Tomisaburō Wakayama

The Blood of the Extreme! (1997)

This work is a sequel to the former 'Gokudo' series. ...

Oda Nobunaga (1992)

Among the great 'Warlords' in Japanese history, Oda Nobunaga holds a unique place. In effect, his military success led to the ultimate unification of the country. This historically accurate portrayal of Nobunaga's life and times is highlighted by many of J ...

Check (1991)

Set in Osaka's Shinsekai, the film depicts the lives of Ayumu Tobita (Hidekazu Akai), who makes a living as a shogi gambler (shinken-shi), and Ryuzo Kayama (Masaya Kato) who aims to become a professional player. ...

Kumokiri Nizaemon: The Great Bandit (1991)

When Nizaemon Kumogiri, a major thief quits his job as a thief, he has two more big jobs planned in order to obtain a huge sum of money to enable his many subordinates scattered all over the country to live out the rest of their lives. First, he targets Ma ...

Minamoto Yoshitsune (1990)

One evening, when the monk Saito Musashibo Benkei was luring for his sword number 1000 at Gojo bridge, Shanao (later Yoshitsune), a young man of small and fragile stature passed by. He wore a nice sword and played the flute. ...

KILL THEM ALL (1990)

She-Shogun (1990)

The rise to power of the famed Lady Kasuga no Tsubone, who established the 'Ooku' (the women's quarters at Edo castle) and acted as nursemaid to Tokugawa Iemitsu, the future 3rd Shogun is chronicled in this historical drama. Intrigue and suspicion abound a ...

Shingo's Ten Duels (1990)

The classic tale of the shogun's illegitimate son Aoi Shingo is told in three parts as he strives to become the greatest fencer in Japan, while his father Shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune seeks to reunite with his lost son. When the secrets of Shingo's birth are ...

Black Rain (1989)

Two New York cops get involved in a gang war between members of the Yakuza, the Japanese Mafia. They arrest one of their killers and are ordered to escort him back to Japan. However, in Japan he manages to escape, and as they try to track him down, they ge ...

Company Executives (1989)

A fierce succession battle ignites at a newspaper company when the president passes away. ...

Lone Wolf & Child: Assassin on the Road to Hell (1989)

The tale of Ogami Itto and his son Daigoro has come full circle with the greatest sword actor of all time, Wakayama Tomisaburo now playing Lone Wolf's mortal enemy, the evil Lord Yagyu Retsudo, who masterminded Ogami's fall from grace. Brilliant sword acto ...

Tetsuro Tamba's Great Spirit World: What Happens When You Die (1989)

Visualization based on Tetsuro Tamba's best-selling "Great Reikai". A story about a physicist who dies in an accident and experiences the afterlife as a spirit. The leading role is Tamba Tetsuro's biological son, Tamba Yoshitaka. ...

Iemitsu, Hikoza and Isshin Tasuke - A National Crisis: Edo Castle in Danger (1989)

Yagyu Jubei, the finest swordsman in the land, is called upon to bare his blade to help Iemitsu keep his post. Meanwhile a fishmonger named Isshin Tasuke who bears an amazing resemblance to Shogun Iemitsu may be called upon to put his life on the line by a ...

Bad History (1989)

1999 TOKYO CITY. "WILD Cats" and "COBLA", two major organizations that engage in a fierce battle for Nawabari in the "D" district, where drugs, prostitution, rape, murder, and violent crimes are infested. The anger of Sho (Junya Takagi), the leader of WIL ...

Shinran: Path to Purity (1987)

In the 12th century, Buddhism was still a relatively new religion in Japan. At that time, one school (Shingon) offered extensive training in complex and very demanding practices which might eventually bring about spiritual purification and realization. Var ...

A Human Promise (1986)

An old woman has died and her widower with dementia confesses to killing her. After this, the story goes back in time to show the events leading up to her death. ...

Michi (1986)

A married long-distance truck driver falls for a significantly younger waitress at a roadside diner. Their affair brings tragedy to themselves and those around them. ...

The Story of a Man Among Men (1984)

During the Showa era, a young yakuza survives war and injury and rises to become a clan boss with the help and respect of his sworn brothers. ...

White Snake Enchantment (1983)

Uta married a priest who saved her when she tried to commit suicide at a waterfall. The love triangle between a lustful priest, his second wife and his son Masao. ...

The Shogun's Vault IV: The Gold Mines of Sado (1983)

Account magistrate Wakisaka Bizen Mamoru asks Yoshibei, the chief priest of Iriya and Myohoji Temple to explore the Sado Gold Mine. They suspect that large amounts of money are being diverted to somewhere else. Yoshibei, a former official secret-head accep ...

The Yoshida School (1983)

Coinciding with the LDP presidential election of the entire national public, a masterpiece depicting the reverse side of Showa political history released, superimposed cast, a group image of real politicians centered on Shigeru Yoshida and political histor ...

Theater Of Life (1983)

Adaptation of Shiro Ozaki's novel. ...

The Shogun's Vault III (1983)

Ichibei, a thief known as "Yami no Kiba," and his daughter Oasa are caught by members of a street performer family with a nationwide organization when the kite they are riding falls deep into the mountains of Owari. Nitayu, the key person in the clan, lear ...

Fangs of Darkness 2: Ieyasu's Head (1983)

Ichibei teams up with Chief Jindayo of the Goomune (Japan's gypsies') in order to steal the shogunate's solid gold statue of Ieyasu which might bankrupt the central government and complete his revenge against the Tokugawa by toppling them from the seat of ...

Irezumi (1982)

To satisfy her lover's fetish for tattooed women, Akane agrees to have her body covered in eloborate tattoos by Kyogoro, an old craftsman. Kyogoro has developed a special technique, by which his assistant, Harutsune, keeps Katsuko's mind off the pain while ...

Domineering (1982)

When the patriarch of Japan's most powerful yakuza family is shot, his wife is left to pick up the pieces and carry on the legacy. ...

