Junpei Arishima

The Geisha (1983)

Yokiro was the most successful Geisha house in Western Japan during the first half of the 20th century and remains open to this day. At its peak, it was home to over 200 geisha, however behind the fabulous facade, there were many battles - between family members, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hideo Gosha
CAST:  Ken Ogata  •  Kimiko Ikegami  •  Mitsuko Baisho  •  Atsuko Asano

Yokiro was the most successful Geisha house in Western Japan during the first half of the 20th century and remains open to this day. At its peak, it was home to over 200 geisha, however behind the fabulous facade, there were many battles - between family members, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hideo Gosha
CAST:  Ken Ogata  •  Kimiko Ikegami  •  Mitsuko Baisho  •  Atsuko Asano

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, carrying ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kōsaku Yamashita
CAST:  Sumiko Fuji  •  Ken Takakura  •  Tomisaburō Wakayama  •  Masako Araki

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, carrying ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kōsaku Yamashita
CAST:  Sumiko Fuji  •  Ken Takakura  •  Tomisaburō Wakayama  •  Masako Araki

Sister Street Fighter: Fifth Level Fist (1976)

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Kiku Nakakawa, the only daughter of an old kimono shop owner in Kyoto, is enthusiastic about karate. To help her friend Michi avenge her brother, she sneaks into a movie studio in Kyoto where a drug dealing syndicate is based.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shigehiro Ozawa
CAST:  Etsuko Shihomi  •  Mitchi Love  •  Ken Wallace  •  Hiroshi Tanaka

Kiku Nakakawa, the only daughter of an old kimono shop owner in Kyoto, is enthusiastic about karate. To help her friend Michi avenge her brother, she sneaks into a movie studio in Kyoto where a drug dealing syndicate is based.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shigehiro Ozawa
CAST:  Etsuko Shihomi  •  Mitchi Love  •  Ken Wallace  •  Hiroshi Tanaka

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 business.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Norifumi Suzuki
CAST:  Bin Amatsu  •  Junpei Arishima  •  Daisuke Awaji  •  Tomisaburō Wakayama

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 business.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Norifumi Suzuki
CAST:  Bin Amatsu  •  Junpei Arishima  •  Daisuke Awaji  •  Tomisaburō Wakayama

The Decisive Power of Aikido (1975)

It is about the life of Ueshiba - the founder of aikido. We can see how he decided to develop aikido and how he did it. We can see why he developed aikido and where he has learned martial arts.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shigehiro Ozawa
CAST:  Jirô Chiba  •  Sonny Chiba  •  Yōko Koizumi  •  Ryūnosuke Kaneda

It is about the life of Ueshiba - the founder of aikido. We can see how he decided to develop aikido and how he did it. We can see why he developed aikido and where he has learned martial arts.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shigehiro Ozawa
CAST:  Jirô Chiba  •  Sonny Chiba  •  Yōko Koizumi  •  Ryūnosuke Kaneda

Japan's Don (1977)

A yakuza leader must balance his violent tactics necessary for the rough streets of 1960s Tokyo with the domestic needs of his daughters.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Sadao Nakajima
CAST:  Shin Saburi  •  Koji Tsuruta  •  Hiroki Matsukata  •  Kō Nishimura

A yakuza leader must balance his violent tactics necessary for the rough streets of 1960s Tokyo with the domestic needs of his daughters.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Sadao Nakajima
CAST:  Shin Saburi  •  Koji Tsuruta  •  Hiroki Matsukata  •  Kō Nishimura

Restoration Fire (1961)

Megastar Kataoka Chiezo is Vice-commander Hijikata Toshizo of the Shinsengumi in this realistic tale of Japan’s inner battles that led to the downfall of the Tokugawa shogunate. Excellent performances and extremely good swordplay highlight this glimpse into the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Sadatsugu Matsuda
CAST:  Chiezō Kataoka  •  Chikage Awashima  •  Takashi Shimura  •  Ryūnosuke Tsukigata

Megastar Kataoka Chiezo is Vice-commander Hijikata Toshizo of the Shinsengumi in this realistic tale of Japan’s inner battles that led to the downfall of the Tokugawa shogunate. Excellent performances and extremely good swordplay highlight this glimpse into the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Sadatsugu Matsuda
CAST:  Chiezō Kataoka  •  Chikage Awashima  •  Takashi Shimura  •  Ryūnosuke Tsukigata

Whistling Drifter (1961)

Friendship between good samurais and aborigines in Hokkaido.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Daisuke Yamazaki
CAST:  Kinya Kitaoji  •  Hiroki Matsukata  •  Hiroko Sakuramachi  •  Paul Minako

Friendship between good samurais and aborigines in Hokkaido.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Daisuke Yamazaki
CAST:  Kinya Kitaoji  •  Hiroki Matsukata  •  Hiroko Sakuramachi  •  Paul Minako

Travels of Hibari and Chiemi (1962)

Playhouse employees Okimi and Otoshi become involved in an undercover officer’s investigation of a gang when they accidentally walk in on a drug deal taking place at their theater.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tadashi Sawashima
CAST:  Hibari Misora  •  Chiemi Eri  •  Minoru Chiaki  •  Akitake Kôno

Playhouse employees Okimi and Otoshi become involved in an undercover officer’s investigation of a gang when they accidentally walk in on a drug deal taking place at their theater.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tadashi Sawashima
CAST:  Hibari Misora  •  Chiemi Eri  •  Minoru Chiaki  •  Akitake Kôno

Road In the Mist (1963)

