Outlaw Ink

In April 2015, five police detectives raided Taiki Masuda’s tattoo studio in Osaka and accused him of operating without a doctor’s license. Despite the fact that there is no law that specifically prohibits tattooing, the authority suddenly began cracking down on tattooists, who were jailed, fined, and forced to give up tattooing. Unlike the others, Taiki refuses to pay the fine and goes to court in a landmark legal case that could determine the future of tattooing in a country where tattoos are considered to be taboo and are met with disdain and prejudice. We follow his quest to claim his rights to become an artist again, and his impossible battle to legitimize tattooing in the country where social conformity is maintained at all costs regardless of the dignity and freedom of individuals.

Team Partner

Deborah Barillas, Producer
Production Company: Vesuvius