The Yakuza Movie Book: A Guide to Japanese Gangster Films by Mark Schilling
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- DirectorYûsaku MatsudaStarsYûsaku MatsudaRyo IshibashiSatomi TezukaThe story of Kaze; where he comes from and where he is going, nobody knows. A man without a real name and past, and without memory.
- DirectorTeruo IshiiStarsKen TakakuraKôji NanbaraTetsurô TanbaShinichi is a good guy serving three years and approaching the end of his time. He escapes handcuffed to dangerous Gunda, who instigated the escape. Thus tethered, they start out on a journey across the desolate snow country of Hokkaido.
- DirectorTeruo IshiiStarsKen TakakuraHiroko SakuramachiNaoki SugiuraShin'Ichi returns home to visit his mother's grave. Upon returning he finds the mess that his previous reckless behavior left behind. His old boss, Asahi, was attacked after Shin'Ichi left and was forced to give up a lot of of his power.
- DirectorShinobu YaguchiStarsMasanobu AndôHikari IshidaChikara IshikuraA bullied employee has a run-in with yakuza, a shy nurse, and a stuffed suitcase. So begins his new life of excitement and adventure with the nurse.
- DirectorTokuzô TanakaStarsShintarô KatsuJirô TamiyaTamao Nakamura
- DirectorFrank A. CappelloStarsViggo MortensenRyo IshibashiMichael NouriAn American FBI agent is lured away by the Japanese Mafia--the Yakuza--in this action film.
- DirectorKihachi OkamotoStarsKôji TsurutaAkira TakaradaYumi ShirakawaRyuta and Mineo Komatsu are brothers, both yakuza (gangsters). Mineo, although complicit in crime, even murder, wants out of the gangster life, hoping to become a successful singer instead. Ryuta loves his brother, but Mineo's possible defection presents problems for the gang, and Ryuta realizes he must kill his brother if he wants to survive.
- DirectorKôji WakamatsuStarsKen KanekoKôji MatobaIkuma Saisho
- DirectorKôsaku YamashitaStarsKôji TsurutaTomisaburô WakayamaHiroshi NawaTokyo, 1934. The boss of the clan that controls gambling agonizes and some of his followers propose to Nakai to take his place, but he refuses the offer and suggests they choose Matsuda, who is in prison.
- DirectorKinji FukasakuStarsKôji TsurutaTomisaburô WakayamaTsunehiko WataseA yakuza gang gets driven out of Yokohama by a big gang from Tokyo. They relocate to Okinawa to violently start over.
- DirectorKinji FukasakuStarsKôji TsurutaFumio WatanabeMasayo BanriThe story of men devoted to the Yakuza lifestyle and their struggles during a time of fading Yakuza power.
- DirectorKôsuke SuzukiStarsRiki TakeuchiNoboru TakachiMai OikawaKasaki the hitman needs to set scores with his target Ri after the syndicate hunts him and blackmails his childhood friend to kill him.
- DirectorTatsumi KumashiroStarsEiji OkudaEiko NagashimaReiko TakashimaTanaka is a yakuza who collects 'protection money' from establishments. He has just been released from jail, where he had spent eight years, and finds out that his boss wants to get rid of him.
- DirectorTakeshi KitanoStarsTakeshi KitanoClaude MakiOmar EppsA Japanese gangster is exiled to Los Angeles where his brother lives with a small but respectable multi-racial gang, who he inspires to expand their influence.
- DirectorToshio MasudaStarsTetsuya WatariChieko MatsubaraMitsuo HamadaYAKUZA GANGSTER THRILLER.
- DirectorShinji AoyamaStarsTakao OsawaDuncanReiko KataokaYoichi comes to Tokyo from Shikoku and starts working at a club run by a yakuza boss, where he meets Michio. They start a horse race bookmaking business, but Michio has an affair with the boss's mistress and disappears.
- DirectorTai KatôStarsNoboru AndôShinobu ChiharaReiichi HatanakaA former soldier is caught working the black market and sent to prison while his partner escapes and goes on to become a gangster, but their paths cross again as they both fall in love with the same woman.
- DirectorDaisuke ItôStarsDenjirô ÔkôchiHideo NakamuraKichiji NakamuraTrilogy about the travels of the kindly bakuto Kunisada Chuji. Film depicts Chuji's attempt to save the geisha Oshina, a rebellion against the rigid social structure of Edo Japan. Part 3. "The Chuji Patrol"
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsShô AikawaRiki TakeuchiRenji IshibashiA yakuza of Chinese descent and a Japanese cop each wage their own war against the Japanese mafia. But they are destined to meet. Their encounter will change the world.
- DirectorShigeru IshiharaStarsHakuryûHirotarô HondaHideo Nakano
- DirectorTakashi IshiiStarsHarumi InoueShingo TsurumiKazuki KitamuraA woman is raped by 3 men. She moves south to Tokyo and 5 years later is about to marry a colleague, when one of the rapists enters her apartment. The other 2 come later.
- DirectorKiyoshi KurosawaStarsShô AikawaShun SugataChikako KobayashiA lawman (Shô Aikawa) works under cover to infiltrate the Yakuza
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsTsuyoshi UjikiTomorô TaguchiTakeshi CaesarAn inexperienced gangster is killed alongside his strong, respected boss and awakens to find a mad scientist has given him a new body made partly of his boss and partly of indestructible bionics.