The ‘Queen of SM’ is Born: the star image of Tani Naomi in Nikkatsu Roman Porno

The subject of this article, Tani Naomi, is one of the most famous stars of Roman Porno, appearing in 30 films in its heyday in the 1970s. Nicknamed the ‘Queen of SM’, she is still remembered for her performances in SM-mono, that is, SM-themed films. Academically, however, she has never received the attention she deserves. This article is arguably the first attempt to shed light on Tani as a unique star of Roman Porno. It first focuses on her early career development as she had been a prominent figure in pink films since the late 1960s with a strong connection to Japan’s underground SM circle. It then discusses her first two SM-mono in Roman Porno, namely, Flower and Snake and Wife to Be Sacrificed (both 1974), arguing that the screen persona she created through these two films constitute a substantial part of her star image. Close reading of both films and analysis of pink film/Roman Porno paratexts will give an account of how her star image as the ‘Queen of SM’ was constructed.