Nureki Chimuo Archive

2008.9.5 濡木痴夢男のおしゃべり芝居 第五十三回 Nureki Chimou’s Talking Theater Chapter 53 ZOU氏よ、ありがとう！ Thank you, Zou-san! Good bondage photos are taken from good angles. So, if you want to resonate with enthusiasts, you must position the camera well, find the right angle, and press the shutter at the perfect moment. That’s what I wrote last time. “Good angle,” of course, means the most appealing “good angle” for enthusiasts. So, what exactly is a “good angle?” Explaining this is difficult. It’s a pain. Saying it’s a pain is putting it bluntly, but this is purely a matter of feeling, making it extremely hard to explain in words. No matter how detailed the explanation, it’s hard to get the point across. It’s hard to get people to understand. It’s almost something I’d like to call impossible to explain. If you don’t get this feeling, don’t even ask! Anyone who asks doesn’t deserve to be called a fan! I want to just push them away. I specialize in tying women up, I don’t operate cameras at all. No, even if I wanted to, I couldn’t. I’m mechanically challenged and can’t handle the camera, so after tying someone up, I quickly step away from the model, position myself where I won’t get in the photographer’s way, and just watch the model. It’s strange, or rather, it’s become second nature, so unconsciously, I end up standing in the “good angle” position to watch the model.

And since it’s what I love, when I see the model I’ve bound, I can’t help but honestly mutter out loud, “Ah, that’s nice, such a good vibe.” Then B-san overhears me and says, “What? Is that position is good? Then I’ll go there and shoot.” He approaches me and, from my perspective, starts changing the “good pose” and “good angle” of the bound model, transforming it into something different. To put it harshly, he’s destroying it. (This isn’t about now, it happened over a decade ago. Just to be clear.) The word “destroy” might be harsh, but from my perspective, it really was nothing but “destruction.” No matter how much I tied the ropes hoping to please the bondage enthusiasts, the photographer’s sensibility and subjectivity instantly corrected it, erasing the model’s sorrowful beauty and masochistic quality. The subtle atmosphere that naturally emanated from her body was wiped away. The “heart” of the ropes I tied also becomes pitifully thin. Just as her bound body seems to have lost its soul and become a hollow shell, my ropes too become mere shells. Of course, B-san believes that by giving all sorts of detailed instructions, he has achieved a “good bondage pose.” He is utterly convinced. That’s why he presses the shutter with such intensity. The model is tied up quite nicely with my ropes. Therefore, B-san’s work is undoubtedly bondage photography, if you can call it that. However, it inevitably becomes the kind of work that many bondage photography enthusiasts I know well tend not to favor. “The poses are intense and the shots feel strict, but somehow it’s not quite what we’re looking for,” the enthusiasts say in unison, scratching their heads. They all share my opinion.

B-san is a good person, pure of heart and dedicated to his work. He possesses the pure passion befitting an artist. I like that single-minded attitude. One time, I timidly said,“I think it’d be better to capture the model’s natural, pained contortions while bound, that submissive posture, rather than kneading them like clay after tying them up.” But my words fell on deaf ears. B-san possesses unshakeable confidence. The bondage photos B-san takes are published to the world as his work. He bears full responsibility. I’m just a mere bondage specialist. Looking up the word “mere” in the dictionary, it means “insignificant individual,” “a trivial one.” On the shoot, I’m nothing more than a black-clad assistant. A black-clad figure is a shadow, an existence in the dark. A person who must not stand out. Someone in a position where they mustn’t offer unnecessary input. But having walked this path for so long, I understand the feelings of many bondage enthusiasts. I know intuitively, not through logic, what kind of photos enthusiasts will enjoy. What kind of bondage photos can make a man’s cock hard? I know. Because I am one of those enthusiasts myself. Let me be clear, this does not mean unnaturally spreading the model’s crotch, inserting foreign objects, or exaggerating the female anatomy for emphasis. I want to state clearly here that such photos are what dampen the spirits of bondage enthusiasts. That said, bondage photography doesn’t completely ignore the woman’s crotch.