Dojo Breaker (1982)

Tomisaburo Wakayama is back with a new take on the classic Yamamoto Shugoro masterpiece "Ame Agaru" as a samurai on the run with his bride who makes a living by challenging dojo masters to a match, then taking money from them to keep quiet about it. Stayin ...

Summer Secrets (1982)

Two high school girls get mixed up in murder while investigating the disappearance of a classmate. ...

The Shootout (1982)

A run-in with the police once again puts three former reformatory inmates on the wrong side of the law. Their situation becomes increasingly desperate as events spin out of control, culminating in an audacious hijack at sea... ...

The Imperial Japanese Empire (1982)

Story of three people, a barber, a Christian and a graduate of the Tokyo Military Academy during the 2nd World War. ...

The Shogun's Vault II (1982)

A mysterious thief called "Yami no Kiba" (Fang of Darkness), who sneaks into the residences of the shogunate one after another and steals the shogun's treasures, has been shaking the public authorities. The identity of the thief is Ichibei, a medicine sell ...

The Blazing Valiant (1981)

Jo has just come back to Japan for the funeral of his parents, who were killed in tribal warfare in Africa where the family had been living throughout most of Jo's life. Once the funeral was over, he missed the boat that was going to take him back home, an ...

The Black Hood (1981)

A horse-riding samurai fights villains. ...

Flame of Father and Son (1981)

Yokomizo, a police officer in the traffic police force, is looking forward to watching his son Kazuhiko grow up. However, Kazuhiko rebels against his perfectionist father and turns to delinquency. Kazuhiko teams up with his bad friend Teshima to rob 300 mi ...

The Shogun's Vault I (1981)

Tomizo, a master storehouse-breaker who has been released from prison in Denmacho after serving five years plans to break into the Edo Castle gold storehouse to avenge the death of his father, who died a violent death at a gold mine on Sado Island. With th ...

Samurai Reincarnation (1981)

After surviving the slaughter of many Christians 350 years ago, a samurai denounces God for ignoring the pleas of believers. He sells his soul to Satan and receives the power to resurrect the dead to join him in a murderous rampage. ...

Flames of Blood (1981)

​The story follows the chance meeting between Senkichi, a wandering gambler on the run, and Orin, a blind musician who offers him kindness and shelter. As their lives become intertwined, they attempt to find a sense of peace and domesticity while caught ...

The Phantom Thief Nezumi Kozo and the Tattooed Judge (1981)

Magistrate Toyama no Kin-san is ordered to catch the phantom thief Nezumi Kozo, who is robbing daimyo and wealthy townspeople. Under the name of Nezumi Kozo, there is a small wholesaler Jiro. And once Toyama and Jiro, when they were young, were comrades wh ...

Gate of Youth (1981)

The story of Shinsuke, a young man who lives through a stormy life as a poverty-stricken coal miner. Ranging from Shinsuke's infanthood to his mid-teens. Coal workers and the mines dominate nearly every aspect of his life. Shinsuke's father a group leader ...

Shogun Assassin (1980)

A Shogun who grew paranoid as he became senile sent his ninjas to kill his samurai. They failed but did kill the samurai's wife. The samurai swore to avenge the death of his wife and roams the countryside with his toddler son in search of vengeance. ...

The Young Rebels (1980)

A newspaper reporter investigates the lives of juvenile delinquents. ...

Faraway Tomorrow (1979)

A young man walks through the streets holding a sign that reads, "The trial for the Tobata Incident 19 years ago was a frame-up!" He has taken up the fight alone on behalf of his innocent father, who is serving time for murder. ...

Oh, My Son! (1979)

A man whose son has been murdered pushes to create laws to financially protect victims' families. ...

The Phoenix (1978)

This extraordinarily complex film is not only a send-up of every samurai film ever made, it is also an extrapolation of the value of life. The Yamatai, represented by Prince Susano-O and elderly advisor Sumuke, hire Yumihiko of Matsuro to hunt the phoenix ...

The Bad News Bears Go to Japan (1978)

A small time promotor/hustler takes the pint-sized baseball team to Japan for a match against the country's best little league baseball team which sparks off a series of adventures and mishaps the boys come into. ...

I Am A Man of Honor (1977)

The sixth film of the "Truck Yaro" series. Two long-distance truckers, Momojiro and Kinzo, travel around Japan in highly decorated trucks. In Kyushu, Momojiro falls in love again... this time with a beautiful college student Masako. ...

Sugata Sanshiro (1977)

The story of Sanshiro Sugata, a young man who wants to learn the new art of judo. A wise teacher reveals to Sanshiro that judo is not merely a means of combat nor a demonstration of physical skill, but an art which reveals the artist to himself. ...

A Scream from Nowhere (1977)

In 1930, the chance meeting of a novelist and one of his fans opens the door to a series of mysterious events culminating in the death of a wealthy industrialist who may have been leading a double life. ...

Lullaby to Kill (1977)

Kôsuke Kindaichi, a somewhat peculiar private detective, visits a remote town. He meets a police detective and they start to investigate an old unsolved murder. Then some murders happen. Kindaichi must find out about the past in order to reveal who the mu ...

A Cheerful Yakuza (1976)

Evil Doers (1975)

Hiroki Matsukata plays Ogata, an Osakan restaurant worker that gets sent to prison for murder. The film details his subsequent attempts to escape. It's the third and final entry in the "Hiroki Matsukata Toei Jailbreak Trilogy" following Escaped Murderer ...

Company Buggers (1975)

Hiroshi, a small-time racketeer, makes a name for himself extorting vulnerable companies and their directors for financial gain. ...

Under the Blossoming Cherry Trees (1975)

A mountain man beheads his many wives to prove his love to an alluring woman he meets in an enchanted forest. ...

New Battles Without Honor and Humanity 1 (1974)

Bunta Sugawara is Miyoshi, a low-level assassin of the Yamamori gang who is sent to jail after a bungled hit. While in stir, family member Aoki attempts to seize power from the boss, and Miyoshi finds himself stuck between the two factions with no honorabl ...

