Nihon boryoku-dan: Kumicho (1969)

Nihon boryoku-dan: Kumicho: Directed by Kinji Fukasaku. With Kôji Tsuruta, Tomisaburô Wakayama, Bunta Sugawara, Noboru Andô. Coming out of jail and hoping for a quiet life, Yokohama yakuza has to take the lead of his gang after the death of his boss. His small group is is taken in a crossfire between a big yakuza group from Osaka at war with the Tokyo alliance for the control of the city. He tries to keep to the old yakuza code but he is no match for the new thugs who live and fight without honor.

“This terribly underseen yakuza film by the great Japanese master of the genre may very well rank among the top gangster films of the 60u0026#39;s. It begins in Fukasakuu0026#39;s trademark style with the use of narration and stills explaining the rise to power of Osakau0026#39;s Danno Family. The rest of the story revolves around gangland wars in Yokohama. All the stylistic hallmarks that would later appear in The Yakuza Papers are present here in all their gritty glory. The hyperkinetic action, the scheming and machinations of opposing families, the numerous gunfights that are never clean or glorified, the realistic approach to violence, themes of upholding oneu0026#39;s honour and doing oneu0026#39;s duty.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eA more sympathetic light is cast on the old school yakuzas as opposed to the new emerging families and alliances who have no disregard for honour and loyalty, only securing their benefits and staying out of the public spotlight at whatever cost. The cast all turn in great performances, with Koji Tsuruta and the great Tomisaburo Wakayama really putting their all in it. Fans of Lone Wolf and Cub in particular will get a kick out of witnessing Wakayama play the mad dog leader of a small group of yakuza hooligans. Diametrically opposite to his restrained, laconic Ogami Itto from Misumiu0026#39;s classic chambara series. Thereu0026#39;s nothing much to add really. Another tour de force by the great director. Fans of his work will love it.”