In the mind of the man who binds and torments a woman, the area around her genitals is always present. However, desire is not focused solely on that part. It is precisely because they do not concentrate their lust solely on a woman’s crotch that bondage enthusiasts are called “abnormal.” At one point, I decided to tell B-san this. Keeping what I always thought inside without saying it felt cowardly. Then came B-san’s answer. “The ‘good poses’ and ‘good angles’ you feel, Nureki-san, seem a bit different from the ‘good poses’ and ‘good angles’ I feel. When I tie up a model, I move them according to my own beliefs to create a ‘better pose’ before pressing the shutter. Which group is larger, I wonder? The enthusiasts who prefer the ‘good poses’ you like, which are as natural as possible, or the people who prefer the photos of ‘good poses’ and ‘good angles’ that I create based on my own beliefs? That’s the question. Since this is my job and how I earn my income, I am to please as many enthusiasts as possible and take my own style of bondage photos. I truly believe the poses I create are the best.” Hearing him say that, I had no choice but to remain silent. He also said this. “What you call ‘good poses’ or ‘good angles,’ Nureki-san, are ultimately just your personal preferences. There are plenty of enthusiasts who prefer and support the poses I create. Unless I have clear numbers showing which poses are favored by more people, I have no choice but to keep shooting my way.” Now that he mentioned it, he was absolutely right. It boils down to a numbers game, which poses the enthusiasts prefer. After all, we’re professionals who create and sell these kinds of photos. But in my case, it feels lonely if I just become driven solely by that professional mindset, that sales-oriented mindset, that attitude of “as long as it sells, it’s fine.” Rather than thinking about what kind of bondage photos will sell to more enthusiasts, my stronger desire is to create photos that make me get hard (sorry for the frequent crude descriptions. I’m uneducated and don’t know any better words).

Ah, I’ve gone off on a wild tangent again, without even realizing it. Why did this turn into such a messy, convoluted story? Besides, what’s the point of writing about something that happened over a decade ago now? No matter how much I ramble on, I can’t actually show you that photo here, so it’s incredibly confusing. I’m done with this. It all began when I was hired by Director ZOU for the first time in over twenty years and started tying up a model named T.M. at the studio in Hongo Kikuzaka. “I won’t say a word, Nureki-san. With that model, tie her up freely. Do whatever you want from start to finish.” Director ZOU said, making me incredibly happy. I said, “Alright, let’s do this!” and got completely carried away. You won’t find a director who says such a generous thing anywhere these days. (Well, there was one other. Director Shoichi Yoshimura of CineMagic.) Then, Director ZOU set up his camera and started taking still photos. Wow, he really intended to leave today’s entire shoot to me. That made me think, “Then I want him to take lots of great bondage photos to use for packaging and promotion.” I poured my spirit and passion into it, binding the model’s hands behind her back with sharp, decisive movements and setting her poses. Director ZOU, now the still photographer, didn’t utter a single word of direction about the model’s poses. I confirmed the model’s expressions and the reactions and changes in her body as I developed the bindings and poses one after another. I did it freely, exactly as I wanted. After writing up to this point just now, I suddenly remembered a shoot from over a decade ago. That’s why I went off on a tangent and ended up writing all this messy rambling. Compared to back then over a decade ago, I’ve since interacted with many more bondage enthusiasts and come to understand what kind of bondage photos these dear fellow enthusiasts seek.

I studied and trained. Even without intending to study, I’m completely immersed in this world. So experience and knowledge inevitably accumulate. Just as B-san had absolute confidence in his “bondage photography,” I too possess unshakable confidence in the “bondage photography” I favor. My aesthetic and sexual sensibilities regarding bondage haven’t changed one bit since sixty years ago. Or rather, since this is an innate sexual inclination, it simply cannot change. The video titled “Dream Rope” produced by ZOU seems to have been edited and is now complete. I haven’t seen it yet. To summarize the email ZOU sent me, “I personally feel this work is ‘good enough’ for this project, at least. Personally, I feel I haven’t strayed from the ‘perspective’ that was the starting point. I want to aim for something better in this direction, something that resonates more with everyone (especially Nureki Sensei and Naka Akira-san). To that end, I believe Nureki Sensei’s future ‘chats’ will be the best compass.” That’s what it says. What humble, modest, and sincere words these are. In this chaotic industry we find ourselves in now, to be able to encounter such sincerity and a pure soul. I felt my heart grow warm. Just from this passage alone, I feel I can grasp the quality of the visual work “Dream Rope.” It holds far more power for enthusiasts than any hollow string of words in exaggerated advertising. ZOU-san apparently deemed acceptable the performance I created for this bondage video, where I freely used rope as I pleased, doing exactly what I wanted. Good!

