One of Japan's most prolific and controversial 20th-century film directors. Son of a priest, he rebelled against authority from a young age, showing a disdain for traditional religion, culture, and social structure.
In 1934 Imai began writing screenplays, and his first movie was the 1939 feature film Numazu Heigakkô ("The Numazu Military Academy"). In 1981. he wrote "Yuki, the Snow Fairy", staying true to his rebellious views.