ESPY (1974)

Two Japanese spies with extrasensory powers go to Istanbul to stop a global agenda of assassinations. ...

The Rapacious Jailbreaker (1974)

Convicted of murder, Masayuki Ueda is sent to Hiroshima Prison along with his accomplice. But for a man like him, breaking out of prison is easy. ...

Yakuza vs. Gang Leader (1974)

Gokudo Shimamura comes to blows with the Delinquent Boss who rolls into town with his motorcycle gang. ...

The Scoundler vs. The Viper Brothers (1974)

A crossover between Wakayama's Gokudo and Sugawara Mamushi series. Gokudo runs a restaurant and makes Takuzo Kawatani his kitchen bitch. He tries to do the same for the Mamushi bros. but the boys don't play along, which pisses Gokudo off. Things get worse ...

Lone Wolf and Cub: White Heaven in Hell (1974)

With most of his family already dead at Ogami Itto's hands, Retsudo launches one final plot to destroy him, and when that fails, unleashes the fury of every remaining member of the Yagyu clan. ...

Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in the Land of Demons (1973)

Ogami Itto is challenged by a quintet of warriors, each armed with one fifth of Ogami's assassin fee and one fifth of the information he needs to complete his assignment. ...

Gokudo of Kamagasaki (1973)

Ninth installment in the "Gokudo" series. Depicts the activities of Shimamura Seikichi and his henchmen. ...

Internal Sleuth (1973)

When 150 guns are stolen from Iwakuni base and two police officers are shot dead, a detective criminal tries to find out the truth. ...

Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in Peril (1972)

Ogami Itto is hired to kill a tattooed female assassin and battles Retsudo, head of the Yagyu clan, and his son Gunbei. ...

Eight Men to Kill (1972)

The third movie following the exploits of bounty hunter Shikoro Ichibei. The theft of almost a half ton of gold from the shogunate's official mine threatens to bankrupt the government of Japan. Despite a desperate search the gold has not been found, causin ...

Informal Dress (1972)

Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades (1972)

Ogami Itto volunteers to be tortured by Yakuza in order to save a prostitute and is hired by their leader to kill an evil chamberlain. ...

The Pledge (1972)

When Omuro Yahachi of the Omuro family is selected as Mutsumikai Soke's successor, the conflict between the Kitakyushu and Wakamatsu begins. ...

A Yakuza Has His Way (1972)

The eighth installment in the popular film series starring Tomisaburo Wakayama. Embarrassed by the chairman of the Seiyu-kai for not having a family crest, Seikichi Shimamura sets out with his henchmen on a journey to acquire the crest of a local bankrupt ...

Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx (1972)

Ogami Itto battles a group of female ninja in the employ of the Yagyu clan and must eliminate a traitor who plans to sell his clan's secrets to the Shogunate. ...

The Kanto Scarlet Cherry Gang (1972)

The Ni Family is the most well know and respected group of firefighters in the Kanto region. When their leader dies and the successor disappears, Tsuruji, a beautiful yet tough geisha, becomes the boss. But will she be able to confront a yakuza gang tryi ...

Companion to Hell (1972)

The second work in the "Japanese Evil Man Den" series, which depicts the devilishness hidden in the depths of the human heart. The script is done by Takayuki Yamada. The director is Shinji Murayama of "Japanese Bad Man Den". Shigeru Akatsuka of "Modern Por ...

A Scarred Life 2: Blood Will Tell (1972)

President of the territorial yakuza organization is being manipulated by a crooked leader in the military and some capitalists Ishikiri. The plan is to get multiple family of the organized crime groups based in Osaka to war it out and order the Shima to th ...

Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance (1972)

Official Shogunate executioner Ogami Itto has been framed for disloyalty to the Shogunate by the Yagyu clan, against whom he now is waging a one-man war, along with his infant son, Daigoro. ...

Red Peony Gambler: Execution of Duty (1972)

The final chapter of the Hibotan Bakuto series. Oryu the Red Peony visits an old dying Boss of an ally family and promised her that she would help guide the new Boss. Meanwhile a turf war breaks out. ...

The Armed Organization (1971)

Violent Gang Re-Arms is a rousing tale of friction in yakuza and labor interactions with Koji Tsuruta as a yakuza supervising a dockworker's union. He finds himself between a rock and a hard place, at odds with both the dockworkers' leader (Tomisaburo Waka ...

The Gambler's Counterattack (1971)

Aiba is a gang boss who has just got out of jail, and finds everything has changed. His old gang has broken up, and only a few people still respect him. So he becomes a consultant to another gang who are about to be clobbered by a much larger gang moving i ...

Evil Boss vs. Henchmen (1971)

A high-ranking yakuza rises to national notoriety. ...

Story of Japanese Bad Men (1971)

Toei yakuza film. ...

Kaoyaku (1971)

A detective is charged with investigating a bank corruption scandal. ...

A Scarred Life (1971)

Set in Osaka, during the devastated time of post-war Japan, this is a tale of the yakuza who set about rebuilding after the death of their Oyabun (big boss). Battles erupt as tempers explode as someone seeks to fill the seat of power. ...

Red Peony Gambler: Here to Kill You (1971)

The seventh chapter of the stunning Hibotan Bakuto series. Many years have passed since Oryu the Red Peony began her soul-searching journey after her father was killed. In her travels, she meets villagers whose crops and livelihoods are being destroyed by ...

The Path of the King (1971)

When the aging leader of the yakuza gang Maeda-gumi decides to retire, many of the gang members have no confidence in the young man he has chosen to replace him. A fight for the succession begins. ...

Wicked Priest 5: Breaking The Commandments (1971)

As the Killer Priest Shinkai travels around Japan during the Meiji era, he comes to the aid of a village headman fighting corruption from up above. Before he can do anything for the townspeople, he must first face his nemesis, Whipmaster, the blind Priest, ...

