Recently in yakuza / tough guy Category

Drunken Angel [Yoidore Tenshi]

酔いどれ天使

Genre: Quasi-historical Yakuza Drama [Post-war Japan: 1948]

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This very early Kurosawa film retells the historical tale of Yoshitsune's perilous and skillful escape from the hands of his warring brother. It is a legendary tale, well-beloved in Japanese history, here brought to the screen in a highly entertaining and effective way. This is truly one to check out.

Tekkonkinkreet
[Tekkon Kinkreet]

鉄コン筋クリート

Genre: Yakuza-infused Orphan Youth Angst

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In the last remaining vestige of an otherwise over-modernized metropolis, two orphaned children have learned to live both freely and violently amongst rival gang intrusion, yakuza activity, and the good-natured help from some similarly-minded, decade-weary citizens. This tale, seen through their own eyes, is wholly about the survival and destruction of these two orphaned youths, not only in terms of their physical safety but also their mental landscape. Childhood dreams and hopes struggle headlong with the reality of urban decay, vicious crime, and the crippling sense of loss.

Pornostar
[Poruno Sutaa ]

U.S. release tile: Tokyo Rampage

ポルノスター

Genre: Psychotically Anti-Social Neo Yakuza Youth
Director: Toyoda Toshiaki (1998)

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Here is an absolutely excellent film for fans of the contemporary neo yakuza genre. Director Toyoda Toshiaki may be better known to Western audiences for Blue Spring (Aoi Haru), another excellent nihilistic urban youth tale, which he directed 3 years after this film. Set in the urban youth culture of Shibuya, Tokyo, Pornostar offers its own exploration of the impact of yakuza influence upon youth culture. By creating a truly unique protagonist, which is simultaneously beyond morality yet somehow set against the moral scourge of the yakuza, Toyoda leads his audience into the deepest corners of Tokyo's influential sub-culture of crime.

Criminal Woman: Killing Melody
[Zenka Onna Karoshi Bushi]

前科おんな　殺し節

Genre: Bad Girls Causing Yakuza Wars

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After the ruthless murder of her father, Miki swears revenge against the Oba Yakuza Clan, but her reckless attempt only gets her locked up in jail where she is befriended by a number of socially delinquent females. After serving their time, the girls band together in order help Miki carry out her plot to take down the Oba gang. But problems quickly arise when they discover one of their toughest former cellmates is Oba's lover.

Wild Life

ＷｉＬｄ　ＬＩＦｅ　ｊｕｍｐ　ｉｎｔｏ　ｔｈｅ　ｄａｒｋ

Genre: Good Tough Guy Meets Bad Tough Guys

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Ex-boxer Sakai now lives a normal life fixing pachinko machines under the friendly eye of his aging boss Tsumura. When their long lost mutual friend Mizuguchi suddenly shows up, their placid routine is soon overrun with yakuza gangs and corrupt police officials, all of whom become increasingly hostile to Sakai and Tsumura. Believing Mizuguchi passed along "the package" to Sakai, they abduct the elderly Tsumura and attempt to blackmail and physically harass Sakai. Things look pretty bleak indeed until Sakai begins re-evaluating his pachinko-mending ways.

Graveyard of Honor
[Jingi no Hakaba]

仁義の墓場

Genre: Yakuza Moral Implosion Extraordinaire

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This infamous Fukasaku film marks a turning point in Japan's cinematic portrayal of yakuza, from that of a dying bushido breed to self-destructive and societally dangerous criminals. In a powerful and violent tale based on a real-life gangster from Fukasaku's own hometown, audiences are led to both simultaneously sympathize with and revile the monstrous Rikio and the path to hell he chooses.

Pale Flower
[Kawaita Hana]

乾いた花

Genre: Bleak Yakuza Tale

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After three years in prison for killing a rival yakuza leader, Muraki is released back into his old haunts to find little has changed. There is, however, one new face in the crowd, Saeko, a young and beautiful woman who seems hell-bent on thrill seeking. Together, Muraki introduces her to increasingly high-stake scenarios until they both soon find themselves on the brink of self-destruction. Based on the novel by Ishihara Shintaro, this film will have significant influence over the subsequent formation of the yakuza genre.