Okinu, the beautiful daughter of a feudal lord, discovers her true identity and leaves her lavish life behind to avenge her birth father's death.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kokichi Uchide
CAST:  Hibari Misora  •  Hiroshi Mizuhara  •  Michiko Nishizaki  •  Kunio Kaga

Okinu, the beautiful daughter of a feudal lord, discovers her true identity and leaves her lavish life behind to avenge her birth father's death.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kokichi Uchide
CAST:  Hibari Misora  •  Hiroshi Mizuhara  •  Michiko Nishizaki  •  Kunio Kaga

The Yagyu Military Art: The Buried Conspiracy (1963)

Yagyu Jubei must protect the Yagyu scroll that holds the secret of the infamous assassination plotted by the Tokugawa government 30 years ago.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kokichi Uchide
CAST:  Jūshirō Konoe  •  Hiroki Matsukata  •  Sumiko Fuji  •  Jotaro Togami

Yagyu Jubei must protect the Yagyu scroll that holds the secret of the infamous assassination plotted by the Tokugawa government 30 years ago.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kokichi Uchide
CAST:  Jūshirō Konoe  •  Hiroki Matsukata  •  Sumiko Fuji  •  Jotaro Togami

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.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tai Katō
CAST:  Noboru Andō  •  Hiroko Sakuramachi  •  Asao Koike  •  Masaomi Kondo

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.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tai Katō
CAST:  Noboru Andō  •  Hiroko Sakuramachi  •  Asao Koike  •  Masaomi Kondo

Heiji, the Detective (1967)

Famous for his coin tossing when capturing criminals, an Edo detective, Heiji, launches an investigation into the mysterious murder of his friend Seigoro.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tetsuya Yamanouchi
CAST:  Hashizo Okawa  •  Kumi Mizuno  •  Kinuko Obata  •  Shirō Ōtsuji

Famous for his coin tossing when capturing criminals, an Edo detective, Heiji, launches an investigation into the mysterious murder of his friend Seigoro.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tetsuya Yamanouchi
CAST:  Hashizo Okawa  •  Kumi Mizuno  •  Kinuko Obata  •  Shirō Ōtsuji

Company Buggers (1975)

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

DIRECTION:  Sadao Nakajima
CAST:  Hiroki Matsukata  •  Tatsuo Umemiya  •  Reiko Ike  •  Shingo Yamashiro

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

DIRECTION:  Sadao Nakajima
CAST:  Hiroki Matsukata  •  Tatsuo Umemiya  •  Reiko Ike  •  Shingo Yamashiro

The General and His Empire of Joy (1977)

Zenjiro (Masaru Shiga) is a lowlife criminal, roaming the country with his merry band of crooks, gamblers and rapists. When he gets done with his latest escapade of banging a samurai's wife, he finds that his love Okoyo (Eiko Matsuda), has managed to be recruited ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ikuo Sekimoto
CAST:  Eiko Matsuda  •  Hiromi Maya  •  Yūsuke Kazato  •  Masataka Iwao

Zenjiro (Masaru Shiga) is a lowlife criminal, roaming the country with his merry band of crooks, gamblers and rapists. When he gets done with his latest escapade of banging a samurai's wife, he finds that his love Okoyo (Eiko Matsuda), has managed to be recruited ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ikuo Sekimoto
CAST:  Eiko Matsuda  •  Hiromi Maya  •  Yūsuke Kazato  •  Masataka Iwao

Group Burglars Break the Magistrate's Office (1964)

Eight villains, former pirates, gather to attack the magistrate's office. They develop a plan and begin their actions in secret, making full use of their special abilities. In the end, their plan goes beyond what was intended and turns into a good deed for many ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yasuto Hasegawa
CAST:  Nobuo Kaneko  •  Ryutaro Otomo  •  Ryôhei Uchida  •  Kotaro Satomi

Eight villains, former pirates, gather to attack the magistrate's office. They develop a plan and begin their actions in secret, making full use of their special abilities. In the end, their plan goes beyond what was intended and turns into a good deed for many ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yasuto Hasegawa
CAST:  Nobuo Kaneko  •  Ryutaro Otomo  •  Ryôhei Uchida  •  Kotaro Satomi

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DIRECTION:  Kokichi Uchide
CAST:  Makoto Fujita  •  Ryūji Shinagawa  •  Tōru Yuri  •  Susumu Ishikawa

A Warrior Generation (1962)

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DIRECTION:  Toshikazu Kono
CAST:  Ryutaro Otomo  •  Keiko Okawa  •  Akiko Santo  •  Jūshirō Konoe

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DIRECTION:  Toshikazu Kono
CAST:  Ryutaro Otomo  •  Keiko Okawa  •  Akiko Santo  •  Jūshirō Konoe

Isshin Tasuke: Edoites Festival (1967)

A costumed film featuring the famous hero of Japanese history, Isshin Tasuke, arranged in the form of a popular song.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kōsaku Yamashita
CAST:  Kazuo Funaki  •  Sumiko Fuji  •  Kotaro Satomi  •  Eriko Yoshimura

A costumed film featuring the famous hero of Japanese history, Isshin Tasuke, arranged in the form of a popular song.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kōsaku Yamashita
CAST:  Kazuo Funaki  •  Sumiko Fuji  •  Kotaro Satomi  •  Eriko Yoshimura

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DIRECTION:  Yasushi Sasaki
CAST:  Hiroki Matsukata  •  Hiromi Hanazono  •  Yoshiko Fujita  •  Hiroko Yoshikawa