Fate Deals the Card of Death (1971)

Seijiro and Shizue meet in Niigata and fall in love. Seijiro has to go back to Tokyo soon after, and they promise each other to meet again a year later. However, Seijiro gets jailed for five years. Unable to find him, Shizue gets married to a yakuza boss w ...

Capone's Younger Brother: Heart and Speculation (1971)

Lesser, but still modestly entertaining sequel. Wakayama is wonderfully bastardly here, but has to do without Chicago bros. Yamashiro & Watanabe and the film is just that much less fun. It's also a little bogged down by an out-of-place environmental messag ...

Sympathy for the Underdog (1971)

A yakuza gang gets driven out of Yokohama by a big gang from Tokyo. They relocate to Okinawa to violently start over. ...

New Prison Walls of Abashiri: Stray Wolf in Snow (1970)

Thugs of Shinjuku (1970)

Fresh out of jail, a smart-mouth wise guy Goro takes the name "Big Brother Katsumata." Not fitting in well with established gangs, he forms a rag-tag gang called "the Shinjuku Brothers." The members of their gang are thugs who only wish they were tradition ...

The Silk Hat Boss 2 (1970)

The Silk Hat Boss becomes involved in a car imports business during his trip to Atami. ...

Whipmaster: Ballad of Murder (1970)

Ryotatsu, the wayward Priest blinded by Shinkai, the Wicked Priest, has his own story in this ultra-violent tale from the era of the Meiji Reconstruction. When a woman leaves her blind son at the Monastery, Ryotatsu is forced to teach the boy how to cope a ...

The Last Kamikaze (1970)

With World War II is coming to its end and Japan nearing defeat, Japanese military leaders step up suicide attacks on Allied ships. Toei legend Koji Tsuruta stars as a Kamikaze squad leader who has second thoughts about suicide runs. He becomes torn betwee ...

Kigeki Gyanburu Hisshôhô (1970)

Fugitive Scoundrel (1970)

Gokudo goes politics. Gray-haired Bin Amatsu has Wakayama assist a politician, meaning trashing the opponent. But of course the opponent has a pretty daughter to have a crush on. Enter protective Bunta Sugawara and Gokudo's gotta settle for a cheaper Toei ...

Gambler's Code - Loyalty Offering (1970)

A fairly entertaining yarn told in somewhat broad strokes with Wakayama playing against type as a reformed-gambler-turned- Christian minister. Of course, before the tale is finished he is forced by the utterly nefarious, heinous villains to once again pick ...

Silk Hat Boss (1970)

In a strange outfit and full of youthful energy, the explosive Boss Kumatora raises hell like there's no tomorrow. The first movie of a new series starring Wakayama Tomisaburo as everybody's favorite character Boss Kumatora from the Red Peony Gambler serie ...

Japan's Violent Gangs: Degenerate Boss (1970)

Terajima, an ex-yakuza and current nightclub owner, is brought back into the world of crime when his former brother attempts a hostile take over. ...

Postwar Secrets (1970)

Everybody's chasing a diamond in Sadao Nakajima's crime/action/drama. It was a based on a novel by Tsusai Sugawara, who was a Japanese writer and political figure campaigning against drugs, prostitution and sexually transmitted diseases. ...

Brothers of Capones (1970)

Superbly entertaining action comedy with Tomisaburo Wakayama as Kuriyama Capone who learned his trade under Al Capone in Chicago. The film follows his first venture to Japan with gangster brothers Frank (Shingo Yamashiro) and Joe (Fumio Watanabe). And bein ...

The Japan Derby Race (1970)

A story about a man who stakes his life on horse racing. ...

The Drifting Gambler (1970)

8th part of the Gamblers / Bakuchi-uchi series. ...

House of Gamblers (1970)

Ken Takakura stars as Ryoji one of the Aramasa family's loyal lieutenants whao takes the burden of his family being insulted by the Tanuma's family goons, by retaliating on his own. After injuring the head of Tanuma's family, and slaying others along the w ...

Red Peony Gambler: Oryu's Return (1970)

Oryu searches for blind child she left behind and get involved in a Yakuza turf war that takes place in the Tokyo Theater. ...

Wicked Priest 4: The Killer Priest Comes Back (1970)

In Meiji Period Japan, the carrying of swords had been outlawed, so Shikai, the Killer Priest carries his sword disguised as a Priest?s staff. One of the strongest entries in the series, Shinkai is badly injured, and must face his worst enemy in what could ...

A Yakuza Goes Home (1970)

Shimamura & Mineko return to Kamagasaki in Osaka. In their return Shimamura quickly finds himself defending a lady in distress. During the skirmish he bumps into his old buddies who turns him on to the "new" goings on in town, Shimamura is angered to disco ...

Gambler's Legacy (1969)

A yakuza member embarks on a trail of revenge for his murdered boss. Senzo, the successor of the Mita Family, searches for the man bearing a tattoo of a dragon who is said to be responsible for the death of their former leader. ...

The Fort of Death (1969)

The second Bounty Hunter film, when master killer Shikoro Ichibei takes up the cause of a group of farmers being driven to despair by the vile Lord Ozeki. The villainous lord has driven them to mounting their last stand at a deserted fort against an army o ...

Memoir of Japanese Assassinations (1969)

This anthology film consists of nine incidents in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when assassins changed the course of Japanese history. ...

Red Peony Gambler: Biographies of a Gambling Room (1969)

Oryu the Red Peony, a wandering female yakuza on a soul-searching journey after the death of her father. After collecting her sickly follower from jail, she is taken in by a fishing village. Feeling indebted to their generosity, she stays to work for the v ...

Team of Ruffians (1969)

Prisoners with special skills from all over Japan are sent to the battlefront on a mission. ...

A Gambler's Certain Death (1969)

Part 7 in the Gambling Den series. This time Koji Tsuruta is a gambler who feels sympathetic towards a woman whose naive husband is driven to a debt trap by a rotten gambling den owner (Tatsuo Endo) and his dishonest card dealer (Isamu Nagato). The plot is ...

