How did Japanese benshi narrators shape the experience of silent films in Japan?

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Zazu Pitts, Gibson Gowland, and Hughie Mack in a dramatic scene from the silent film Greed (1924); Gowland stands center, supported by Pitts and Mack on either side. — Silent film era (From left) Zasu Pitts, Gibson Gowland, and Hughie Mack in the silent film *Greed* (1924), directed by Erich von Stroheim.

In the Japanese silent film era, the benshi were essential performers who narrated the action on screen, drawing inspiration from the traditions of Kabuki theater. By standing to the side of the screen and providing live commentary, they effectively allowed Japanese films to "talk" long before the advent of recorded sound technology.1

These narrators were so influential that many became stars in their own right, possessing significant box-office appeal that helped sustain the popularity of silent cinema in Japan well into the 1930s. Their central role in the viewing experience was a primary reason for Japan’s slow transition to sound; the benshi actively resisted the introduction of recorded audio, as it threatened to liberate cinema from its dependence on their live performances. Ultimately, however, the industry's shift toward standardized production and sound technology led to the decline of the benshi tradition.1