Fukasaku and Junya Sato’s decision to go beyond Nikkatsu’s Borderless Action and Toei’s nostalgic Ninkyo fantasies to critique the capitalistic current within the post-war societal field and its perverting effects on interpersonal bonds gave birth to a shockingly beautiful experience that is as relevant today as it was in the sixties.
Category: Yakuza
One Percenter (2023) review
Yamaguchi delivers a love-letter to down-to-earth action that proves that there is plenty of poetry to be found in the physical action-performances.
Baka’s identity (2025) review [Japannual 2025]
Koto Nagata offers the spectator a saddening but entertaining portrait of what the Japanese Other does not want anyone to see: the unsavoury marriage between crime and capitalism
Sympathy For The Underdog (1971) review
This is not merely classic that speaks to those who felt lost due to the rapid shifts that upheaved the Japanese societal field after the second world war, but continues to speak to those who feel out-of-place, who feel like Gunji unsuited for this world of ‘criminal’ suits.
Abashiri Prison – Saga of Homesickness (1965)
An engaging narrative that illustrates how the image of the father can be a prison for the subject.
Let’s Go Karaoke (2024) review [Camera Japan Festival]
This is perfect film for anyone who, after a long day full of struggles, wants to sit in a comfy chair and relax.