Director Yasuharu Hasebe died of pneumonia on June 14 at a hospital in Kanagawa, it has been learned. He was 77 years old.

Hasebe, a graduate of Waseda University, was considered one of the pioneers of Nikkatsu's "violent pink" genre during the 1970s. He also directed the "Noraneko Rock" ("Stray Cat Rock") movie series before breaking off from Nikkatsu in 1980. His TV credits include the dramas "Aibou" and "Abunai Deka."

Hasebe was the father of screenwriter Bakushino Hasebe, who writes for the "Aibou" series, and actress Kanae Hasebe, who appeared in the "Abunai Deka" series.