In March 1927, he was elected for the first rank in the 'Director popularity poll' in the magazine called "Eiga Jidai" (literally meaning movie era) March issue (Kiyohiko USHIHARA for the second rank) and established himself as a movie director.
1927年3月には『映画時代』三月号の「監督人気投票」で第一位（第二位は牛原虚彦）に選出され、監督としての確固たる地位を築く。