The production of his first film, however, was greatly delayed partly due to the draft of some of the actors, and 2 years later, in 1939, it was finally released as Imai's debut film "Numazu Heigakko" (Numazu Military Academy).
しかし、処女作は出演俳優が兵役に取られるなどして完成が大幅に遅れ、やっと公開されたのが2年後の1939年、『沼津兵学校映画』が監督デビュー作となった。