Killer's Mission (1969)

Ichibei is assigned by Shogun Tokugawa to prevent the sale of a Dutch ships-load of rifles to the hostile Shogun Satsuma. On his mission he meets a cowardly Ronin who becomes his assistant, as well as a female spy and a female warrior... ...

Samurai Geisha (1969)

Popular geisha Shinji (Fuji Junko) must defy a gang who plot to steal a lucrative coal business from struggling miners during the turbulent Meiji Era. A stellar all-star cast, a thrilling story, and Takakura Ken's violent swordplay, make this a classic Yak ...

Japan Organized Crime Boss (1969)

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 ...

Wicked Priest 3: A Killer's Pilgrimage (1969)

Shinkai comes to the aid of a coastal village being held hostage by a group of political revolutionaries. ...

The Domain: Flower and Dragon (1969)

Brothers Serving Time (1969)

While imprisoned, Tatsu encounters Danshi, a man who is a big honcho in the prison pecking order. After initial conflict they become sworn brothers. Tatsu and the sworn brothers he acquires weren't really gangsters before their prison time, just ruffians. ...

Quick-draw Okatsu (1969)

This film focuses on Okatsu; the adopted daughter of a master swordsman. She is a master with a sword herself and her talents far overshadow that of her brother, and real child of the man who adopted her. Her brother unfortunately has a gambling habit, and ...

Yakuza on Foot (1969)

An Osaka gangster Shimamura just got married. His new bride, Mineko is also involved in drug trafficking. When she goes to China to make a deal, things get botched pretty badly. Shimamura must travel to save her and recoup his employers' losses. ...

Ex-Convict - Territory of Rampage (1969)

The third film in the Zenka-mono series.At the beginning of the Showa period, Matsukichi Iwaki was released from prison after 10 years in prison. Matsukichi came to Yokosuka relying on his old friend Mitsuo Nakai from the Nakai gang, but Nakai was killed a ...

Red Peony Gambler: Flower Cards Game (1969)

The third chapter of the 'Red Peony Gambler' saga depicts the happiness and sadness of Red Peony Oryu's life as she seals her femininity with a red peony tattoo and lives in world of chivalry and honor of the yakuza. This story takes place in the middle of ...

A Modern Yakuza: The Code of the Lawless (1969)

Just released on parole, one young man hurtles towards a face-off with the gangsters controlling Shinjuku and its lucrative prostitutes. ...

The Yakuza Awaits (1969)

Forth film in the Gokudo series with Tomisaburô Wakayama ...

Gambler Biography (1968)

Historical Yakuza gangster film set the early years of the Showa era. ...

Wicked Priest 2: Ballad of Murder (1968)

The long awaited second film in the Wicked Priest series is a masterpiece of sword swinging fury as Shinkai is asked by a man on the run to bring his young son to live with his grandfather, the master of a ju-jitsu dojo during the Taisho period of the earl ...

Red Peony Gambler: Gambler's Obligation (1968)

A local yakuza boss of a silk farming town shows kindness to the wandering gambler Oryu by letting her stay at his residence. When a rival yakuza gang, who wants to take over the town's businesses, murders him, Oryu is obliged to protect his children and b ...

Hishakaku and Kiratsune: A Tale of Two Yakuza (1968)

With his penultimate film, Uchida revisited one of his popular prewar titles, 1936's Theatre of Life, an adaptation of Shiro Ozaki's eponymous novel. Three-time Seijun Suzuki collaborator Goro Tanada wrote a gangsterized adaptation of Ozaki's story for Uch ...

Ohyaku: The Female Demon (1968)

Ohyaku is a grifter who falls in love with a thief, who recruits her for his plan to rob a shipment of government gold. When this plan goes wrong and Ohyaku ends up in prison, she resolves to do anything to escape and claim revenge on the ones who betraye ...

Enlisted Yakuza (1968)

It is the third film in the Gokudo series. In this episode, set in 1937, the main character of the series gang leader Shimamura is drafted into the military and fight in China. ...

Red Peony Gambler (1968)

Ryuko was raised by her father, a gambler named Senzo Yano in Kumamoto, Kyushu, after her mother died when she was little. When she turned 18 years old, her father was attacked and killed by a stranger in alley. Ryuko then dissolves her yakuza family, and, ...

Gambling Den's Master Clan (1968)

Sixth entry in the Bakuchi-uchi series. ...

Brothers'Code - The Back Relation (1968)

Yakuza Kojima appeared in Yokkaichi in search of her mother who died when she was young. There he met Torajiro, a master of kendo, who had just left prison after slashing his adoptive father who stole his son's wife. Torajiro was on his way to his brother- ...

Wicked Priest (1968)

During the Taisho Period (early 1920's) a monastery of warrior monks was split apart between two factions. One of these factions was led by the Chief Abbot and his protege, Shinkai. When Shinkai intercedes in a fight between a rival priest and some ruffian ...

Histories of the Chivalrous (1968)

A Kansai gang is up to conquer the whole country under the mask of a patriotic group. However after an assassination their henchmen will struggle to avenge the death of their master. ...

Return of the Outlaw (1968)

Second film of the Gokudo series starring Tomisaburô Wakayama ...

The Marked Man (1968)

A man from Osaka comes up to Tokyo to fight gangsterism. ...

Henchmen (1968)

The three henchmen join forces to challenge the brutal gang that is trying to control the city of Izu in Shizuoka during the early Showa period. Representatives of three different yakuza gangs - Tatsuo Umemiya, Tomisaburo Wakayama and Koji Tsuruta celebrat ...

Scoundrel (1968)

Shimamura is a violent street thug who joins the yakuza & is merciless & unscrupulous on his rise, lacking any sense of either duty or chivalry. When imprisoned, he is repeatedly transferred from one prison to another, because no one can handle him. ...

Nunnery Confidential (1968)

Erotic Pinku film showcasing he life of Buddhist nuns during the Edo Period. ...

