few studios to regularly produce gay pink film, such as Kuninori Yamazaki's award-winning (October 1993). A former journalist, That's When Things Changed was Yamazaki's directorial debut. Praised by critics for its intellectual themes, it was not as heartily embraced by regular pink film audiences. Openly gay actor-screenwriter Kouichi Imaizumi has become a key figure in the emergence of gay pink film by writing several scripts directed by Yumi Yoshiyuki for OP Eiga which help to bring a more realism to gay-themed pink films. OP Eiga today OP Eiga has not attempted to foster a "movement" such as the or , though, at the beginning of the 21st century, four major pink film directors are associated with the company: Yutaka Ikejima, Yumi Yoshiyuki, Minoru Kunizawa, and Tarō Araki. Neither has OP Eiga attempted to court overseas audiences, though Jasper Sharp asserts that OP Eiga's films would be popular with foreign audiences. Nevertheless, OP Eiga continues to be a major force in the pink film genre, both because of its prolific output, and because its films are consistently named among the "Best Ten" of the year at the annual Pink Grand Prix. At the 2007 ceremony covering the year 2006, for example. all three top films were from OP Eiga. Best Films of the year produced by OP Eiga include Sad and Painful Search: Office Lady Essay (Tarō Araki, 2000), A Saloon Wet with Beautiful Women (Tatsuro Kashihara, 2002), Fascinating Young Hostess: Sexy Thighs (Tetsuya Takehora, 2006), Molester's Train: Sensitive Fingers (Yoshikazu Katō, 2007), and the most recent Best Film, director Yoshikazu Katō's (2009). In recognition of its place in the pink film genre, the studio itself was given a special award in 1996. Personnel and output Directors Notable directors whose films have been produced or released by Ōkura Eiga / OP Eiga include: Actors and actresses Notable actors and actresses who have performed at Ōkura Eiga / OP Eiga include: Films Notable films produced and/or released by Ōkura Eiga / OP Eiga include: (Satoru Kobayashi, 1962) (Masanao Sakao, 1967) (Yoshihiro Isikawa, 1968) (Kinya Ogawa, 1969) (Yutaka Ikejima, 2000) (Tarō Araki, 2000) (Tarō Araki, 2001) (Minoru Kunizawa, 2001) (Tarō Araki, 2001) (Yutaka Ikejima, 2002) (Tarō Araki, 2002) (Tatsurō Kashihara, 2002) (Yutaka Ikejima, 2003) (Minoru Kunizawa, 2003) (Tarō Araki, 2003) (Minoru Kunizawa, 2003) (Yumi Yoshiyuki, 2004) (Tarō Araki, 2004) (Tetsuya Takehora, 2004) (Shigeo Moriyama, 2004) (Yutaka Ikejima, 2004) (Minoru Kunizawa, 2005) (Tetsuya Takehora,