Thank you, ZOU-san! Thanks to you, I was able to use rope freely and with a sense of pleasure I hadn’t felt in a long time. If there’s anything I can do for you going forward, please don’t hesitate to ask. Next, I have a request for ZOU-san, or rather a request from myself. After a little while, I’d like to borrow a corner of the Sex Museum to hold a workshop titled “Nureki Chimou’s Bondage Workshop for Women.” I plan to gather about ten women exclusively interested in SM and bondage, and talk about bondage photography and bondage videos. At that time, I would like to show a twenty to thirty minute video of “Dream Rope” as a part of the text, and give a concrete explanation of my rope-tying methods, posing techniques, and the mindset behind them. (However, there will be absolutely no hands-on practice.) Since the person actually tying the model in the video will be speaking, I believe it will be quite persuasive. Furthermore, I think women rarely get the chance to see this kind of footage, so it should be well-received. I haven’t yet received formal permission from Director Nakahara Rutsu, but I believe they would lend it to us for about two hours in the evening. In truth, I believe the inspiration gained from gatherings like this will fuel my desire to learn more about bondage, becoming the driving force for creating even better bondage videos. Today’s women clearly express their thoughts and opinions, so if this project materializes, I believe it will be a significant positive for the future. Just imagine how luxurious and enjoyable this workshop would be if Director ZOU, Naka Akira, and the women who appeared in the videos were to attend. However, this is just an idea that just popped into my head, so I haven’t thought through any of the details yet. The following comments from Mika Suzume-san and Maruki-San have been reproduced with their respective consent.

Comment from Mika Suzume-san *Thoughts on the 53rd Talking Theater* September 6, 2008, 00:12 Sensei, this is Mika. The first half of this story continues from last time’s tale about B-san, the cameraman. This story really resonated with my everyday thoughts about SM. Where exactly did I find this resonance? It was in the difference between the bondage photos taken by an enthusiast and the photos taken by the photographer. You could call them artistic photos, but ultimately, it’s the difference between bondage photos taken by someone who’s into it and someone who isn’t. To borrow your words, photos taken by such people “erase the subtle atmosphere that naturally emanates from her body. The ‘soul’ I put into the ropes becomes pitifully thin. Just as her bound body loses its soul and becomes a hollow shell, my ropes too become mere shells.” The enthusiasts aren’t seeking so-called artistic beauty in bondage photos. They want to see photos that capture the quietly lingering shame, the way she endures the ropes. The photos that radiate the M aura you mentioned before. No matter how complex or beautifully the ropes are tied, if you can’t sense that M aura in the image, it may be artistically beautiful, but when viewed as SM, it is a photo utterly devoid of value. Of course, preferences and tastes vary, so what people find appealing in SM is as unique as the individuals themselves. There are bound to be completely opposite viewpoints. But still… But even with such differences, there lies an unbridgeable chasm between photos taken by someone without an SM inclination and those taken by someone who does.

Reading your writing, I feel that B-san is a truly excellent photographer, doing wonderful work as a professional. I imagine he takes pride in his work and captures tense, compelling images. As photographs, they may be excellent, but viewed through the lens of SM, they likely fall short. Even so, what an elusive filter SM is for the average person to grasp. Those who share that inclination can nod along, “Yes, yes, that’s exactly it,” but when trying to explain it to someone without that inclination, it’s impossible to explain well. The more I try to explain, the more distant my own words feel from my own thoughts. Nowadays, actresses laughingly say things like “I’m more of a masochist, you know” on TV, and AVs titled with “SM” are everywhere. It seems like SM has become mainstream. But to me, the truth is, SM feels like it’s still deep in the shadows. “Nureki Chimuo’s Bondage Workshop for Women” How delightful. “However, there will be absolutely no hands-on practice.” That’s the best part. If they tried explaining while actually doing it, SM might just turn into a silly comedy. I’m not particularly fond of what you’d call a “bondage show,” if anything. I’ve seen and participated in such shows before, but in most cases, it doesn’t feel like I’m watching (or doing) SM. It feels more like I’m watching (or doing) something that’s SM-like, but not actually SM. The essence of SM transforms the moment it touches the audience, leaving behind only a hollowed-out, dead version of SM.