Showdown of Men 4: Tetsu, the White Tiger (1968)

Tetsu, is a honourable and noble yakuza caught in a conflict between rival clans, and obligations each has toward their yakuza boss and brothers. A railroad line brings changing times to a community. Because Tetsu can't stand by and allow a bunch of yakuza ...

Big Time Gambling Boss (1968)

Tokyo, 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. ...

Gambler's World 2 (1967)

Thriller about a gangster and an outlaw who become friends despite their different outlooks. ...

Parole (1967)

Three men vs. gangsters in a fight involving smuggled gold. ...

Gambler's World (1967)

Gambler: Victory Without Death (1967)

Tsunetaro Asakura AKA "Dynamite Tsune" is a talented gambler, but not infallable. After losing his Boss's money in a dice game he repays his debt by serving as a pit boss for a struggling coal mine in Kyuushu. Quickly there's trouble with the local mining ...

North Sea Chivalry (1967)

Inosuke, a former gangster, and his friends struggle to make a living as simple fishermen in this tale of chivalry and friendship among yakuza in the northern regions. ...

Eighteen Years in Prison (1967)

A 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. ...

Gamblers (1967)

Tsuruta is a respected tattoo artist working with comrades Machida and Yamashiro. His former boss, who also just happens to be the master who had tattooed the magnificent dragon on Tsuruta's back, is now a dissolute, bitter drunk living with his son in law ...

Code Between Brothers 3 (1966)

A man finds great camaraderie while traveling. ...

Seven Fugitives (1966)

Judo vs. Karate (1966)

A story of friendship between a lone wolf judo expert and a youth. ...

The Virgin Witness (1966)

A father decides to put his delinquent daughter into a temple in Kyoto known for its austere novitiate. Initially resistant to all forms of discipline, she ends up falling in love with the nun who is in charge of her. ...

Shinobi No Mono 5: Return of Mist Saizo (1964)

[Period covered: 1616] On May 8th, 1615 the summer campaign of Osaka has reached the climax. This film takes place immediately following 'Ninja 4: Mist Saizo, Last of The Ninja'. Staying one step ahead of the Shogun's forces, "Mist" Saizo tries to save the ...

Kojiki taishō (1964)

Sleepy Eyes of Death 4: Sword of Seduction (1964)

A fugitive christian "saint" (female, of course!) and a sadistic drug-addled princess both have their eye on Kyoshiro. The fact that a bunch of ruthless smugglers also want him dead is the least of his problems! ...

Shinobi no Mono 4: Siege (1964)

[Period covered: 1614-1615] Tokugawa Ieyasu is now the ruler of all Japan. But one last loose thread must be tied up before his domination is complete -- the destruction of the Toyotomi clan, now beseiged in Osaka castle. Ieyasu's ninja are the only ones w ...

Zatoichi and the Chest of Gold (1964)

Ichi travels to the village of Itakura to pay his respects at the grave of Kichizo, a man he killed two years ago. When some tax money is stolen while in transit to the governor he is accused and sets out to find the money and clear his name. ...

Sleepy Eyes of Death 1: The Chinese Jade (1963)

Nemuri Kyoshiro, a youthful and cynical ronin with unparalleled skill, is approached by both sides in a game of corruption, ambition, and double crosses. The leader of the Kaga clan, who thinks he has killed his smuggling partner, fears that the shogunate ...

Bronze Magician (1963)

A story loosely based on the affair between Empress Kōken-Shōtoku and the monk Dōkyō, set during the Nara period (710–794 A.D.). ...

Maiko and the Assassin (1963)

19th century Japan, at the end of the Edo period. A samurai falls in love with a young woman while taking up arms to overthrow the local shogunate. ...

Shinobi no Mono 2: Vengeance (1963)

[Period covered: 1582-1594]. As the film opens, the warlod Nobunaga Oda rides to Iga Ayanokuni shrine. He is asked if he thinks he has destroyed all the ninja who opposed him and answers that he suspects that there may be more. A servant brings water and t ...

Ghost Story of Devil's Fire Swamp (1963)

Nishina Saburouta is powerful but corrupted priest. One night, an old samurai who couldn't bear him any more, attempts to kill him, but without success. Saburouta is rescued by his niece, Keisuke at the last moment. Keisuke is a a good-for-nothing. Since t ...

A Samurai Never Tells a Lie (1963)

The shogun's vassal Harima Aoyama and a chamber maid are in love with each other, but they cannot be together due to a difference of their status. Soon, an offer of marriage is brought to Harima. Trying to test his love, Okiku breaks one of the plates of t ...

The Red Water (1963)

Comedy drama film ...

Assassins for sale (1963)

Nagasaki at the end of the Edo period had the taste of a criminal paradise, where, despite the exotic, dangerous work was always in demand. Here, three wandering samurai who earn their living by killing get to know each other. Soon they learn that governme ...

Shinsengumi Chronicles (1963)

As winds of change sweep Japan, an honest man joins the Shinsengumi out of admiration for its leader, and because he wants to live and die as a samurai. However, as his involvement grows, reality and idealism come into deadly conflict. ...

The Lightning Sword (1962)

Shinjiro is a rambler, a single sword carrying lone wolf with only his fighting skills to protect him. He doesn't know where his road leads, only that he must find his lost sister, and the ronin who stole her away. The ronin that Shinjiro has sworn to kill ...

Ninja, A Band of Assassins (1962)

Warlord Oda Nobunaga seeks to unite a fractured Japan. A young man trained in the arts of ninjitsu is manipulated by a ninja master into attempting to assassinate the warlord before he completes his task. ...

The Tale of Zatoichi Continues (1962)

Returning to the village where a year before he had killed Hirate, a much-admired opponent, Zatoichi encounters another swordsman and former rival in love. ...

Keepers of Order (1962)

Chuji and his family become the primary target of gangs in Nikko headed by Hasshu marshal Nakayama and boss Sukegoro Iioka. Chuji is then aided by boss Shigezo Sasagawa, Ishimatsu, and a few young yakuza. ...

