The Salesman of the Taboo
If you’ve seen The Wolf of Wall Street or Boogie Nights, you already know the structural DNA of this show. It’s a high-velocity, neon-soaked biopic that treats the adult film industry not as a dark corner of society, but as a frontier for a relentless salesman. The show centers on Tooru Muranishi, a man who turns a midlife crisis into a crusade to revolutionize pornography in 1980s Japan.
The energy here is manic. It isn’t a slow-burn prestige drama; it’s a series of shouting matches, narrow escapes from the law, and a protagonist who views a camera lens as a weapon of liberation. While critics and audiences have given it solid marks—landing a 7.6 on IMDb and a 79% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes—you should know that the "entertainment" value comes from the sheer audacity of the main character. He is magnetic, delusional, and incredibly loud.
Why the "Adult" Label Actually Matters
Usually, when we talk about "adult themes," we’re talking about a few swear words or a dark plot point. Here, the "17+" rating from Common Sense Media is doing heavy lifting. This isn't just a show about the porn industry; it is a show that mimics the aesthetics of the industry it depicts. There is no "safe" way to watch this in a common area.
The friction for a parent isn't just the graphic nature of the scenes. It’s the volume. Muranishi’s signature style involves him being physically present and vocal during filming, often in his underwear, wielding a heavy shoulder-mounted camera. It is a noisy, sweaty, and chaotic viewing experience. If you’re trying to sneak an episode in while the kids are in the next room, they will hear things that are very difficult to explain away as "just a documentary."
If you're worried about this popping up on a shared Netflix account, you should check out our parent's guide to The Naked Director for specifics on how to keep this particular title tucked away from younger eyes.
The Cultural Collision
The real hook of the show is the 1980s Japanese "Bubble" economy. Everything is expanding, money is flowing, and the social rules are being rewritten in real-time. We see a version of Tokyo that is vibrant and desperate all at once. The show does a great job of showing the clash between the old-school "salaryman" culture and the new, hedonistic underground.
It’s worth watching if you enjoy stories about disruptors—people who are probably "bad" by traditional standards but are undeniably fascinating because they refuse to follow the script. Just don't go into it expecting a nuanced critique of the industry's ethics. The show is much more interested in the hustle, the cameras, and the ego of the man behind them.
If You’re On the Fence
If you liked Succession for the ego-driven power plays or Vinyl for the period-accurate chaos, this will hit the spot. It’s a binge-able, fast-paced ride that feels very different from the usual Western biopics. But remember: this is a hard R. It’s a show about the business of sex, and it never lets you forget it for a single frame. Keep the door locked and the volume down.
