“He slept with every famous courtesan, attaining the very zenith of sensuality.” — Narrator “Damn! Those Chinese herbs must be powerful as hell to prevent all those STD’s.” — Krunchyman In the days where internet porn did not exist (let alone a nudie mag), amorous old men peeked through tiny slits of doors while their soft-headed friend(s) slipped their trouser snake into a prestigious courtesan’s delicate — albeit used — flower. It’s not the most decent way to get your clam sauce out, but not everyone can sling dick with 3742 women and 725 men (like Yunosuke). The Sensualist (Koushoku Ichidai Otoko) is not somuch a story, as it is an artistic representation of Yunosuke’s — various — sexual encounters. Symbolic imagery is a vital component to understanding the words that are never spoken. The crane, for example, could be a reference to a hand-job or doggy-styled position in which the man grabs the women’s arms and pulls them back. Numerous fish are shown during the acts of lust, which is known as a “pesce” in Italian (slang for Italian penis). In addition, Fish are natural swimmers, meaning that the imagery could have been a reference to Yunosuke’s swimmer’s (i.e. sperm); or, perhaps, it was an acknowledgment of the “fishy” smell some women have in their vaginal region (but that seems rather crude for a visual metaphor).

Intense shades of red are used to enhance the passion-filled scenes and exemplify the predilection of most men towards women dressed in red — hence the name, red-light districts. And, of course, the abundance of flowers represents all the women (i.e. vagina’s) Yunosuke has been with over the years/decades. If you don’t believe me, just look at a Georgia O’Keeffe paintings.

While the artwork and associated symbolism were certainly impressive, the lack of a compelling story prevented The Sensualist from being a title worth remembering. Essentially, the central message is that sex-starved individuals, who are subservient to the female form, should look for an island of sexy ladies when their youthful looks wither away to father time.