is a Japanese

yakuza film is a popular film genre in Japanese cinema which focuses on the lives and dealings of ''yakuza'', Japanese organized crime syndicates. In the silent film era, depictions of ''bakuto'' (precursors to modern yakuza) as sympathetic Robin Hood-li ...

directed by

Takashi Miike is a Japanese film director, film producer and screenwriter. He has directed over one hundred theatrical, video, and television productions since his debut in 1991. His films run through a variety of different genres, and range from violent an ...

. The film reunites Miike with

Riki Takeuchi is a Japanese actor best known for his roles in v-cinema yakuza movies. Takeuchi has starred in many yakuza films and action films, such as '' Dead or Alive'' by Takashi Miike. Takeuchi also starred in '' Battle Royale II: Requiem'', in which h ...

, who stars as the main character.

Plot

Seiji (played by Takeuchi) grew up as an orphan who was raised by his boss Muto. The Muto family is composed only of the boss Muto, Seiji and Yoshi and serves as a branch of the larger Date family. When Muto is called upon to settle his dues to the gang, he instead vows to assassinate a top officer of the rival Tendo family. Seiji offers to carry out the assassination himself but Muto forbids it because Seiji already served a 15 year murder sentence for a gang related hit. A day later, Muto is arrested for possession of an illegal firearm and sentenced to serve 2 years in prison. Seiji ambushes the leader of the Tendo family at his villa and leaves him in critical condition. This act compromises the future of the Date family, and the Tendo family responds quickly with a wave of brutal murders. While visiting his girlfriend, Yoshi is killed by an assassin squad under the order of the Tendo family. After hearing of his bosses expulsion Seiji returns to the Date headquarters and shoots the first person who yells at him. A member of the Date clan explains boss Muto was expelled because he turned himself into the police and went to prison in order to avoid carrying out the assassination. Seiji readily explains it was he who told on the boss in order to protect him. Seiji carries out the assassination of the number two boss but is shot shortly after. Seiji then goes to the bar of Muto's wife Sachie, who takes him to a doctor. Soon after, Date is assassinated. The Taiwanese arms dealer shows up at Sachie's house with weapons. Before he leaves he tells her that Seiji must love her because of his actions. Boss Muto is murdered in prison. Seiji then retaliates by killing boss Muto's killer on the way to his trial. Seiji and Sachie plan to escape to the Philippines. As their boat begins to arrive, Sachie throws Seiji's gun into the water with hopes of a peaceful future. As they turn to get their luggage, they notice Egawa, a policeman who had provided information to Seiji, hanging from a crane nearby. The two become aware they are cornered at the end of the dock and their boat turns around when it sees trouble. The assassin squad closes in on them and open fire as Seiji blocks all the shots from hitting Sachie. As Seiji lies dead, the leader of the assassin squad tells him that he is showing off too much. The squad then walks away without harming Sachie.

Cast

as Seiji * Hideki Sone as Yoshi *

Mickey Curtis is a Japanese actor, singer and Media Personality. He was born to English-Japanese parents. A pivotal figure in Japanese popular music, Mickey is considered one of the three big Japanese names in rock music, helping to popularize the genre in ...

Kenichi Endō is a Japanese actor and writer. He also worked as a narrator for many documentaries, both on television and film. He is best known for his roles in ''Visitor Q'' (2001), ''Crows Zero'' (2007), ''Crows Zero 2'' (2009), and '' The Raid 2: Berand ...

as Budai *

Renji Ishibashi , born is a Japanese actor. He won the award for best supporting actor at the 15th Hochi Film Award for '' Rōnin-gai''. Filmography Film Television Video game * '' Yakuza: Dead Souls'' - Oyassan References External links * Renji Ishib ...

Koichi Iwaki is a Japanese actor. He won the award for best actor at the 8th Yokohama Film Festival for the 1986 film '' Minami e Hashire, Umi no Michi o''. He was a Zainichi Korean until April 5, 2017, when he naturalized. Iwaki is also a racing car driver. ...

Hiroshi Katsuno is a Japanese actor.　He graduated from Aoyama Gakuin University. Katsuno's debut was as a detective Texas in the television series Taiyō ni Hoero! in 1974 and he won great popularity through the role. The episode his character Texas was killed ...

Ryōsuke Miki Ryōsuke, Ryosuke, Ryousuke or Ryohsuke (written: , , , , or in hiragana) is a Japanese masculine given name. Notable people with the name include: *, Japanese artistic gymnast *, Japanese artistic gymnast * Ryōsuke Hashiguchi (born 1962), Jap ...

Yasukaze Motomiya is a Japanese actor. His real name is . He is represented by Triple A. Biography Motomiya's elder brother is Ryuji Harada, also an actor. His wife is ''tarento'' Akiko Matsumoto. Motomiya was scouted after his older brother entered the entert ...

Kazuya Nakayama Kazuya Nakayama (中山一也) is a Japanese actor and producer known for films such as ''Izo'' and ''Agitator'' directed by Takashi Miike. Filmography * ''Keiji monogatari 2 - Ringo no uta'' (1983) * ''Renzoku satsujinki: Reiketsu'' (1984) * '' ...

Yōko Natsuki is an actress, born 24 October 1952 in Ise, Mie Prefecture, Japan. She started her career in the 1977 movie Karate for Life. One of her television roles was as Osono, a ninja in the jidaigeki series ''Yoshimune Hyōbanki: Abarenbō Shōgun.'' Sh ...

* Gorō Oohashi *

Mikio Ōsawa Mikio (written: , , , , , , , , , in hiragana or in katakana) is a masculine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include: *, Japanese politician *, Japanese comedian *, Japanese composer, music arranger and producer *, Japanese pol ...

Tetsurō Tamba was a Japanese actor with a career spanning five decades. He is best known in the West for his role in the 1967 James Bond film '' You Only Live Twice'' as Tiger Tanaka. Biography Tamba had a part-time job as an interpreter at Supreme Commande ...

Columbia Top Columbia may refer to: * Columbia (personification), the historical female national personification of the United States, and a poetic name for America Places North America Natural features * Columbia Plateau, a geologic and geographic region in ...

as Millionaire

Alternate ending

An alternate ending available on the home video release shows Seiji being shot by the assassin squad and then reaching into his chest and pulling out a glowing ball of force that he throws at the assassins, causing an explosion that can be seen from space.

External links

* {{Takashi Miike 2003 films 2000s Japanese-language films Yakuza films Films directed by Takashi Miike 2000s Japanese films