Ōedo no taka (1962)

1962 Japanese movie ...

Kisaragi Sword (1962)

The story concerns the efforts of seven master swordsman who join together to protect the new inexperienced Shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune from the evil plans of the Owari Clan's corrupt Lord. It's a colorful bunch, a drunk samurai, a master thief, a sword inst ...

Casebook of Dandy Sashichi: Street Demon Terror (1961)

In the streets of Edo, influential official merchants are being brutally murdered one after another, casting fear over the entire city. Popular detective Sakichi, with diligent investigation, sets his sights on a mysterious blind samurai living in the eeri ...

The Tale of Oiwa's Ghost (1961)

A samurai plots to reclaim his estranged wife after she leaves him over a murder scandal. When her sister falls victim to a scheme, he and his friend manipulate events, but their plans lead to supernatural vengeance. ...

Ninjutsu-tsukai to sennin masume (1961)

A two-part series of ninjutsu films directed by Masahiko Izawa, director of Yagyu Bugeichou (1961), based on an original scenario by Yasuo Yokoyama. ...

Cases of An Actor in Disguise: Bloodskull Mansion (1961)

The second work in the series "Cases of An Actor in Disguise" starring Kokichi Takada, based on the original work of Tatsuro Jinde. Popular ronin actor Kasumi Ippei intervenes in a planned robbery of the mint, where gold coins are minted for the Shogunate. ...

Diary of Good Conduct Matashiro: A beautiful bat (1961)

Rampant ronin Matashiro Sasai, finds himself embroiled in serious unrest after he rescues a geisha who is being kidnapped by a group of ronin. ...

Festival of Swordsmen (1961)

During the middle of the Kanei Period (1624-1644) Japan was in the early stages of its most peaceful era. This left a large number of unemployed samurai with nothing to do, and their morale suffered. In order to raise their spirits, the Shogun's Chief Advi ...

Unruly Lion (1961)

Lord of Steel Heart (1961)

A Tokugawa Daimyo rebels against an his lord after the battle of Sekigahara. Samurai Matabei, a famous spear fighter and warrior, is a vassal of lord Honjo. One of Honjo's most trusted under-lords is Sanzaemon. He has designs on Matabei's fief, and he plot ...

Wild Palanquin (1960)

Shinsuke Inaba, a thief who snuck into the Kishu family residence in Edo. He was almost discovered by a patrol, but he is helped by Kajio, a woman who holds the position of a junior maid of honor. She was later reprimanded and moved into her family's candl ...

Brothers of Fire (1960)

Japanese film. ...

Heavenly Dragon (1960)

From the opening theme song to the grand finale, you know that you have found something special as this exciting movie stars the great Misora Hibari in one of her most memorable performances as she plays Shintaro and Oharu, a brother and sister, the childr ...

Casebook of Dandy Sashichi: The Iron Mask Laughing in the Darkness (1960)

The head clerk of a decorative shop that captivates Edo girls with goods from the Nanban trade is murdered. The weapon used is a Western longsword. The multifaceted exploits of the renowned Sakichi reveal the underlying complexities of a fierce fallout amo ...

Bloody Account of Jirocho: Raid on the Holy Mountain (1960)

Casebook of Dandy Sashichi: Furisode Mansion (1960)

The fourth episode of the popular detective series starring Tomisaburō Wakayama. Featuring mysterious ronin, enigmatic bon vivants, and melancholic daughter geishas, as they become entangled in a series of strange deaths occurring one after another at the ...

The Adventures of Jirokichi: A thousand coins (1960)

The film adaptation of the novel "Three Little Rats" by Tatsuro Jinde. In this fascinating story, the rebellious Jirokichi and three men, united by a sense of justice and love, confront an evil merchant and an official who fills his pockets with gold, and ...

The Shogun’s Guard: Valor in Turbulence (1960)

The stormy tale of the Shinsengumi is told from its birth by master filmmaker Sasaki Yasushi, with an all-star cast based on the original story by Shirai Kyoji. The battles between the royalists and Shogunate supporters come to a fever pitch during the Gio ...

Ooka Seidan: Devil Image (1960)

Magistrate Ooka and a samurai fight against evil forces. ...

Saikoro mushuku (1960)

Runway to Hell (1960)

When Kaneko Ichinosuke aims to avenge his father who was wrongly accused of embezzlement, the samurai Kochiyama Soshun agrees to assist. ...

Hibari’s Favorite 2 (1960)

Young girl Kichiza searches for her missing brother and the person responsible for the death of her parents. ...

Ryuji, the Gun Slinger (1960)

Ishimatsu: the One-Eyed Avenger (1960)

Some of the finest jidai-geki actors appear in this exciting and entertaining tale of intrigue and action in old Japan. Teaming up the ever-popular Misora Hibari with the greatest samurai action hero of all-time Wakayama Tomisaburo is a brilliant stoke of ...

Casebook of Dandy Sashichi: The Dead Beauty of Kurayamizaka (1960)

The second installment of the detective series starring Tomisaburō Wakayama. Depicting the remarkable achievements of Sashichi, in unraveling the mysterious incidents surrounding the Bat Slug Gang swirling in the streets of Edo's 808 districts with his sk ...

Casebook of Dandy Sashichi: The Female Demon Mask (1960)

A thrilling entertainment mystery period drama directed by Daisuke Yamazaki, depicting the remarkable feats of detective with the beautiful "doll-like" face, Sashichi, who skillfully unravels the serial murders involving Hannya masks swirling around the st ...

Lord of Red Banner (1960)

A young lord lives against the will of his father Lord Tokugawa. ...

Road of Chivalry (1960)

While on the road, famed Yakuza Boss Jirocho is falsely accused of starting a peasant's uprising and chased by the law. Meanwhile, one of his henchmen in an attempt to raise money for the Boss gambles away not only all their funds, but their clothing as we ...

Benten Kozo (1960)

Orphaned Kiku was raised at a Buddhist temple and learned theatrical arts and martial arts as a child, which were used to put on stage productions to raise money for the temple, but also to display young lads who were essentially for sale to the highest bi ...

