A wandering samurai squares off against a corrupt postmaster in Hideo Gosha’s uncharacteristically aventgarde chambara.
Dec 21, 2022 • Subscribe
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Samurai Wolf 2: Hell Cut (牙狼之介 地獄斬り, Hideo Gosha, 1967)
Kiba is again confronted with the duplicities of late Meiji society after being pulled into intrigue at a disused mine in Hideo Gosha’s striking chanbara.
Violent Streets (暴力街, Hideo Gosha, 1974)
A former yakuza’s attempts to leave the underworld behind are frustrated by gang intrigue and changing times in Hideo Gosha’s intense gangland drama.
The Geisha (陽暉楼, Hideo Gosha, 1983)
The coming of the railroad spells doom for one of the most prestigious geisha houses in Japan in Hideo Gosha’s adaptation of the Tomiko Miyao novel.
Wolf Pack (狼群, Michael Chiang, 2022)
A disillusioned doctor quickly finds himself in over his head when he’s kidnapped by Chinese mercenaries in Michael Chiang’s oddly positioned action thriller
Horror of the Wolf (狼の紋章, Masashi Matsumoto, 1973)
A traumatised werewolf is drawn into teen gang intrigue after returning to Japan in Masashi Matsumoto’s visually striking exploitation movie.
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“A wonderful and refreshing blend between the jidai-geki/chanbara and the kaiju genre.”
Irezumi (1966) review
“Masamura delivers a phenomenal narrative, a true post-war classic.”
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Here’s a more conventional sports anime episode for you. Leo still refuses to take off his ninja headgear and Big Bird is still squawking up a storm in…
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Here’s another Taiso Samurai outing where the script sidelines Jotaro, who seems to be the main character in name only. Last week it was all about Leo and…
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The Threat (脅迫, Kinji Fukasaku, 1966)
An ambitious executive is confronted with the emasculating nature of the salaryman dream when escaped convicts invade his home in an early thriller from Kinji Fukasaku.
Samurai Ben
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Taiso Samurai is a sports anime about a gymnast in the twilight of his career who rekindles his love for the sport.
Samurai Reincarnation
The late Kinji Fukasaku is most fondly remembered for his hold-no-bars yakuza flicks, characterised by their hard-as-nails anti-heroes and brutal action. However, in the late 1970s, the director…
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Tokyo Scum Brigade.
Yoru no Hana / Night Flower by Mizuno Hideo
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We’re back with another week of Spice and Wolf. This week Holo get’s jealous, Lawrence makes some business connections and a new waifu enters the fray! Who will…
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Welcome all to another episode of Spice and Wolf Season 2! I’m a bit busy this week, writing a lot of reviews, but that’s no excuse. Let’s jump…
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Welcome back to another episode of Spice and Wolf. This week see’s my prediction come true as Lawrence’s greed bites him in the ass! But there are consequences…
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The second season of the Spice and Wolf questions the practicality and morality of relationships between gods and men.
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Wolf Pack 狼群 China, 2022, colour, 2.35:1, 104 mins. Director: Jiang Cong 蒋丛 [Michael Chiang]. Rating: 5/10. Well-mounted but generic action fodder centred on a band of Chinese…
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