering a distinctive view of attitudes during occupation.

Aug 24, 2026

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