An Actor's Revenge (1959)

Nakamura Yukinojo gains popularity in Edo's kabuki scene as a handsome onnagata (a male actor who plays female roles). But hidden behind the placid expression of his stage face is a deep grudge for the men responsible for dishonoring his parents' names and ...

Detective Hibari: Case of the Hidden Coin (1959)

A mysterious coin found at a murder scene stirs the curiosity of young actress detective Oshichi and her brother Hyoma, who set out on a private investigation to unveil the secrets hidden behind the coin. ...

Blooded Spear (1959)

Edo, 1703. Young Sugino, one of the 47 rōnin seeking revenge against lord Kira, who caused that his master, Asano of Ako, committed seppuku, meets a skillful spear fighter, Genban, who trains him to fight with honor on the day of retribution. ...

53 Stages of the Road (1959)

An Edo appointed official Baba must ensure the safe delivery of shogunate funds to Kyoto. ...

Secrets of Fuji 2 (1959)

Early film directed by Eiichi Kudô. ...

Secrets of Fuji (1959)

Early film directed by Eiichi Kudô. ...

A Spectacular Showdown (1959)

One of the great stories from Japan's rich history comes to life in this true tale of the bloody showdown between two rival yakuza gangs in the 1840's. The battle between Boss Sukegoro of Iioka and Boss Shigezo of Sasagawa has been portrayed many times, mo ...

Ghost Story: One Eyed Jizo (1959)

A woman abandoned by the man she loved all her life becomes a ghost and takes revenge for her offense! ...

Lord Mito 2: The Nation's Vice Shogun (1959)

After settling the matter of shogunal succession, the retired Old Lord of Mito finds himself in a sea of trouble when he gets involved in the succession of the Takamatsu clan. The usurpers try by every means to effect their takeover, even if it leads to bl ...

No Stronger Swords (1959)

Featuring some of the finest swordsmen ever to grace the silver screen, this Toei classic tells the story of a battle between the evil sword style called "Otonashi" (The Silent Form) and the proper way of swordsmanship as promoted by such historical stalwa ...

Casebook of Dandy Sashichi: Dead Woman's Tattoo (1958)

The fifth volume of the Ningyo Sana Torimonocho series. Based on the original work by Seishi Yokomizo, the film was adapted by Mitsuo Kaneda (The Nude Model Murder Case), directed by Tatsuo Yamada, who worked on The Golden Bugyo, and shot by Kikuzo Kawasak ...

Holiday in Japan (1958)

Japanese comedy film released to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Shintoho's founding. ...

Emperor & Empress Meiji and the Sino-Japanese War (1958)

Emperor Meiji and the Great Russo-Japanese War (1957)

Meiji Tenno portrays the buildup to the Russo-Japan War. In addition to showing the political events that led to war, it also shows the era from the story of a farm family in rural Japan that sends their son off to war. As such, it could be considered an a ...

Mysterious Clouds: Legend of Satomi's Heroic Deed (1957)

In the first year of Chōroku, Satomi Yoshimi, lord of Takita Castle in Awa, faces defeat by neighboring lord Anzai Kagesuren. As the castle nears collapse, Anzai demands a seed from Yoshimi's lineage, specifically from his wife, Fushihime. Outraged but fa ...

Casebook of Dandy Sashichi: Six Famous Beauties (1956)

Famed detective Dandy Sashichi tries to solve who's behind the serial murders of six beautiful women under the aegis of local showman Ibaragiya. The film opens with the sextet humiliating a respected painter's portraits of them, driving the man to a sus­p ...

Royalist or Shogunate Loyalist? — Women's Mandala (1956)

1956 Japanese film, released in two parts. This is Part One. ...

Admiral Yamamoto and the Allied Fleets (1956)

Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto leads the Combined Fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy to defeat the American Fleet. ...

The Ghosts of Yotsuya (1956)

Oiwa has been searching for the one who killed her father for a long time. She comes to Yedo and sees a man named Naosuke. The film is based on the kabuki classic: Toukaidou Yotsuya Kaidan (1826) written by Tsuruya Nanboku and is one of the most famous gho ...

Silver Snake Iwashiya (1956)

1956 Japanese film, originally released in two parts. ...

Song Festival, Full Moon, and the Battle of the Raccoon Dogs (1955)

Hibari Misora musical. ...

Nonki saiban (1955)

A spectacular comedy with a star-studded cast that depicts unusual trials and unexpected verdicts regarding the five deadly sins: the crime of beauty, the crime of a terrifying wife, the crime of taking the wrong course, the crime of seducing, and the crim ...

Chutaro of Banba (1955)

Based on the play "Mabuta no haha" by famed author Shin Hasegawa, this is the first major starring role for Tomisaburo Wakayama. This heartfelt story concerns a wandering gambler from Banba by the name of Chutaro. Set during the Tenpo Period, Chutaro runs ...

Gyakushû Orochimaru (1955)

An early fantasy film starring Tomisaburô Wakayama. ...

Ninja Arts of Jiraiya (1955)

Ninja film by Tai Kato ...

Lone Wolf and Cub: White Heaven in Hell (1974)

With most of his family already dead at Ogami Itto's hands, Retsudo launches one final plot to destroy him, and when that fails, unleashes the fury of every remaining member of the Yagyu clan. ...

Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in the Land of Demons (1973)

Ogami Itto is challenged by a quintet of warriors, each armed with one fifth of Ogami's assassin fee and one fifth of the information he needs to complete his assignment. ...

Internal Sleuth (1973)

When 150 guns are stolen from Iwakuni base and two police officers are shot dead, a detective criminal tries to find out the truth. ...

Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in Peril (1972)

Ogami Itto is hired to kill a tattooed female assassin and battles Retsudo, head of the Yagyu clan, and his son Gunbei. ...

Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades (1972)

Ogami Itto volunteers to be tortured by Yakuza in order to save a prostitute and is hired by their leader to kill an evil chamberlain. ...