Explaining why I feel this way would take too long, and the more I explain, the further I feel I drift from my own feelings, so I won’t elaborate. But I believe you understand this point, Sensei. Given my perception of SM, when I hear the concept of “Nureki Chimuo’s Bondage Lecture for Women,” it strikes me as truly wonderful. However, even though I pretend to be a woman, I’m actually a man, so I can’t participate. That’s a bit frustrating, isn’t it? Maruki-san’s Comment *Thoughts on the 53rd Talking Theater* September 6, 2008, 19:35 I have seen “Dream Rope.” After seeing everything, my first thought was “there’s no punishment.” Please don’t misunderstand, the “punishment” I’m referring to here isn’t whipping or enemas (I absolutely detest so-called abuse videos). What I mean is that I couldn’t see what the rigger wanted to do to the model, or what they wanted to convey. You could call it the “meaning” or “drama” of the ropes. In this video, I could only see Nureki-san’s role as a mere “rope handler.” As someone who loves the old “Female Prison Fantasy” and “World of Rope,” and above all, the “Kinbiken Videos,” I was genuinely excited to see dramatic rope work again after reading about Nureki-san’s “Talking Theater.” I waited for its arrival with great anticipation. But is this video really what you wanted to do? I am also a huge fan of Nureki-san’s paperback books. I was expecting visuals like those described in Ishitani-san’s chapter in “Bondage: As Long as I Live.” I hoped that the kind of “play” between Nureki-san and Rakka-san, the kind that makes me envious every time I read about it in “Talking Theater,” would be expressed as a “drama” (not meaning a complex plot-driven drama, but rather a rope drama confined to a closed room with just the two of them).

Nureki San, likely the only true enthusiast among this video’s director, performers, and staff, serves as the bondage specialist. Model T.M. and Naka Akira are giving their all to express that passion through their acting. I can feel it too. Nureki-san has always said that SM is “role-play” and “acting,” and I deeply agree. However, watching Nureki-san in this video, I don’t sense any desire to perform for the enthusiasts who will see it. I don’t feel the “drama” he himself wants to express or act out. In the video, Nureki says several times things like, “You look good when you’re tied up,” and either Naka-san or the director says, “Amazing.” But is this really true? To me, it seems he’s no better than the “bondage artists” he harshly criticizes. I believe there are three types of people who tie. “Photography-focuses,” “show-focused,” and “play-focused.” In photography, the result of the tying is captured by the photographer. Since the process and the passion behind the photos aren’t directly visible, it’s understandable that the person tying is just a “tie assistant.” As photographer B-san says, it comes down to how many readers will resonate with that image. However, video doesn’t just show the process. Especially in a video like this one, with its enthusiast documentary style, it hinges on how well the dominant and submissive partners can exchange their respective sensibilities for bondage within the “play” of tying. I believe this is something that has been evident in Nureki-san’s arguments all along. While the other performers were putting in effort with their acting, the fact that Nureki-san only came across to me as a “bondage specialist” might be a matter of my own sensibilities, but it was very disappointing. Naka-san has shared his thoughts (on “Talking Theater”)57 . Will the next “Dream Rope” production also be this kind of work? I hope for a work where I can feel Nureki-san’s passion for rope and for his partner, much like his play with Rakka-san. Probably referencing Naka Akira’s Bondage Diaries, and I am unsure if a digital record of these exist.

Given how high my expectations were, I apologize if this comment comes across as overly rude. Thank you, Mika Suzume-san and Maruki-san. Please feel free to share your thoughts if you’ve read it too.