Top Stripper (1982): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1982, Top Stripper is a comedy and drama film directed by Yoshimitsu Morita, running about 67 minutes. “Even on the mana board there is a "sexual spring," and even the strippers have a "love story"...A frenzied live stage colored with seven colored spots!” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. In this irreverent take on a coming-of-age story, young man Yoichi (Kensuke Miyawaki) falls head-over-heels in love with Gloria (Kaori Okamoto), who works at the local strip joint. Innocent Yoichi attends Gloria’s shows every day as his mind is filled with images of her. Unlike many hot and heavy pink films of the time, there is a lot of levity to Top Stripper, along with profound moments of bittersweet disappointment familiar to the young love genre. Still early in his career, Yoshimitsu Morita was one of the handful of young, radical directors who were given the opportunity to explore the visual medium via the constraints of the pink genre. The creative shots, framing, and overall playfulness are a must-see. This film was the first of the pink films that Morita directed and was made one year before he directed his iconic The Family Game.

Who’s in it. Top Stripper stars Kaori Okamoto as Gloria(グロリア), Ken Miyawaki as Yoichi(洋一), Nami Misaki as Lady(レディ) and Ayako Ota as Yoshiko(好子), among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 4.6/10, Top Stripper has proved divisive with audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Top Stripper page.

If you liked it. Fans of Top Stripper tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.